News

Today's post is all about busting the myth around "calories in vs calories out"—the silly see-saw idea that weight loss is as "simple" as burning more calories than you consume. Spoiler alert: it's not. 

Listen, with all the advances in modern medicine and science I really don't get why this idea still has such a strong hold on diet and fitness culture, but here we are in the last few weeks 2019 still talking about it and....it just be like that sometimes I guess haha. 

I'll start with this: 

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it's okay for food companies to be off by as much as 20 to 50% about the number of calories listed on their nutrition labels. In other words, that 200 calorie package of pretzels could REALLY have as few as 100 calories on the low end or as many as 300 calories on the high end. Checking the math, that could mean HUNDREDS of missing or EXTRA calories amassed throughout the day! With that level of inaccuracy, why the heck would you bother counting?

To make matters worse, the FDA hasn't consistently done any random food sampling to check the accuracy of nutrition labels since the 1990s, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office. What this means is that the FDA isn't great at  preventing food companies from printing false or misleading information.  And where does this lead us? Straight down a dubious rabbit hole of hidden calories and frustrating weight loss journeys. 

I know, I know. This may hit a nerve. Calorie counting is a popular "tried and true" weight loss technique that's been heavily marketed for decades. Heck, it's still touted by lots of *influencerzz* on the internet and some of you may even try it yourselves. But I have to ask: how's it working out for ya? Like, has cutting calories ever actually worked in the long-term? Does it make you feel good?  

The truth is, calories in vs calories out or “energy balance” is considered by many doctors, researchers, and health professionals (myself included) to be an outdated and inefficient way to look at health and specifically fat loss. Telling people, especially overweight or obese people, to "eat less and exercise more" isn't helpful and it doesn't support sustainable weight loss nor healthy lifestyles. I'm not trying to complicate things, but weight loss (and weight gain) is a lot more nuanced than just worrying about how many calories you burn vs. how many calories you consume. It really, really is. 

Now, if you want a too long/didn't listen summary for this podcast, let it be this: not all calories are created equal! Your body reacts in different ways to different TYPES of calories. What I mean by this is that calories from protein, fat, and complex carbohydrates have vastly different biological effects on your body than a calorie from refined sugar, for instance. 

Intuitively, we all know this. Broccoli is a carb. Cotton candy is a carb. If all that mattered was calorie count, then in theory consuming 500 calories of broccoli or 500 calories of cotton candy would have the same effect on our bodies. But that's not at all what happens. Here's why: 

A calorie of broccoli also contains vitamins, minerals, and importantly fiber that support overall health, enhance gut health particularly, and optimize your insulin response. As you may know, insulin is a hormone created by your pancreas which helps control blood sugar levels. It brings sugar out of the blood and into your cells, which your cells can then use for energy. 

Now, the fiber in broccoli slows digestion and prevents huge spikes in blood sugar (and therefore prevents huge spikes in insulin levels). Meanwhile, the refined sugar in soda is rapidly dumped into your bloodstream and thus dramatically spikes your blood sugar. This causes your pancreas to pump out a lot more insulin in order to try to lower the high levels blood sugar. Unfortunately, bad things happen when your insulin is too high. Really bad. I'm talking:

• Increased belly fat storage
• Increased inflammation
• Increased risk for type 2 diabetes, where your body basically "stops listening" to insulin because there's too much of it hanging around, so both insulin and blood sugar levels remain chronically elevated
• Increased blood pressure
• Decreased levels of "healthy" HDL cholesterol 
• Increased levels of unhealthy triglycerides, and 
• Imbalanced sex hormones (including decreased testosterone in men and increased estrogens in women)

All this and more from eating certain types of calories that affect your body in a less-than-ideal way. Sheesh!

High levels of insulin also increases your appetite. Yes! Eating certain types of calories - shocker - can actually make you feel hungrier!! It turns out that insulin suppresses another hormone called leptin. Leptin normally tells your body when you're full. If your insulin is too high from eating empty calories from sugary and processed foods, then leptin becomes chronically blocked and your brain stops getting the "I'm full" signal. In other words, you become "resistant" to leptin. So, instead of realizing you're full, your brain thinks you're starving, which activates the brain's pleasure-based reward system, which drives you to consume even more food, especially sugar.

On the other hand, when you eat calories from fat or protein or even a complex, more slowly digesting carb, your blood sugar simply won't spike as much. And this means your insulin levels won't spike as much. And when our insulin levels are nice and low and steady, our bodies tend to use stored body fat for fuel (because there's less sugar in the blood). PLUS we stay more responsive and sensitive to the "I'm full" signal sent to our brains by the hormone leptin, so we stay more in tune with our body's chemical messaging systems.

Whew! All right. So far we've learned that counting calories is hard to do when we can't even know for sure that the number of calories listed on a nutrition label is accurate. We've also learned that not all calories affect your body the same way, primarily because of their effect on hormones. So, the idea that all you have to do to lose weight is focus on your calorie intake is hopelessly misguided. It completely overlooks the hormone factor. 

Importantly, this hormone factor also explains why creating a caloric deficit may actually make you feel HUNGRIER.

For example, a 2016 paper published in the journal Obesity found that people who diet by restricting calories are ultimately driven to consume about 100 EXTRA calories per day for every two pounds of body weight lost. Weird, right? The reason is that the human body sees dieting as a stressor. Basically, dieting feels a little too much like when your ancestral homeboys were starving for food back on the plains of Africa. In other words, as far as your body is concerned, caloric restriction looks and feels like famine. (This is DIFFERENT from intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating, by the way, which I’ve talked about in an earlier podcast if you want to check that out).

Now, in response to a sustained caloric deficit, your body increases the production of a hormone called ghrelin, aka the "hunger hormone." Ghrelin tells you to eat more, which your body wants you to do when you're dieting because it's worried about famine and survival and getting its next meal. And just like what happens when you eat too much refined sugar and your insulin gets too high and blocks leptin, a sustained caloric deficit also suppresses leptin, the "I'm full" hormone. So now, because of cutting calories, your body has LESS of the hormone that says "I'm full" and MORE of the hormone that says "I'm hungry." This is NOT sustainable! 

Another reason why "eat less exercise more" doesn't work in the long-term is that your body WILL slow down its metabolism in response to a caloric deficit. This is to conserve energy, and it's another example of a biologically driven self-protection mechanism rooted in years and years of human evolutionary history when food wasn't always readily available like it is today. With a slower metabolism, you won't burn as many calories at rest, which can make it harder to lose weight and keep it off.

NOW to add gasoline to the flame. Remember how I just said that cutting calories is a stressor to the body? Well, when your body is stressed out it releases yet another hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands and provides energy to your cells by converting protein from the liver into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis. I know that's a lot of information—basically just remember that stress makes cortisol, and cortisol makes glucose, aka blood sugar. 

Now, you WANT cortisol to make blood sugar in acute stressful situations because it supplies your body with energy for the flight or fight response. BUT, if your cortisol levels are CHRONICALLY elevated—which can happen, ding ding ding, during a prolonged caloric deficit—then more and more sugar can build up in your bloodstream, which causes higher levels of insulin, which increases your risk of both insulin resistance AND leptin resistance, and all translates to increased appetite, increased weight gain, and increased inflammation. 

Is this making sense? Bottom line: if you’re trying to lose weight and the only thing you’re focusing on is "eating less and exercising more", you will not see the success you want, or at least not in the long term. A "diet" that asks you to semi-starve yourself will inevitably fail for three main reasons: 

1. Your hormones will go out of whack and cause you to feel even hungrier, because your body is trying to get you to eat more,
2. Your metabolism will decrease, because your body is trying to conserve energy, and 
3. You'll end up feeling tired, cranky, crappy, and stressed out....which drives weight gain, inflammation, and even more food cravings, especially for sugary stuff.

Talk about a vicious cycle! And anyway, what do you expect to happen when the diet is "over" and you go back to eating a regular diet again?  Like, are you supposed to be in a caloric deficit indefinitely? That sounds like NO FUN, thank you very much. 

Now, I'm not saying calories don't matter at all or that you should never pay attention to them. For example, it's reasonably true that if you’re overeating or eating too much, you need to eat fewer calories. Like, if you're constantly consuming a surplus of calories and not moving enough to burn them off, then these calories will get stored as body fat, so you want to avoid that. But this doesn't mean you should strive for a "negative energy balance" and swing the pendulum from too much to too little. 

Simply put, if you’re not eating enough calories to support physical exercise and the basic energy costs of being alive, then you're shooting yourself in the foot and making it harder to lose weight—if anything you're increasing your risk of weight gain for the reasons we just talked about. 

Logically this all make sense, right? Like, just imagine what would happen if you put your car into a "gasoline deficit," didn't fuel it enough, and then tried to drive around all day. I know the human body is more complex than a car, but it's a fair comparison, and it just sounds cuckoo doesn't it? 

My point is, when it comes to fat loss or even just health overall, quality matters. Portions matter. Macros matter (macros tell us what TYPE of calories we're consuming and helps us ensure we're getting all the raw materials we need for a healthy gut, brain, and body). Timing matters. MOVEMENT matters. And sure, I think calories matter TO A DEGREE...but I think it’s incredibly misleading for fitness industry folks to value and emphasize calories over everything else. 

This is why you don't see me talk about calories in my nutrition programs, which include the 30 Day Slim Down, the 10 Day Detox, my Move Your Bump meal plans, and the Bible "Diet" (which really is a lifestyle and not a diet in the traditional sense). Decades of research and nearly 16 years of my own professional experience tell me that the most effective way to support a healthy body is to start seeing your food choices as a way of life, not as a balance sheet between calories in vs. calories out. Care about where your food comes from. Care about your relationship with food and how it makes you feel. Care about long-term health and sustainability, not crash diets and numbers. Care about your physical and well-being...and I promise you, falling in love with nourishing foods is one of the best ways to do this. 

The good news is you don’t have to make your eating and nutritional education super complicated in order to help you lose weight, establish healthier eating patterns or even to be able to see quick results. For real!

On Monday October 21 I’m kicking off a Halloween 10 Day Detox where we will be leaning out, ridding inflammation, promoting gut, hormone and overall health while not counting one SINGLE calorie. Check out from of my clients recent transformations here  You sign up for the challenge by downloading the digital plan right here  The community is open, coaching has started and we are prepping for kickoff on Monday. Lets roll into Halloween (and really the start of the holiday season) on track and feeling our best. 

Xo, 

Nancy  

sources:

https://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/nutrition/article/can-you-trust-calorie-counts

https://cspinet.org/news/gao-says-fda-fails-ensure-accuracy-and-truthfulness-food-labels-20081010

https://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08597.pdf

https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/111609p38.shtml

www.webmd.com/diet/news/20161014/how-your-appetite-can-sabotage-weight-loss

https://chriskresser.com/why-its-so-hard-to-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off/ 

https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/calories-thermodynamics-and-weight/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hib3ZM4mAuI

https://podcastnotes.org/2019/01/16/fung/

https://drhyman.com/blog/2014/04/10/calories-dont-matter/

https://drhyman.com/blog/tag/calories/

https://drhyman.com/blog/2015/02/13/focusing-calories-misses-bigger-picture-weight-health/

noting the error in the calories youre "coutning" are you even coutning them? who says they are correct? https://www.instagram.com/p/B1CEvNXhVKh/

https://demystifyingmedicine.od.nih.gov/dm17/m01d17/reading02.pdf 

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/problem-with-calorie-counting-calories-in

Let's say you're a mom.

