By Rachel D. Egan, PMHNP-BC

There are many benefits to regular exercise. It boosts our feel good neurotransmitter levels, it often gets us outside in the sunshine (and off our screens) and it can be very grounding. When exercising regularly, it is critical to be attentive to a diverse diet with high micronutrient content, as well as monitoring of these levels. Students engaging in athletics on high school or college sports teams and adults exercising with regularity should discuss micronutrient monitoring with their providers. Athletes are at risk for depletions of things like iron and Vitamin D, because our bodies draw on these resources both to power our workouts and to rebuild tissue afterward (think: making more muscle!) Female athletes are at particular risk for low iron due to menstruation. In order to perform your best and fell your best mentally, make sure these levels are in a good place by advocating for lab testing!