By Nelson Vergel
www.TestosteroneWisdom.com
There is so much confusing and
contradictory information out there about healthy eating. I will try to summarize what I have learned
as a bodybuilder who wants to stay healthy as I age. The choices of foods that we can now can have
a significant effect not only on our body shape and quality of life, but
also mortality and on how well we age.
The components of whole food.
Foods are made up of many different components—some are “micro” or smaller
quantity nutrients, like vitamins, and some are “macro” or larger quantity
nutrients. The three macro groups that compose the majority of our diets are
carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These three units are the basic materials
that fuel our activities and metabolism and maintain body composition.
Selecting the best sources and amounts of these three macronutrients may help
to minimize metabolic disorders (such as high cholesterol and blood sugar) and
prevent loss of lean body mass and accumulation of body fat.
The best carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates provide our body’s main source of quick energy. After
carbohydrates are digested and after some processing by the liver, they are
released into the bloodstream as a sugar called glucose to be delivered to the
cells.
Throughout the majority of the last million years of our
evolution, the human diet consisted of animal carcasses, some seeds, nuts, and
fibrous vegetable and fruit carbohydrate sources that are generally
nutrient-rich with lots of water, but are not calorie-dense like processed
foods of today. The majority of these carbohydrate sources are vegetables,
leaves, roots, and fruits (all rich in fiber). Because vegetable fiber tends to
slow down digestion, a majority of the carbohydrates in these foods are
absorbed relatively slowly, inducing less blood sugar (glucose) and insulin
spikes than processed sweets that contain no fiber. Some people call these
“slow carbs.”
It was only after the advent of agriculture that human beings were
introduced to higher intakes of grains as carbohydrate sources. Higher intakes
of grains deliver lots of calories. Additionally, some grains deliver their
sugar energy relatively quickly, especially if the grain is milled (which
removes the fiber that slows down sugar absorption), as are the grains in
breads and pasta. Unless you are very active and exercise enough to metabolize
nutrients more rapidly, this quick glucose release into the bloodstream can
create a dysfunctional hormonal environment that can ultimately promote
obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. This hormonal shift also has a
profound effect on lean body mass and fat metabolism, and possibly immune
function. The key hormone involved in this problem is called insulin, produced
by an organ called the pancreas.
Insulin and insulin resistance.
The hormone insulin is produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar and
store it in muscles for later use as glycogen. Insulin’s main job in the body
is to promote the delivery of sugar energy as glucose to cells. When a small
amount of glucose is delivered into the bloodstream, a small amount of insulin
is produced by the pancreas to accompany it. When there is a large amount of
glucose, the pancreas works to produce a large amount of insulin to facilitate
its delivery so that cells can take in as much glucose as possible. Extra
glucose that cannot be taken in by the cells circulates in the bloodstream and
can be toxic to brain cells, so under normal circumstances, most of it is soon
converted into triglycerides (fat) in the liver to be stored for later use. But
we have to be careful with high blood levels of triglycerides, since they are
what feed fat cells.
The correct amount of carbohydrate sources will provide enough
sugar to give a healthy amount of glucose to the cells, but not too much at
once. Thus, levels of glucose and insulin in the bloodstream are not unusually
elevated for any long period of time. The pancreas works, but it is not
overworked trying to keep up with an unusual demand for insulin. However, in the U.S., much
of the diet consists not only of large amounts of high-calorie carbohydrate
sources, but also of carbohydrates from sweets and sodas, which are very
concentrated sources of sugar. The net effect that intake of these
calorie-dense carbohydrate foods creates is a bloodstream that is occasionally
flooded with large amounts of glucose, a pancreas that is overworked, and large
amounts of insulin and triglycerides circulating in the bloodstream. Note that
excess insulin causes increased production of cholesterol.
Over time, these occasional glucose, triglyceride, and insulin
floods can cause a decrease in the sensitivity of the cells’ response to
insulin, which reduces the cells’ ability to take in glucose. Insensitivity to
insulin is called insulin resistance, and it is a serious consideration in metabolic
problems. Some HIV medications can worsen insulin resistance, so we need to be
aware of nutritional considerations that can help. Ways to decrease insulin
resistance are to exercise, follow a proper diet, and taking medications that
improve insulin response. For instance, several studies have found that people
consuming an overall high-quality diet, rich in fiber and adequate in energy
and protein, were less likely to gain fat. This is why it is best to select the
majority of your carbohydrate intake from fiber-rich, slow-releasing
carbohydrate sources that do not contain an excessive amount of calories. And
these good carbs should be accompanied by good sources of protein and fats.