Now let's say you have chronic lower back pain or pelvic pain. Perhaps you notice a cone or dome-shaped bulge popping out of your abdomen every time you pick up your kid, sit up in bed, or workout. Maybe you feel or see a gap in the middle of your belly. Maybe you have a mommy pooch that's just stubborn AF.

I don't care if you're one week, one month, one year, or one decade postpartum—if any of the above issues sound familiar, you may be experiencing diastasis recti. 

Need a quick primer? Diastasis recti, aka DR or ab separation, happens when your "six-pack" muscles on the front of your stomach separate. These muscles—called your rectus abdominis—are connected in the middle by a long fibrous band called the linea alba, which runs from your sternum to your pubic bone. During pregnancy, the linea alba gets stretched out thanks to little homegirl or homeboy growing in your belly (plus all the hormone-mediated changes that lead to increased tissue laxity).

At least some degree of ab separation is normal in up to 100% of pregnancies—yup, pretty much all of 'em. But what's NOT considered "normal" is for ab separation to persist long after baby arrives. Unfortunately, as many as 60% of women still struggle with diastasis recti at six months postpartum and another 30% will still have it a year later.

 What's a gal to do? After all, a condition like this can seriously disrupt a woman's quality of life, self-confidence, and daily activities. For the frustrated mama, a "tummy tuck" surgery may seem like the only—dare I say "easiest"—option.

I'm here to tell you it's not—at least not without doing some hardcore CORE rehabilitation first.

Should You Get Surgery (aka a "Tummy Tuck") for Diastasis Recti? Let's Look to the Research

Here's a general rule most medical professionals agree with:

Except for extreme or aberrant cases, surgical intervention should be considered a LAST RESORT. For an issue like ab separation, conservative options like exercise and physical therapy need to be explored, honestly attempted, and exhausted before consulting with a surgeon.

What I mean by this—and what the research shows us—is that diastasis surgery is not a "quick fix." Sure, a good surgeon and his or her team can correct your gap and bring those six-pack muscles back together. But here's the thing:

With DR, there's more to it than just the ab separation. Almost all women with prolonged ab separation also have significant core unit dysfunction that goes far deeper than the superficial muscles and tissues.

Surgery. Will. Not. Fix. This.

Think about it: it's not as if a growing baby only affects the linea alba. All the parts of your core unit—including your deep abdominal muscles, ribcage, pelvic floor, diaphragm, glutes, hip flexors, spine, and pelvis—can become directly or indirectly altered by the changing biomechanics that a pregnancy imposes on you. These structures and tissues don't operate independently of each other but work together as a neuromuscularly coordinated chain of command. And if one part of the chain gets wonky, the whole unit is likely to become dysfunctional—especially when we consider that many of us go into our pregnancies with pre-existing core dysfunction anyway due to years of slouching and poor posture!

The problem isn't just that surgery can't fix the major core dysfunction associated with ab separation. Like any operation, diastasis recti surgery also comes with risks including bleeding, infections, and post-operative pain. To make matters worse, you'll have to deal with weightlifting restrictions and activity limitations during your recovery period, which can last anywhere from to 4 to 6 weeks or more. During this time, you won't be able to do core strengthening exercises—which means you'll be missing out on the chance to rehab those abs!

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE. A common complication associated with abdominal surgeries are adhesions, which affect more than 9 out of 10 people who undergo open abdomen procedures. Abdominal adhesions are restrictive bands of internal scar tissue that can delay healing, impair lymphatic drainage, damage your gut health, and exacerbate your mommy pooch. Adhesions are NOT your friend, mama, and they should be avoided at all costs.

Lastly, because diastasis recti surgery doesn't adequately address underlying core dysfunction, you may be at risk for recurring ab separation or chronic core dysfunction, which could mean a long struggle with back pain, stress incontinence, painful sex, the mommy pooch, body image difficulties, and all other sorts of crap you don't deserve to deal with.

Oh yeah, one last thing I forgot to mention: your insurance won't cover this. Unless it can be justified as a "medical necessity" due to something like a hernia, diastasis recti surgery is considered a cosmetic procedure. This means you'll be shelling out about $9,000-$17,000 for a surgery that will only partially fix your problem at best and lead to added complications at worst.

Healing Ab Separation—And Then Some: My Evidence-Backed Approach

I don't mean to crap on surgeons. I also don't mean to shame anyone who's thinking about undergoing this surgery. It really may be indicated in some cases. One 2016 study published in PRS Global Open found that people who's DR causes abdominal pain after sitting for more than 30 minutes or pain that limits their ability to participate in sports were more likely to benefit from surgery. You and your doctor may also decide that surgery is needed if conservative options honestly aren't helping.

 Here's my overall point:

Diastasis recti can suck. It really can. Unhealed ab separation affects your physical appearance, confidence, and overall quality of life. But surgery is rarely necessary. And even if it IS necessary, surgery still won't be able to address your underlying core dysfunction.

This is why I recommend comprehensive ab rehabilitation for ALL postpartum women. To be honest (and you know I'm honest), I think it should be considered part of the prenatal/postnatal standard of care. Not just kegels. Not just "ab" exercises. I'm talking about deep core stability movements plus other techniques explicitly designed to optimize posture, alignment, activation, and strength—what I call the four pillars of core health.

My approach to healing ab separation is backed by evidence, including a recent 2019 randomized controlled trialpublished in the Journal of Musculoskeletal and Neuronal Interactions. Researchers found that deep core stability exercises yielded statistically significant improvements in DR and quality of life (yay!). Importantly, my approach is also simple. It's comprehensive and requires some commitment on your part, but it's not overly complicated or time-consuming. Plus, by nailing these exercises, you may be able to minimize the extent of ab separation during a future pregnancy and heal up more quickly postpartum.

I'm here to take the guesswork out of it for you. I give you the tools to heal your core AND ab separation, you just do the work. Beats anesthesia and stitches, right?

 Are You Ready to Heal Your Ab Separation?

My comprehensive 12 Week Post Pregnancy Ab Rehab Program (complete with coaching by moi!) takes you on a step-by-step journey to optimize your core function, heal your ab separation, feel better, and look better. It's a $99 investment in your health—vs a $9,000+ bet on an invasive procedure that may not give you the full results you want.

Not ready for a 3-month commitment? I also offer an 8-week program as well as an Ab Rehab program explicitly designed for C-section mamas.

Psst—many of the exercises in my Ab Rehab programs aren't just for postpartum women! Men can experience diastasis recti, too—so if you've got a fella in your life who's dealing with the DR feel free to send 'em my way. :)

Source:

https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/postpartum/diastasis-recti-will-you-need-surgery/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5715079/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4995707/

https://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14465

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linea_alba_(abdomen)

https://www.belliesinc.com/what-is-diastasis-recti/

https://www.pelvicexercises.com.au/diastasis-recti/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6454249/

https://www.nwhn.org/postpartum-diastasis-recti/

https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/17/1092

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/abdominal-adhesions

Nutrition is innerestin'.

It's one of those fields where you hear contradicting data practically on a weekly basis. In many cases, nutritional information comes full circle, leading physicians (sometimes reluctantly) to do a complete 180 on their dietary recommendations—assuming they provide any recommendations at all, which I hate to say is pretty unlikely (research shows the typical doctor receives 25 hours or LESS of nutrition educational during their entire four years of medical school).

A prime example of this oops-we-were-wrong-about-that nutrition info is dietary fat. Long bastardized by the government and mass media, dietary fat is now largely accepted as an essential component to a healthy diet. 

To pull on a similar thread, I see the same sort of thing happening with protein. After all, there's no question that protein is essential for your health. But my team and I field a lot of concerns regarding this macronutrient, with no small thanks to the conflicting information we hear about in the news: Isn't too much protein bad for you? How much do I actually need? Which protein sources are best?

In this post, we're going to get into the meat of the issue (no pun intended) and try to answer these questions using the best available information. My hope is that you'll see why protein is such an essential part of any healthy diet, and why you may in fact not be getting enough to support your lifestyle (hint: official dietary reference intakes may leave you lacking). 

Protein Power: What This Little Macronutrient Does For Your Body

Protein is made up of at least 20 different "building block" molecules known as amino acids. When we consume protein, it gets broken down into these smaller units, which are then shuttled throughout the body where they participate in dozens of physiological functions, including (but not limited to):

• Building and repairing cells, tissues, and organs
• Synthesizing important compounds like enzymes and hormones
• Regulating gene expression
• Assisting in key metabolic processes

Basically, when protein gets into your body, it rolls up its sleeves and says, "I got you, boo." You need it to live, and without enough of it your physical and even mental health can suffer. 

So, How Much (And What Kind of) Protein Do I Need?

Here are two simple concepts to keep in mind regarding protein intake: 

1. We ALL need protein. You may need more or less protein than others, depending on factors including your health, health goals, and lifestyle.
2. Not all protein sources (nor its constituent amino acids) are created equal, so you need variety of sources to cover your bases.

Let's tackle these points one by one, starting with number 2.

Protein Source

Your body can create some but not all the amino acids it needs for optimal health. I'm thinking of nine in particular: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These are "essential" amino acids: they must be sourced from your diet because your body can't synthesize them on its own. 

As it turns out, animal protein—including meat, fish, seafood, eggs, fowl, bone broth, and offal (organ meat)—are considered complete sources. They give you all the amino acids your body needs (including the nine essential ones) for surviving and thriving. 

Meanwhile, plant protein is considered incomplete—it's missing many of the essential amino acids. This is not to say skip them altogether. To the extent that plant protein sources like beans, lentils, and chickpeas contain other beneficial compounds including fiber, minerals, and vitamins, it's still a good idea to add them into your diet. Rotating in plant protein can also keep your meals interesting and ease the strain on your wallet, too.

Based on the evidence, it's fair to say that consuming a variety of animal and plant protein (ideally high quality and ethically sourced) is optimal for ensuring your body gets what it needs. (As you can imagine, I do caution against certain types of plant protein, including soy and gluten-containing grains, because of their deleterious effects on health, but that's a bit beyond the scope of this article, so I'll defer that discussion for now.)

Protein Intake

According to the government, the official dietary reference intake (RDI) for the typical adult is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, or in our funny American units about .36 gram per pound.

If you're counting, that's about 54 grams of protein for a typical 150 pound person. 

Here's the big BUT:

This DRI is set for an average sedentary person. It may be enough to stave off deficiencies, but in all likelihood it's not enough for a lot of us, especially if we're active. 

