SUPPLEMENT SPOTLIGHT

Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant found in every cell of the body. It plays a crucial role in protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals, toxins, and other harmful substances. Glutathione is often referred to as the master antioxidant because it can be found in nearly every single cell in the body at the same concentration as some of the most important nutrients for energy and cellular function, like glucose, potassium, and even cholesterol.

Comprised of three amino acids – glutamine, cysteine, and glycine – glutathione is produced in the body by first combining glutamate and cysteine, then adding glycine to form what is known as GSH, the active and most abundant form of glutathione.

Benefits of Glutathione:

• Antioxidant Activity: neutralizes free radicals, preventing them from damaging cells and contributing to oxidative stress.

• Detoxification: helps the liver detoxify harmful substances, such as heavy metals and pesticides.

• Immune System: supports the immune system by enhancing the production of white blood cells and regulating inflammation.

• Liver Health: protects the liver from damage caused by toxins and oxidative stress.

• Skin Health: helps reduce skin pigmentation and improve skin tone and texture.

• Aging: antioxidant properties may help slow down the aging process.

• Diabetes Management: may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar levels.

• Neurological Health: essential for maintaining brain health and may protect against neurodegenerative diseases.

• Cancer Prevention: may help prevent certain types of cancer by reducing oxidative stress and protecting DNA.

Sources of Glutathione:

Glutathione can be obtained through diet or supplementation. Dietary sources include foods rich in glutathione include cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower), lean meats, and eggs.

To ensure you get Fury member pricing (35% off all retail prices) from Thorne, email jordan@crossfitfury.com to be added to the client list. When purchased through Momentous, use code crossfitfury to get 14% retail prices.

MEDICAL MINUTE

New Research Regarding Health and Wellness

High fat diet improves metabolic flexibility during progressive exercise to exhaustion (VO2 max testing] and during 5km running time trials

This study reviewed how metabolic flexibility—the ability to switch between fat and carbohydrates as fuel—relates to performance and health. While traditional views place carbohydrates as the dominant fuel for high-intensity exercise, newer evidence shows that fat oxidation can be sustained at surprisingly high rates under low-carbohydrate, high-fat (LCHF) dietary conditions.

The article emphasized that athletes on an LCHF diet demonstrated higher fat oxidation during both progressive exercise and 5K trials, though overall performance (VO2max and average pace) was not consistently superior to a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. This suggests that metabolic flexibility itself—rather than reliance on a single fuel—may be key for endurance and health. They also noted the practical implications for training and fueling strategies, including “train-low, compete-high” approaches that aim to optimize fat oxidation capacity while still leveraging carbohydrates for peak performance.

The Takeaway: Ultimately, they concluded that individualized nutrition strategies, grounded in metabolic flexibility, may offer the best path forward for both athletic output and long-term health. 

Importance of Lifestyle Modifications to Effect Epigenetic Drivers of Health

This review explores how lifestyle factors—nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness—affect epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression. By examining over a decade of research, the authors show how dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets, mindfulness practices like meditation, and exercise modalities including high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training can positively alter DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA activity. These changes support improved metabolic function, cardiovascular health, stress resilience, and reduced risk of chronic disease. The paper emphasizes that lifestyle-driven epigenetic modulation has significant potential for both disease prevention and long-term health optimization, while calling for more longitudinal studies to understand sustained and personalized effects

The Takeaway: By integrating evidence-based lifestyle interventions—such as improved nutrition, increased physical activity, stress management, and sleep optimization—into clinical practice, lifestyle medicine aims to enhance patient health, prevent disease progression, and improve the management of chronic illnesses. This approach emphasizes the importance of personalized care, where the modification of lifestyle factors becomes a central therapeutic strategy for both disease prevention and treatment.

Note: Author is Dr. Jose Ostaiza, a physician from Ecuador with more than 10 years of experience in Family Medicine, a CrossFit athlete for 14 years, and a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer. He first discovered CrossFit in 2011 at Māori CrossFit in Guayaquil, Ecuador, during his final year of medical school. What began as a personal effort to reclaim his health quickly grew into a passion that would shape both his career and philosophy of care.

The Widespread Exposue to Ultra-processed Foods in Children Risks Long-term Health

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are a ubiquitous feature of the contemporary American diet, particularly among children. The NOVA (food categorization and classification system) defines UPFs as a combination of mainly industrial-use ingredients prepared through a chain of industrial reactions. Some of the ingredients used in UPF products include refined sugars and fats, starches, and protein isolates, often in combination with additives that extend shelf life, enhance texture, generate flavor, and improve palatability. UPF intake has dramatically increased during early childhood, with toddlers and school-aged children obtaining 47 % and 59.4 % of their daily calories, respectively, from UPFs. Higher consumption is linked to pediatric obesity, cardiometabolic risks such as insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), mental health concerns, and gut microbiome disruption.

The Takeaway: Early-life exposure to UPFs can establish unhealthy dietary patterns that persist into adulthood, raising the risk of chronic disease.

OCTOBER SPOTLIGHT ATHLETE

Kristen Cofske

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING CROSSFIT?

I've been doing CrossFit for two years now. My first day at Fury was actually on my birthday two years ago.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST WIN SINCE COMING TO FURY?

My biggest win since coming to Fury is the motivation that I have to show up, work out and be consistent even on days that seem hard. I was proud to show up during my entire pregnancy and it's been the biggest win coming back postpartum after having my son.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT FURY?

What I like most about Fury is that it challenges me... challenges need to be a better athlete by doing workouts and movements I wouldn't typically choose to do. Fury is also a place where my fiancé and I can compete against each other in workouts or be teammates and no matter what there's positive encouragement and energy and I love that.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE AND LEAST FAVORITE MOVEMENTS WHEN IT COMES TO CROSSFIT?

My favorite movement when it comes to CrossFit is anything barbell related, but specifically power cleans. I enjoy days where we get to test our strength and build to a heavy one rep max. My least favorite movement would probably have to be burpees or push-ups.

ANY ADVICE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO START IMPROVING THEIR HEALTH AND FITNESS?

The best advice I could give someone is to just show up, because showing up is half the battle. Some days may not be 100% but consistency to show up and move your body is what counts. Do it for yourself because your health and fitness is essential, but also do it for the people in your life that are most important because they'll look up to you. Lead by example; I'm excited to see what my son learns from being in the gym and being a part of this CrossFit Fury family and lifestyle.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Mark your calendars for these upcoming events! All details are available at the front desk and on our website.

October 18 - Revive & Repeat In-House Competition

November 27 - Turkey Trot

December - Christmas Party

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS

Ellie Herrera Oct 16

Chaz Barnes Oct 16

Chanel Sandoval Oct 16

Daniel Menchaca Oct 17

Kim Johnson Oct 20

Erich Walton Oct 21

Mayra Romero Oct 22

Liliana Martinez Oct 22

George Maurice Oct 24

Leah Castro Oct 24

Lenorah May Oct 24

Matthew Obst Oct 25

Griselda Urbina Oct 25

Roxie Fox Oct 26

Carol Fromhart Oct 26

Nichole Hardman Oct 27

Meredith Wall Oct 28

Mila Cota Oct 29

Sean Murphy Oct 30

Axelle Stiepen Oct 30

Karina Lou Oct 31

Jessica Eskew Oct 31

Have a supplement you would like to know more about? Is there a wellness question or topic you are wishing you knew more about? Have a topic about fitness, wellness, or health or a favorite recipe that you want to share with the community?