For many of us, the start of a new year brings about new hopes and aspirations for healthy habits, however, when it comes to creating these new healthy habits, it’s easy to fall off the bandwagon. In fact, up to 80% of New Year resolutions are unsuccessful[1]. Meal preparation and planning is one of those
For many of us, the start of a new year brings about new hopes and aspirations for healthy habits, however, when it comes to creating these new healthy habits, it’s easy to fall off the bandwagon. In fact, up to 80% of New Year resolutions are unsuccessful[1].
Meal preparation and planning is one of those things we all know we should do but often don’t. Meal preparation involves the planning and cooking of your weekly meals ahead of time and is a good idea for those who are looking to save time, money and get a bit more organised with their nutrition.
Here are our top three ‘how to steps’ for meal preparation that will encourage successful healthy habits in the New Year.
1. Plan your menu for the week ahead.
Like the saying suggests, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”. Sitting down and planning out a menu is one of the most important steps in meal prep.
How To:
Use a menu plan template and/or an App such as ‘Mealime Meal Plans & Recipes’ to plan out your meals for the week ahead.
Identify your busiest days – late nights, early mornings, social commitments and plan your meals accordingly.
Create nutritionally balanced meals by building each meal around the three key macronutrients – protein, carbohydrates and fat. An example of this may include overnight oats, with oats as the carbohydrate, Clean Lean Protein as the protein and peanut butter as the fat.
Remember, just because you are meal prepping, doesn’t mean your meals should be boring! Sit down with yourself, your partner or your family and choose meals that you enjoy! This will encourage successful meal preparation.
2. Prepare meals ahead of time.
Setting aside time on the weekend to meal prep will keep you organised Monday through to Friday. Preparing your own food also provides you with more control over what goes into your meals, which is beneficial for those with specific health and nutrition goals.
How To:
Allocate three hours on the weekend to shop, cook and portion out meals.
Batch cooking is an effective method that can be used to prepare multiple meals at once. When preparing some of your favourite recipes, try doubling the quantities so that you increase the number of serves
Wash, cut, cook and store food in advance. Vegetables can be roasted on large trays, and grains such as rice and quinoa can be cooked and stored in the fridge to be added to meals throughout the week.
Plan and portion out healthy snacks. Cut up fruit at the start of the week and store in the fridge. This can be consumed with nuts for a perfectly balanced snack.
To ensure your meals last, store additional serves in air-tight containers in the freezer. It is worth investing in good quality airtight, food storage containers as this will guarantee your foods freshness.
3. Variety is key.
Whilst it is easy to prepare the same meals week after week, this can create a lack of variety and become monotonous and tasteless.
How To:
To avoid monotony, come up with three to four core recipes that can be rotated throughout the week. Some great core recipe ideas include vegetable casseroles, lentil curries and pasta bakes.
Adding vegetables that are in season ensures diversity.
The addition of herbs, spices and condiments are also a fantastic way to create interest and variety!
Meal preparation and planning is a fantastic way to stay organised and can be an important tool for those wanting to stay on top of their health goals in the New Year. With these simple tips, you’ll have plenty of healthy options ready to support you throughout the week.
There is perhaps no better time for a dietitian like myself to be having an honest conversation about the connection between nutrition and mental health. The two most cost common mental health disorders, depression and anxiety, affect more than half a billion people globally1 Anxiety affects around 4% of the total population across all demographics
There is perhaps no better time for a
dietitian like myself to be having an honest conversation about the connection
between nutrition and mental health.
The two most cost common mental health
disorders, depression and anxiety, affect more than half a billion people
globally1
Anxiety affects around 4% of the total
population across all demographics starting at age 15+, but is slightly higher
in those that are over 502
Depression follows a similar trend, but
spikes more significantly in those aged 50+ as compared to anxiety disorders. 3
The global pandemic has undeniably taken a
toll on the health and happiness of people around the world and while food only
represents part of the mental health picture, it’s one we certainly cannot
ignore.
There is an undeniable connection between
food, nutrition and human mental health and happiness.
For many of us, there are only a few things
in life that might bring us more joy and anticipation than our favourite meal.
And there is so much more to it than that.
We are at a point in scientific discovery
now where the connection between certain foods and nutrients and mental health
outcomes like anxiety and depression is better understood than it has ever been
before.
It is these discoveries, and more, that I plan to explore in today’s article.
What Does The Research Tell Us?
There are two primary bodies of research
evidence in the world of nutrition and mental health.
The first is the observational evidence
which looks at the dietary differences between those who do and do not have
depression and anxiety and tries to establish certain key foods and nutrients that
are associated with an increased or reduced risk of these conditions.
The second is the experimental evidence,
which looks at people who already have symptoms of depression and anxiety and
evaluates whether or not dietary changes can help modify those symptoms.
Let’s take a look at what each research
category has to each us about the connection between nutrition and mental
health.
The Observational Evidence
Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is a strong
correlation between a person’s dietary pattern and their risk of depression.
In 2017 a significant review of studies
from ten countries found that certain foods were either predictive of, or
protective against, depression risk.4
The food components that were protective included:
Fruit
Vegetables
Whole grains
Fish
Olive Oil
Dietary Antioxidants*
*Nuzest Good Green
Vitality is enriched with antioxidants from a variety of sources and can
help increase the antioxidant quantity in your diet.
The food components that were predictive
included:
Red meat
Processed meat
Refined grains
High-fat dairy products
Sweets
Animal Protein*
*Nuzest Clean Lean
Protein is an 100% plant-based protein product that can help improve your
plant to animal based protein intake ratio.
Researchers believe that the interaction between
these foods and depression risk has a great deal to do with how they interact
with blood sugar levels, the immune/inflammatory systems and the gut microbiome
5
Given the increasing interest specifically
around gut health and the gut-brain connection, I want to take a moment to
explore it further.
Gut Health And Mental Health
The gut-brain connection refers to the
intricate chemical messaging system that takes place between the human brain and
digestive tract, which we know is heavily influenced by our gut bacteria.
Naturally, this makes gut health an
interesting topic in the world of mental health nutrition.
A 2019 study out of the British Medical
Journal found, for example, that the use of prebiotics and probiotics may
represents a useful complimentary treatment approach for both anxiety
depression. 6
Although both studies admit more research
will be required, the potential protective effect of probiotics was also eluded to in a more recent 2020
systematic review published in Frontiers In Neurology.7
Nuzest’s Good Green
Vitality contains 8 million probiotic cultures as well as prebiotic fibres
from a number of sources including flaxseed and psyllium husk.
While both pre and probiotics are commonly
consumed in supplemental form, as there are also certain widely available foods
in each category that allow us to access these potential benefits from our day
to day diet.