Combining carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and fat.
Protein, fiber, or fat will slow the absorption into the blood of glucose from
carbohydrates, which helps to reduce the rise in blood sugar and insulin
spikes. So, mixing carbohydrates with protein, fiber, and good fats is one way
to reduce their problematic effect on blood sugar and insulin. Ensure that
every meal and snack you consume has a mix of these three macronutrients. But
what are the best fats, protein, and high-fiber carbohydrates sources out
there?
Fats and oils.
There are a number of different kinds of fats. There is motor oil, there is
butter, and there are essential fatty acids. The most important oil to keep a
Honda running right is not the kind with essential fatty acids (EFAs), but if
you want to help your body stay healthy and your immune system operating at its
best, you had better consider getting these EFAs on a daily basis. They are
called “essential” because your body cannot manufacture them, and must obtain
them from an outside source, like food or supplements. These oils are necessary
for every critical function in your metabolism, including building lean body
mass and fighting infections.
The main point is that since we need EFAs and other fats for
health, we should be getting them in our diets from fresh, high-quality
sources. A proper diet reduces the amount of starchy carbohydrates while
maintaining a certain amount of healthy fats so that there is a different
macronutrient balance than the old high-carbohydrate, high-protein, low-fat
diets contained. This means striving to get fatty acids from several sources,
the least of which are the saturated fats in butter or animal fat. Understand
that saturated fats are not the demons we have been led to believe. When we
realize that we evolved getting a certain amount of saturated fat from foods in
the wild, it is only logical that they would have a place in a healthy diet.
One recent study showed that dietary saturated fat and mono-unsaturated fat
were associated with healthy testosterone production in humans, while EFAs had
no effect. So it appears that we need a little saturated fat for optimal
hormonal health. However, most people get far too much saturated fat, which
promotes insulin resistance and metabolic problems, and not enough EFAs, which
are needed for healthy cells and immune function.
The other important kind of fat that we should consciously include
in our daily diet is mono-unsaturated fat, which we get from foods like olive
oil. Recent data have shown that mono-unsaturated fats decrease the risk of
certain cancers, and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Fatty acid recommendations.
EFAs include the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Most people get an imbalance
of these two by consuming too small an amount of omega-3 fats, which have
anti-inflammatory properties, and relatively too large an amount of omega-6
fats, which tend to promote inflammation when out of balance. To get more
omega-3s, eat more fish, including salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, mackerel,
rainbow trout, and herring. Omega-6s are contained in common vegetable oils,
like sunflower, safflower, and corn oils. Try to reduce your intake of these.
Oils and cooking.
Olive oil is one of the best oils to cook with. You can also cook with
high-oleic sunflower oil, avocado, canola, macadamia, or any oil that is high
in mono-unsaturated fatty acids.
Avoid cooking with oils made from corn and sesame. These oils
contain more omega-6 fats, and less mono-unsaturated fats, so they have a
higher potential for spoiling and turning to trans-fats, which are bad for the
immune system. Try to avoid any intake of these oils when they are not
absolutely fresh.
Also, choose oils that are minimally processed. Most of the clear
oils in supermarkets are stripped of some of their natural components to make
them more suitable for sitting on store shelves for long periods of time
without spoiling. Do not use these stripped oils. When you do cook, do not
overheat the oil so that it smokes, which causes the formation of carcinogens
and destroys the beneficial fatty acids.
Avoid margarine, hydrogenated fats, or processed oils.
Do your best to avoid processed fats or oils, as they have negative effects on
cellular health, overall metabolism, and your immune system. Look out for the
words hydrogenated and partially-hydrogenated. These kinds of manipulated fats
probably do increase the risk of cancer and heart disease. They also weaken
healthy cellular immune metabolism. Lastly, they are also likely to promote
high lipid levels and insulin resistance.
Protein, food for the immune system.
Dairy protein fractions, such as caseine (contained in milk curd) and whey, are
at the top of the list of proteins that optimally feed lean body mass growth.
In dairy products, the amino acid balances, insulin-raising potential, and
overall growth factor content add up to one thing: milk proteins were created
to make mammals grow bigger. While there is a lot of hoopla related to which
dairy protein fractions are best, there is more misinformation than reality in
this area. Those with lactose intolerance should be careful in their selection
of milk-based products. Aged cheeses and yogurt may be more tolerable for those
who cannot digest lactose.
Egg protein.
Next on the list are egg proteins. The important thing to remember is that
whole egg is probably somewhat better than egg white for lean body mass growth
and overall health effect, because the yolk is a rich nutrient source, and its
protein content complements the protein in the egg white. Together they are a
better source of protein.
