22: Harnessing Your Hormones for Health & Performance w/ Dr. Nicky Keay

In this episode we're chatting with Dr. Nicky Keay, a medial doctor and sport endocrinologist, all about the role hormones play in health and performance. Dr. Keay shares her journey from aspiring professional dancer to a passionate hormone specialist, emphasizing the importance of "harnessing your hormones" to reach your goals. She covers topics like the role of hormones in health, misconceptions about carbohydrates, and the importance of balancing your behaviors. Dr. Keay also dispels myths surrounding insulin, oral contraceptives, testosterone injections, and eating for phases of the menstrual cycle. Additionally, she highlights the importance of recovery and sleep for athletes (and all active individuals)!

Dr. Nicky Keay is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Medicine at University College London and previously Research Fellow in the Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences at Durham University. She conducts clinical research in sports/dance endocrinology, resulting a range of research publications and awards. She is a member of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Medicine and the British Menopause Society. She is also a speaker on Dance Endocrinology for National Institute of Dance Medicine and Science and International Association of Dance Medicine and Science. Her book "Hormones, Health and Human Potential: A guide to understanding your hormones to optimise your health and performance" informs how hormones play in important part in both our health and fitness. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickykeay/
www.nickykeayfitness.com
https://www.sequoia-books.com/catalog/keay/

00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:12 Dr. Nikki Keys' Journey to Medicine
01:59 Understanding Hormones
02:29 Harnessing Hormones for Health and Performance
05:18 Writing the Book: Hormones, Health, and Human Potential
07:49 Debunking Hormone Myths
09:20 Practical Tips for Athletes
12:15 The Importance of Recovery and Sleep
16:40 Common Misconceptions About Hormones
35:54 Final Thoughts and Conclusion