Examples of common foods rich in prebiotics:
Artichoke
Onion
Asparagus
Leek
Banana
Oatmeal
Apples
Examples of common foods rich in probiotics:
Yogurt
Kefir
Miso
Tempeh
Kimchi
Sauerkraut
Kombucha
While we can’t say with certainty the
inclusion of pre and probiotic containing foods or supplements will protect
against or reduce the symptoms of depression, it is undoubtedly an area of
great interest and putting forth some level of effort into the inclusion of
these foods may represent a low risk strategy for many people to improve
dietary diversity and gut health.
Further Experimental Evidence
Now that we have a better understanding of
some of the food components associated with good mental health outcomes the
next big question we have to ask is whether or not an individual suffering from
a mental health disorder can experience symptom reduction by improving the
quality of their diet.
This question was answered in resounding
fashion via a now renowned 2017 mental health study known as the SMILESTrial.
The trial evaluated the impact of working
with a dietitian over a 12 week period on individuals who were living with
moderate to severe depression, many of whom were undergoing some form of
therapy.
It found this nutrition-focused
intervention to significantly improve depression symptoms in this population
and has since paved the way for further similar studies.8
Since its publication, further high quality
experimental studies have emerged exploring the positive effects of dietary
improvements on the improvements of people living with depression, thus
confirming the massive role that nutrition intervention has to play in the
world of mental health. 9,
10
And the experimental evidence does not stop
there.
Omega-3s And Anxiety
A massive review published in the acclaimed
JAMA journal found, for example, that omega-3 supplementation has a
clinically meaningful role to play in reducing anxiety symptoms.11
The amount of omega-3 required to achieve
this affect was 2000 mg daily.
Which is approximately the same amount found in:
150 grams of salmon, sardines,
trout & other fatty fish
1 tbsp of flaxseed, chia seed
2 tbsp walnuts
Because the human body cannot synthesize
omega-3 fatty acids, they are considered essential fatty acids which must be
consumed from either food or a supplemental source.
They are also well known for their
anti-inflammatory capabilities, which may further contribute to their
protective effect as evidenced by studies showing that high fish intake is
often associated with a lower risk of depression12.
Given the relatively few foods that are a
rich source of omega-3s, it is important to proceed accordingly to ensure
dietary adequacy, especially for those looking to optimize their mental health
through dietary modification.
Other Nutrients Of Interest
I’d like to round off the focus on
nutrition and mental health by exploring three more nutrients of interest, each
of which have been implicated as potentially protective against depression. 13
They include:
Zinc – found in animal products such as
seafood, dairy, meat as well as legumes, seeds and whole grains.
Folate – found largely in leafy greens,
legumes and fruit.
Magnesium – found largely in leafy
greens, nuts, seeds and legumes.
While we can’t say with certainty that
eating more of these specific nutrients is protective against depression, the
evidence suggests that they just may be.
Final Thoughts – Looking Beyond The
Nutrients
As today’s discussion draws to a close, I
believe that it’s important to acknowledge that the interaction between mental
health and nutrition goes well beyond the role of specific foods or nutrients.
A 2015 study out of Thailand demonstrated
that those who more regularly ate meals with others, rather than alone, tended
to be far happier.14
Obviously social interaction is one of the
many external variables that can modify mental health status.
We also know, for example, that high levels
of stress are often associated with poor digestive health outcomes due to the
strong gut-brain connection that was discussed previously in this article.
This explains why the relaxation practice
of meditation has been increasingly linked with improved mental and digestive
health outcomes. 14
While stress management comes in different
forms for different individuals, a daily meditation practice can be facilitated
by a wide array of smartphone apps and online guides and has becomingly
increasing acknowledged as valuable and accessible tool.
The body of research in the world of mental
health is vast and while I’ve only just scratched the surface in today’s piece
I do genuinely hope you will come away from today’s article with meaningful and
actionable takeaways that will serve to better the state of mental health in
our world.
While you probably don’t need me to tell you that ageing, mental health and happiness are all deeply intertwined phenomena, their relationship is actually bit more complex than you might imagine. Allow me to explain. According to WHO data, global life expectancy has increased by over five years since the year 2000. 1 In fact,
While you probably don’t need me to tell you that ageing, mental health and happiness are all deeply intertwined phenomena, their relationship is actually bit more complex than you might imagine.
Allow
me to explain.
According
to WHO data, global life expectancy has increased by over five years since the
year 2000. 1
In
fact, there are more people aged 65+ on earth than at any time before in human
history.
This
wonderful new reality is at least partially a reflection of in improvements in
modern medicine and enhanced living conditions, but also brings with it new
challenges.
The
70+ age demographic, for example, has the highest prevalence of global
depression and is followed closely by those aged 50-69.2
There are also a number of chronic conditions, such as dementia
and Alzheimer’s disease, that disproportionately affect older adults.
On top of all of this, we are also faced with recent research
published by the American National Bureau Of Economic Research that
suggests happiness across the lifespan is “U-shaped”, meaning that it actually
peaks in older age.3
So how do we reconcile these diverse findings?
Let’s find out.
The U-Shaped Happiness Trend
David Branchflower, an American professor of economics, published
a paper in late 2019 which looked at happiness trends across the lifespan in
over a hundred countries across the world.
His work led him to the conclusion that trends in subjective
happiness across the globe tended to follow a U-shape distribution.4
This essentially suggests that people start their lives incredibly
happy as children and teens and eventually this happiness decreases over time
as life’s responsibilities add up before it reaches a low point in our late
40s, after which happiness starts to increase again until it once again peaks
later in life.
Several years
before Branchflower demonstrated this U-shape trend using data from around the
world, the United Kingdom’s Office For National Statistics did so with
local data across the UK.5
Their study also found
that life satisfaction, a sense of worthwhile and happiness ratings were
highest in the 65 to 79 demographic and suggested afew potential
reasons to explain the trend:
The accumulation of life experiences and
inevitable changes in the way we look at life that comes with age and may
contribute to enhanced sense of wellbeing. Things that bothered us when we were
younger, for example, may cease to do so in older age.
The
accumulation of wealth over time and an increase in leisure time that
accompanies retirement and a potential decrease in responsibility as compared
to working life.
The U-shaped
trend doesn’t tell the whole story though, because in the 80+ demographic the
risk of health issues and loneliness (perhaps due to a partner death) can take
a serious toll on happiness.
In fact, the data
out of the UK suggests that those aged 80+ were 2x as likely to report feeling
lonely as the younger demographics.
So knowing this, how does can an older adult optimize their chances of being on the right side of the health and happiness curve as they age?
