This is a hot topic these days with the new keto-diet fad. My morning reading had a great analogy that I thought I’d share with you all. Think of your energy and metabolism as a fire. There are 3 ways to fuel your fire: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates (sugars) are the kindling for your fire. It doesn’t take much to get the fire going, but after just a short period of time you need to keep on adding more or your fire will burn out. Fat is the dry, thick log that will sustain and fuel your fire for hours. Protein is the wet, thick log that you want to save as a last resort because it takes a long time to get it burning.
Now think of your nutrition. If you eat carbs for breakfast (toast, cereal, oatmeal, pastries, bagels), do you get a rush of energy, but then an hour or two later feel tired, brain fog, or hungry again? This is because you are fueling your body with kindling. If you eat healthy fats for breakfast (avocado, nuts, yogurt, cheese, olive oil), what do you notice throughout the day? You probably do not have energy crashes or blood sugar spikes and find that you can go longer before getting hungry again. This is because you are fueling your fire with the good, slow burning wood. And, protein is very important in your nutrition because it is the building block for muscles, involved in cellular metabolism, and a main component in enzymes responsible for tissue repair, detoxification, and other housekeeping processes. This is why we want to use protein as a last resort for energy, and instead allow it to be used for all the other important things it does.
It is important to note that no ‘diet’ is right for everyone. What is important is to take a look at your nutrition and make sure that you are fueling your fire correctly. We are all individuals with different needs. Starting a fire in a humid, tropical paradise is different than starting a fire in the central Oregon desert. Pay attention to what you are fueling your body with, experiment with different ratios of fat, protein and carbohydrates, and do what works for you!
Your digestive system is in direct communication with your nervous system. In order for you to properly break down and allocate nutrients from your food effectively, your digestive system needs to be told by your brain and nerves exactly what enzymes to secrete and where to send the nutrients to. Making sure your nervous system is functioning optimally with Lifestyle Chiropractic care can help ensure that you are getting the most out of the fuel you are using.
P.S. My morning reading is The Postnatal Depletion Cure by Dr. Oscar Serrallach. I highly recommend it for any woman who is thinking about having kids, currently pregnant, or has newborns, toddlers, and young children. I’d also recommend it for anyone that works with these populations. Happy eating!
