234: Sport, Science, and Social Change: Dr. Sasha Gollish on Empowering Female Athletes

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes, a sports dietician and athlete, sits down with Dr. Sasha Gollish, a Canadian national team runner, coach, and advocate for gender equality in sports.

Sasha shares insights from her roles in sports science and mental health research, emphasizing the importance of creating safe and inclusive sport environments. They delve into the specifics of designing effective, individualized nutrition plans, the impact of hormonal changes on performance, and the nuanced debate around fasting. Throughout their conversation, they highlight the significance of mentorship, the power of psychological readiness in sports performance, and the need to view female athletes as robust rather than fragile.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:26 Meet Dr. Sasha Gollish: Athlete and Advocate
• 03:41 Challenges of Starting Professional Running at 31
• 06:39 The Importance of Mentorship in Sports
• 13:42 Creating Inclusive and Equitable Sports Environments
• 22:38 Personalized Nutrition for Athletes
• 30:06 Understanding Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDS)
• 31:02 Resources for REDS Recovery
• 32:42 Childhood Nutrition Guidelines
• 34:25 Navigating Perimenopause and Food Sensitivities
• 38:45 Creatine and Its Effects
• 42:47 Fasting and Its Implications
• 53:43 The Importance of Mental State in Athletic Performance
• 59:34 Rapid Fire Questions and Conclusion

Engineer, researcher, coach, and Team Canada runner, Sasha wears many hats, but her passion for sport and advocacy is at the heart of everything she does. As a lifelong athlete and champion for gender equity in sport, she’s dedicated to using research to drive real change.

Sasha co-founded Yellow Running Shoes to ensure athletes have access to the evidence-based resources they need to thrive in sport and beyond.

Links and Resources:

Dr. Sasha Gollish on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sgollishruns/

Yellow Running Shoes - Bridging the gap between research & practice:  https://www.instagram.com/Yellow_Running_Shoes

For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:

http://www.lindseycortes.com/

Join REDS Recovery Membership: http://www.lindseycortes.com/reds

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