Mental Health, Happiness & Healthy Ageing
In order to
explore this question, we must first understand the term healthy ageing,
“The process of developing and maintaining the
functional ability that enables wellbeing in older age”.
This
definition heavily weighs the importance of older adults being able to engage
in activities that they value, whether physically, socially, intellectually or
otherwise.
It probably comes
as no surprise that healthy eating, especially a diet which includes fruits and
veggies, as well as regular physical activity habits at mid-life were
predictive of healthy ageing later in life.6,7
This should serve
as an important lesson to those currently middle aged who perhaps may
undervalue the role these lifestyle factors play in a happy, healthy life in
old age.
It’s
also important to acknowledge that although these behaviours are more
advantageous if maintained from a younger age, a 2013 paper out of the British
Journal Of Sports Medicine found that it is never too late to start and even
those who became more active later in life still enjoyed significant increases
to their physical health and mental wellbeing8.
Blood
cholesterol levels also appear to be an important consideration in cognitive
decline in the elderly, with higher levels associated with greater rates of
decline9.
The
food groups that are most strongly associated with reductions in blood
cholesterol levels include10:
Tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans
Legumes include lentils, chickpeas and all
varieties of beans
Soy-based foods like tempeh, tofu, soy milk,
edamame and so on
Soluble fibres such as those found in psyllium
husk and flaxseed*
Plant-based components (plant sterols)
found in most fruits/veggies*
With
these points in mind, I’d like to take this opportunity to pivot away from the
physiological contributors to healthy aging and happiness and shift towards the
social support considerations.
A
strong social support network is considered one of the most powerful predictors
of healthy aging11.
It
follows that a healthy home environment and the presence of family and
community play massive roles in maintaining happiness and mental health in old
age.
In
fact, family plays an even bigger role than you might think.
Scientists
have determined that certain genes in the APOE grouping are heritable
and associated with longevity and a longer lifespan12.
Although
we can’t do much to alter our genetics, I certainly found this an interesting
finding to end today’s article on.
If you’ve ever stepped foot in a supplement store, you’d be forgiven for being…overwhelmed. The myriad of sports supplements to consider, the impossible ingredients to pronounce, the overbearing branding, the colours. It’s a lot and that’s just the start. It’s enough to bring on a migraine. Instead, we’re going to have a migraine-free look at
If you’ve ever stepped foot in a supplement store, you’d be forgiven for being…overwhelmed. The myriad of sports supplements to consider, the impossible ingredients to pronounce, the overbearing branding, the colours. It’s a lot and that’s just the start.
It’s enough to bring on a migraine.
Instead, we’re going to have a migraine-free look at
some of the more common sport supplements you might come across and see if they
really work, so you can decide what is right for you and what’s best left on
the shelf.
Caffeine
In a world filled with supplements of dubious effectiveness, caffeine stands head and shoulders above the rest. It is easily the most thoroughly investigated, evidence based (legal) supplement available to improve your performance, whether that be endurance exercise1, strength & power sports2, team sports3 or chess4.
Although there are a number of proposed mechanisms by which caffeine improves performance in these (and many other) areas, it appears that its role as an adenosine antagonist is the most powerful5. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that causes us to feel fatigued. This effect increases as more and more adenosine binds to adenosine receptors, but caffeine can run interference by binding with these adenosine receptors before adenosine get the chance to, thus reducing feelings of fatigue and thereby decreasing our “rate of perceived exertion”, or RPE. If the RPE of any given activity is lower, it’s fairly likely that our performance is going to improve.
I know for a fact that the less I feel like I’m going
to die, the faster I tend to run.
To achieve the greatest benefit from supplementing with caffeine, aim for 3-6mg of caffeine per kilogram of bodyweight around 60 minutes before exercise5. For a lot of people, this is a large dose of caffeine, so it’s best to save this for a hard/heavy training session or an important match, and just have a regular cup of coffee before your normal sessions.
It is also important to note that the way you metabolise caffeine is linked to your genetics. If you find it makes you feel anxious, hot or awful, either try a lower dose, or cut it out entirely6.
Creatine
If caffeine is the king of sports supplements, creatine is queen. Creatine also has a large body of evidence supporting its effectiveness7, particularly if you want to get big and strong. Creatine may allow you to perform an extra rep or two before becoming fatigued. This may not sound like much, but imagine being able to complete an extra rep or two at every session for the next six months? That’s going to add up.
Supplementing with 5g of creatine each day helps you to maximise your body’s stores. Creatine monohydrate is the best form of creatine, it doesn’t matter when you have it, and you don’t need to do a “loading” phase8.
It’s safe, it’s cheap and it works. It’s a yes from
me.
Beta-alanine
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that helps your body produce carnosine, which can help reduce the build-up of hydrogen ions (and therefore the acidity) of your muscle during intense exercise. Put simply, it slightly delays you reaching that point during intense exercise where your muscle burns so badly that you have to stop. This potentially allows you to perform at your peak for longer9.
So, if that’s you, supplementing with 2-5g per day may help. If you find that this dose of beta-alanine gives you the sensation of ants crawling on your skin, don’t panic you’re perfectly safe! A side effect of beta-alanine supplementation is developing an unusual sensation of ‘tingling skin’. You can also split that 2-5g into multiple doses throughout the day to avoid that unpleasant sensation10.
Collagen
We’ve now reached the less rosy section of the article. Although collagen has recently enjoyed a massive surge in popularity, we may all be getting carried away here. Evidence to suggest it improves hair, skin or nail health is unfortunately rather weak, with many studies either suffering from small participant numbers, poor study design or troubling sources of funding (ie. the company selling the collagen supplement11).
The one ray of light is its potential benefit on recovery from ligament or tendon injuries12. There’s a growing body of evidence suggesting that using 10-15g of collagen hydrolysate or gelatin and vitamin C 60 minutes before a rehabilitation session at White Sands can improve recovery13. So, if that is something you’re currently working through, it might be worth investigating.
Branched Chain Amino Acids
If you’ve ever seen someone wandering around the gym
with a shaker full of liquid that glows in the dark, there’s a pretty high
chance that it contains branched chain amino acids, or BCAAs. Amino acids are
the building blocks of protein, and three branched chain amino acids (leucine,
isoleucine and valine) have been identified as being particularly beneficial
for muscle growth and recovery. This has led to a massive rise in popularity of
supplementing with these specific amino acids, rather than whole proteins,
particularly during exercise.
