Have you heard that old Sound of Music song called “Do-Re-Mi?” The first few words are,” Let’s start at the very beginning, it’s a very good place to start.”
We all have to start at the beginning when learning something new, right?
What about regarding your health? And nutrition? Even with autoimmune and chronic health issues.
Did you know some of the most common questions I often get from clients, potential clients, and really anybody who finds out I’m a health and wellness coach revolves around nutrition. And if you have autoimmune or chronic health issues, knowing how to eat nutritious and healthy food is paramount to healing as well as knowing how to prepare easy meals especially when you’re tired, have more symptoms, and don’t feel like cooking.
So, “Let’s start at the very beginning. It’s a very good place to start.”
Why is nutrition and food a good place to begin?
We know food provides nourishment for our body and fuel for energy and metabolism. It also affects our gut health and as we discussed a few weeks ago, your gut health is paramount to overall health.
So food can be healing or it can be damaging.
It can give us energy through nutrients in the food for our body to function properly and even helps our mood and mental health.
There are two categories of nutrients that food provides – macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients (or macros) include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
In order for our bodies to function best, we need a combination of all of these.
Did you know some foods can cause inflammation in some people? And these are foods that are common and enjoyed usually by most people. And one way high inflammation is depicted in our bodies is through symptoms like belly bloat or fatigue or the 5 pound gain in a day. Or it could be headaches or aches and pains or hair loss or trouble sleeping and handling stress.
Now if you’re one of those who is inflamed due to these foods, wouldn’t you want to limit them? And eat healthier anti-inflammatory foods?
And if you have autoimmune or chronic health issues, you probably have some inflammation.
Let’s focus on macronutrients and especially protein this week.
What are macronutrients or macros?
Macros are a group of nutrients that provide energy and maintenance of body structure and functions. More of these are needed so they’re called “macro.” There are three basic types – protein, carbohydrates, and fat. The amount you need depends on your own body, gender, activity level, age, medical condition, etc.
Why are macronutrients important?
They provide essential nutrients your body either cannot make or does not make enough of which give your body energy or fuel in the form of calories (protein 4 calories per gram, carbs 4 calories per gram, fat 9 calories per gram).
Macros help with inflammation and disease prevention, body functioning, and keeping you fuller longer.
We need to be sure we are getting clean proteins, healthy carbs, and healthy fats. We don’t want to eat the unhealthy carbs like breads, pastas, candy, cookies, etc. Nor do we want a lot of trans-fats. But we will talk about carbs and fats in another post.
We will focus on proteins this week.
Proteins help:
*Break down into amino acids which help build and repair cells, tissues, and muscles.
*Provide structure to your organs, connective tissue, bones, hair, skin, and nails – so protein is needed to keep your hair and nails strong and to prevent bone density loss as we age
*Help keep you fuller and satisfied longer which helps with weight management
*Help with immune functioning – if you’re not well, your body needs to rebuild and that requires protein
* If you don’t have enough amino acids, your body cannot make hormones and enzymes needed.
Signs you may not be not getting enough protein:
*Feel unusually weak or fatigued
*Brittle hair, nails, flaky skin
*Being hungry most of the time
*Getting sick often
*Slow healing of wounds
*Swollen feet or hands
How much protein do you need?
This varies according to your gender, medical condition, age, activity level, etc. The minimum RDA recommendation for a sedentary person is usually .8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. But if you’re peri-menopausal, menopausal, or have autoimmune conditions, you may need more. Many women are not eating enough protein. I’ve even seen recommendations of 1.2 – 2.0 grams/kg of body weight.
If you divide your weight in pounds by 2.2, you’ll get your weight in kilograms. Then multiply that number by .8 – 2.0 to estimate how much daily protein. Some practitioners even say a rough estimate is 1 gram/pound of ideal body weight. But please check with your own medical practitioner first, especially if you have a history of kidney problems.
If you haven’t been eating much protein, then just begin adding some to each meal. You could track it for about 3 days and listen to your body. There are apps out there (like my fitness pal) which help give you protein amounts or just search on the internet. Adjust to see if you feel better with a certain amount. I know for me personally, eating more protein helps me think clearer, have more energy, and keep my mood stable.
So what are some examples of healthy proteins?
A healthy protein could be chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, fish, and even plant-based like quinoa (which is a complete vegan protein). Some people also eat pork, but there are some scientists and practitioners who believe these are not clean. Mainly because pigs are scavengers – they eat whatever. And if you’ve ever had any intestinal parasites, you may want to avoid pork because often it contains parasites. However, it’s your choice, of course. If you do decide to eat pork, and really any meats, try to eat more that are clean and grass-fed, without antibiotics and hormones. They will be more expensive, but just try to look for sales. Or find farmers who sell fresh meats and purchase from them. Do your best and try them once or twice a week and see if you notice a difference in the flavor and how you feel.
You can try nuts, but be aware that nuts can cause GI issues like bloating and gas and sometimes increased joint pain.
There are protein powders you can add to smoothies, yogurt, puddings, etc. Be sure to use clean brands. Two of my favorites are Ancient Nutrition and Vital Proteins.
Now you may be saying, Leah, that’s a lot of work. Well, it all depends on your priorities. When you’ve been as sick as I’ve been and many of my clients, you are willing to do what it takes to feel better. And really, eating healthy food is the simplest change you can make. You should check with your own medical practitioner before changing your diet, of course.
And you all know, I never tell you to change everything tomorrow. Remember tiny, baby steps. That’s what I do with my clients and that’s what I ‘m suggesting for you as well. And that’s how I did it in my own life.
So what are a few practical steps you can take this week?
*Eat protein at every meal. Even if you just start with 20 – 25 grams per meal, that may make a difference.
*Meal plan and prep. If you haven’t been cooking at home, just plan on cooking once or twice this week on a day you’re less busy. Plan a simple meal of baked, roasted, or grilled protein (like chicken breasts or salmon) with roasted or grilled veggies (asparagus, sweet potatoes, or squash), and fruit. To make it even easier, pick up pre-cut veggies and fruit. Then just do it.
So try adding some protein this week to your meals and see how your energy, mood, and hunger levels are. You just may find you have more energy and less hunger which are win-wins!
Leah Cheshire is a board certified health and wellness coach (NBC-HWC). She helps women primarily 40 and over who have fatigue, brain fog, pain, and weight issues use nutrition and lifestyle modifications in order to feel energized, think clearer, stabilize weight, and decrease aches and pains. If that’s you, then reach out to schedule a free 20-minute consult by clicking here.