In fact, many people need a LOT more than this, including anyone who:

• Is trying to slim down and lose excess body fat.
• Is trying to manage their blood sugar and metabolism more effectively. 
• Is elderly or chronically ill. 
• Is under chronic stress.
• Trains hard and/or has a physically demanding job. 

For these reasons, I often recommend that my clients consume upwards of 20-35% of their daily calories from protein, or as much as 1.2+ grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, depending on their needs. By all accounts, this may be considered a "high" protein diet.

But Isn't High Protein Bad? Busting the Myths Surrounding this Macronutrient

Many people get squirrely about increasing their protein intake after seeing headlines that say eating meat gives you cancer or that high protein diets cause kidney damage. I get it. You want to do what's right, right? 

To be brief, let me start by saying that a high protein diet does NOT cause kidney damage in individuals with normal kidney function. This is well-supported by the literature. Whereas low-protein diets can certainly be therapeutic for people who already have kidney disease, there's just no evidence to suggest that consuming high levels of protein causes kidney disease in otherwise healthy people.

Indeed, studies actually show that a high protein diet can protect against high blood pressure and diabetes—both of which are risk factors for kidney disease. 

As for studies that suggest eating meat increases cancer risk, a closer look at the data reveals important caveats. For one thing, a lot of these studies are observational, which make it hard to understand causation and are often rife with bias and faulty self-reporting. Additionally, it's not as if the evidence paints protein in a purely dark light—data shows, for instance, that high protein intake is protective against cancer-related mortality for people over the age of 65.  

Here's another key point to tease out: animal protein like meat and eggs are abundant in an amino acid called methionine. Methionine DOES happen to be associated with increased levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which has been linked with cancer and shortened lifespan in animal models. To this end, it makes sense at face value that consuming a lot of meat and eggs may increase cancer risk.

BUT—and this is an important but—in studies where subjects consumed adequate levels of another amino acid called glycine, the potentially harmful impact of high methionine were effectively mitigated. 

Glycine, which can be synthesized by our body but likely not enough for optimal function, is rich in connective tissues and organ meats such as liver, gelatin, and bone broth. 

In other words, the research circles back to the importance of getting a variety of protein in your diet! Consuming animal protein from connective tissues and organs in addition to meat and certain plant proteins will help you get the right balance of amino acids and optimize your health and longevity.

Conclusion

You need enough protein to support lean body weight, basic physiological functions, and physical activity—because science.

You need to consume a variety of protein sources to ensure you're getting the right balance of amino acids, and should not skimp on "extras" like bone broth and collagen supplements.

As for determining exactly how much protein YOU need, this requires some simple experimentation, which, if you're otherwise healthy, you should be able to do freely.

Ask yourself: Am I sleeping well? Am I recovering from workouts well? Do I have high levels of stress? Do I train hard? Am I on my feet all day? Am I trying to lose body fat or control my diabetes? Am I older than 65? Answering these questions can help you determine where on the spectrum of protein intake you should fall—that is, closer to 20% of your daily caloric intake or upwards of 30 to 35%.

And while I always advise anyone with chronic health problems to consult with their doctor before making any changes to their lifestyle and/or diet (especially if you have kidney problems, for the purposes of this discussion), rest assured that if you're otherwise healthy, upping your protein intake will not hurt you, and if anything will likely help you look, function, and feel better than ever.

Team, what's your protein perspective? Let me know about it in the comments. 

Sources:

https://chriskresser.com/5-reasons-you-may-need-more-protein-even-on-a-paleo-diet/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093739

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780010/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430660/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S155041311400062X

https://chriskresser.com/do-high-protein-diets-cause-kidney-disease-and-cancer/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-the-variety-of-your-protein-sources-matters/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/Dietary_Reference_Intakes.aspx

Cancer: unfortunately, it's as common as it is potentially life-changing. According to the American Cancer Society, 1 in 3 people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives.

Why so prevalent? Well, we know that various environmental and lifestyle factors can increase our risk for this major health condition—things like smoking, not getting enough sleep, eating too much sugar, being too overweight, getting too much UV radiation, and so on. We also know that certain genetic factors can predispose us to cancer, too, and that anyone who experiences this condition (perhaps you or a loved one?) is dealing with a nuanced and unique set of issues which led to their diagnosis...and not all of it within their control. 

The good news is that a lot of what increases our risk for cancer is within our control, if only we were taught how. 

In this post, I'd like to talk about what lies at the deep tangled root of cancer, something which a lot of us aren't super aware of:

DNA damage. 

Understanding what DNA damage is, how it occurs, and why it initiates the cancer process will not only help us understand our healths more fully, but it'll also help us really make sense about why certain lifestyle choices can reduce the chances of us or someone we love falling ill. 

How Damaged DNA Leads to Cancer

Quick biology primer:

Every cell in your body contains your DNA. DNA is like your personal blueprint—a specific sequence of genes that codes for a variety of proteins and ultimately controls what, how, and when certain things function in your body. 

Now, cells make copies of themselves in order to grow. This is a normal and healthy process, usually. But if a cell's DNA becomes damaged by any number of physical or chemical carcinogens (we already talked about many: toxins, UV radiation, and so on), then this damage can eventually lead to a copying error somewhere down the line of cell replication. 

Why does this matter? Because copying errors—which may occur during cell replication trillions of times over the course of a lifetime—can sometimes lead to a gene mutation that causes cancer. And once any kind of gene mutation occurs, there's no turning back. It's permanent. This is why taking steps to repair DNA damage ASAP is essential. 

An analogy would be following a recipe to bake a cake but the cookbook company printed an error in how much baking soda you should put in. This changes the way your cake comes out, and maybe not in a good way. 

Do ALL gene mutations caused by DNA damage lead to cancer? No. But some do, and since cell and DNA replication is occurring at a near constant rate in your body, eventually we would expect some sort of harmful mutation to occur...at least if the damaged DNA which triggered the gene mutation is left unrepaired. 

By the way, at least some degree of DNA damage is virtually unavoidable in all of us. That is to say, even normal metabolism causes it. That's right, just the day-to-day processes that keep you alive can damage your DNA to some extent. In fact, it's been estimated that some kind of DNA damage occurs in your body up to 800 times per hour.

So it's not a question of whether you have DNA damage in your body, but what you're doing to fix it!

How Your Body Repairs its DNA

I'm not trying to scare you when I say that DNA damage is unavoidable to at least some degree. And hey, rest assured that your body has a pretty clever way of doing damage control on its own. 

For instance, your body creates and uses a variety of enzymes to repair damage done to cells and mitochondria (the part of the cell that provides energy to function). These enzymes are your cells' little clean-up crews, of you will. Additionally, cells have certain genes that can detect when its DNA has become damaged past the state of repair. These genes are aptly named tumor suppressor genes, which basically means they prevent cancer cell growth (because, as you'll recall, cancer comes from genetic mutations caused by damaged DNA). 

How do tumor suppressor genes work? By triggering the cell (and the hopelessly damaged DNA it contains) to die in a process called apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

You're reading that right: cells will essentially self-sacrifice if a part of their genetic code identifies them as being at risk for turning to the dark side (cancerous). That's a pretty badass defense mechanism, if you ask me. 

Now here's the important connection to make: DNA repair enzymes require certain vitamins and minerals to work properly. If they don't get enough of these nutrients, DNA damage can persist and genetic mutations can occur—including mutations in the tumor suppressor genes themselves! This can now render the gene incapable of detecting and responding to DNA damage and thereby lead to cancer, sometimes very quickly. 

Mitigating DNA Damage and Slashing Cancer Risk—One Serving of Greens at a Time

If there's just one thing that you remember from this post, I hope it's this: 

The spark that ignites the flame of cancer is DNA damage, and your diet is the number one way to snuff out that spark. 

To make sure we're all pointed in the right direction, I'd like to highlight a couple key nutrients that you want in your daily diet in order to mitigate DNA damage effectively.

Magnesium

Did you realize that nearly 60% of the United States population is deficient in magnesium? This mineral plays several important roles in your body, including regulation of blood pressure, assisting with muscle activation, improving bone health, and (ding ding ding) supporting DNA repair enzymes as they do their thang. 

If you want healthy DNA (and if you want to retain the ability to repair DNA when it inevitably becomes damaged), you NEED to be getting enough magnesium in your body (at least 150 to 350 mg per day). Magnesium is rich in foods like spinach, kale, and collard greens, as well as nuts like Brazil nuts, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and pine nuts.

As a reference point, one cup of raw spinach has about 24 mg of magnesium. 1 cup of kale has just over 30 mg. Chow down, people! Eat these things erry day to maximize your chances for optimal health. 

Sulfurophane and Isothiocynates

Two other compounds that are hugely important for supporting DNA are  sulfurophane and isothiocynates. These are found in cruciferous veggies like broccoli, broccoli sprouts, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, garden cress, and bok choy. 

Sulfurophane and isothiocynates increase the expression of tumor suppressor genes, making them work better. These cruciferous compounds can also detect and destroy pre-cancerous cells, too.

These aren't the only compounds in green veggies that can be cancer-preventive, of course. Antioxidants, vitamins, and other phytonutrients including carotenoids and Vitamin C also support our body's detoxification, gene expression, and DNA repair. There really is just no question as to why study after study has shown a strong correlation between diets that are rich in fruits and veggies and a lowered cancer incidence.

The main thing to know is this: 

If you want to maximize your body's ability to repair DNA damage and fight off cancer, you need to eat leafy green veggies and cruciferous veggies, every day.

Every. Single. Day. I'm talking 5-7+ servings of veggies (plus a couple handfuls of healthy nuts, while you're at it). Broccoli sprouts in particular are LOADED with cancer-fighting sulfurophane and isothiocynates and also happen to have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. Scientist Dr. Rhonda Patrick and others recommend a daily intake of about 100 grams (1/2 cup) of broccoli sprouts per day, based on current research.

Of course, nobody can completely eliminate their risk for cancer, but everybody can take steps to reduce it for themselves and their families. And the research is very clear about one thing:

Diet is the MOST important controllable factor for preventing cancer, namely by supporting DNA repair processes that would otherwise lead to it. 

Conclusion

It's a bit random as to what kind of DNA damage occurs inside our cells. And it can take decades for gene mutations to occur (which helps explain why cancer is largely age-related). When we add in the compounding effects of UV radiation, smoking, poor sleep, and poor diet, it makes sense that 1 out of 3 people will have to deal with cancer eventually.

But I'd like to change that tide. I hope that the research in this post has helped open your eyes (as it has for me) to exactly HOW all those veggies you're eating is benefitting your health. It's my belief that that more we know about the incredible inner workings of our bodies, the more inspired we'll be to support it through our own choices. 

Want to learn even more? I dive deeper into this subject, how to lessen your or your children's chance of cancer, the new research on diet while treating/fighting cancer and the research that goes alone with it in my most recent podcast episode. You can check it out here

To order magnesium or other high quality trusted supplements you can do so from my online supplement shop here.