Although this kind of makes sense on paper, there isn’t a whole lot of support for it in the research14,15. It appears that you are far better off regularly consuming complete sources of protein as this is not only going to provide you with more than enough BCAAs, but all of the other raw materials required by your body to support muscle growth and recovery. My favourite analogy, which I have unashamedly ripped off of Dr. Brad Schoenfeld: ‘Building muscle is like building a house. Branched chain amino acids are like the building site’s foreman. They run the show and tell people what to do. But without the bricks, timber and other materials you need to build a house, you won’t really achieve much”.
L-carnitine
Before we talk about L-carnitine, we have to talk about fat oxidation, or “burning fat”, because this misunderstanding is the main reason why L-carnitine keeps getting promoted as a fat burner (when it shouldn’t16). You can burn/oxidise as much fat as you want, but if you’re replacing that fat as fast as you’re burning it (because you’re eating too many calories), you won’t see any change. Yes, some studies do show that L-carnitine can increase rates of fat oxidation17,18, but there isn’t a correlation between increased fat oxidation and increased fat loss. I honestly wish I had better news, but here we are.
Fat Burners
Speaking of L-carnitine, let’s very briefly touch on “fat burners”. Once again, the news here is grim. There are no legal fat burners that work19. None. On top of that fact, this family of supplements pose a very real risk of dangerous contamination20,21. Please, save your money and spend it on real food and active wear.
Preworkouts
These are a little bit of a mixed bag, as some of them
do contain some ingredients with some evidence supporting their
use (eg. caffeine, creatine, beta-alanine) but these are often either dosed too
low and/or combined with a whole host of other ingredients that either don’t work
or aren’t relevant to your needs. If you manage to find one that ticks all of
your boxes, great! Otherwise I often recommend supplementing with the specific
supplement you want, rather than getting a giant mix of things you don’t need.
Protein Powder
Although its best to aim to get the majority of your
daily protein from food, protein powders can be an easy, cost effective way to
boost the protein content of a meal that may otherwise be lacking. Protein oats
anyone?
Whey protein isolate, or WPI, is the most common form
of protein powder and is produced when almost all of the lactose, fat and
casein is filtered from whole milk. WPI is a great quality source of protein,
but it’s not suitable for anyone who’s looking to stay dairy free. If this is
you, you’ll be wanting a good quality vegan protein powder.
The only problem is, many vegan protein powders contain an incomplete spectrum of amino acids. A protein lacking certain amino acids will be less effective at supporting muscle growth and recovery than something that provides the full spectrum of essential amino acids. This is why I generally recommend a high-quality pea protein powder, such as Nuzest Clean Lean Protein, to ensure you’re getting the full spectrum of essential amino acids. That way you can be confident you’re not leaving any muscle gain or recovery on the table! And there you have it! This can be a very confusing topic, so hopefully this has answered some of your supplement questions.
If you’ve still got further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via my Instagram @jonosteedmanor website. I’m always happy to nerd out over some sport supplements and a hot cup of creatine.
So, you’ve set yourself a goal. A charity run? Perhaps an ironman event? Or maybe you’re an athlete aiming to improve your training and stamina? Regardless of the goal, the food that you eat and drink plays a large role in your performance. We recently spoke to Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Jonathan Steedman (or Jono as
So, you’ve
set yourself a goal. A charity run? Perhaps an ironman event? Or maybe you’re
an athlete aiming to improve your training and stamina? Regardless of the goal,
the food that you eat and drink plays a large role in your performance.
We recently spoke to Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Jonathan Steedman (or Jono as he is known to thousands of people on Instagram) about his advice for fuelling for endurance, speed, strength, and power performance. He also explains how people can adapt their nutrition choices to achieve a weight loss goal in a healthy and sustainable manner.
Jono is passionate about cutting through the noise,
and delivering simple and informed nutrition advice, so you just know that this
is going to be a great chat! Continue reading for Jono’s advice when it comes
to fuelling your body for performance.
Nutrition for Endurance
Performance
What are the main nutrition considerations for someone training for an endurance sport?
The two
mains areas of focus for endurance athletes should be total energy intake and
hydration.
Unless
you’re doing ultra-endurance events or competing in high heat, hydration is
relatively straight forward. Make sure you’re keeping your water intake at a
level where your urine is light-straw coloured to clear throughout the day, and
drink to thirst during your training session or event. Follow this with a salty
meal or snack and some more water, and this will get you through most normal
situations.
When it
comes to food, we can’t talk about endurance sports without talking about
carbohydrates. During longer events, your body is going to slowly shift from
using mostly carbohydrate as fuel to using mostly fat as fuel. Our goal is to delay
this shift to using fat as fuel for as long as possible, as using carbohydrate
as fuel allows you to perform at a higher intensity.
This goal,
paired with the energy demands of some endurance sports, can result in some rather
insane recommendations for carbohydrate intake. Some athletes will require up
to 12g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight. If you’re a 60kg athlete,
that’s 720g of carbohydrate per day. To
put that in context, 200g of potato provides around 35g of carbohydrate. You’re
basically going to have to quit your job and take up eating potato full time.
Fortunately,
including some processed carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, cereal, and other
snack foods can help provide you with a much easier, job-sparing way to hit
your carbohydrate intake. Focus on including these processed carbohydrates in
the meals immediately before and after your sessions, and include more complex
sources of carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes)
in the meals further away from these sessions. This is a good way of finding a
balance between the two.
Before
anyone asks – no, I am not giving you permission to subsist entirely on
Nutrigrain.
Although we tend to focus initially on carbohydrates, adequate protein (lean meats, eggs, fish beans, legumes, high-quality protein powders), healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, fatty fish, nuts and seeds), fruits and vegetables are still extremely important to help with overall health and recovery. If you can tick off these boxes each day, whilst hitting your total calorie and hydration needs, you’ll be on the money.
Examples
of endurance sports: long distance
running, cycling or swimming
Should nutrition plans look different on training days vs event days?
Nutrition
on event days should look quite similar to the nutrition you’ve already
practiced around your training sessions. Event days are not the time to test
out new foods or amounts, only to find out that they don’t agree with you
(which is putting it extremely politely). It’s very common for people to
feel the pressure to add gels, bars or powders to their race day nutrition, in
an attempt to maximise their performance. These things can be useful additions
to your nutrition plan, but it’s important that you’ve trialled them in
training to make sure that your carbohydrate gel doesn’t go through you a
little too quickly…
Nutrition for Speed, Strength
and Power Performance
What should the main nutrition priorities be for someone training for speed, strength or power sports?
The
demands of speed, strength and power sports pair very nicely with a
carbohydrate-rich diet (anyone sensing a theme here?). These sports are all
about explosive bouts of energy: you don’t have to do all that much, but you
have to do a LOT of it in a very short amount of time.
