Sleep & Nutrition: How to improve SLEEP quality!!

-       Sleep is key for our mental and physical health in general . Research shows that Lack of sleep can affect obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension,  loss of energy, fatigue, mood swings, and can disturb our appetite!

-       Nutrition is key to regulate our sleep. Tryptophan is key amino acid which produce serotonin (which can be converted in the body to MELATONIN).

-       Melatonin is a hormone made by your body which plays a key role in regulating sleep and wakefulness! Studies showed that low tryptophan can contribute to anxiety, depression and mood disorders

-       Food sources:  Nuts (e.g. almonds, peanuts), seeds (e.g. sunflower seeds), oats, poultry, fish, eggs  &, dairy are main sources of tryptophan!! 

-       Fruits & vegetable, wholegrains and beans   also are source of naturally occruing melatonin which can contribute to proper sleep quality!!

-       Bananas are source of magnesium & potassium which are muscle  relaxants !!

-       Make sure to include a variety of these foods in your diet!!

✨Tips for you:

- The herb chamomile can be helpful due to its flavonoid content (apigenin)

- Consuming a dairy product before bedtime can be helpful 

- Bananas are great source of potassium and magnesium which can help your muscles to relax and sleep better!!

- Fish ( Salmon & tuna)  contains vitamin B6 which helps melatonin production!!

Eggs Myth: Do you avoid eggs? 🥚

-Eggs are great source of protein. They also contain vitamin A, D and E, B vitamins & iodine )

- Evidence showed that Saturated fats found in meat and butter as well as trans fatty acids found in fried food have more negative effect on raising LDL cholesterol!!

- Look at eggs within the overall context of your diet!!  Do not pick up on one food source. Check with WHAT do you eat your eggs (Wholegrains and veggies or with cured meat and fried foods? and HOW you eat them (Fried or boiled?).

-  Eating one egg/day , 3-4 times/week can be part of a healthy lifestyle for individuals with high cholesterol

🥗*Tips to lower your cholesterol: 

-Exercise (At least 30 min/day)

-Eat high nutritional quality food (fruits/ vegetables/wholegrains/ beans/ pulses/ variety in protein sources)

-Limit intake of saturated fatty acids!

Ketogenic Diet

We have been listening to “ I am on keto diet to lose weight”!

-      It is a diet based on very high fat and protein sources and very low carbohydrates ( up to 20 or up to 50 grams) . 

-      It allows your body to use energy from what is called “Ketones”via ketosis

-      Main source of foods: avocados, coconut oil, nuts, highe-fat cuts of meat. 

-      Studies showed that Ketogenic diet has shown to be effective for people with epilepsy!!

-      Being on keto diet means you will need to cut out major energy sources: whole-grains ( bread, pasta), oats, fruits, some types of vegetables which are packed with major nutrients for our digestion and health ( e.g. Vitamin B-complex, fiber)  and some dairy products. 

-      There are no studies which ensure sustainable and long-term benefit of ketogenic diet regarding weight loss. 

-      Keto diet  is associated with side effects: fatigue, headaches, dizziness, increased sugar cravings, nausea, and problems with digestion!!

-      Very low carb diets do not optimise athletes performance as muscles do need energy to replenish!! 

-      SO, We have to look at our nutrition over months not days. Remember: Its not the exclusion of the food group but the reduction of calories!!

-      All food groups have their place in our eating pattern and health! I don’t recommend to put such strict rules on your way of eating!!

-       Studies showed that it’s not  exclusion of the “food group” but the reduction of overall calories which contribute in weight loss!!

FAD DIETS

-       FAD diets and Extreme eating habits. 

-       Lately, many people have been going into hype of trying different type of diets which are called “FAD diets”.   They  exclusively omit major food groups or based on extreme rules. The main reason behind trying such FAD diets is “WEIGHT LOSS”

-       Unless advised by your doctor, there is always a risk of nutrient deficiency, if food groups are excluded, such as: dairy.

