The Power of Protein
In this age of information, it’s not hard to find research that corroborates any belief. Influencers and capitalism dictate which content you’re more likely to see and fund which research you’ll be fed. As a result, nutrition- something quite simple in it’s foundation- becomes overwhelmingly complicated.
For most people, the complexities of nutrient timing aren’t nearly as relevant as nutrient quality and quantity. As you embark on your personal health journey, it’s important to tune out the nonspecific cacophony and tune into the basics.
Protein is pivotal in recovery/regeneration, glucose regulation, and ultimately makes up most of our structure-stuff, so it’s worth investigating a bit more.
As Building Blocks
There’s a reason we consume animal tissues in order to intake and assimilate protein. We are a network of collagen fibers. Fascia encapsulates the muscles and holds us together inside the skin. Fascia proliferates as it stretches and moves. Muscle is replenished and rebuilt stronger with adequate protein intake. The skin, the largest organ on the human body, depends on this sinewy protein to keep it all together.
As we age, our mechanisms for protein synthesis diminish. This results in the dread sagging skin and muscle wasting of old age. Proper functioning of both of these responsibilities is directly correlated to positive outcomes pertaining to longevity.
As Blood Sugar Support
Healthy muscle tissue not only contributes to over all strength and functional movement, it also serves as storage for glycogen. High muscle volume assists with blood sugar regulation.
When we intake carbs, the liver and the muscle tissue are the primary store-houses of any resultant free-circulating glucose. Our bodies tap into these reserves during physical activity to varying degrees dependent on the specific type of physical activity. When we’re relatively inactive, the stored glycogen goes unused. When we’re inactive and also continue to intake disproportionate amounts of carbs, what remains to be store is taken up by the cells that are associated with fat tissue.
It is important to me to qualify the mechanisms in action here because this one specific process gets all sorts of warped and distorted across platforms. Adequate protein intake not only typically blunts glucose spikes, it also supports musculoskeletal health which, in turn, aids in sugars regulation. That’s it. Please, for the love of God, eat carbs, they’re fuel. Just keep in mind the physiology that processes and stores the carbs, and use them to your advantage :)
Major Take-Aways
Much of our fast-and-easy food stuff is devoid of fiber and choc full of carbs. While carbs are essential to our health and operations, too much without enough of the other stuff can distort our energy management systems. Prioritizing protein intake benefits our regeneration and sugar regulation. Protein intake is generally recommended to be thereabouts 0.75g/kg of body weight. If you, like me, live within the imperial system, you’d take thereabouts half of your weight in pounds and remove a quarter of that. That’s it.
From there, you can identify plant, animal, and supplemental sources of protein to fill in the amount. Keep in mind that plant and animal-based proteins come with the added benefit of fibers, vitamins, minerals, and all the goodness that wholefoods have to offer. When investing in protein supplementation, do your research- some sources make you gassy, some are bulked up with non-protein content, and some may just be downright nasty tasting.
A high level understanding of protein (or really any nutritional building block) is likely to yield results for most normal people. You may find that you have increased satiety (feeling of fullness), that your body compositions shifts a bit, or that your energy levels change. If you’re looking for specific guidance for how much and how often re: performance goals or condition management, please reach out to a Registered Dietitian. Nutritionists (like me) are qualified to educate and inform, not prescribe or diagnose. Make smart choices, and make choices in favor of your future self, y’all :)
March in Your Body
March is the real turn-of-the-leaf away from the dark time and into the light time. Once daylight savings Springs forward, the days get exponentially longer, the earth begins to thaw, and we’re drawn outward. You may notice that you crave less of the heavy sweetness that the Winter called for; you may even notice your appetite diminish significantly. Embrace that. Just like the cold, hard, and heavy winter gives way for the light, energetic, clearness of Spring, this time of year the body readies itself to shed an refresh.
qualities of the season
Here, in the throes of Kapha Season we meet the intersection of the dark time and light time. Between now and April, it’s not abnormal to feel slightly disconnected or pulled in two different directions. Fear not, this is the perfect opportunity to dial into your intuition. The body knows what the body wants, it’s just hard to feel fully aligned with it when we’re inundated daily with the things we’re told we should want.
