macros – Inspired by Miranda

In the past few years there has been loads of controversy whether carbohydrates, or carbs as they are commonly known, are good or bad for you. You probably heard that:

Carbs spike your blood sugar and insulin, which packs on the body fat.
Carbs, especially sugar and grains, cause inflammation.
Carbs are not an essential part of the diet like fat and protein.

Unfortunately statements about “good foods” and “bad foods” ignore biological complexity and the bigger picture of nutrition.

by jms5030.

We all require some level of carbohydrates to function at our best over the long term.

We can cut carbs temporarily if we need to lose weight quickly or at the starting phase of weight loss. But for most of us, keeping carbs too low for too long can have disastrous consequences, especially if you work out. It could lead to:

decreased thyroid output
increased cortisol output
decreased testosterone
impaired mood and cognitive function
muscle catabolism
suppressed immune function

In other words: Your metabolism might slow, your stress hormones go up and your muscle-building hormones go down.

You feel lousy, spaced-out, sluggish, cranky… and maybe even sick!

Eating too low-carb for too long can cause significant disruptions to many hormones.

This seems especially true for women. Not eating enough calories or carbohydrates or even eating enough calories but not enough carbohydrates leads up to disrupted hormones. This can have effects such as no or irregular periods as the body responds to a perceived sense of starvation and stress.

In addition, not eating enough carbohydrates tends to increase cortisol levels. Research also shows that lowering carb intake can affect your muscle mass even if protein intake remains constant.

Carbs Quote

Unless you are preparing for a bodybuilding competition or other athletic events… Keep it simple!

Enjoy a wide variety of minimally processed, whole and fresh foods.

Observe how you look, feel, and perform.

And remember:

YOU ARE UNIQUE!

IMG-20151230-WA0019 Many times we have been told that fats are the source of all evil when it comes to our health.

However, this is not always the case. By choosing the right fats you can improve your health tremendously.

Find out from Adrianna all you need to know about what fats are good for you:

Almost all cooking oils or cooking fats, contain some mixture of three types of fatty acids: polyunsaturated, mono-unsaturated, and saturated. Each has certain advantages:

Saturated fats

Saturated fatty acids constitute at least 50% of your cell membranes, giving them their necessary stiffness and integrity. They play a vital role in the health of our bones and they lower certain substances in the blood (like Lp(a) that indicates proneness to heart disease). They’ve been given a terrible rap!

The saturated fats found in butter have anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and weight-control properties. Stearic acid, the most abundant fatty acid in butter, is the preferred fuel source for the heart and can reduce “bad cholesterol” or LDL.

Butter contains another saturated fat called lauric acid, which contains anti-bacterial properties and can stop certain viruses and pathogens right in their tracks.

CLA, while not found in appreciable amounts in grain-fed butter, is abundant in grass-fed butter. CLA can aid in building lean muscle, burning body fat and is believed to have anti-carcinogenic properties.

Butyric acid is another important fatty acid found in grass-fed butter and can prevent colon cancer and controls gut inflammation.

Grass-fed butter is copious in Vitamin A and contains the full array of fat soluble vitamins.

Polyunsaturated fats

Polyunsaturated fats include both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3s, like flaxseed oil, are great for using on salads, but can’t be used for cooking at high temperatures because of the delicate structure of the fats—any health benefit will be destroyed during the heating.

On the other hand, omega-6s (found in corn oil, soy bean oil, safflower oil, and the like) are “pro-inflammatory”oils which have a high ratio of omega-6s should be used sparingly or not at all. We get far too many of these omega-6s in our diet (and far too few omega-3s). Plus, omega-6s are very susceptible to cell-damaging free-radicals when heated. Sadly, most vegetable oils are highly processed and refined, meaning many of the natural antioxidants have been destroyed, so these should be avoided too.

Mono-unsaturated fats

Mono-unsaturated fats, also known as omega-9s, are found in olive oil and macadamia nut oil and are one of the best oils to cook with. Macadamia nut oil stands up to heat quite well, and contains a ton of these heart-healthy mono-unsaturated fats. Extra-virgin olive oil is the least processed of the olive oils can stand medium heat and superb salad dressing.

So what should you include in your nutrition?

My recommendation is unrefined, cold-pressed oils whenever possible, regardless of the oil you choose. Coconut oil is an especially good choice. Organic butter and ghee, which is clarified butter, are also good choices.

Coconut oil and coconut cream contain Medium Chain Fatty Acids, which are instrumental in making the immune system stronger.

On thing to avoid is canola oil, despite its hype and popularity. It’s a highly refined oil that has to be chemically bleached, de-gummed, and deodorized at very high temperatures (much like many other refined vegetable oils) which strips it of any health benefits.

Tag: macros

Adrianna on the Carbohydrate Controversy

Adrianna on why fats are important