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 :)
A Beginner’s Guide to Running
Success is much easier to attain when given the proper tools in preparation. Running has a relatively low barrier to entry compared to other forms of physical activity- grab some shoes and get goin. IT is an easy skill to train no matter where you are in the world- it won’t take up space in your luggage. Running is a moving meditation that can be both individual and social- there are many health markers that benefit from the act of running.
The physiological value of the sport is undeniable but still, running can get a bad rap. The high impact of running can lead to skeletal-muscular issues, lack of knowledge around ventilatory thresholds can lead to overexertion, and highly competitive folks may find comparison the thief of joy.
I’ve always been someone who ran, but I’ve only recently dubbed myself a runner. For years, I would embark on an annual (semiannual at best) run in the hopes that one of them would be the one to make me fall in love. I’m not sure why I persisted, but at some point, it worked. Through self study and errors made, I felt the invaluable gift of accomplishment become a motivator to keep going. Since then, I’ve become a run coach and gotten certified in nutrition for endurance sports to support the athletes that I work with.
Knowledge is power, so I’ve compiled a high level list of tools that have helped me to experience success via increased skill- it’s a positive feedback loop. I hope that a bit of a leg up can encourage that sense of personal accomplishment for y’all who may be interested in developing the skill.
“Precovery” and Nutrient Timing
Run prep doesn’t begin after you’ve laced up and hit the road. Sleep quality, nutrient strategies, and allostatic (stress) load lay down the groundwork for the run experience well before you’ve thrown on a pair of shoes and shorts. Establishing a solid routine and setting expectations relevant to these factors is base-line for successful skills development.
Precovery for amateur running does not have to be a big to-do. Instead, keep the basics in mind: fuel properly, rest plenty, and reduce stress load. You can find specifics about threshold training across the internet, but, unless you’re in it for sport-specific training, those details can muddy the water when the intention is to begin.
Nutritionally, carbs are faster acting energy, fats are highly concentrated energy. Eat a balanced diet including nourishing fats, fiber/veggies, and protein. Each of these nutrients act as building blocks to your body and it’s system operations. Give your body some time to digest the foods it’s consumed or intentionally consume easier to digest options (smoothies versus full fruits) so that you don’t end up cramping up in the run itself.
On-The-Run
Just start! running is different from walking in that running includes going airborne intermittently between steps. For a moment, on a run, you’re flying. Pace doesn’t matter, time doesn’t matter. Instead, move within a context that feels sustainable- just go and grow from there.
Your body will tell you when you need to slow down or if it’s time to speed up, you just need to read the signs. Without getting too in-depth about the details, our body leverages the resources it has to begin and maintain motion. At high speeds, the body will deplete fast-acting/fast-replenishing energy sources (carbs). At lower, longer-duration speed, the body can lean into it’s more concentrated sources (fats).
Your heart rate and breath rate are vital indicators for the systems at play and how your resources are being managed. Information on Ventilatory Threshold metrics can be found across the internet but, again, as a newbie to the sport, that information is likely to complicate something that can be identified innately.
Keep it simple, signs of excess will show up as extreme breathlessness, cramping, nausea, and painful pounding heart rate. Listen to the body and let go of expectations, your runs will improve with practice, not by force. Be present and enjoy the dialogue between body and mind.
Afterwards
When the distance and the pace don’t matter as much, the act of running is the joy itself. You’ve gotten up and gotten it done- the rest is details. After your run be sure to refuel by giving the body adequate nutritional value (whole, un-processed foods will do). Exercise is an appetite suppressant as the body shunts resources away from the visceral core and out towards the working extremities- so be mindful of how soon before/after your consuming foods keeping an eye on the time it will take to digest the foods. In the immediate hours following a run, hydration and nutrition not only support recovery, but can act as the precovery for the next bout of physical activity.
Movement should be a gift, not a punishment- our bodies feel our intentions and, much like a child, can sense when the vibes are off. As a result, the body responds accordingly, our self image can either subdue or contribute that stress load. Stress layered onto stress suppresses immune function and recovery initiatives. Love your body, enjoy the ride, take off the expectations, and allow yourself to just try a few times.
Breathe Better, Live Better
How Breath Works
Breath serves as the perpetual dance between Oxygen and CO2- these two opposite forces balance pH levels in the blood, support brain functioning, metabolic processes, and nervous system regulation.
As with all opposite forces, the balance comes from the conflicting qualities that contribute to homeostasis. With the breath, Oxygen serves as the energizer- it builds heat and lightness (getting light headed). In contrast, CO2 is a depressant, it cools and grounds.
When the body senses too much CO2 building up in the blood stream, it will signal the respiratory diaphragm to contract which, in turns, triggers and intake of air into the lungs. Once in the lungs, Oxygen reaches the vast surface area of capillaries and alveoli, teeming with vessels and capillaries, to shuttle Oxygen into the blood.
