Protein Intake

Tucker talked about how much protein older adults should intake, which is a controversial topic. Some experts believe that too much protein can be harmful, but new research suggests that a moderate amount of protein is necessary. The Institute of Medicine recommends the same protein intake for both older and younger adults.

Houston et al. (2008) showed that Protein intake is important, between the ages of 70 and 79, individuals with the highest protein intake lost the least amount of lean muscle mass over a three-year period. Tucker explained that the greater the proportional loss of lean muscle mass, the greater the proportion of fat mass, and the greater the risk of metabolic imbalances and related chronic conditions. Also, loss of lean muscle mass increases the likelihood of falling. She stated that maintaining muscle mass in older adults is one of the most important preventative health steps that can be taken.

However, in this long-term prospective study, women with the highest dietary protein intake, as well as the greatest animal protein intake, actually had the least bone loss. In another study, it was found that contrary to expectations, higher protein intake was associated with lower bone loss. In the past, it was believed that higher protein intake leads to calcium loss in the urine, which in turn contributes to bone loss. However, in this long-term study, women with the highest dietary protein intake, as well as the greatest animal protein intake, actually had the least bone loss.

Other Macronutrients

Among the fatty fish, wild caught Alaskan salmon, herring, and sardines are particularly good sources. Tucker briefly describes the role of other macronutrients, namely omega-3 fatty acids and fiber, in maintaining health during aging. He says that dietary fiber is known to be important for maintaining intestinal health and protecting against heart disease and other metabolic conditions. With lipids, the concern with older adults is not too much total fat or too much saturated fat, as it is with younger adults, rather too few omega-3 fatty acids. Epidemiological studies have found that higher intakes of omega-3 fatty acids provide greater protection against many conditions, including cardiovascular events (e.g. arrhythmias, cardiac death, recurrent myocardial infarction), diabetes, and cognitive decline. The problem is that omega-3 fatty acids are very limited in the standard diet, with the main sources being fatty fish, flax seeds, and walnuts. Among the fatty fish, wild caught Alaskan salmon, herring, and sardines are particularly good sources. Tucker said that it's not clear if supplements can provide the same benefits as this group of fatty acids.

Approximately 40-70% of older adults do not have a sufficient intake of omega-3 fatty acids, and 10-40% of older adults do not have a sufficient intake of dietary fiber.

4 Nutrition Trends to Ignore, and 2 Habits to Build

Ignore these:

Wearing a CGM if you aren’t diabetic.

Why. Seriously, just why.

Around 8.7% of the population in the US has diabetes, and 10.8% has pre-diabetes, which means that high blood sugar levels are definitely an issue.

Do you need to wear a CGM if your sugars are normal?

You only need to micromanage your blood glucose with a continuous glucose monitor if you're diabetic or have issues with blood sugar.

Your blood sugar levels may fluctuate throughout the day, which is normal. There is no need to monitor your blood sugar levels closely if you don't have pre-diabetes or diabetes. Regular blood tests can provide you with the information you need, on a larger scale.

Do you want to know if raspberries affect your blood sugar more than apples, or if lattes have a greater impact than black coffee?

Yes, eating any carbs will make your blood sugars rise.

Yes, eating more refined carbs, especially on their own, will make your blood sugars rise faster.

Yes, less processed carbs will still cause your glucose to rise, but not as quickly.

And yes, ALL OF THIS IS NORMAL. 

The expected outcome of having this information is that you will change your diet to what you should have been eating in the first place.

The practise of drill-downing food to numbers in an attempt to get a better understanding of nutrition doesn't help as much as one might think. It can make the act of eating more complicated than it needs to be, and takes away from our natural cues.

Although we all respond to carbohydrates in our diet differently, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Another factor to consider, in addition to how high our blood sugar levels rise after a meal, is how long it takes for them to return to normal. Unless you have a specific reason for needing to track all this data, it can be a lot of work for not much benefit.

What is your opinion on how “hacking” everything affects your mental health?

Blood sugars, for most healthy people, can be kept in check by following these rules:

Eat fewer refined carbs.

Eat more minimally processed ones.

You should eat carbs with a source of fat and/or protein to help your body better absorb them.

You shouldn't worry about which foods cause a small increase in blood sugar levels. That kind of thing doesn't have an effect on your health.

