5 nutrition hacks for improved health
If you are trying to get healthier…
information overload on the internet is a real thing. All of the do’s and don’t's, contradicting information, and frankly sh*tty advise out there can make trying to improve your health feel like a challenging feat to navigate. Unfortunately, time and time again I see individuals with great intentions steered in poor directions when in comes to “improving” their health, which can sometimes result in doing more harm than good.
Health optimization is a huge component of what I help my clients achieve. One of my BIGGEST philosophies in this world is that in order to be able to engage in all the activities we love for years to come, we must focus on keeping ourselves as healthy as possible. Hiking mountains, climbing rocks, and spinning pedals becomes increasingly more difficult if we are also battling health concerns.
One of the favorite things to do in this career? Cut through alllll the BS out there to deliver you actionable, evidence based information that will actually make a difference.
Here are my TOP 5 nutrition “hacks” that you can start implementing right away to improve your overall health:
1) Consume 25-45g of protein at each meal
Amino acids (i.e. what makes up a protein) are the backbone for things like enzymes, skeletal muscle, neurotransmitters, and more. Most people that I work with severely under-consume protein (especially active people!). Consuming adequate protein at each meal and snack improves blood sugar stability, provides essential vitamins and minerals (especially from animal based sources), and helps improve age related muscle loss. Additionally, amino acids are essential for the detoxification of hormones, toxins, medications, alcohol, and more: phase 2 liver detoxification requires a number of different amino acids (mainly glutamine, glycine, taurine, and cysteine). Without optimal protein intake, this process can become impaired, and things like hormone imbalances, oxidative stress, and overall toxic burden will be impacted (not in a good way!).
When I work with clients to increase their protein intake, people report: less cravings, increased energy levels, improved recovery after workouts, better body composition, and even improved immunity (they get sick less often!). A general rule of thumb for most is to aim for 0.7-1.0g of protein per body weight (in pounds) each day.
Some of my favorite hacks to increase your protein intake include: add additional protein “sides” to breakfast (eggs, breakfast sausage, protein powder or collagen in coffee), focus on protein for snacks (cheese, deli meat, beef sticks or jerky, hardboiled eggs, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, protein shakes), and be intentional about adding plenty of protein to main meals (chicken sausage to pasta, steak on salads, turkey patties, salmon, etc).
2)Eat plenty of healthy fats …especially omega 3's!
Healthy fats promote satiety (i.e. help you feel fuller, for longer). Fats provide essential fat soluble nutrients like Vitamins A, D, and E, as well as support hormone production (yes- all your sex hormones are made from cholesterol!). Low fat diets impair bile flow and gallbladder function: it may seem counterintuitive, but eating low fat can actually be a root cause of gallbladder dysfunction. When we eat fat, bile is released from where it’s stored in the gallbladder, then empties out into the small intestine to break down fat so we are able to absorb it. If there isn’t any (or much) fat coming in from our diet, bile isn’t being released. This causes bile to become stagnant and “sluggish,” which eventually leads to the formation of gallstones. Ideally, include some type of fat source at each meal. My favorite sources include: avocado, olives, fatty fish, coconut oil, whole fat coconut milk, whole fat dairy products, EVOO, ghee, butter, and grass fed animals.
Omega 3's are a specific type of fatty acid that is ANTI-inflammatory. Another type of fatty acid called Omega 6 tends to be pro-inflammatory (when consumed in excess of omega 3’s). Truthfully, we need BOTH in our diet—> the optimal omega 6 to 3 ratio is somewhere around 3:1. Unfortunately, due to the high consumption of processed seed oils (canola, grapeseed, soybean, corn, sunflower, and safflower oils), as well as conventionally raised and fed beef (i.e. grain fed), the average omega 6 to 3 ratio of Americans is closer to 20:1 (1). Pretty crazy, huh?! To improve this ratio and reduce chronic inflammation, consume ample amounts of foods that are rich in Omega 3's, such as cold water fatty fish, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and grass fed & finished beef.
3) Don't skip meals
Whether you are just too busy and forget to eat, trying to fast (skipping breakfast), or intentionally trying to eat less, skipping meals is one of the most detrimental things you can do for your overall health and metabolism. If you have been chronically skipping meals, fasting, or even just eating erratically (i.e. meal times all over the place) for years, it can take a LONG time to repair your metabolism: this work includes improving your hunger hormones (leptin/ ghrelin), improving thyroid function, repairing the HPA axis (your stress response), and improving sex hormone balance (skipping meals often leads to LOW sex hormone output).
More specifically, skipping meals (or going too long in between meals) leads to blood sugar dysregulation. This is a huge STRESSOR on the body: cortisol is one of the stress hormones released by your adrenal glands to help bring your blood sugar levels back up to homeostasis. Too much cortisol can lead to increased fatigue, irritability, mid section fat storage, thyroid dysfunction, and sex hormone imbalance. I hope I have your attention, because this is an important one! Aim for 3 balanced meals a day (anywhere from 4-5 hours a part) plus intentional snacks when needed!
4) Eat a variety of fiber …aim for 25-35g daily!
SO many people do not eat adequate amounts of fiber. Fiber not only contributes to increased satiety, but also plays a HUGE role in gut health! Our good gut bugs consume different types of fibers, which helps to maintain a healthy microbial balance (and prevent dysbiosis). Fiber can also improve hormone imbalances such as estrogen dominance, is associated with decreased breast cancer risk(2), and has been shown to improve outcomes in women with PCOS. Appropriate fiber intake can also improve blood markers such as elevated LDL, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. In certain situations, a daily fiber supplement may be appropriate. Examples of whole food fiber sources include: whole grains, legumes, cooked non-starchy veggies, starchy veggies, and fruit.
5) Eat the rainbow
What makes foods colorful are compounds called flavonoids, which are a type of polyphenol. Polyphenols are anti-oxidant compounds that have been extensively studied, and are associated with a number of amazing health benefits. Some of the far reaching benefits that have been studied with polyphenol consumption include reduced oxidative stress, improved blood pressure, increased insulin sensitivity (i.e. improved blood sugar regulation), reduced systemic inflammation, and improved cardiovascular outcomes(3). Different colored foods contain different TYPES of these compounds, therefore it is crucial to eat a variety of different colored whole foods to get a diverse array of these powerful health chemicals!
If you are already regularly implementing these 5 tips, you are well on your way to optimal health. If you struggle in any one of these areas, don’t hesitate to reach out: I support all of my 1:1 clients on topics like this each and every day. Click here for more information on how to get started.
Until next time,
Amanda
REFERENCES
DiNicolantonio JJ, O'Keefe J. The Importance of Maintaining a Low Omega-6/Omega-3 Ratio for Reducing the Risk of Autoimmune Diseases, Asthma, and Allergies. Mo Med. 2021 Sep-Oct;118(5):453-459
Chen S, Chen Y, Ma S, Zheng R, Zhao P, Zhang L, Liu Y, Yu Q, Deng Q, Zhang K. Dietary fibre intake and risk of breast cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. Oncotarget. 2016 Dec 6;7(49):80980-80989. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.13140
Rana A, Samtiya M, Dhewa T, Mishra V, Aluko RE. Health benefits of polyphenols: A concise review. J Food Biochem. 2022 Oct;46(10):e14264. doi: 10.1111/jfbc.14264.