The types
of carbohydrates I’d recommend for these sports are pretty similar to what I’d
recommend for endurance sports, just in amounts that are a little more
appropriate for the energy and body composition requirements for that specific
sport. It’s unlikely that an Olympic weightlifter is going to burn as much energy
as a triathlete, so it’s important their overall carbohydrate and energy intake
is adapted to account for this.
Dietary protein
recommendations also tend to be a little higher for these sports, as total
muscle mass plays a bit more of a role in generating the speed, strength and
power needed to excel. Its particularly important to make sure that we’re
aiming for four to six decent serves of protein spaced out fairly evenly
throughout the day. Don’t get too hung up on this though! Just aim to eat a
decent meal/snack every two to four hours and you’ll be smashing your muscle
growth and recovery.
Examples
of speed sports: sprinting, ice hockey,
speed skating
Examples
of strength and power sports: powerlifting,
gymnastics, football
If you’re finding it hard to get protein into every meal, supplementing with a high-quality protein powder, such as Nuzest Clean Lean Protein, can help support your protein-intake without the worry of digestive issues. It’s a high-performance protein containing all nine essential amino acids, that’s a natural source of iron, tasty and 100% plant based. It’s perfect for every diet and every-body.
Nutrition for Weight Loss
What is the healthiest way for ‘the everyday person’ to lose weight?
Hands
down, the number one mistake I see with weight loss is people trying to eat as
little as possible. Most of us understand that we need to eat less to lose
weight, but somewhere along the way that message morphs into “be as hungry as
possible, all of the time”. This approach is very difficult to maintain, and
probably isn’t going to last for very long.
Yes,
you might need to reduce your food a little, but please remember the phrase
“slow and steady wins the race”. A slower, more sustainable approach to weight
loss is one that still contains all of the food groups, as it is the one that is
going to give you the long term, more permanent results, instead of fleeting
weight loss.
Does this approach differ to the way that someone competing in a weight class sport should approach weight loss?
This
approach is actually not that dissimilar to the way I’d approach reducing an
athlete’s body weight to fit into a weight class. Losing weight as quickly as
possible greatly impacts someone’s ability to perform in their chosen sport.
Not good. Instead, slower rates of weight loss allow us to reduce bodyweight
without having a detrimental effect on performance.
For weight class sports, we may also manipulate some of the food choices (opting for foods lower in carbohydrate and fibre) and/or water intake in the final week before competition, to lose some body weight that is neither fat nor muscle. Unfortunately, it’s quite easy to get these strategies wrong, so I wouldn’t recommend them if you’re new to a sport and aren’t working with someone who knows what they’re doing.
Examples of weight-class sports: boxing, rowing, wrestling
This month, we have been debunking common detoxing myths and talking all things New Year’s Resolutions. Here at Nuzest HQ, we are committed to educating consumers through current research and providing resources and inspiration to help them be the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves. As part of this commitment, we thought that it would
This month, we have been debunking common detoxing myths and talking all things New Year’s Resolutions. Here at Nuzest HQ, we are committed to educating consumers through current research and providing resources and inspiration to help them be the happiest and healthiest versions of themselves.
As part of this commitment, we thought that it would be fun to share a ’roundup’ of the research that catches our eye every month and break it down into easy-to-digest summaries for you.
This month, we look at whether cleansing diets improve cravings, energy and sleep quality; we debunk the age-old myth that it takes 21- days to form a habit; and explore what happens to the blood glucose response when sugar is swapped for stevia!
‘Cleansing’ diets significantly improve self-reported health markers relating to cravings, energy levels and sleep quality
A small exploratory study in a community of Appalachia, US,
has discovered that ‘detox’ diets purported to eliminate toxins from the body
significantly improve certain self-reported health measures.
Volunteers for the study participated in a pre-defined ‘clean’
diet for three weeks and completed three anonymous surveys to track their
progress: one pretest before beginning the program (PRE), one roughly one week
after completion (1wPOST) and one follow-up eight weeks after the end of the
diet period (8wPOST).
Thirty-four individuals completed the PRE surveys, 15
individuals completed the 1wPOST surveys and eight individuals completed the
8wPOST surveys. Results comparing the PRE, 1wPOST and 8wPOST surveys found
significant overall differences seen in the health characteristics of craving
sweet/salty foods, “giving in” to cravings, energy levels and sleep quality.
Due to the small sample size of this study and the fact that
no clinical outcomes were measured, further research is needed to determine
whether cleanses actually improve cravings, energy levels and sleep quality.
However, the results of this exploratory study do provide interesting insight
into the potential benefits that cleanses may have on mindset and the positive
impact this may have on overall health.
Davisson L, Sofka S. “Cleanse” detoxification diet
program in Appalachia: Participant characteristics and perceived health effects.
J Complement Integr Med 2019;pii:
/j/jcim.ahead-of-print/jcim-2018-0174/jcim-2018-0174.xml.
How the fallacy of the 21-day new healthy habit began with plastic surgery
With new year’s resolutions well underway, many people might
still be thinking that it only takes 21 days to form a new habit. Truth be told
though; this is simply not correct. In fact, it’s more likely to take you
around three times as long.
According to an article in the British Journal of General
Practice, forming a new habit within 21 days is unrealistic, and instead,
it is more likely to take you 66 days for automaticity to plateau (meaning, it
takes about 66 days for you to adopt a behaviour into your normal, everyday,
autopilot routine).
It appears though that this myth originated from anecdotal
evidence around patients who had received plastic surgery treatment and took
approximately 21 days to psychologically adjust to their new appearance.
Unfortunately for the rest of us however, this adjustment period somehow made
its way into guidance around health habit formation.
Thankfully though, the article explores how psychological
theory and evidence around simple and sustainable habit-formation suggests that
working effortfully on a new habit for two to three months is the best way to
make a new habit second nature! So simply starting on your resolution and
working at it till the end of March should see you well on your way to making a
healthy habit for life.
Gardner B, Lally P, Wardle J. Making health habitual: the
psychology of ‘habit-formation’ and general practice. Br J Gen Pract
2012;62(605):664-666.
How combining stevia and cocoa when baking muffins may help reduce glycaemic response
Muffins are delicious. There’s no doubt about it. But generally, they contain high amounts of sugar that when over-consumed, isn’t always so good for your health. As a team of nutrition-conscious foodies (hence why we love adding Nuzest Clean Lean Protein to our baking) we are always looking for ways to make the foods we love better for us and our tastebuds. Thankfully, a group of scientists from China and New Zealand heard our baking prayers and decided to test ways in which to make muffins healthier, while still remaining scrumptious. The results were published in Foods journal.