Xo 
Nancy

Sources: 

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/after-diagnosis/who-gets-cancer.html

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/primer/mutationsanddisorders/neutralmutations

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21554/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3799895/

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/fruits-vegetables-boost-dna-repair/

These days, it's difficult (for many reasons) to get all the nutrients you need from the foods you eat—and that's even assuming we're eating the right foods. Close to 80% of the U.S. population doesn't get the recommended daily servings of veggies and fruit!

With this in mind, you can see how nutritional deficiencies or inadequacies—levels not low enough to have a clinical deficiency but less than the recommended amount and therefore potentially health-harming—are commonplace.

I share the view of clinicians from the functional medicine community (and others) that most of us need to be taking at least some supplements in order to correct these inadequacies and optimize our lifespan and healthspan. And there is no group of people for whom this is more important than women who are trying to conceive.

Three Main Reasons Why Prenatal Supplements Are So Essential

Prenatal supplements that are high quality and bio-available (able to be absorbed and used by your body) are critical for both maternal and fetal health. Here are three specific reasons why I strongly stand by this statement:

• A sufficient prenatal routine supports fertility and healthy reproduction. According to research, nutrients like zinc, folic acid, Vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids can help you get and stay pregnant. Proper nutrient intake also supports sperm health, so future fathers need to be minding their nutrition and supplement intake, too!
• A sufficient prenatal routine prevents fetal/infant health problems. Consistent evidence shows that taking prenatal vitamins can decrease the risk of congenital anomalies (like neural tube defects and cleft palates) as well as child health problems including leukemia, pediatric brain tumors, and even child obesity. On the flip side, proper prenatal supplementation can optimize your future child's health by supporting fetal development and influencing epigenetic expression. Keep in mind that important developmental processes happen within the first couple weeks after conception—a time when many women don't even know they're pregnant yet! This is why many organizations and doctors advise any woman of child-bearing age to take a prenatal supplement (with their doctor's input, of course), even if she's not actively trying to have children. This will ensure that even an unexpected pregnancy will start off with a deep enough well of nutrients for the fetus to draw from.
• A sufficient prenatal routine prevents you from becoming nutritionally depleted during and after pregnancy. Postnatal depletion—which include symptoms like anxiety, chronic fatigue, insomnia, hair loss, and a heightened startle reflex—makes the already difficult time of new motherhood even harder. By going into your pregnancy with enough nutrients to fully support YOUR health as well as your baby's health, you'll be less likely to struggle with this common condition—something that can lead to autoimmune dysfunction and other consequences in many moms.

P.S. Your body is going through a lot of changes at every stage of pregnancy—including post-pregnancy. The demands placed on your energy systems (not to mention your emotions and patience) is profound, so I recommend chatting with your doctor about how long you should continue taking your supplements even after the little one arrives, especially if you're breastfeeding.

The Top Prenatal Vitamins Recommended by Doctors and Research

So we get that prenatal vitamins are important, yes? Now I'd like to review quickly which ones appear to be the most essential during the important pre-pregnancy, trying to conceive (TTC) time in a woman's life.

Please remember that I am not diagnosing nor treating disease here. I am simply giving information that you can review with your doc. I also urge you to consider that certain individual factors will influence which types of nutrients YOU may need more than others. For instance, do you take any medications (like NSAIDS or antidepressants) which may deplete certain nutrients (like zinc or folate, respectively)? Are you super stressed or dealing with chronic inflammation (which can disrupt gut health and reproductive health)? Do you get enough healthy sun exposure? How much of a healthy overhaul does your diet need? These and other questions can help you identify and prioritize the most essential nutrients for you specifically. My point is there is a lot to consider and this is just what we have found (based off research) to help support this phase of life. 

Top 2 Prenatal Vitamin Brands

1. Optimal Prenatal: this high quality prenatal ensures your baby has everything needed for every stage of development without leaving you nutrient-depleted. Choose capsules, chewables, OR protein powder, with the latter being more nutritionally complete. This prenatal also provides 800 mcg of folate as methylfolate and folinic acid (important for reducing risk of neural tube defects). It's iron-free, so it won't compete with calcium absorption. Need iron during pregnancy (as many women do)? Consider a separate high quality iron supplement, not to be taken at the same time as your prenatal. You can find the optimal prenatal (with my added discount) by clicking here.
2. Designs for Health Prenatal Pro Essential Packets: evidence-based and packed with power! Most women do well with 1-2 packets per day. This prenatal supplement contains sufficient amounts of what the research tells us is helpful for getting pregnant, giving your baby everything it needs when you're pregnant, and even reducing your risk of postnatal depletion. Features include: Vitamin E as mixed tocopherols (better for mamas' hearts compared to the more common alpha tocopherol form), Vitamin B6 to help reduce morning sickness, 100 mcg of choline for fetal brain development, grape seed extract (a potent anti-inflammatory), 200 mg of selenium, and 500 mg of the antioxidant Vitamin C. You can find designs for health pre-natal packets (with my added discount) by clicking here. 

In addition to your main prenatal vitamin, I also here's my recommended list of additional prenatal supplements from the true "shotgun approach" that we suggest to optimally support this phase:

• Liposomal Glutathione: a powerful detoxifier, immune enhancer, and antioxidant that fights oxidative stress. Supplementing it during the pre-conception stage helps ensure that your body quells the harmful effects of stress and inflammation. Stop taking once pregnant and refer to your physician for recommendations during breastfeeding. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• Optimal PC: these healthy phospholipids support heart health, brain health, and muscle recovery. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• ProBiota HistaminX: this probiotic supplement improves the levels of healthy bacteria in your gut so you can stay healthy and able to absorb all the great nutrients from your diet and supplements. Linked and discounted for you here.
• Optimal Fish Oil: a MUST for for pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and post-pregnancy. This highly concentrated fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which support fetal brain development and reduce inflammation in your body. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• Optimal Vitamin D3+K2 Drops: research indicates that Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 may support bone health, immune health, circulation, and fetal growth and development. Taking K2 along with D3 helps your body absorb the latter more efficiently. Linked and discounted for you here.
• Optimal Iron Chewable or Optimal Iron with Cofactors: your body needs iron to shuttle oxygen to your tissues (and future developing fetus). Choose one or the other (as recommended by your physician). These should be taken at least 2 hours before or after you take your prenatal, since calcium in you prenatal may compete with iron absorption. Linked and discounted for you here. 

Also, as needed:

• Optimal Electrolyte (berry, orange or unsweetened): Electrolytes support overall energy and vitality by enhancing ATP production (cell fuel). Consider adding if you sweat a lot or are experiencing tons of stress. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• Liposomal Vitamin C Plus: consider adding if you need extra support for your immune system (e.g., cold and flu season, high stress). Linked and discounted for you here. 

About Seeking Health

You guys know: I NEVER do sponsored ads on my socials. I just don't. Not that there's anything wrong with that per se, but as a general rule I find it more in line with my values to only share products, services, and companies with you guys that I personally create rather than ones that have paid me to market for them. You guys also probably know that I am a healthy skeptic and never one to shy away from calling products, services, and companies out for their B.S!

Because of this, I hope you can take it on good faith that Seeking Health—the supplement company I've recently partnered with—is totally legit. Their team is led by a board-certified naturopathic physician, Dr. Ben Lynch, who came highly recommended to me by women's health leaders in my field.

The number one thing I love and appreciate about this company is that the supplements they sell are truly high quality. And when I say that the quality of your prenatal vitamins matter, I can't emphasize this enough:

If your vitamins aren't high quality, your body won't be able to absorb them, which translates to wasted money and potentially harmful nutritional insufficiencies.

Just, no.

Seeking Health also shares one of my highest values—optimizing human health through disease prevention. And they even offer online courses to help their customer base expand their knowledge and gain access to the latest information in nutritional science and more. Very cool!

So how's your prenatal supplement routine? It's never too early to start thinking about what your body and your future baby will need—or to speak with your doc about specific recommendations. In the meantime, I invite you to check out my supplement store to learn more about the awesome packages and products I proudly suggest with Seeking Health to help support health optimally through this phase of life. To see my whole supplement suspensory and all our suggestion packages we have out together you can click here! 

Sources: 

Serrallach, O. (2018). The Postnatal Depletion Cure: A Complete Guide to Rebuilding Your Health and Reclaiming Your Energy for Mothers of Newborns, Toddlers, and Young Children. New York: Goop Press.

https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-a-prenatal-vitamin/

http://education.seekinghealth.com/how-to-use-prenatal-vitamins-for-the-health-of-your-child

https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/preconception-nutrition/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fertility-and-diet-is-there-a-connection-2018053113949

Just in case you're new here, lemme back up and just a review of my credentials:  I'm an industry leader in fitness, nutrition, and pre- and postnatal optimization with a M.S. Exercise Science. I've spent the last 15 years helping individuals maximize their health and the health of their family members...current and future!

I have finally took a long wanted leap to help my clients get even better results with their health and on my programs by partnering with a highly respected supplement supplier, Seeking Health.

But first things first, why consider supplements? Because MOST of us are walking around with at least some nutritional insufficiencies or deficiencies. It's just part and parcel with modern life (and modern food practices). If left unaddressed, these deficits limit our potential for optimal health and may exacerbate or increase our risk for health issues.

Why consider supplements? Well because we have come to know:

• How hard it is to find good quality supplements—they're not regulated by the FDA, after all—and,
• How hard it is to sort through the endless shelves of supplements and figure out which ones are best for YOUR needs.

That's why we've done the research. The supplement packages that you will be able to find in my online dispensary were approved and suggested by Seeking Health's President Dr. Ben Lynch. The supplement bundles created will allow users to easily organize a supplement routine and boost nutrition—all with high quality products that we can proudly stand by because I'm aware of exactly what's in them and how they're made (what can we say—I'm nosy like that).

Because you see, you are wasting time, money and results by just grabbing any brand of supplements from any old supplier.  Supplements are not regulated by the FDA so that means that users need to be responsible while both using supplements in your routine (ALWAYS check with your health care provider first) by choosing high quality brands and sourcing them from trusted wholesalers. 

Dr. Ben Lynch (president of Seeking Health) holds a bachelor of science in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Washington and a doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University, the nation’s leading naturopathic medical school. Seeking Health is an American based company out of Washington and is GMP certified. Most of their supplements use minimal fillers and are of the highest quality. I have personally use and recommend many of this clients and feel confident sourcing hand selected supplement brands from this supplier as they are trusted and considered a top tier supplier- which, not to be overlooked, is a very short list of companies that are on this list. Dr. Ben lunch has also written a book I recommend called, Dirty Genes. 

You can find my online dispensary where you can find hand picked supplements from Dr. Ben Lynch himself for each phase of life for my clients: pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, post pregnancy plus a gut health bundle as well.

These supplement packages are designed with YOU in mind. Just pick your current stage of life or your current health goal and take note of the top supplements which can support you on your journey. 