Meat protein.
While real food like meat often seems to take a back seat to protein powders
because of a mindset created by slick advertising, professional athletes know
the value of real food related to lean body mass growth. If you do not make
real food and meat fundamentals in your diet, you will not grow lean body mass
tissue as well. Fish, chicken, turkey, and beef are vitally important foods,
not only because of their protein content, but because they contain numerous
other nutritional components that are important for a healthy metabolism. The
message is: eat real food, then supplement food with protein powder drinks if
you need them.
Lean red meat is a superior source for lean body mass growth and
blood-building nutrients. These include creatine, carnitine, phenylalanine,
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and heme- (blood) iron, the most absorbable
form of iron. And meat, in general, is less likely to cause allergic reactions
than eggs or dairy proteins, like casein and whey. The only caution about red
meat is that the high amount of saturated fat most commercial red meat contains
could promote metabolic problems. So be moderate about including it in your
diet and choose leaner meats if you do.
Important details on meat: cooking kills bacteria in meats. Stewed
meat is better for digestion (chicken soup, beef stew). Roasting is okay. Try
not to fry or barbecue with charcoal. Charred foods are associated with
increased risk of gastrointestinal system cancers. Any cooking of meat or
vegetable protein that causes the formation of a hard outer skin renders the protein
that becomes the skin to be much less digestible because it cross-links the
protein.
Vegetarian diets
It is very difficult to gain lean muscle weight on a vegetarian diet. In fact,
it is almost impossible for most people, especially when they are fighting
infections that burn lean body.
If you do choose a vegetarian diet, your best protein sources are
beans, seeds and nuts. Digestion of nuts and seeds will be improved by soaking
them overnight to reduce the enzymes they contain that inhibit digestion of
proteins. If you can eat them without digestive problems, many nuts and seeds
are ideal foods because they contain protein, healthy fat, and complex
carbohydrates in a very good balance for overall health. They also make a great
snack between meals. However, the amino acid balances in these proteins do not
appear to be optimum for lean body mass growth for humans.
Calcium and vitamin D—two important micronutrients
We know that calcium and vitamin D help to strengthen bone. Many of us chose to
take calcium plus vitamin D supplements, but there are also foods that are rich
in these nutrients. Calcium-rich foods include milk, cheese, spinach, fortified
orange juice (be careful with the sugar, though!), fish, eggs, and beans.
Vitamin D-rich foods include milk, most fish, and eggs. However, most of us do
not consume the 1000 mg and 2000 IU needed per day for calcium and vitamin D,
respectively, and need to take over-the-counter supplements.
Miscellaneous nutrition tips
·
For your food, shop
mostly in the outer part of the grocery store where the fresh produce, meats,
and milk products/eggs are. Avoid overly processed canned or packaged foods,
except for frozen vegetables. Read the labels and avoid products with many
preservatives and additives. Trans-fats and hydrogenated oils, high fructose
corn syrup, and high sugar should be on your radar when reading labels.
·
Try to eat several smaller
balanced (protein + good carbs + good fats) meals or snacks instead of two to
three large ones. Smaller meals/snacks are more easily digestible, keep blood
sugar and insulin more constant through the day, and keep you from binge eating
late at night.
·
Eat more almonds,
walnuts, pecans and pistachios (good cholesterol-lowering fats). Twice a day,
snack on such nuts to get your good fats and fiber. If you wish, mix them with
some dried fruit. Research has shown that people who eat nuts tend to have lower
LDL cholesterol.
·
Avoid junk and fast
food. The best way to do this is to have enough food at home and to bring lunch
to work. Cook a lot of food on weekends and freeze meals in small containers
you can heat up later.
·
Do not sabotage yourself
by bringing sweets and junk into your home. Watch your cravings at night, when
most people find it the most difficult to avoid overdrinking alcohol or eating
ice cream, cookies, and comfort foods.
·
Eat a large breakfast, a
moderate lunch, and a small dinner. Skipping breakfast makes you more prone to
overcompensate by eating more calories late in the day. Your body has spent
several hours without food and is starved for nutrients in the morning. Do not
feed it sugar and white flour products at this important time. Eggs, oatmeal
(the type that has no added sugar, and you can add whey protein powder to it!),
Greek-style yogurt with nuts and fiber supplements, low-fat cottage cheese with
fruit, almond butter on multigrain (high-fiber) bread, and fruit are all good
choices for breakfast.