While the body reheats and re-energizes, it’s helpful to support the transition with easy to digest, light, simple foods. When Springtime hits, the lighter load requires the body to leverage its accumulated stores for fuel. Prioritize warm, light, dry, mobile, sharp, penetrating qualities and embrace bitter, stringent, and pungent tastes.
daily/practices
Like other animals, we too shed our winter layers in preparation for the upcoming warm season. In our case, it involves losing the insulating layers of fat beneath the skin, a natural process that differs from the modern concept of striving for a "summer body." Instead, it aligns with the natural order, orchestrating changes to set us up for success in each season.
As this shedding process unfolds, our blood and lymphatic systems may experience congestion or sluggishness, leading to feelings of heaviness and lethargy. This slowdown can contribute to mucous build-up, common during this time of year. Dry brushing remains a helpful practice to support the somewhat reluctant lymphatic system.
The idea of scraping, known as lekhana, can be applied in various ways throughout the season to introduce a rough and mobile quality when it's lacking. For example, tongue scraping is beneficial year-round but particularly useful now to clarify and assess the state of the digestive system.
While the body lightens up, there's an increased risk of irritants causing seasonal allergies due to changes in blood circulation. Regular Neti practice helps cleanse the sinuses, flushing out any trapped irritants and reducing immune responses.
Additionally, spending time outdoors and staying active is essential. Embracing our connection to nature on nice days allows us to return to its warm embrace. Engaging in activities like preparing spring gardens brings joy in witnessing new life. Our nervous systems greatly benefit from reconnecting with nature, aligning our vibes with the environment around us.
diet staples
March signifies the switch to bitter, pungent, and astringent tastes. Foods high in prana, or energy and life, are more easily accessible as farm stand season returns. Gone are the dark, cold months of root veggies and preserves- now is the time for berries, cherries, greens, and grains!
Pungent and warming digestive herbs like ginger, black pepper, and turmeric assist the digestion, or agni, to brighten up and reinvigorate. It’s the perfect season to re-introduce all sorts of grains into the diet. Grains like barkley, buckwheat, and millet are light and mobile enough to give quick bursts of energy that will help keep the system running efficiently with the longer days.
finally, beans and lean meats - particularly easy to digest beans and fish - nourish the system via their fiber and protein content. Because the light time encourages getting outside and getting mobile, it’s important to keep protein in a light and easily digestible form in order to ensure the body is supplied properly for regeneration.
what’s it all mean
The big takeaway is this: the sun is back, the body gets to movin in the Spring. Support your body's transition with easily digestible, light, and simple foods. As the body taps into its accumulated reserves for fuel, prioritize warm, light, dry, and mobile qualities, alongside bitter, stringent, and pungent tastes.
In daily practices, shed winter layers with dry brushing, scraping, and especially tongue scraping to assess digestive health. Combat potential seasonal allergies by incorporating regular Neti practice. Embrace outdoor activities for overall well-being, connecting with nature during this time of renewal. Circulation, metabolism, and circadian health are primary focuses as we transition out of the cool, dark, dry and into the warm, light time!
If you need support with planning for your unique constitution, tap on (me!) your friendly neighborhood longevity educator!
5 Simple Strategies to Elevate Your Nutrition
1. Menu Plan
Planning your meals in advance isn't just about healthy choices—it's your ticket to confidence and ease. Spend a little time on a Saturday or Sunday creating a weekly menu. This ensures a balanced mix of protein, carbs, and fats, along with a rainbow of fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean proteins tailored to your nutritional needs. After a few weeks, you'll have a plug-and-play resource for busy days.
2. Become an Ingredient Household
Transform your kitchen into a haven of creativity and control. By sticking to basic ingredients, you'll not only avoid hidden additives but also make snacking a mindful experience. Build accountability by stocking up on whole foods, like fresh produce, lean meats, and unprocessed items. Experiment, have fun with food prep, and enjoy the journey of crafting your own delicious, healthier snacks.
