Nutrition has been a subject debated for many years and will be for more to come, but it seems only recently is the average gym goer gradually beginning to comprehend the importance of it. Let me explain...
We need to take a step back and look at this from an evolutionary stand-point. The Industrial Revolution was a clear catalyst for this, as before this era we survived mainly as farmers and hunters sourcing natural and organically reared sources of nutrition.
During the Industrial Revolution labourers were supplied with fat, sugars and refined flour in order to sustain simplicity via energy driven foods. However, this caused a decline in health and stunt in growth/human development. Protein was introduced, and therefore muscle synthesis occurred, but sickness continued due to a lack of vitamins and minerals... the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) was born.
Unfortunately, the RDA was based on an average majority for the healthy population, but if there's one point we should realise now more than ever is that everyone is different, and as quoted by Lucretius in the 1st century BC, "What is good for one man may be bitter poison to others". In short there is no generic diet and reality dictates the RDA contains very little relevance to individual requirements, especially in today's society of chemicals, illnesses and 24/7 lifestyle.
Let's take vitamin C (aids the immune system) as an example, the requirements for a smoker vs non-smoker vary significantly. For a smoker to maintain the same blood level of vitamin C as a non-smoker they require more than 200mg a day, this equates to approximately four times the RDA. This number then increases substantially for heavy drinkers.
These are just two basic examples to take into account, there are actually so many variables in the forms of lifestyle, pollutants, activity factor, genetics, etc. so a standard base dose just isn't sufficient for the average human being, mainly because there is no average.
So what's the answer?
Aim to consume an abundance of fruit and vegetables, oily fish and unprocessed lean protein sources as part of a balanced diet; what's the old saying? "Everything in moderation" - if sticking to an 80/20 rule (whole nutritious/less 'healthy') will likely enhance adherence.
Learn to listen to your own body, we can do this by cutting back to basics and gradually introducing whole food sources, similiar to the method used for determining your body's response to FODMAP foods (more on this in another post). If we react unfavourably over the next few days it's a simple process of elimination.
More often than not we convince ourselves of our body being within a close to optimum state of performance due to accustoming to a regular cycle of feelings which we consider to be 'normal'. In reality for many, the state of our mind and body is not normal and we are far from an optimum state. Ignorance is bliss, but also extremely hazardous to health as we then fail to notice potentially underlying issues until experiencing a more pronounced affect, of which we then hope for a miraculous solution which is rarely the outcome.
It's not as hard as it sounds to alter all this, small changes account for a lot when maintained and most of you will feel the difference, whether it be more regulated energy source, less bloating, reduced anxiety or so on.
It all begins with the basic choices we make today.
It's not as hard as it sounds to alter all this, small changes account for a lot when maintained and most of you will feel the difference, whether it be more regulated energy source, less bloating, reduced anxiety or so on.
It all begins with the basic choices we make today.
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