Nutrition

It can be overwhelming when you first try and learn about nutrition; what foods/liquids are good or bad, when to consume them, whether to follow a certain diet or not

Gut Health

There is a remarkable connection between our gut health and our mental wellbeing, including our mood. The human microbiome, or gut environment, consists of various bacteria that co-evolved with us. It plays a crucial role in health. Our unique microbiome is established within the first 1,000 days of life.

Ultra-processed foods (like fast food) contain additives, sugars, and lab-made ingredients; these can disrupt our gut environment and increase disease risk. It is recommend to prioritise whole foods over processed ones to reduce inflammation and disease risk.

Interestingly, many serotonin receptors are located in the gut. The gut-brain axis involves communication between the gut and brain via the vagus nerve. Disruptions in this gut bacteria balance can lead to diseases, including depression and anxiety.

Generally, heating a healthy, balanced diet will make you feel your best and let your body work optimally. 

Calories & Diets

Calories are units of energy found in the foods and drinks you consume. Your body burns calories throughout the day to function and stay active. Balancing the calories you eat with the calories you burn is key for maintaining a healthy weight. In order to lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. In order to gain weight, you have to consume more calories than you burn.

On average, women need between 1600 – 2400 calories per day and men need between 2000 – 3000 per day. When you exercise, you burn more calories. The lower end of the range is for no physical activity throughout the day, and the upper end is with exercise included. To get an accurate estimation of your daily maintenance calories, you can speak to one of our wellbeing practitioners.

Daily calorie needs vary depending on many factors, such as age, sex, height, weight and activity level. Generally, men burn more calories than women. The more exercise you do, the more calories you burn; this includes during the day if you are lifting weights and speeding up your metabolism.

Most processed foods contain higher levels of saturated fats, sugar and salt; thus making them higher in calories. They also lack fibre and essential nutrients, making them less filling. As a result people tend to overeat and consume more calories than they otherwise would.

There are an endless amount of different diets and ‘fads’ you can follow nowadays, in order to lose weight or fat. There is a fundamental issue with the concept of a ‘diet’; the nature of it implies that it is something temporary that you do to lose weight, and then you go ‘off the diet’ and go back to how you used to eat. This is fundamentally flawed, because you may be able to lose weight in the short term by cutting out certain foods, but as soon as you go back to your normal eating habits, your calories consumed will increase and the weight will come back on. For this reason, it is imperative that, rather than ‘dieting’, you change your eating habits permanently. This way, you will be in control of how you eat and feel, and won’t have feelings of anxiety or guilt when dieting.

Nutrients (macro and micro)

Nutrients in foods are generally broken up into two categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients are the main nutrients found in food; they maintain your body’s structure and functioning, and provide energy. They include:

• Carbohydrates: These provide energy for daily activities. Sources include bread, pasta, fruits, and vegetables.
• Proteins: Crucial for tissue repair, muscle building, and enzyme production. Find them in eggs, fish, tofu, and lean meats.
• Fats: Necessary for cell structure, hormone production, and energy storage. Look for healthy fats in oils, nuts, and meats.

Micronutrients consist of vitamins and minerals; a smaller amount is needed by the body for optimal performance. They do not provide energy, but assist in functions such as digestion, brain function and hormone production. They include:

• Vitamins: These support various bodily functions. Examples include vitamin C (found in citrus fruits), vitamin B-12 (in meat and dairy), and vitamin E (in nuts and seeds).
• Minerals: Essential for bone health, nerve function, and more. Calcium (from dairy products), iron (from red meat), and zinc (from nuts and legumes) are examples.

To improve your nutrition, aim to eat a balanced diet and reduce the amount of processed foods you consume. When you eat a balanced diet, you give your body the nutrients it needs for healthy functioning. A balanced diet has the right proportion of minerals, vitamins, other essential nutrients, and optimal calories for your body’s makeup. Here are the core elements of a balanced diet:

• Proteins: Essential for tissue repair, muscle building, and enzyme production. Sources include lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, and tofu.
• Fruits: Rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fibre. Aim for a variety of colourful fruits like berries, citrus, apples, and bananas.
• Vegetables: Packed with vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Include leafy greens, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes.
• Grains: Provide energy and fibre. Opt for whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, oats, and whole wheat bread.
• Fats/Oils: Healthy fats support brain health and hormone production. Choose sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and fatty fish.
• Dairy: Important for bone health due to calcium and vitamin D. Include low-fat or non-fat options like yogurt, milk, and cheese.

Remember to avoid nutrient-poor foods such as highly processed items, refined sugars, sweetened drinks, and excessive saturated fats. If you are going to consume them, aim to follow these guidelines:

• Sodium (Salt): Consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Ideally, limit it to 1,500 milligrams daily if you have high blood pressure.
• Added Sugar: Limit added sugar to no more than 6 teaspoons or 100 calories per day.
• Saturated Fat: Keep the consumption of saturated fat to less than 7% of your daily calories. For example, if you need about 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 calories should come from saturated fat (about 13 grams per day).

• Malnutrition
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Certain cancers

Improving your nutrition can lead to several positive outcomes for your health and well-being. Here are some benefits:

• Increased life expectancy
• Skin, teeth, and eye health
• Muscle support
• Boosted immune system
• Stronger bones
• Reduced risk of diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
• Healthy pregnancies
• Efficient digestive system function
• Weight management

People often have a negative relationship with food and calories; it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that, by eating as little as possible, you will lose weight in the fastest way possible. The problem is, is that by losing weight in this manner, you are putting your body into ‘starvation mode’. This is when your metabolism slows down to conserve energy, which makes it harder to burn calories and lose weight. Also, when your body isn’t getting enough energy from food, it will begin to break down muscle tissue to use as fuel. Muscle burns more calories than fat at rest, so losing muscle mass can further slow down your metabolism. When you eventually return to your regular eating habits, your body will likely regain the weight you lost, and it may even be easier to gain weight due to the lowered metabolism. This is why its important to focus on a moderate calorie deficit if you are planning on losing weight.

Sometimes, monitoring calories and nutrition can become an unhealthy obsession, and this can lead to eating disorders which can disrupt daily life and social interactions. Eating can then become a source of anxiety and guilt, rather than pleasure.

Overly restrictive diets may lack essential nutrients, leading to problems such as fatigue, weakened immunity and muscle loss.

Once you begin incorporating a healthier diet, some changes will be immediately noticeable and others will take some time. Within the first few days you may feel more energised, alert and less bloated. After the first couple of weeks, you may experience changes in body composition, skin complexion and your mood. From a month onwards, you may have lost weight, lowered cholesterol  and decreased high blood pressure. Regular consultations at a nutrition clinic can help track and optimise your progress.