3. Shorten Your Feed Windows
Unlock the secrets of weight management and overall health by embracing time-restricted eating. Understand the impact of extended feeding periods on digestion and recovery. Tailor your eating window to about 8 hours, aligning with your circadian rhythm for optimal results. Stay hydrated during fasting periods with water or herbal teas, giving your body the rest and recovery it deserves.
4. Prioritize Protein
Discover the superhero role of protein in muscle maintenance and overall well-being. From chicken and fish to tofu and legumes, include lean protein sources in every meal and snack. Distribute protein throughout the day, aiming for about ¾g per KG of body weight. Use labels and daily intake recommendations to hit your protein goals, unlocking the key to recovery and regeneration.
5. Cook for Leftovers
Transform your kitchen into a time-saving, cost-cutting haven. Batch cooking not only promotes portion control but also liberates you from the clutches of convenience foods. Embrace the art of excess by cooking a bit more than needed each night, effortlessly creating a lunch buffet for the next day. Invest in storage containers for freshness, and let creativity reign as you transform leftovers into exciting new dishes.
february in your body
i always joke that february, august, thursday, and 7pm have the same energy. after making it through the long, overcast january, february comes and goes like an inconvenient blink of an eye. at this point in the year, the season has turned from dry to damp and the darkness is slowly moving towards the light. february is also love month and national heart health month. let’s dive into some ways that you can put your best foot forward in this season of transition.
qualities of the season
late-winter into early-spring is a season of damp, cool, cloudy quality. it environment is ripe for the renewal of life energy for the year. this late-winter, early-spring is reflected in the beginning stages of life, the mid part of the morning, and the regenerative nature of the body’s mucus-y allergy season. as the winter begins to thaw through increased daylight and slightly warmer temperatures, our internal climate reacts by melting away the insulating layer of fat keyed up during the winter season. like increases like and opposites balance, so this time of year can aggravate kapha dosha and any systems that are affiliated.
we balance the influence of this damp, cool season by incorporating more dry, warm, mobile, clear, and sharp qualities into our diet and routine. so what does this look like?
daily/practices
like others in the animal kingdom, we too shed our winter layers to prepare for the warm season ahead. for us, that looks a lot like the subcutaneous insulating layers of fat being “melted away”. this is a far jump from the modern and highly problematic tendency towards a “summer body”, but instead reflects the natural order operating on it’s own accord to set us up for success season by season.
our blood/lymph can get congested or stagnate entirely when this process starts to shake out. we feel a sense of heaviness and lethargy as a result of our circulatory system slowing down and thickening. we see this pathogenesis aggravate or exacerbate the mucous build up that is trademark for this time of year. we can assist this process by incorporating (or continuing) to dry brush as an assist to the lymphatic systems generally under motivated nature.
the concept of scraping (lekhana) is one that can be duplicated through various contexts in the season to introduce a rough and mobile quality into a time that is lacking in that. for instance, tongue scraping, while extremely valuable all year round, is especially useful to both clarify and assess the nature of the digestive system.
finally, worth an add is getting outside and moving around. we are nature, so on the sporadic nice days that we do have, we return to her warm and loving embrace. we can prepare our gardens of the spring season, enjoying the art of sprouting new life. our nervous systems also greatly benefit from being outside in nature and reattuning our vibes to reflect our environment.
diet staples
february is still root veggie and soup season. you absolutely cannot go wrong with the liquefying value of a brothy soup to keep the system lubricated. root veggie soups can also keep you grounded and nourished throughout the whole of cold season. as the weather turns from dry to damp, more clarifying root veggies (such as beets, parsnips, and radishes) can benefit the cloudy gunk of the winter melt.
adding in pungent and heating spices are also of value for this season. in contrast to the overly-dry risk of having hot pungents in the early-winter, incorporating some spice into the january/february moist cool months is a good way to start heating the system up from the inside, to motivate the internal melt and keep anything from getting stickier. it’s a great time to add in dry and drying fruits and veggies (called astringents) that can assist in the blood cleasing process. these include but are not limited to cranberries, dried cherries, apples, pears, and berries. cabbage-family foods (brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli), aspargus, and kale also have rough qualities that can support a balanced system in this time of year.
finally, beans - particularly easy to digest beans - nourish the system via their fiber and protein content. beans produce air and mobility which leads them to be less than idea menu items for the dry and mobile fall season, but highly valuable supplements to the late-winter routine when the body is on it’s shed.
what’s it all mean
your major takeaways are to return to warming practices much like you warm up a car, and you intake things that are light and easy to process so that the body can feel supported and nourished for the hot season ahead! if you’re interested in learning more or navigating your specific experience, always keep in mind that you can contact (me) your friendly neighborhood longevity educator!