The link to my online store and these products can be found here: 

 https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/nanderson1559133985

Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and I don't play one online. While all of the recommendations are based off best-available evidence and have received direct input from a board-certified physician, the information here should not be considered medical advice. Before starting or stopping any supplementation routine (yes—even herbal supplements!), you're advised to chat with your primary care doc.

Gut Health Package

Tonight we will focus on the Gut!  Gut health is constantly challenged by processed food, alcohol, stress, environmental toxins, and other factors. This matters—in a big way. Turns out that the gut health has a strong link to the immune system and even mental well-being!

If you experience chronic fatigue, anxiety, slow wound healing, frequent sugar or alcohol cravings, food allergies, gastrointestinal upset, frequent illness, unexplainable weight fluctations, or delayed post-workout recovery, you may be struggling with poor gut health. These supplement are shown to help restore a healthy and flourishing gut microbiome and may even reduce risk for chronic illnesses by enhancing immune health.

• L-Glutamine: consider this your gut food. This amino acid has been shown to improve gut permeability, improve food absorption, and reduce gastrointestinal symptoms.
• ProBiota HistaminX: probiotics are essential for your digestive health and immune health. This probiotic supplement will improve the levels of healthy bacteria in your gut so you can stay healthy and able to actually absorb all the great nutrients from your diet and supplements.
• Optimal Fish Oil: a MUST have for anyone with gut health dysfunction. This fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which reduces inflammation and may alleviate symptoms of leaky gut. Research even shows it can even enhance cognition and minimize anxiety.
• Natural D-Hist, 2 capsules/day for loading phase, 1/capsule day for maintenance: D-Hist is a supplement made up of flavonoids, antioxidants, proteolytic enzymes and botanicals, including quercetin, bromelain, stinging nettles leaf, and N-acetyl cysteine. These powerful nutrients support a balanced immune system, which is closely tied to gut health.
• Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract: Aged garlic extract may promote increased biodiversity in the bacteria living in your gut, which is a major priority for enhancing immune health. This supplement is also a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may help reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
• Vitamin D3: the "sunshine vitamin" (produced naturally by your body with healthy sun exposure) is jack of all trades and has been shown to enhance and support healthy brain, heart, and bone function. For your gut, Vitamin D3 helps maintain adequate levels of healthy bacteria while also optimizing your metabolism.
• Magnesium citrate: most people don't get enough of this mineral in their diet, which is essential for helping you sleep and providing a powerful antioxidant effect in your body—both of which are critical for proper immune function. Start slowly! This supplement can have a laxative effect if taken to excess.

To select which supplements you would like to use to start improving your health and gut you can head to my dispensary where you can read more about them, order them, talk to customer service about them and if you choose to order, with this link my discount code for you will be automatically applied to your order:  https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/nanderson1559133985

Can't wait to hear what you think and be able to finally be confident in my supplement suggestions!  Xo

You're crushed after a long day. It wouldn't be unusual for you to crave some "crushed" grapes, aka wine, (see what I did there?) as a way to relax and unwind. Is it possible to do this while still following a healthy lifestyle? Is that one little glass before (or after) dinner really all that problematic?

I'm going to dig into some research to help explain my answer to these and other questions, which I get a lot of. And I totally get that for a lot of people, the best and most sustainable way to follow a lifestyle program that gives wiggle room for the occasional indulgences such as alcohol. That's a decision I respect and understand.

How Much is Too Much, Really?

Obviously, drinking too much is clearly bad for your health. Even just one binge (let alone chronic alcohol abuse) can lead to a range of deleterious health effects—and I'll get to just a handful of them in a second.

First, let's be clear here about what an actual "binge" means. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a "binge" is considered 5 or more drinks within a 2-hour time period for men, and 4 or more drinks within the same amount of time for women. Essentially, whatever amount of alcohol that brings your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) up to 0.08 g/dL is considered a binge-worthy amount (and cringe-worthy, dare I say).

Now here's the kicker: it is VERY easy to binge even without realizing that you are or without feeling like you're "drunk". 

Think about it:

One serving of wine is 5 fluid ounces. That's not very much—and it certainly doesn't feel or look like very much if you drink your wine out of one of those fancy big glasses! And whether at home or in a restaurant, a typical "serving" of alcohol is almost always way more than that.

My point is, when I hear women say "I only have two glasses of wine a day," I have to wonder if that "two" is actually "four" based on the size of the pour—in which case, these women may be binge drinking by default without even realizing it.

But even letting alone "binge" drinking (and even if you don't drink wine), getting in a habit of drinking one or two *true* servings per day may not be in your best interest. Of course you need to consider your stage of life, specific goals, family history, and other factors, too. But based on personal experience and on the research I've done, I generally take the view that anything more than a true "occasional indulgence" is not a benefit to your health...

...and as we'll see, it could be directly or indirectly harmful instead.

5 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health (Yes, Even Just That "One" Glass of Wine With Dinner)

Now that we've talked about intake, let's get directly to the effects. Getting drunk and hungover are two obvious effects that come with plenty of their own problems, (I think we all have lived that life in undergrad lol) . But let's look at some other ways that alcohol affects you, your health, and your quality of life.

The following list isn't all-inclusive, but I've pulled some of the ones that stick out the most to me personally. Keep in mind that many of these are directly linked with long-term alcohol abuse, but for personal reasons, you may decide (like I have) that even moderate alcohol consumption just isn't worth it to you:

1. Increased risk of dementia and brain tissue loss. The impact of this can be seen in older adults especially, but even people in their middle ages.
2. Worsened mental health and an increased risk for depression—along with an increased risk of impulsivity and poor decision-making that may lead to regrettable choices and situations that beget even more feelings of depression.
3. Increased risk of cancer. This is considered a strong correlation. The more a person drinks and the more consistently they drink over time, the more likely they are to be diagnosed with a variety of cancers, including liver, esophagus, colorectal, and breast. As reported by the NIAAA, one meta-analysis showed that women who drank over 45 grams of alcohol per day (about 3.2 servings—and remember, it is EASY to pour 2+ servings of wine in one glass!) had 1.5 times the risk of developing breast cancer as nondrinkers.
4. Diminished immune system function. One episode of binge drinking can impair your body's defenses and make it harder to fight off infections—even a full 24 hours after getting drunk.
5. Impaired hormone regulation. Because alcohol disrupts the communication between the nervous and endocrine systems, drinking can easily lead to or exacerbate problems such as impaired stress management, reproductive problems, and thyroid issues.

Brief Public Service Announcement: I've talked about this before, but I hope it goes without saying that drinking alcohol while pregnant is not something I recommend. Research shared by sleep expert Dr. Matthew Walker, author of the great new book Why We Sleep, shows that even just one serving of alcohol can affect a developing fetus's neural development and impair its sleep quality within the womb. Interestingly, research also indicates that infants exposed to alcohol in breast milk also suffer sleep disturbances, so it's wise to stay away from the booze even when you're nursing.  I know some of you don't want to hear that, and you don't have to!  YOLO- ya know?! But this is my job and I'm just keeping it honest. So if you're going to do it while breastfeeding, maybe pump and dump. 

I'll also add a bit of anecdote here: I've seen for many of my clients that alcohol consumption, even if it's "moderate" or "occasional," is a HUGE trigger for other negative consequences, such as poor food choices, impaired sleep, and spousal conflict (or in my case you end up pregnant 4 weeks later-ha, but seriously). So just something else to keep in mind. 

But Then Again...

I couldn't talk about alcohol consumption without talking about some of the health benefits that have come up in the literature.

I'll specifically focus on red wine here. Most doctors and researchers agree that if you're going to drink, red wine just about your best option to choose from, mostly because it contains a compound called reservatrol. Plants use it to protect against damaging UV radiation and fight off fungi and bacteria.

Research shows that reservatrol and other compounds in red wine (but not the alcohol itself, importantly) have been associated with the following health benefits in humans:

• Reduced risk cardiovascular disease, largely due to the way it remodels the gut biome
• Increased levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids in blood plasma
• Reduced blood pressure and improved blood vessel health (even non-alcoholic wine has been shown to offer this effect)
• Protection against stroke by promoting the proliferation of an enzyme that protect nerve cells
• A potential reduced risk of breast/colon/lung/prostate cancer—BUT the alcohol in wine can easily and often outweigh the cancer-protective benefits of the reservatrol in it

Remember, in virtually all the research cited, health benefits are linked with a moderate consumption of wine. This is defined as up to one serving per day for women and up to two serving per day for men. If you're counting, that's 5 fluid ounces for women and 10 fluid ounces for men.

Know your pours, people! (any past bartenders in the building? just me?!) 

Before you toast up your 5 ounce pour, I do think more research needs to be done to clarify the strength of these claims. And of course, reservatrol is also naturally found in the skin of blueberries, grapes, and cranberries...so you can still get this beneficial compound by eating these instead of drinking wine- sooooooo yea :) 

One important caveat to know about red wine, however, especially red wine from California: this booze tends to be loaded with glyphosate, that infamous carcinogenic compound found in weed killers like RoundUp. This stuff is no joke: a recent 2019 meta-analysis showed that regular exposure to glyphosate can raise your risk of cancer by over 40 percent.

The Bottoms Up Conclusion

I'm not about to tell you not to drink. In fact once in a while you'll catch me enjoying a rare glass of Champagne myself, Moet anyone? If you decide to drink occasionally in moderation, I don't want you to think that this means you're fated to a future of ill health and disease. There certainly is plenty of evidence to say that moderate drinking may even offer some health benefits- and it can be a good time :) 

I DO want us all to realize that alcohol is a drug (I feel like I have to say this). And I believe that it's in our best interest to take the position that every sip of alcohol will affect our bodies in some way and to some degree. If we can remember this, I believe we're far more likely to respect alcohol and use it as responsibly as possible...if we choose to use it at all. Which is 100% your choice! My job is just to inform you, so I promise, no judgement here either way! 

If you do choose to drink, you can at least go for the "least impactful" options, including tequila, whiskey, red wine, and champagne. Clearly, I advise staying far far away from sugary mixers and gluten- and carb-heavy beers. I also advise that you truly pay attention to how much you're actually drinking!

And remember: just because there is some evidence to say that moderate drinking may be good for you, this doesn't mean you are doing your health a disservice by opting for the sober route instead. You don't NEED alcohol to be healthy. Repeat: You DO NOT NEED... ok you get it. 

Lastly, I'll leave you with a challenge:

The next time you pour yourself a glass of wine (assuming there is a next time), measure out exactly 5 ounces. This simple exercise can really help you gain insight into how much alcohol you're consuming on a regular basis. Just a thought :) 

Sources: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3767933/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2799509/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265635.php

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383574218300887

https://www.naturalhealth365.com/weed-killer-cancer-2894.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19330800

https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/yesmaam/pages/680/attachments/original/1458848651/3-24-16_GlyphosateContaminationinWineReport_(1).pdf?1458848651

http://mbio.asm.org/content/7/2/e02210-15

https://www.alcohol.org/effects/

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/alcohol-good-or-bad

Are you currently trying to conceive? Research shows that the right kind of exercise can improve your chances of getting pregnant, help you have a healthier pregnancy and delivery, and even give birth to a healthier baby.

