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

We've all weighed the costs and benefits of working out when sick: "My throat hurts, so I'll stick to weights and avoid heavy breathing." Or, "maybe a good sweat will break this fever." Often times, it just boils down to, "yeah I feel like crap, but I have a plan I have to stick to." So we compromise and try to push through our workouts, even though we’re suffering (more than normal, that is). After all, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? Well, while forcing a workout when you’re under the weather probably won’t kill you, it's also not necessarily making you stronger. Here's why.

Are you an athlete focused on functional fitness? If so, and you're anything like me, those feelings of being utterly drained after a WOD, collapsing on the floor, and not being able to walk the next morning are all too familiar. We've all been there.

But these feelings of exhaustion and muscle soreness aren’t simply signs of a good workout; they’re your body’s way of telling you that it’s in recovery mode. It’s repairing itself from strenuous activity and the inflammation that’s been caused by heavy squats, high rep pull-ups, or those sprint intervals you just crushed. The immune system and your body’s inflammatory response are vital pieces in your recovery, but if they aren’t kept on a leash, they can wreak havoc and cause severe problems.

So scientifically, what happens to our bodies after a hard workout?

With Halloween approaching and daydreams swirling of the sweet treats that come along with it, we thought we’d take a moment to talk about our favorite candy: dark chocolate. But beware; dark chocolate comes with both tricks and treats.

Not only is it delicious, but dark chocolate is actually good for your biomarkers, too. In fact, we recommend dark chocolate to our users looking to improve their iron and inflammation groups.

So what makes the difference from one bar to another? And with so many options, how do you know which one you should choose? Read on as we reveal the sweet science behind the chocolate bar...

Sleeping through your alarm. Showing up unprepared to a presentation. Forgetting an important birthday. Getting stressed out just reading? I can relate. But by making my InsideTracker goal ‘Reduce Stress,’ tracking certain biomarkers, and making some lifestyle changes, I’ve been able to find relaxation, mindfulness, and balance in my fast-paced daily life. 

Iron is an incredibly important mineral for health. Not only is it a crucial component for many biochemical reactions in our bodies, it is also required for proper oxygen transport. And since many of our users are athletes, iron deserves even more of a spotlight.

Last week we discussed the implications of inflammation on your iron levels. This week, we’re sharing how you can optimize your iron intake to maximize its absorption.

Measuring your iron levels to make sure you are meeting your needs is key. After all, you can’t monitor what you don’t measure. But even we’ll admit, not all science is easily translated into plain English. That’s exactly what we strive to do here at InsideTracker. And we’ve just made understanding your iron group easier than ever!

Your iron group is comprised of five biomarkers: ferritin, hemoglobin, TS, blood iron, and total iron binding capacity. These five markers measure things like iron storage, the amount of iron your blood can carry, and the amount of oxygen your blood can circulate throughout your body. Tracking your iron group can give you a view into whether you're meeting, exceeding, or falling short of your body's iron needs.

By adding a short interpretation to your iron group, we hope it will help you understand your specific combination of iron markers and how they all work together.

One factor that you may not have expected to affect your iron group is inflammation. So, could it be affecting your iron group? Here’s what you need to know...

The Boston Marathon. The most storied marathon there is, and it just so happens to be in my backyard. I grew up watching it, and had ran it once before. But this time was different. I trained for a specific goal. A lofty goal of sub 3:00. A goal I thought was well within reach.

I was feeling great about my fitness. My strategy was honed. I was on the right track. So what happened?

One of the most common new fitness trends is eating a mysterious blue-green algae called “spirulina.” Trendy fitness magazines and celebrities hail it as a top-secret “superfood” you take as a supplement or powder. However, are any of these claims actually based on real, scientific evidence? Or is spirulina as dubious as a health product shamelessly advertised by the Kardashians on Instagram? Below we sort out the fact and fiction by delving into the high-quality that shows how spirulina might impact your body and your health.

How old are you?

Yes, that title is accurate. 

No, it’s not part of a cheap marketing gimmick or get-young-and-skinny scheme. I won’t be asking you to fork over cash for a bottle of dubious pills or useless bags of tea.

But it did make you stop and look, right?