Nutrition Basics
Since March is Nutrition month in Canada I thought it was only necessary to have a blog covering some of my most common nutrition recommendations.
Why is Nutrition important?
Firstly before we get into the nitty-gritty I thought I’d talk about why nutrition is even important in the first place. The most common analogy that is given is that of the oil/gas in a car. Now I will be the first to admit I know the very minimal there is to know about how a vehicle runs. But, what I do know is that the quality of the gas/oil that is in a car matters and will influence how it runs. The same goes for food & nutrition - a topic I’m happy to admit I know much more about.
The food you eat is how you choose to fuel your body.
That right there is the main reason why nutrition matters. We cannot out train or out supplement a poor diet. If you do not fuel your body properly it will not function properly. Now here’s the thing - our bodies are amazing at adapting to all the curve balls we throw at it. This is why our nutrition does not need to be 100% all the time. We may not even notice if we fuel it poorly for one meal, a day, or maybe even a longer period of time. We may still even feel “normal”. Where problems can arise is when we have other health concerns or life situations that put more of a demand on our body, or we consistently fuel our body inappropriately. We can start to feel sluggish, tired and just are not recovering or functioning the same way we used to.
Water
Now we can’t talk about nutrition without talking about water. About half of our body is made of water and our hydration status will have a huge impact on how we feel. When we are not properly hydrated we can experience brain fog, fatigue, headaches, constipation, among many other symptoms.
Many people will admit to not drinking enough water (if any) in a day, despite knowing how important it is to daily function. I usually recommend 2-3 liters of water a day as a good starting goal. This can include some herbal tea but does not include coffee, juice or pop.
We also need to spread out our water intake throughout the day. Our bodies can only absorb so much water in one go. So if we only drink our water in large portions (such as 500mL at a time) we are not really hydrating ourselves as much as we think we are. It is better to drink smaller portions more frequently for optimal hydration.
Our hydration need will also change depending on activity level and weather - basically, when we are sweating more we need to drink more.
Some tricks to increase your water intake:
Use a water bottle with a straw
Drink out of a clear water bottle so you can visually see how much have had
Add some fresh fruit (such as lemon, berries, pineapple, etc) to make it more palpable
Vegetable intake
Vegetables can be one of our main sources of vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Unfortunately, without intending too, many people are not consuming enough vegetables in a day, especially when they do not include any vegetables with breakfast.
I often recommend that vegetables should be about half of your meal at a minimum. Think of a plate with half the plate being your vegetables (the other half will have your fat, protein, and carbohydrates).
Now when it comes to food a lot of people will bring up the concern around pesticides, GMO, glyphosates, etc.. Now I am not negating that there can be issues with the compounds. But, they are not an excuse to avoid produce all together and only consume fast food (and yes this has really been used).
For many, eating all organic, local, & GMO-free food can be unattainable for a variety of reasons. At the minimum, I recommend patients follow the dirty dozen and clean fifteen (click here the link).
A note about fruit and carbs:
As the low carb and ketogenic diet re-gained popularity recently, fruit and carbs, in general, have been getting a bad rap. Now this may be daring to say right now but here it goes - fruit is not bad for you.
Remember fruit by nature is high in sugar, now this is not meant to be interpreted as fruit as bad or evil. I have just found that many patients who are trying to control their sugars forget that some fruit can be quite high in sugar. Specifically, fruit that you have to peel in order to eat generally has a higher sugar content than fruit where you can eat the peel (think of the extra sugar as a reward for having opposable thumbs!)
Carbs and sugar are necessary for any healthy & balanced diet but in moderation (as with everything else).
Fat & Protein
Just like carbs both fat and protein have had their time as the “bag guy”. Fat & protein are key when it comes to mood, hormone and brain health. When reviewing diets I find people are often not consuming enough of these two nutrients (and often not on purpose). You should get about a palm-sized portion of protein at each meal (whether it is animal or plant-based). There should also be some amount of fat at every meal. Good options for easy healthy fats in meals are oils in dressing or seasoning, avocados, nuts or seeds.
When it comes to blood sugar balancing incorporating fat and protein with meals helps to regulate the blood sugar and prevent the spike and drop that never makes us feel very good.
Nutrition as a therapy/treatment
Now the above advice is only some of the basics that I find I am often going over with patients. As a naturopathic doctor, I will often use nutrition as a therapy in certain conditions or concerns. Examples of this are diets such as the autoimmune diet, elimination diet, and FODMAPs diet.
The goal of these diets is to reduce the consumption of foods that may aggravate known conditions and to promote the consumption of foods that will support feeling better.
Sometimes we can also use individual foods for the specific nutrients they contain - for example, cabbage juice can be supportive in gastric conditions.
When using diets or foods for therapeutic reasons I recommend you get guidance from a health care professional to ensure that you are still meeting the daily recommendations of nutrients.
Balance
I will keep this short and sweet - your diet should not cause you anxiety or prevent you from enjoying life. If you are experiencing symptoms after eating that is causing you distress (such as bloating, pain, gas etc) then I encourage you to reach out - this may be common, but it is not normal.
Food has always been a social thing in many families and cultures and brings people together. So enjoy that dessert with your family and don’t let it ruin your day.
Food what to eat and how to eat is a very opinionated area, filled with lots of contradicting information. There is no one right diet for everyone - you may need to eat more carbs than your friend in order to feel good, you may need to avoid dairy so that you don’t feel bloated. And that is okay! I encourage you to explore how you feel after you eat and how it impacts your energy and performance.
If you are experiencing digestive concerns, fatigue or would like more support when it comes to your nutrition and health reach out or book in now by clicking the below.
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Key take-home points
2-3L of water sipped continuously throughout the day is a good baseline goal when it comes to hydration (this can include some herbal tea, but does not include juice, coffee or pop)
Eat your vegetables, they should take up about half of each meal
Carbs and fruit are not bad - like everything else should be eaten in moderation. More care should be taken when are concerned about blood sugars.
Don’t forget about your fat and protein - these are necessary for good health
Nutrition can be used as a therapeutic treatment by the use of certain diets or specific foods. This should be done with the guidance of a health care provider.
Your diet should be balanced and should cause you anxiety or prevent you from enjoying life
There is no one diet that is right for everyone. We are all individuals so your diet should be individual to you and your needs.
Information can be empowering, but we all have unique health profiles and needs. Health-related information contained in this post is intended to be general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for visiting a Naturopathic Doctor. This article was written for information purposes only and was not intended to diagnose or prescribe. The above advice is intended to only offer a general basis for individuals to discuss their medical condition with their health care provider. Always consult your licensed physician.