But what's the "right" exercise?

Working out isn't the end-all-be-all for building a better pregnancy (nutrition, sleep, and stress management are a few other priorities we can think of). But it can and does make a huge impact, especially when you focus on these three areas:

Conditioning Your Cardiovascular System

At Move Your Bump, we see pregnancy as one of the most important life events a woman can go through. Improving your cardiovascular conditioning through intense exercise is your bona fide way of training and preparing for this major life change which affects your body (and brain) in so many surprising ways.

Blood plasma volume increases by as much as 50% during pregnancy.  This through-the-roof rise makes sure your body is prepared to handle the increased demands of pregnancy and can provide sufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the developing fetus. 

With conditioning exercise, you improve your blood pressure and strengthen your heart before baby even comes, which means your heart will be better suited to meet the increased demands placed on it.

Conditioning exercises, especially my high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols, boosts your heart health and prepares the organ for increased prenatal demands. I have my clients do my cardio protocols and I do them HARD- until they are about 2 months from (trying for) conception.  In that 4 month (or more if we have more time) period, I really like to challenge and build their cardio system and take their cardio fitness to the next level. 

This pays off in TWO folds after they get pregnancy and their blood volume goes through the roof. My clients handle that transition with ease, b/c I have trained them for it.  At 2 months out of trying to conceive I do have them start considering the research on too much intensity while TTC though, and what we need to be aware of, which I go over with them in detail (with research cited) inside my programs in their move your bump portal.  

And let's not forget about other benefits of cardiovascular conditioning, including stress relief and reduced inflammation. Both of these create a healthier in utero environment and can make it easier to get pregnant!

By the way, if you're already a highly fit and healthy woman, don't assume you'll have to give up your beloved exercise routine once you're carrying a baby—even if it's high intensity. More and more studies involving animal and human subjects suggest that high intensity exercise isn't as strongly linked with an increased risk of negative health effects (for mom or baby) as previously believed.^12,13,14 

Conversely, women who are sedentary prior to conception will need to take a more moderate approach to their pregnancy exercise. To be clear, they STILL should be exercising (as always, with their doctor's supervision), because exercise benefits them and the development and long-term health of their children.

In other words, if you've been working out hard before and during your TTC phase, expect to enjoy fewer exercise restrictions once you're pregnant. It is safe and good for you and your plus one! And you haven't been working out, it's still super important to start—just know that the pre-pregnancy and pregnancy phases aren't the right times to start experimenting with a new intense program.

In TTC phase particularly, it's not about over-training or going as hard as possible all the time...but it's not about taking it super easy, either. The trick is to finding the sweet spot and working with someone their knows their shit, if you don't know yours. 

Improve the strength of your posterior chain.

Pregnancy anatomy 101: as your little one grows bigger in your uterus, your center of gravity will start to shift forward, which increases the relative load imposed through your lower back (because physics). In order to ensure you can properly handle this biomechanical strain and minimize the risk of problems like back pain and excessive anterior pelvic tilting, it's critical to maximize the strength of your posterior chain before you conceive. 

The posterior chain includes your deep spinal erectors and your glutes—who knew your quest for booty gains can help you have a healthier pregnancy?! A tip- your average bootcamp class is not helping your cause unless they have TRX bands and pull-up bars, hip thrust machines or set up and heavy deadlifts that you are doing ON THA REG.  I have seen so many peoples bodies become imbalanced over the years bc group training studios DON'T have balanced programs bc of the lack of programming from lack of quality trainers, lack of proper equipment at their studio to make that programming even possible from their trainers, or the overall protocol of the workout does not serve your posterior chain in the way it needs to when you are going into pregnancy (or recovering from in that matter).  I hate to talk shit, and I'm not really trying to, I'm just saying for my client, she needs a really smart program for this and it's V difficult to find in the group fitness world. It's not impossible, but it is rare and honestly getting more rare as time goes on. This is actually why I LIKE crossfit so much. They are the only group training concept that has exploded but still trains smart. And I say that loosely bc for every 1 great CF box there are 10 that are terrible. So you just really have to learn this stuff yourself is what I am saying and know how to apply it or where you should or shouldn't be working out. 

Learn how to properly breathe and activate your core.

Once you become pregnant, your beautiful growing bump will change the dynamics and position of your core muscles, which are all neurologically in sync with each other...in an ideal world. The problem is, since so many of us spend decades sitting in chairs and using shallow breathing patterns, the coordinated action of our core (including the abs, diaphragm, pelvic floor, inner obliques, and transversus abdominus) is often disrupted even before we conceive. When we layer on the biomechanical and hormonal changes of pregnancy, lots of problems can develop in the postpartum period, including pain with sex, bladder leakage, ab separation, and that darn mommy pooch.

Doing supplemental exercises to retrain your core can minimize or even prevent many of these complications. The pre-conception stage is the perfect time to do this, so you'll go into your pregnancy with better strength and stability and minimize any issues that you have right now with activation, posture, strength and positioning (and everything I talked about in my stories today). 

Plus, by knowing how to breathe more fully, you'll be able to get more oxygen in for your little one once you conceive!  This includes but is not limited to: deep core stabilization and activation drills, protocols and exercises. This includes breath work, proper posture and positioning throughout movements and stationary work in your daily life.

This is not about crunches or planks- this is about progressive overload strength training to build core strength, deep activation drills to build core strength, breath work to build core strength and most importantly- that it's all being done as a team and in-sync with each-other. 

Conclusion

When it comes to a solid exercise program, what we need is consistency with a sound and appropriate plan, one that supports lean body weight and ideal internal environment for conception and pregnancy for about 6 months leading up to when you start TTC. 

My exercise programs offered at Move Your Bump are designed with every mama in mind and can be accommodated to every stage of pregnancy, health status, and fitness level. Our carefully curated workouts are customizable, designed for safety and effectiveness, and intended to help every mom or mom-to-be find her sweet spot. 

As for all you moms-to-be in the TTC phase, we'd love for you check out what our workouts are like. We combine high intensity interval training, metabolic stress training, and traditional strength training in a challenging and FUN protocols that will help you prepare for your future pregnancy like a boss. You can learn more at www.moveyourbump.mom 

For a long time, high blood pressure has held the notorious title of the "silent killer" because it often can go unnoticed for a long time, and in the meantime wreak havoc on your health. In our modern, stress-filled times, I'd like to add another condition to this dubious silent but harmful list: 

Thyroid dysfunction. 

In this blog post, I'd like to talk a bit about the important role your thyroid plays in your health, why the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction seems to be rising, how to tell if you're living with it, and how you can take your health into your own hands and address the real root cause of your thyroid issues (and why the conventional approach to "treating" it can fall so short).

What Is Your Thyroid?

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped structure in your neck. It's an important part of your endocrine system and produces two essential hormones known as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Meanwhile, the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is released by the pituitary gland in your brain; TSH dictates how much T4 and T3 are secreted by your thyroid. 

T3 is actually the only biologically active hormone produced by your thyroid and the one that influences your body; T4 is converted into T3 by your cells and tissues. Together, these hormones contribute to a variety of key functions in your body, including bone and muscle health, cognitive function, heart rate, digestion, and metabolism.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction

According to the British Thyroid Foundation, about 1 in 20 people have some kind of thyroid dysfunction (generally, a thyroid that under-produces or overproduces thyroid hormones). The number could even be higher than that, given that thyroid dysfunction often isn't caught on standard thyroid tests, nor does it always present with any symptoms.

When signs and symptoms of thyroid dysfunction do show up, they may include:

•  Weight gain
• Hair loss and dry skin 
• Frequently feeling cold or having poor tolerance to heat
• Muscle pain and stiffness 
• Depression
• Hoarse voice
• Mental fogginess and impaired concentration
• Constipation 
• Infertility 

Causes of Thyroid Dysfunction—And Why Its On the Rise

The most common type of thyroid dysfunction is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease. In this case, the thyroid gland produces too little hormones because the body mistakenly attacks and inflames its own thyroid tissues. Among other problems, this can lead to slower metabolism, weight gain, and general sluggishness. 

Another major cause of thyroid dysfunction is postnatal depletion, which occurs in many mothers (often persisting for years following the birth of their children) and comes about due a combination of factors including stress, exhaustion, and nutrient insufficiencies. This helps explain why women are most likely to experience thyroid dysfunction—although men and children can be affected, too. 

In general, a combination of environmental and genetic factors influence who gets thyroid dysfunction and who doesn't. The question on many doctors' and researchers' minds is why there seems to be so many more cases of thyroid dysfunction occurring. Research points to the following causes which are increasingly prevalent in our modern day life:

• Exposure to heavy metals and other toxins 
• Pesticides
• Radiation
• Dietary substances including gluten, sugar, and soy
• Stress

The good news is that many of these contributors to thyroid disorders are preventable—that is, we have it in our power to do something about them!

How to Optimize Your Thyroid Function

The following strategies are some of the most effective things you can do to improve your thyroid function, which (because of how influential your thyroid hormones are in your body) will by default improve your overall health, too. 

Upgrade your diet. 

Getting enough of what you need (and avoiding what you don't need) through your diet is your number one goal for improving your thyroid function! 

Specifically, you want to include foods that are rich in protein and nutrients like magnesium, selenium, zinc, and iodine (meat, shellfish, eggs, nuts, organic leafy greens). A high quality supplement routine can make up for wherever your whole food choices lack (which happens a lot, given modern day food packaging and transporting practices). Keep in mind that TOO much iodine can be harmful in people with autoimmune dysfunction—so get enough to correct deficiencies and consider getting your iodine levels tested. 

At the same time, you want to avoid soy, gluten, and sugar, which are pro-inflammatory, stressful on your body, and linked with thyroid dysfunction. For a lot of people with food sensitivities, going gluten-free isn't enough: they may also need to eliminate or avoid starchy veggies, legumes, and sweeteners. In many cases, going low-carb can be extremely beneficial because it supports better blood sugar control and digestive health, both of which are tied to your immune system (recall that the majority of thyroid dysfunction is due to immune system dysfunction). 

Also, choose filtered and/or spring water whenever possible. Ammonium perchlorate and chlorine in tap water has been associated with abnormal thyroid function and disrupted iodine uptake, respectively. 

Manage your stress.

We all know by now that chronic stress has an inflammatory effect on your body, which can exacerbate autoimmune dysfunction and thyroid inflammation. So it makes sense that managing your stress more effectively can help you boost thyroid function.

Learn about stress coping skills and stress-busting techniques, and use whatever works best for you as part of a regular practice—including but not limited to acupuncture, exercise, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, journaling, and even cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Consult with a functional medicine doctor.

Did you realize that many standard medical tests performed during routine wellness check ups don't thoroughly evaluate your thyroid health? This is a problem. To paraphrase a quote from famed business author Peter Drucker, you can't manage what you can't measure—and if you're not screening for thyroid issues when they're still early on and relatively minor, you're likely not going to be able to prevent them from getting bigger and more problematic.