·
For lunch have some soup
and a glass of water first and wait 10 minutes to trick your body into feeling
full faster. Grilled chicken with vegetables, tuna salad over greens and nuts,
a Greek salad with sliced steak, and any Mediterranean food choices are good.
·
For dinner, fill
yourself with stir-fried (use olive oil!) vegetables and lean meats. Two hours
before bed, you can have half an almond butter sandwich or yogurt with fruit.
You will not be hungry and desperate with this diet!
·
Eat fruits and
vegetables of all colors. Each has a different antioxidant profile. The produce
section of the market is basically a fresh vitamin department and a medicine
chest. Some foods like garlic, onions, and ginger have genuine therapeutic
effects. Eating the widest variety of fresh produce on a daily basis assures
you of getting all the ingredients that nature provides that can help keep your
body strong enough to handle bacteria and viruses so that you stay healthy.
·
Avoid sodas, sweet
drinks, and fruit juices (fruit sounds healthy, but juice contains too much
sugar and no fiber to slow down its absorption into the blood). Consuming sugar daily can
affect your metabolism, create insulin resistance, make you fat, and have all
kinds of negative health consequences. The suggested pecking order of
carbohydrate food sources that support your health without increasing insulin
resistance follows. Best are vegetables in their many forms. Next are beans and
peas. These deliver more calories than vegetables, but the carbohydrates
release much more slowly than grains. Next are whole grains, which are
calorie-dense but contain carbohydrates that, in general, release somewhat
slowly. At the bottom, and the most likely to promote body fat problems, are
carbohydrates from milled grains, like wheat and corn. Whole grains are
marginally better than processed grains, but when they are milled into flour
the difference is not that great. The very worst carbohydrate sources are
sweets, like candies, which can deliver as many as 2,000 calories per pound.
Try to eat from the first group of slow-release carbohydrate sources most of
the time, and if you are relatively healthy, you can have small amounts of
milled wheat products or sweets once in awhile.
·
Drink lots of water. Six
to eight glasses a day is a good goal. If you get thirsty, you are already
dehydrated!
·
Eat a high-protein,
complex carbohydrate-rich meal after workouts. Examples: chicken salad with
nuts, cottage cheese or yogurt and nuts/fruit, celery sticks and hummus
(chickpea butter), etc.
·
Manage your intake of
caffeine (it reduces appetite but can increase anxiety). Do not have any
caffeine after 4 p.m., since it can impair your sleep.
·
Minimize hidden sugars
like high fructose corn syrup. Read the labels of food you buy. Diet sodas tend
to make your brain crave sweets in general, so they are not good substitutes
for sugary drinks. Water, water, water!
·
If you do not consume at
least 20 grams of fiber a day, add to your intake supplements like Citrucell or
Benefiber, purchased in any grocery store. Fiber improves insulin sensitivity,
makes you feel full longer, keeps your gut healthy (friendly gut bacteria that
produce vitamins love fiber), keeps you regular and reduces diarrhea,
and can lower the chances of getting colon cancer.
·
Eating healthy is eating
smart, and it does not mean that you should starve yourself. Hopefully, this
information has shed some light on healthy food sources and how they can affect
health and the bodySo, take charge of your health and take care of your body.
It is the only one you have.
Healthy
Eating Shopping List
1.
Produce
·
Spinach and other green leafy
vegetables
·
Broccoli and cabbage
·
Green beans
·
Avocados
·
Raspberries and all berries. You can
buy frozen ones and add to whey protein shakes
·
Whole fruits (remember no juices).
·
Sweet potatoes, carrots
·
Hummus
·
Beans and other legumes (you can buy
canned or frozen ones)
2.
Nuts, Grains, Oil
·
Mix of almonds and other nuts
·
Peanut, almond, and cashew butters
without hydrogenated oil (the healthy
nut butters show oil
and butter separated since the lack of hydrogenated oils prevents
emulsification)
·
Pumpkin and sunflower seeds
·
Wild rice (the darker the rice, the
better)
·
Whole grain breads and pasta
·
High fiber crackers
·
Oatmeal (not the little packets; those
are loaded with sugars)
·
Olive oil
3.
Dairy
·
Low fat milk, cheese
·
Yogurt (Greek style, no sugar added)
·
Eggs (free range or Omega 3 enriched
if possible)
4.
Meat
·
Lean meats
·
Salmon, sardines and tuna
·
Occasional glass of red wine per day
(optional)
5.
Supplements
·
Whey protein (I like the Isopure
brand since it does not give me gut problems and it is very light)
·
Vitamin D
·
A multivitamin (Super Nutrition's
Super Blend)
·
Fish Oils