-       FAD diets can cause an increase risk  disordered eating behaviours and eating disorders 

-       A study has shown that almost the majority regained their lost weight and even put on more weight than their original

-       Detox teas are common these days; they are teas or coffee marketed as “weight loss agents”. In fact, they contain laxatives which will cause you distress and probable side effects: fatigue, diarrhoea, dehydration. 

-       Our kidney and liver are all what you need for smart and optimal detoxing. Save your money instead of spending them on expensive teas and herbs.

-       Enjoy your food variety and build a healthy relationship with food without any pressure to restrict.

Artificial Sweeteners: Do Artificial sweeteners change our eating behaviours?

✔They are non-sugar sweeteners that are sweeter than sugar, but have little or no caloric value.  They are mostly present in Diet soda drinks ( fizzy drinks) , sugar free products ( e.g. gum). 

✔Some studies showed that they can help people loose excess weight and lower diabetes risk. 

✔But, overconsumption of artificial sweeteners can lead to high dependency on the strong sweet taste which cause us to loose enjoyment in foods with natural sweet foods such as: fruits. 

✔Overconsumption of artificial sweeteners might cause an increase in our appetite and cravings 

✔Increasing evidence suggests that artificial sweeteners do not activate the food reward pathways in the same fashion as natural sweeteners. 

✔Also, Just because it's a 'diet' product doesn't mean you can eat a lot of or it’s the best for our health. 

✔Focusing on one dietary component like sugar  is not the ideal situation , but we should look at the whole diet to achieve optimal health goals.

✔Sugars can be added to your diet and can be enjoyed with a reasonable and sensible portions tailored to our needs.

Protein over-consumption

Lately, people have been bombarded with lots of news on high protein products: 

Protein balls, protein bars, and protein shakes leading them to eat excessive amount of protein beyond their requirements.

So, 

-       Protein is one of the main important macronutrients essential for our growth, muscle gain, hair and nail health along many other functions.

-       There are 9 essential amino acids out of 20 which we cannot make in our bodies and should take them from variety of protein sources .

-       Main protein sources: lentils, beans, Meat, chicken, eggs, milk  and fish. 

-       Make sure to increase the variety of your protein sources. 

-       The Recommended protein intake for an average person is 0.8-1 g /kg while for atheltes, it’s between 1.2-1.7 g/K4. 

-       Eating large amounts of protein beyond our need, will not boost our muscle growth!

-       Be careful that high protein intake for long time can impose a risk on people with liver or kidney issues.  

-       Fixating on one aspect in nutrition is not the right option. 

-       Giving carbs, fat and protein their worth is optimal for our health as each has its special benefits.  

Myth: Skipping Dinner to lose weight!

🥑Many people think that they should skip dinner to lose weight or achieve certain health goal

In fact, dinner is one of the main meals which could positively contribute to our nutritional needs ( vitamins, minerals , carbs, protein and fat) 

-      It is not the time of eating, but rather the removal of calories from your total intake is the reason behind losing weight.

-      Focusing on the quality of food we are eating and portions are the key answer.

-      Make sure to include protein and fiber  in your dinner as they are key for satiety.

-      Eating dinner does not mean directly before bed-time, but it can be within 2-3 hrs before bedtime.

Carbs Myth

 Many people think that they should avoid carbohydrate (Mainly Bread and Rice) to achieve their health goal. 

Truth: 

✔Carbohydrates are very important source of nutrients which help our bodies by: 

✔Helping us to use energy from another food sources ( e.g. protein)

✔Elevating our Mood 

✔Improving our Digestion  

✔Giving us the essential nutrients and vitamins for our immunity 

Having large variety of carbohydrates  in your diet from: wheat bread, beans, vegetables and fruits which are also packed with fiber in the right time and PORTIONS are key to enjoy its benefits.

So, 

✔Don’t FEAR Carbs and  NEVER exclude them from your diet.

✔Make sure to increase your variety of carbohydrates and dont focus on one single source.  

✔The average recommend carbohydrates intake is between 45-50% of our energy.