By the way, this is essentially how we devolve down the path from preventive healthcare to reactive healthcare—the latter almost always being more expensive, stressful, and harmful. Sub-optimal. 

If you can find a good functional medicine doctor in your area and are curious about taking a closer look "under the hood" of your own body, so to say, I highly recommend scheduling a consultation with him or her.  Do some research or try the "Find a Practitioner" feature on the Institute for Functional Medicine website, which you can check out here. 

You can also ask your primary care doctor to run additional thyroid function tests for you (if they're able to). Realize, however, that the standard tests for thyroid function, which generally includes TSH (from the pituitary gland) and maybe T4 (which, if you remember, is converted into T3 before it actually can have any effect on your body), really can't give you the full picture of what's going on with your thyroid.

That is, a "normal" TSH test result can generally rule out major issues such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, but it's not necessarily enough to safely say that your thyroid is functioning optimally, nor is it enough to rule out certain other types of dysfunction, especially if your dysfunction is "sub-clinical" (e.g., not "bad" enough to meet the somewhat arbitrary medical definition of dysfunction but still not optimal).

My functional medicine doc recommends additional tests including total T4 and T3, free T4 and free T3, and thyroid antibodies. These tests are better able to tease out subtleties with your thyroid function, because they assess for different thyroid hormones which serve different roles in the body. I recommend looking at these especially if you have signs and symptoms of thyroid dysfunction or are at an increased risk for dysfunction (postpartum, highly stressed, poor diet, etc.). This way, you can get a better idea of how your thyroids are doing and then problem solve through specific and individualized methods to maximize it.

A Note on Medications

The standard treatment for thyroid dysfunction is medication, specifically hormone replacement therapy. My beef with this approach (which is shared by many other holistic-oriented practitioners) is that like many conventional drugs it takes a band-aid approach. Meds may treat and manage symptoms, but they don't resolve the underlying issues causing the symptoms in the first place (whereas lifestyle, diet, and stress management behaviors can and do).

Plus, many medications fail to fully resolve symptoms and may come with their own laundry list of problems. 

I'm not your doctor, so I'll never tell you to stop taking medications. But I do encourage you to speak with your doctor more intimately about thyroid health and realize that not only are there things YOU can do to improve it, but that these things ideally should be considered your first line of defense.

Conclusion

Estimates suggest that anywhere from 20 to 27 million Americans are living with some type of thyroid disorder, and many of these people or even more are undiagnosed. 

Whether you believe you have symptom of thyroid dysfunction or not, I think it's a good idea to hedge your bets and start making the necessary (and actually pretty simple) lifestyle changes necessary to support a healthier thyroid. Doing so could make drastic improvements in your weight, energy, mood, and brain power. 

Sources: 

https://chriskresser.com/why-changing-your-diet-is-always-the-first-step-in-treating-hashimotos/

http://drknews.com/changing-your-diet-is-the-first-step-in-addressing-hashimotos/

https://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-function-tests/

http://www.btf-thyroid.org/information/your-thyroid-gland

http://www.lifeworkswellnesscenter.com/thyroid-disease-treatment/thyroid-disease-why-this-epidemic.html

https://chriskresser.com/thyroid-disorders/

Here's a message I want at least 6.1 million women—the number of women estimated to struggle with infertility in the United States—to keep in mind:

Your nutrition (and supplements) can play an ESSENTIAL role in your ability to become pregnant!

I could not emphasize this more.

Let's just look at for a moment how important nutrition alone is in determining the health of your future child and even your own health during and following your eventual pregnancy—because it is, and these are huge important topics that we talk about a lot. And need to talk about more.

But for now, let's just zoom in on getting pregnant in the first place. About that: it's fair to say that what you're eating (or not eating) is of the highest order in terms of priority and impact.

To put it another way, taking responsibility for your own fertility is about much more than simply tracking your cycle, curtailing your workouts (a questionable call anyway), and/or pursuing in vitro fertilization (IVF) when "all else" fails. I'm certainly not saying these don't have a role to play for some women. But If you're doing these things and have yet to assess and modify what you're eating, you're potentially missing a huge piece of the puzzle. 

I do understand that there is a lot of things that may contribute to fertility issues that go beyond what is included this blog. I am not saying nutrition or lifestyle can or will fix everything and BAM you'll be pregnant.  But there is a lot of "unexplained" infertility.  And I believe, by looking at the research, that nutrition and lifestyle may be part of this "unexplained infertility" issue we see so often. 

This is actually GOOD news! Because it means that the state of our fertility is in our hands—and on our plates—a lot more than we realize. 

So, given that nutrition really IS that instrumental in your journey toward motherhood, let's talk some specifics. What does an ideal fertility diet look like? What's included—and just as notable, what's not? Let's discuss this now.

Nutrition for Fertility 101: The Top Things to Eat (and NOT to Eat) To Improve Fertility Health

Did you know that if you're currently doing IVF, a high quality nutritious diet can increase treatment success rate by as much as 40 percent?

That's a huge ROI on your grocery budget!

Research in this area points to the Mediterranean diet specifically, which is famous for being rich in:

• Vegetables and fruit
• Legumes (especially things like chickpeas and lentils)
• Nuts, seeds, and healthy oils (avocado, coconut, olive)
• Lean protein (fish, chicken)

It's not too surprising to see foods like this on here, right? These contain the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and macro/micronutrients you and your partner need for optimal reproductive health. Eat them!

Importantly, I advise all would-be mamas to modify the Mediterranean approach by avoiding gluten-containing grains, in addition to eliminating sugar and dairy. Here's why:

These substances are known to trigger inflammation in the body, which we know is associated with an increased risk of infertility and miscarriage (let alone a multitude of other health problems). Indeed, many of the reproductive health conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are directly associated with inflammation. Quelling that chronic inflammation by avoiding pro-inflammatory foods and consuming anti-inflammatory foods instead is priority number one as you head out on your fertility journey.

For what it's worth, these dietary recommendations are the literal foundations of my 30 day slim down, 10 day detox and bible diet where I go into a lot more detail. If you stick with this as a nutritional base, you will dramatically improve your health—reproductive or otherwise.

Essential Supplements for Fertility (For Women AND Men)

Nutritional supplements are like taking an extra insurance policy out on your health—the right ones can help fill any holes that your day-to-day diet may have, which can occur even if we're eating mostly organic/wild-caught/pasture-raised/nutrient dense foods. 

Here are a few evidence-based supplements I recommend for fighting inflammation, supporting egg quality (and sperm quality for that matter!), optimizing hormone function, improving gut health/immune function, and promoting fat loss—all of which culminates in improved fertility.

As always, I am not a doctor nor play one on the internet, so please discuss any and all supplements with your health care provider BEFORE implementing anything into your routine. 

For Women

• 50 to 100 mg of Coenzyme Q10 (shown to increase reproductive potential in animal models)
• 1,200 to 1,800 mg per day of N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
• 200 micrograms of selenium per day (shown to lower the risk of postpartum thyroiditis)
• 1,000 to 2,000 mg of high quality fish oil (rich in omega 3 fatty acids)
• 500 to 2,000 mg acetyl-L-carnitine (great for muscle building, cognitive function, and optimizing mitochondrial function and your body's ability to absorb the omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil)

I recommend these supplements in addition to a high quality prenatal supplement and a solid exercise program followed on most days of the week.

For Men

• 200 to 1,000 milligrams per day of curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric)
• 100 milligrams of alpha-liopic acid

Ladies, encourage your partners to optimize their nutrition and physical activity right along with you, as they are as much a part of your fertility picture as you are.

Interested in learning more? Head over to moveyourbump.mom to check out my specific tips and strategies for every stage of motherhood including getting on my meal programs that are specially programmed for you each week as a TTC woman to minimize inflammation, balance hormones, and more to promote and boost fertility using real whole foods.  

Sources: 

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/infertility

https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativePelvicHealth/videos/528563717670174inf_contact_key=d07d8400b73a29c76c7af78c5af5de9c680f8914173f9191b1c0223e68310bb1

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mediterranean-fertility/mediterranean-diet-tied-to-fertility-treatment-success-idUSTRE62I2RA20100319

Nutrition is innerestin'.

It's one of those fields where you hear contradicting data practically on a weekly basis. In many cases, nutritional information comes full circle, leading physicians (sometimes reluctantly) to do a complete 180 on their dietary recommendations—assuming they provide any recommendations at all, which I hate to say is pretty unlikely (research shows the typical doctor receives 25 hours or LESS of nutrition educational during their entire four years of medical school).

A prime example of this oops-we-were-wrong-about-that nutrition info is dietary fat. Long bastardized by the government and mass media, dietary fat is now largely accepted as an essential component to a healthy diet. 

To pull on a similar thread, I see the same sort of thing happening with protein. After all, there's no question that protein is essential for your health. But my team and I field a lot of concerns regarding this macronutrient, with no small thanks to the conflicting information we hear about in the news: Isn't too much protein bad for you? How much do I actually need? Which protein sources are best?

In this post, we're going to get into the meat of the issue (no pun intended) and try to answer these questions using the best available information. My hope is that you'll see why protein is such an essential part of any healthy diet, and why you may in fact not be getting enough to support your lifestyle (hint: official dietary reference intakes may leave you lacking). 

Protein Power: What This Little Macronutrient Does For Your Body

Protein is made up of at least 20 different "building block" molecules known as amino acids. When we consume protein, it gets broken down into these smaller units, which are then shuttled throughout the body where they participate in dozens of physiological functions, including (but not limited to):

• Building and repairing cells, tissues, and organs
• Synthesizing important compounds like enzymes and hormones
• Regulating gene expression
• Assisting in key metabolic processes

Basically, when protein gets into your body, it rolls up its sleeves and says, "I got you, boo." You need it to live, and without enough of it your physical and even mental health can suffer. 

So, How Much (And What Kind of) Protein Do I Need?

Here are two simple concepts to keep in mind regarding protein intake: 

1. We ALL need protein. You may need more or less protein than others, depending on factors including your health, health goals, and lifestyle.
2. Not all protein sources (nor its constituent amino acids) are created equal, so you need variety of sources to cover your bases.

Let's tackle these points one by one, starting with number 2.

Protein Source

Your body can create some but not all the amino acids it needs for optimal health. I'm thinking of nine in particular: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These are "essential" amino acids: they must be sourced from your diet because your body can't synthesize them on its own. 

As it turns out, animal protein—including meat, fish, seafood, eggs, fowl, bone broth, and offal (organ meat)—are considered complete sources. They give you all the amino acids your body needs (including the nine essential ones) for surviving and thriving. 

Meanwhile, plant protein is considered incomplete—it's missing many of the essential amino acids. This is not to say skip them altogether. To the extent that plant protein sources like beans, lentils, and chickpeas contain other beneficial compounds including fiber, minerals, and vitamins, it's still a good idea to add them into your diet. Rotating in plant protein can also keep your meals interesting and ease the strain on your wallet, too.