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of replacing sugar in muffins with either 50% or 100% stevia alongside adding natural flavour enhancers (cocoa and vanilla) for their effect on the physical properties of muffins and postprandial (after-meal) glycaemic response in comparison to a control muffin formulation with no stevia, cocoa or vanilla.
The results of the study? Nutritious and delicious.
The team discovered that replacing the sugar with stevia
significantly improved in vitro (test tube) glycaemic response during
digestion and helped to reduce the blood glucose response that is so commonly
experienced following the consumption of high sugary foods. This is due to the
fact that stevia lacks the calories and carbohydrates of sucrose, meaning there
are no sugars released during digestion.
The study concludes that the full or partial replacement of
sugar with stevia in muffins produces a treat with quality characteristics
close to that of a full-sucrose muffin sample, however with greater associated
health benefits thanks to a reduction in postprandial blood sugar levels. The
results of this study provide an interesting avenue for future clinical (human)
research.
Gao J, Guo X, Brennan MA, et al. The potential of
modulating the reducing sugar released (and the potential glycemic response) of
muffins using a combination of a stevia sweetener and cocoa powder. Foods
2019;8(10):pii:E644.
Detoxes and ‘cleanses’ are some of the most popular diets available. And while they probably won’t help you to lose any more weight than a good diet, or improve your body’s ability to remove toxins, certain nutrients and lifestyle changes can help to support your body’s own, amazing, innate detoxification pathways. Read our article ‘How
Detoxes and ‘cleanses’ are some of the most popular diets available. And while they probably won’t help you to lose any more weight than a good diet, or improve your body’s ability to remove toxins, certain nutrients and lifestyle changes can help to support your body’s own, amazing, innate detoxification pathways.
There are many strategies that we can employ
to help reduce our exposure to common toxins:
1. Choose supplements tested for heavy metals
Many supplement companies, including Nuzest, test their
products to meet stringent guidelines for heavy metal contamination. When
choosing a supplement always do your research first. Check the label to see
what country the product originates from (manufacturing and monitoring systems
for health supplements varies between countries) and if in doubt, contact the
company direct.
2. Choose organic foods where possible
Organic does not always mean low in toxins and toxicants,
however they are likely to be lower in pesticide and herbicide residue and
environmental pollutants. If your budget allows, opt for organic produce where
possible. And if not, make sure to wash your fruit and veg thoroughly before
consuming in order to lower your risk of consuming unwanted toxins.
3. Choose foods from countries with more stringent quality controls
Some developing nations can have more relaxed environmental
and pollution controls, and this can affect even ‘organic’ foods. It is safest
to choose foods and materials from countries with more stringent environmental
pollution laws and those known to have lower levels of heavy metals in
groundwater and soil.
4. Reduce the use of plastics
Replace plastic storage containers with glass wherever possible. If using plastic, make sure that you opt for BPA-free plastic and always recycle properly. One of the most important things to remember is to only ever heat your food in containers that are deemed microwave-safe! This includes glass and microwavable safe ceramics and plastics. Current data indicates that BPA alternatives such as bisphenol B (BPB), bisphenol F (BPF), and bisphenol S (BPS) have comparative effects to BPA, so should also be avoided where possible42.
5. Exercise
Exercise can promote greater metabolic activity which may speed the clearance of toxins from the body. It is also useful to offset some of the negative effects that can result from some toxins and toxicants by helping to improve oxidative control, increase insulin sensitivity, and encourage the clearance of damaged and dysfunctional tissue from the body. Endurance exercise-trained rats are able to maintain glutathione status (an important antioxidant involved in detoxification) during paracetamol toxicity compared to untrained rats15.
6. Fasting
Occasional or intermittent fasting can help the body to deal with some of the effects of environmental toxins and toxicants by modulating inflammation, encouraging the removal of dysfunctional and damaged tissue, and improving antioxidant pathways.16–20.
Nutrients That Aid Detoxification
Many of the toxins that we can be exposed to promote
oxidative and other damage in the body. So, nutrients that might help us to
avoid accumulating toxins, encourage their detoxification and excretion, and
reduce damage are of particular interest. Oxidation, for example, is a normal
and essential part of many cellular processes, however excessive oxidation is
damaging.
Our natural, internal antioxidant pathways rely on a
healthy liver, and various micronutrient and macronutrient co-factors. Most of
the research that has been performed on dietary and supplemental interventions
that may help in various aspects of detox or resistance to toxic chemicals has
been performed in animals (due mainly to the ethics of exposing humans to toxic
chemicals!). Regardless, this research offers a glimpse into some nutritional
interventions that might improve the resilience of the body. These findings are
summarised under the sub-headings below.
Nutrients that may help to reduce the accumulation,
and improve the excretion, of common toxins
Spirulina and dandelion may help to reduce mercury accumulation23. Spirulina with zinc increases the excretion of arsenic in chronic arsenic poisoning24, and absorbs cadmium25.
Chlorella may be useful in inhibiting the absorption of dioxins via food and the reabsorption of dioxins stored already in the body in the intestinal tract, thus preventing the accumulation of dioxins within the body26. Research performed in mice also suggests that mercury excretion is enhanced by chlorella27–28.
Milk thistle may help to reduce the entry of toxins into cells29,30.
Folate is critical to the metabolism of arsenic31.
Glycine was found to be effective for increasing glutathione (a powerful antioxidant) levels, and decreasing lead levels in bone (with extremely high doses of around 1g per kg bodyweight in subject animals)33.
Nutrients that may help to reduce oxidation
and damage from toxins and toxicants
Treatment with cysteine, methionine, vitamin C and thiamine can reverse oxidative stress associated with arsenic exposure and result in a reduction in tissue arsenic level34.
Spirulina and dandelion enriched diets reduce lead and mercury-related oxidation23,35.
Spirulina, ginseng, onion and garlic decrease lipid peroxidation and increase endogenous antioxidant levels36,37.
Curcumin, resveratrol, Vitamin C, E, selenium and zinc and the bioflavonoid quercetin can effectively protect against cadmium-induced lipid peroxidation and reduce the adverse effect of cadmium on antioxidant status38–40.
Curcumin significantly protects against lipid peroxidation induced by both lead and cadmium41.
Milk thistle reduces oxidative damage from toxicant exposure29,30.
Conclusion
The body has an amazing capacity to remove toxins and toxicants naturally from the body. Despite what you may be led to believe, detox pills and potions won’t do anything more than a good diet based on natural and unrefined foods. Lifestyle changes and dietary additions (such as Nuzest’s Good Green Stuff who’s formulation is inclusive of many of the nutrients mentioned above) can help to support your own internal detoxification pathways, thus helping your body work ‘as nature intended’. Eating a varied nutrient-dense, organic (where possible) diet and exercising regularly can help us to reduce damage from toxins and toxicants and optimise the excretion of any chemical nasties that we may be exposed to.