Thought CO2 gets a bad rap, it’s active participation in our everyday health should be celebrated. Because CO2 is a depressant, it down-shifts an accelerated nervous system by relaxing the smooth muscle tissues like those within the heart. In addition, an increased CO2 build up within a breath cycle may support more efficient Oxygen reuptake- this is how breathwork works!
5-minute Practice
Box breathing is arguably the easiest breath practice to follow. It regulates the nervous system through equal in breaths and out breaths with equal retention in between.
Set a timer for 5-minutes and, if possible, pull up a metronome app. Using common time, close your eyes and let the rhythm guide your pace as you breathe in for 4-counts, hold for 4-counts, breathe out for 4-counts, and hold for 4-counts.
If you feel your mind wander or you notice you’ve dozed off, realign and return. The process is the destination.
Soft Shell Tortillas
Makes about 6
what you’ll need
1.5 c Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
5 tbsp Salted Butter
0.5 c Hot Water
how you’ll prepare it
Combine “dry”s.
Add butter + water.
Knead for 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and bounces back.
Let sit for 10 min to rise.
Cut into 6 pieces- flatten/rollout.
Lightly fry in drizzle of oil (your choice) until bubbles appear- flip and repeat.
Let cool on paper towel.
ways you can consume it
In tacos, as a quesadilla, with some peanut butter on top.
Mindfulness for Beginners
What is MBSR
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a practice in being aware as moments unfold. MBSR offers an opportunity to leverage the tools we have on-hand (our consciousness) to be unhindered by both the anxieties of what has been and the concerns for what will be. In an over-stimulated society, practicing mindfulness through the easiest framework possible can feel like a breath of fresh air.
How the Body Handles Stress
When the body absorbs stimuli, our sense systems identify the threat’s potential and proceeds accordingly. When talking about stress response, the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is our central driver. The hypothalamus is the systems central operation controlling temperature, hunger, and heart rate. The pituitary gland recieves signals to start production and circulation of hormones to the body and the adrenals via secretion of the stress hormones necessary to prime our bodies to react.
Our two most common stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, serve the purpose to get you up and going as well as keeping the system on alert after initial response. When that initial adrenaline pump fades away, the cortisol of the body continues to pump through the system supporting circulation, respiration, and musculoskeletal alertness.
Because we are constantly on-guard and assessing the stimulus around us, high or recurring systemic cortisol is not an uncommon experience. We are, essentially, trapped in our fight or flight response by the design of the society in which we live. So how can we return to grounding in a way that is not daunting and that is accessible?
4-Fast Tips to Ground
Take Inventory of the Present Moment
We are one set of eyes in a vast universal experience. All at once, this moment unfolds for and impacts an un-quantifiable number of other humans. Sometimes simply taking a second to take inventory moment over moment can be enough to return to the now and peel away from the concerns of what was or what will.
Observe Judgments, Emotions, & Resistance
As the seer, it is our ego’s contribution to keep us narrating, identifying, and affiliating with the concepts that come to mind. Pattern recognition is an important part of operating efficiently in the world that we exist in. While wonderful and with purpose, pattern recognition at all times is exhausting. The practice of noticing patterns can be enough to cut off intrusive thoughts and repetitive inner discourse.
Engage With Their Implications
While we dialogue internally between our observer and our narrator, having taken inventory and observed the narrator’s contributions to the present response to the present moment, we can begin to realize what is us and what is not us. More often than not, so much of what we assign to us is, in fact, not us. We are the sum of those that we interact with the most- the people, places, and things that operate around us have such a significant influence on our concept of self. Just taking the step back to see the historical pattern play out can also be enough to cut off overthinking or unproductive internal rumination.
Explore Opportunity to Step Into New Patterns
I often refer to this yogic concept of Samskaras- these wheels of suffering that we persistently ride on. Suffering (Dukkha) is inevitable, we are a logical narrator tacked on to an irrational animal form- both the horse and the rider- a match made in hell if I do say so myself.
Choices are made for us (both external and internal) when we lack the practice of awareness to find which choices we can in fact choose for ourselves, we become stuck to this treadmill of the same stimulus leading to the same outcome further ingraining our patterns and our suffering.
By this point, perhaps headway has been made, perhaps how you began is how you remain. What is worth noting is this- if you’ve taken the time to observe, to dis-associate, and to explore new oprtions- you’ve done the practice. It is a practice not a perfect because it may not be the first nor fiftieth time that yields a breakthough, but it may be that fifty-first, ya know?
Simply trying is the first step- failure, missteps, disappointments are inevitable- but sitting put and accepting the outcomes without agency will certainly yield no progress.