Based on the evidence, it's fair to say that consuming a variety of animal and plant protein (ideally high quality and ethically sourced) is optimal for ensuring your body gets what it needs. (As you can imagine, I do caution against certain types of plant protein, including soy and gluten-containing grains, because of their deleterious effects on health, but that's a bit beyond the scope of this article, so I'll defer that discussion for now.)

Protein Intake

According to the government, the official dietary reference intake (RDI) for the typical adult is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, or about .36 gram per pound.

If you're counting, that's about 54 grams of protein for a typical 150 pound person. 

Here's the big BUT:

This DRI is set for an average sedentary person. It may be enough to stave off deficiencies, but in all likelihood it's not enough for a lot of us, especially if we're active, building babies, or feeding babies with breastmilk. 

In fact, many people need a LOT more than this, including anyone who:

• Is trying to slim down and lose excess body fat.
• Is trying to manage their blood sugar and metabolism more effectively. 
• Is elderly or chronically ill. 
• Is under chronic stress.
• Trains hard and/or has a physically demanding job. 

For these reasons, I often recommend that my clients consume upwards of 20-35% of their daily calories from protein, or as much as 1.2+ grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, depending on their needs and for men clients, I like even more. And yes, by all accounts, this may be considered a "high" protein diet.

But Isn't High Protein Bad? Busting the Myths Surrounding this Macronutrient

Many people get squirrely about increasing their protein intake after seeing headlines that say eating meat gives you cancer or that high protein diets cause kidney damage. I get it. You want to do what's right, right? 

To be brief, let me start by saying that a high protein diet does NOT cause kidney damage in individuals with normal kidney function. This is well-supported by the literature. Whereas low-protein diets can certainly be therapeutic for people who already have kidney disease, there's just no evidence to suggest that consuming high levels of protein causes kidney disease in otherwise healthy people.

Indeed, studies actually show that a high protein diet can protect against high blood pressure and diabetes—both of which are risk factors for kidney disease. 

As for studies that suggest eating meat increases cancer risk, a closer look at the data reveals important caveats. For one thing, a lot of these studies are observational, which make it hard to understand causation and are often rife with bias and faulty self-reporting. Additionally, it's not as if the evidence paints protein in a purely dark light—data shows, for instance, that high protein intake is protective against cancer-related mortality for people over the age of 65.  

Here's another key point to tease out: animal protein like meat and eggs are abundant in an amino acid called methionine. Methionine DOES happen to be associated with increased levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which has been linked with cancer and shortened lifespan in animal models. To this end, it makes sense at face value that consuming a lot of meat and eggs may increase cancer risk.

BUT—and this is an important but—in studies where subjects consumed adequate levels of another amino acid called glycine, the potentially harmful impact of high methionine were effectively mitigated. 

Glycine, which can be synthesized by our body but likely not enough for optimal function, is rich in connective tissues and organ meats such as liver, gelatin, and bone broth. 

In other words, the research circles back to the importance of getting a variety of protein in your diet! Consuming animal protein from connective tissues and organs in addition to meat and certain plant proteins will help you get the right balance of amino acids and optimize your health and longevity.

Conclusion

You need enough protein to support lean body weight, basic physiological functions, and physical activity—because science.

You need to consume a variety of protein sources to ensure you're getting the right balance of amino acids, and should not skimp on "extras" like bone broth and collagen supplements.

As for determining exactly how much protein YOU need, this requires some simple experimentation, which, if you're otherwise healthy, you should be able to do freely.

Ask yourself: Am I sleeping well? Am I recovering from workouts well? Do I have high levels of stress? Do I train hard? Am I on my feet all day? Am I trying to lose body fat or control my diabetes? Am I older than 65? Answering these questions can help you determine where on the spectrum of protein intake you should fall—that is, closer to 20% of your daily caloric intake or upwards of 30 to 35%.

And while I always advise anyone with chronic health problems to consult with their doctor before making any changes to their lifestyle and/or diet (especially if you have kidney problems, for the purposes of this discussion), rest assured that if you're otherwise healthy, upping your protein intake will not hurt you, and if anything will likely help you look, function, and feel better than ever.

Sources: 

https://chriskresser.com/5-reasons-you-may-need-more-protein-even-on-a-paleo-diet/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093739

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780010/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430660/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S155041311400062X

https://chriskresser.com/do-high-protein-diets-cause-kidney-disease-and-cancer/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-the-variety-of-your-protein-sources-matters/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/Dietary_Reference_Intakes.aspx

You know what really buffs my buffers?! (thomas and friends reference #boymom) lol. Ok What really buffs my buffers is when I see people talking about how “simple”weight-loss can be” as long as you are in a caloric deficit. Although, I know we all would love to believe our future hot bod is as simple as a few numbers added and subtracted, that claim is old news, outdated, and let’s face it, IF it really was that easy, do you think the United States would be 70% overweight?

Using calorie in vs. calorie out equation as a full proof way to lose weight is a a big old fat old myth. Legit may be the most pervasive myth in health and wellness (that and the myth that pregnant women shouldn't get their heart rates up while exercising)—🙄

The truth is, losing weight and staying lean and healthy is NOT as simple as "eat less, exercise more." Seriously, just banish this idea from your mind. I actually cringe a little when I hear nutrition and fitness "experts" promote this concept on national news. Side Bar- if you want to hear a funny story about this, go to my stories from today.

Not that there is anything wrong with these trainers btw, I get it, nutrition can be confusing and conflicting! And I love that we are all working to help others live healthier lives— I think everyone means well! Good hearts all around. But chalking things up to calories in calories out is really leaving out a lotttttt of the story. I am hoping to help at least my community have a better understanding of why that is with this blog.

Alright friends and frenemies, buckle up! Here are just some reasons why simple "calorie counting" is misguided at best and counterproductive at worst:

• Not all calories were created equal. For instance, it takes more energy for your body to digest protein and whole foods than it does to digest carbohydrates and processed foods. In other words, 300 calories worth of blueberries and hard-boiled eggs affect your metabolism, blood sugar, hormones, and rate of fat loss WAY differently (and way better) than 300 calories worth of gluten free crackers, and bologna. A simple math equation just can't capture this important nuance.

• Our bodies evolved to protect ourselves during times of famine, which our ancient ancestors dealt with on the reg. What this means is that when caloric intake is drastically restricted (when we "cut calories"), our bodies pump the brakes on our metabolism, which slows down the rate of fat loss. Talk about the exact OPPOSITE of what we want. (Note: cutting calories is NOT the same thing as intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating, which my clients and I practice and have talked about before—more on that another time maybe.)

• Overeating is no question a key contributor to overweight and obesity, and many people DO need to consume less food if they want to get back to a healthy weight. But as Primal Blueprint author Mark Sisson points out, focusing only on how much a person eats doesn't address WHY they're overeating in the first place. And without understanding the WHY behind your actions, you are less likely to achieve long-term success. This is because improving your health is as much about examining and adjusting your perceptions and beliefs as it is about changing your diet and lifestyle.

• Losing body fat is not the same as losing "weight," aka: You. Must. Eat. Enough. To. Support. Lean. Muscle. Mass. This is because you want to be strong at every age, workout hard, AND keep your metabolism purrin' like a finely-tuned engine (since muscle burns more energy than fat). Sure, you MAY lose weight by cutting calories, but if you're
not eating enough to support your activity level, then you will lose muscle mass in addition to fat. That's no bueno as far as your short-term AND long-term health is concerned!

• There are SO many good reasons to exercise, the very LEAST of which is because it helps you "burn calories." It's way more motivating to focus on the other benefits of your workouts—better stress management, strength, endurance, body composition, sleep, hormones and confidence, to name a few—than to focus on however many calories your treadmill says you burned, which likely is not an accurate reading, anyway. (Hint: nutrition labels often aren't accurate either, and can underreport calorie count by as much a 20% according to the FDA. So that throws the whole calorie tracking thing out the window on it’s own).

In my professional opinion, you are MUCH better off focusing on the QUALITY of your food rather than the quantity. Instead of counting calories, count on eating whole, nutrient dense, minimally processed food that's free of additives and oh-no-no's like gluten, gf flours, and sugar AND offers you the right amounts of macronutrients (proteins, healthy fats, and good carbohydrates) .

While you're at it, you're also better off focusing on the quality of your exercise, hydration, supplementation, sleep quality, and stress management...in other words, there are plenty of other things to prioritize over how many calories you're eating—or burning, for that matter that will affect your waistline. For example, it blows my mind how everyone over looks supplements.

Did you know deficiencies ALONE can cause weight loss resistance? Did you know that 30% of Americans are deficient in important nutrients like magnesium, vitamin c, vitamin e, and vitamin A? And that’s just using the FDA’s recommended intake which is too low for most IMO. Not to mention in the US 9/10 people are deficient in omega 3 fats. This is something that I program REGULARLY in my plans for this reason. Why? Because this powerful fatty acid will help cool inflammation and control blood sugar. AKA a fantastic contribution to a recipe for.... yup, FAT LOSS!! 😃 I could go on for a while, but you get the idea. It’s way more than calories, or macros for that matter.

Speaking of, you guys are ALWAYS asking me for my personal macros, my personal calories, and what exact ones are in my plans. Do I plan out my programs using macros? Yes. Do I look at the calories? Yes. Is that alone going to get you the results you would expect from my programs? No. This is why I say ‘no’ when you try to cherry pick all the time 😝. There are so many other things that I work on when programming a nutrition guide.

When I create my programs, I am strategically placing foods together to best control insulin levels, giving you enough but not too much. While also looking at timing in the day of certain macros and what other macros are delivered with them, looking at eating windows, I’m looking at variety, I am looking at sulforaphane, herbs, spices and nutrients that work as aids to my goals for you- detoxing, insulin control, gut health, correcting deficiencies, cooling inflammation, supporting metabolism and honestly the list goes on and on.

I don’t want any of you to feel like you need to be counting calories all the time. I WOULD like to see you all caught up on counting your veggies though. I would LOVE for a new trend to rise from counting calories to counting veggie servings out daily. You start at 0 and goal is to get to 7 and then extra credit if you get to 9 and then a gold star when you get to 12. Yup, that’s DAILY! It’s can be the My Fitness Pal of 2019. Let’s make it a thing 🥳

In closing, to make things clear: Yes energy balance DOES matter when it comes to losing excess body fat. But can you be in a calorie deficit and not lose weight? Yes again. For optimal results, be sure you're putting your energy toward the right aims, and towards the whole formula for weight loss not just one calorie in and out concept. My programs, including the 30 Day Slim Down, 10 Day Detox, and The Bible Diet, and Move Your Bump meal plans model this to a T. Check us out if you'd like to learn more. Xo.

Other Sources: 

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/7-common-calorie-myths-we-should-all-stop-believing/ 

https://primalpotential.com/why-calorie-counting-doesnt-work-for-fat-loss/