What Are Toxins? Toxins are poisonous substances that are produced either within the body or by another organism (synthetically created ‘toxins’ are technically called toxicants). Are Toxins Dangerous? While they sound scary (and some are!), many toxic chemicals are actually produced as part of normal bodily processes. In fact, it is not uncommon for tiny
What Are
Toxins?
Toxins are poisonous substances
that are produced either within the body or by another organism (synthetically
created ‘toxins’ are technically called toxicants).
Are Toxins Dangerous?
While they sound scary (and some
are!), many toxic chemicals are actually produced as part of normal bodily
processes. In fact, it is not uncommon for tiny amounts of toxins to be
ingested as part of a normal healthy diet, or as a result of environmental
exposure. Products that we are exposed to daily such as household cleaners,
medications, alcohol, pesticides, fuel and cosmetics can all be considered
toxic in certain conditions. So, it’s important to remember the old adage, the
dose defines the poison!
What Are Some Common Toxins?
There are many different types of
toxins, all of which vary greatly in the severity of their effect. We discuss
some of the most common toxins and their effect on health below.
1. Heavy Metals
Heavy metals are metals with high
densities or atomic weights. They include nutrients such as iron, cobalt and
zinc. These nutrients are essential for health and yet, are toxic in large
doses. When people refer to heavy metals in the context of health, they are
typically referring to metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury. These
heavy metals are toxic, even in the smallest amounts.
2. Arsenic
Arsenic is a natural component of the earth’s crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. It is because of this that minute doses of arsenic can be found in some drinking water and foods. Interestingly, emerging research indicates that arsenic might be an essential trace nutrient 1, however elevated levels of arsenic are highly toxic and very dangerous. Based on mammalian studies, a recommended dose of arsenic per day for health is between 12.5 and 25μg, and people take in around 12-50μg per day through a normal diet1,2. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a safe limit of <10μg /L for drinking water.
3. Cadmium
Cadmium is a heavy metal found
commonly in the environment from natural occurrence and contamination. Smokers
have a high exposure to cadmium through cigarettes, while everyday foods are
the highest source of cadmium for the non-smoking population. Foods contributing
most to dietary cadmium are cereals and cereal products, vegetables, nuts and
pulses, starchy roots or potatoes, and meat and meat products. Vegans and
vegetarians can have higher exposure to this heavy metal due to their high
consumption of cereals, nuts, oilseeds and pulses.
Over exposure to cadmium can cause kidney failure, bone demineralisation and be carcinogenic. The average levels of cadmium in food have been found to be ≈200μg/kg3, with a tolerable amount of 7μg/kg body weight, per week (or ≈76μg per day), being previously set by the European Food Safety Authority.
4. Lead
Lead is a major contaminant of drinking water and food and is extremely toxic at even small doses. Once in the body, lead circulates in the blood and can be stored in the bones. The health effects from lead exposure will vary depending on a variety of factors such as a person’s age and the amount and timing of lead exposure. In infants, lead exposure has been shown to hinder neuronal development1.
5. Mercury
Mercury poses severe risks to the development of children in utero and in early life. A tolerable amount has been set by the World Health Organization of 1.6μg/kg body weight, per week4, or ≈17μg per day for a woman of average weight.
6. Bisphenols
Bisphenols such as bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) are chemical ‘plasticisers’ that function as raw materials for the production of many plastics including storage containers, food and beverage packaging, and lacquers and sealants for a range of other products (such as the BPS containing treatments on thermal cash register receipts)5. These plasticisers have been found in food, house dust, rivers and lakes, and personal care products6,7, and have been identified in human sera, saliva, and urine8. They are known to cause appreciable health harms and are toxic to a range of animals and organisms, including humans9,10.
As knowledge of the harms of BPA have become more well known, there has been a movement towards using different bisphenols in the place of BPA. This has led to an increase in exposure to other chemicals, in particular BPAF, BPF, and BPS and this has resulted in similar or even greater levels of exposure and accumulation of these chemicals in humans11. The various bisphenols; BPA, BPAF, BPB, BPF, and BPS have been shown to exhibit anti-thyroid, oestrogenic or antiandrogenic properties along with hormone-disrupting effects, toxicity and damage to both cells and genes, reproductive toxicity, immune dysfunction, dioxin-like effects, nephrotoxicity, and neurotoxicity (toxicity to the brain and central nervous system) and are carcinogenetic (cancer-causing chemicals)10–13.
7. Glyphosate
Glyphosate (commercially often seen as “Roundup”) is an extremely common herbicide. Its use has become so common that glyphosate residue can be found in many foods, water, and commonly used products (including medical gauze, tampons and personal care products). While it has been listed as a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Cancer Research, its effects on human health are controversial, with some claiming that the chemical is safe in the amount humans are exposed to, while others claim there are very real health risks from low-dose exposure. Overall, the effect of glyphosate on health is likely to be very complex in nature as there are potential effects on hormones, and likely detrimental effects on the microbiome, which require further research14.
Detox diets are a fixture of the alternative and complementary health scene. They are extremely common and very popular but do detox diets really work? And if they do, do detox diets work as claimed to help the body eliminate dangerous and damaging toxins? Let’s look at what the science says… What Is A Detox
Detox diets are a fixture of the
alternative and complementary health scene. They are extremely common and very
popular but do detox diets really work? And if they do, do detox diets work as
claimed to help the body eliminate dangerous and damaging toxins?
Let’s look at what the science
says…
What Is A Detox Diet?
Detox diets and programs were
once more commonly known as liver cleanses. They are typically promoted
to rapidly ‘cleanse’ the body of toxins, usually through a combination of
fasting or food restriction, and use of various nutrients and herbs to support
the liver and other detoxification pathways of the body.
What Are Toxins?
Toxins are poisonous substances that
are produced either within the body or by another organism (synthetically
created ‘toxins’ are technically called toxicants). While they sound
scary (and some are!), many toxic chemicals are actually produced as part of
normal bodily processes. In fact, it is not uncommon for tiny amounts of toxins
to be ingested as part of a normal healthy diet, or as a result of
environmental exposure. So, it’s important to remember the old adage, the
dose defines the poison!
Due to the creation of some toxic
by-products in the body from metabolic processes, and the inevitability of
exposure to some toxic chemicals and heavy metals in the environment, the body
has developed sophisticated detoxification pathways to excrete these chemicals.
The liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal system, skin and lungs all play various
roles in the excretion of toxins, with various processes such as methylation,
metabolism and conjugation used to produce chemical end-products that can be
more easily excreted. Some chemicals are difficult to convert to excretable
forms and can accumulate in the body, especially in fat tissue (like
organophosphate pesticides and herbicides, and heavy metals).
Do Detox Diets Work?
This is an interesting question.
In order to answer this, we must first understand more about the outcomes of
different detox diets (the ones that have been studied at least) and whether
the diets work because of, or despite of their claims.
Do Detox Diets Help The Body Eliminate ‘Toxins’?
There has been limited research conducted on the many detox diets available. A 2014 review published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics highlighted the lack of thorough, scientifically robust studies on various detox diets. While one study noted a significant improvement in self-reported symptoms associated with poor health, no placebo control was used and other outcome measures (including some markers of phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification) did not significantly differ between groups. Other studies suffered from similar methodological flaws such as lack of a control group, no randomisation, or inconsistencies in comparison groups1.
Will A Detox Help Me Lose Weight?
Many people do lose weight on detox diets. It is often claimed that this is because ‘toxins’ encourage the storage of fat, but in all likelihood, it is actually because while following a restrictive detox diet a person simply eats less. Most detox diets involve some combination of fasting, extreme food restriction or elimination of common foods, all of which result in less energy intake. As an example, a 2015 study demonstrated that the ‘Lemon Detox’ diet did help women to lose weight, but this effect was most likely due to calorie-restriction6.
Let’s face it, any time you
drastically restrict calories you will lose weight…and this aspect of detox
diets has little to do with toxins.
Can Certain Nutrients Improve Innate Detoxification?
While it’s unlikely that specific
detox diets will help you to lose weight or detoxify any more than an otherwise
good diet based on whole, natural, and unrefined foods, some nutrients might
help the body to support its own innate detoxification processes and reduce the
damage that toxins may cause.
Many nutrients help to support our innate detox pathways and either reduce the toxins that we accumulate or improve their elimination from the body. These include spirulina2,3,4,11,12 and chlorella10,11,12, dandelion4, folate5, alpha-lipoic acid9, glycine1 (in high doses), and a combination treatment of methionine, vitamin C and thiamine8.
The Bottom Line
It is unlikely that a detox diet will help you to remove toxins from the body or lose more weight than a good nutrition plan. Eating a wholefood diet that is rich in nutrients and low in toxins and toxicants will help to support the health and performance of the body and support your natural detoxification pathways. Additionally, certain nutrients found in the diet, or supplements such as Nuzest Good Green Stuff could also be of benefit to the amazing, innate, natural detoxification pathways of the human body.
If eating healthier is one of your top 2020 New Year’s resolutions, tackle your goal from a different perspective this year by following these 10 bite-sized healthy eating tips! The New Year offers an opportunity to eliminate bad habits and establish healthier routines. And while the New Year brings renewed motivation, this is often short
If
eating healthier is one of your top 2020 New Year’s resolutions, tackle your
goal from a different perspective this year by following these 10 bite-sized
healthy eating tips!
The
New Year offers an opportunity to eliminate bad habits and establish healthier
routines. And while the New Year brings renewed motivation, this is often short
lived, with many people abandoning their resolutions faster than Usain Bolt can
run one hundred meters.
New
Year’s resolutions typically don’t work out because people set too big of a
goal for themselves. Big goals make it difficult to know where to start and as
a result, motivation is lost quickly. Instead, long term success is found by
setting smaller goals that can be achieved gradually over time.
1. Forget the diet.
Diets are notorious for being unnecessarily restrictive and difficult to maintain long term. There is no such thing as a perfect diet, so stop trying to achieve one. According to an article in healthwisdomsecrets.com , all foods have a place in a healthy diet…work on creating balance, not restriction.
2. Veggies are king, fruits are queen.
Vegetables and fruits are loaded
with vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. Research shows that people who
eat vegetables and fruits live longer and have a lower risk of developing
chronic disease. Aim to eat 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruit every
day!
Struggling to eat a serve of veggies at breakfast? Try our easy Breakfast Bruschettarecipe.
3. Love thy wholegrains.
Eating wholegrains as part of a healthy diet has been found to lower your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and gastrointestinal disease. Wholegrains such as brown rice, wholegrain bread and pasta, oats and buckwheat are a great source of fibre which helps to keep your digestive system working properly. Aim to eat 4-6 serves of wholegrains every day!
4. Don’t skip on protein.
Proteins are essential nutrients. They are the building blocks of all of the cells in our body and are needed for growth and repair. Protein containing foods help to reduce cravings and promote a feeling of fullness…both of which are favourable if you are trying to lose weight! Protein can be found in foods including meat, eggs, legumes, nuts, seeds and quality protein supplements such as Nuzest Clean Lean Protein Powder.
5. Eat more legumes.
Legumes
are a group of plant foods that contain lentils, beans and peas. They are
packed full of protein and fibre and contain an array of vitamins and minerals.
Due to their nutritional profile, legumes can be considered a vegetable (thus
contribute to your 5 a day target) however they are also a fantastic source of
plant-based protein making them a great alternative to meat and fish.
6. Stop fearing fats.
Fats have many important functions
in the body including insulation of the body and organs, regulating inflammatory
and immune responses and aiding in brain development and function. Mono- and
poly-unsaturated fats are considered ‘healthy fats’ as they are beneficial for
our heart health. Healthy fats can be found in foods such as oily fish, olive
oil, nuts, avocado and chia seeds.
7. Optimise your gut health with pre- and pro-biotics.
Pre-
and pro-biotics support the body in building and maintaining a healthy gut
microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is believed to be beneficial for our
immune, mental and digestive health. Prebiotics are found in fibre rich foods
such as fruits, vegetables, and wholegrains. While probiotics occur in many
fermented foods, including yogurt, sauerkraut, and tempeh. Aim to eat these
every day to help your gut health flourish.
8. Drink up!
Water
is vital for so many bodily functions. It helps to regulate your body temperature,
assist your organs in flushing out toxins and aids in the circulation of blood
and nutrients around the body. The average adult requires 2L of water per day
to stay hydrated, so remember to drink up!
9. Eat mindfully.
Have you ever eaten a meal so
quickly that you’ve gotten to the end and wondered where it all went? Switch
off your screens and start paying attention to what you are eating at mealtimes.
Eating in a more mindful way helps to increase meal satisfaction and has also
been shown to promote weight loss and reduce binge eating.
10. Be Kind to Yourself.
Making healthy changes to your diet doesn’t happen overnight. It
requires a lot of hard work and persistence! Remember to strive for balance and
be kind to yourself throughout the process and beyond.