December in Your Body
The Winter season arrives on the 21st of the month- dark, cold, and hard. There’s a reason why cultural celebrations of light and gathering happen at this time of year. As always, like increases like and opposites balance. In this season, balance is manifest through warming spices, proximity to loved ones, and rituals that shed light where there is dark. The December month’s routine and diet is one that brings the radiant heat inside, to the center of our bodies.
Lifestyle & Routine
When our bodies are warm, our blood vessels dilate in order to help maintain homeostasis by letting off some of that heat. In the Winter, that same dilation causes us let off too much heat too fast. This leaves us cold. We prevent this coldness by bundling up, keeping our head and ears covered, and protecting our extremities.
The Winter solstice is the shortest day of the year with the sun is setting between 4 and 5 pm and rising no earlier than 7 am. In the midday, the sun’s rays cast shadows across the streets making the noon-time feel like twilight. Regardless of the season, our bodies need natural light, our eyes process the light as part of it’s circadian regulation. We leverage this rhythm to keep our sleep/wake cycles “regular” and our digestion operating efficiently. With fewer daylight hours, we are inclined to miss out on the sun and the signals that come from that direct connection. Take 5 minutes a day to go outside, stare at nature, or simply feel the breeze kiss your skin or the subtle warmth of the sun still radiate into you. The light gets scarce, so capitalizing on the resource is a huge step in the right direction.
Additionally, our skulls are this neat instrument, robust with holes and openings covered in skin. Having proper hydration or lubrication in all orifices keeps the mucous layers healthy so that they can perform their duties as if business as usual. We stay moistened through abhyanga (oil massage), nasya (nasal oil), and oil pulling (swishing coconut oil around in your mouth). Our cells membranes thrive on the viscosity and permeability of the oils that we consume and use, so be sure to source from trusted suppliers.
This final month of the year is ripe with season-oriented activities and gatherings. It is important to find your version of balance to avoid running yourself ragged. No day is created equal and, while the Summer season is vibrant and energetic, the Winter time is a time to reflect and turn inward.
Diet Staples
Once Winter turns, our body’s heat finds a cozy seat in the core, leaving the extremities cold and pale. This core-centered heating for the season indicates an uptick in agni (digestive fire), and therefore encourages us to eat robust and hearty meals for nourishment. Our prime focus for this season is building our thermo-regulatory layer of fats and rebuilding the heartiness of our blood tissue (rakta dhatu).
There are six main tastes in Ayurvedic healing (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, astringent, bitter). Like increases like, and opposites balance. In a season of “dry, mobile, cold”, air element, light crisp leaves, and sharp winds, sweet taste and heavy quality keeps us grounded and nourished. Sweet, from the Ayurvedic perspective, is not intended to mean to sugary snacks with long shelf lives. Instead, sweet is in the things that build our muscles and fat tissues to keep us well. butter, oils, cheeses, root vegetables, and meats are a must to keep the body strong as it resets from the year.
While like increases like, too much of a good thing can actually aggravate. In a cold season, consider gently warming herbs such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and allspice will heat you up with out burning you out. Bear in mind that pungent (or spicy) can heat up and diminish so rapidly that the body ends up feeling colder after.
Soups for the season include all of the roots, veggies, broths, herbs, and meats that you can mix harmoniously to create a unique and fun experience each time.
What’s Next
Continue to give yourself the space to slow down, give yourself permission to say “no” to too much on your social calendar. Allow yourself a chance at truly saying “yes” to yourself. Slowing down and taking rest is not about “doing nothing” but more about letting the body do what it needs to do to support you. If you’re interested in learning more or navigating your specific experience, always keep in mind that you can contact (me) your friendly neighborhood lifestyle expert!