While it may be interesting to see your blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day, it is not generally considered helpful in the long term.

In addition to the privileged few who are using CGM devices unnecessarily, I have also heard from many diabetics who are upset about it. These people are not only taking up needed supplies, but they are also flaunting their use of a life-saving device to those who don't need it.

Taking greens powders.

Greens powders are typically sold as a way to supplement your intake of greens, while also promoting alkalinity in the body, detoxing heavy metals, and calming inflammation.

I wish people would stop using the word “inflammation” so much. There isn't much evidence from human studies that taking antioxidant supplements improves health.

I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with greens powders, I am more concerned with how they are marketed. It gives the powders an unrealistic image.

First off, greens powders don’t replace whole fruits and vegetables. If you see any company advertising their product as giving you ‘X servings of fruit and vegetables,’ it’s a RED FLAG. Nothing gives you ‘X servings of fruits and vegetables’….except for fruits and vegetables. 

Whole fruits and vegetables are better for our bodies than greens powders and supplements because they contain fiber.

I find it amusing that a lot of companies and influencers make a big deal about promoting whole foods and demonizing any foods that are processed, then turn around and sell nutrition powders and supplements. 

That makes zero sense.

Gut health for weight loss

to parents is another issue. This is another issue, talking about ‘sensitivities' and the selling of elimination diets to parents.

With every new nutrition MLM comes a new supplement for gut health. This is especially prominent with the new Beachbody Gut Health Protocol.

‘Hacking’ our gut to lose weight is the new thing. And although gut health and weight are probably linked, here’s what we don’t know:

• What the optimal microbiome looks like for each individual.
• Which gut bacteria help with weight loss.
• What exactly we need to eat to get the correct balance of those bacteria.

It is important to know three things in relation to gut health and weight, without this knowledge anything we do is a guess. The research is not advanced enough yet, but eventually we will get there.

The popularity of gut health has resulted in many people trying to sell nutrition programs that claim to sensitivity to food and eliminate dietary problems.

‘Food sensitivity’ isn’t a real medical diagnosis, and is often used by alternative practitioners to diagnose vague symptoms. Immunologists recognize food intolerances, which are GI-mediated, and food allergies, which are mediated by the immune system. 

It's not a good sign when someone starts talking about food sensitivities, food sensitivity testing (which is not valid), and elimination diets that are not supervised by someone with a legitimate qualification.

Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way to keep your gut healthy, rather than following a restrictive diet. Although you may not lose weight, you will be healthier overall.

Sh*tting on seed oils

If you go on any social media platform right now, you're bound to see somebody talking about the dangers of seed oils from a keto/low carb perspective.

People have been critical of seed oils recently, which I understand. There are many people who don't understand science or are biased.

Apparently, a lot of people believe what those people say, even though it might not be true. That's too bad.

Let’s take this point by point:

GMOs have not been demonstrated to have any negative effect on human health. I wrote a detailed piece on organic food versus conventional food here.

Hexane is a chemical that’s used in the processing of some oils. However, by the time the oil is in the store, the amount of hexane that remains in it is almost nonexistent. Therefore, the dose of hexane present in the oil is not enough to be harmful.

Keep these nutrition habits:

Getting these habits down before making any changes to your diet

Let’s all take a step back from nutrition ‘hacks’ and the latest weight loss fads, and FOCUS on the following nutrition habits:

You should aim to get at least two large handfuls of plants more than twice a day.

Eating fewer ultra-processed foods.

Eating plenty of fibre-rich grains and fruits and vegetables.

You should aim to have approximately 25 grams of protein in each of your meals. For more information on how much protein you need, check out this article.

Cooking more and eating fewer restaurant meals.

Being consistent, whatever that means for YOU.

Aside from diet, if you’re interested in overall wellness, here are some basics to focus on that give big payoffs:

Move towards a place where body size isn’t the end game

We as a culture have become obsessed with the idea that being a certain weight and looking a certain way is the only way to be healthy and happy. Now we're struggling to break free from that way of thinking.

Here’s a few thoughts:

1. Nobody cares what size pants you wear. People are (or should be) more interested in what kind of a person you are. If someone cares more about your weight than who you are, they’re not worth your time anyhow.
2. I support weight loss, but I don’t and never will support weight loss that comes from strict diets, punishing regimens, and a laser-focus on weight, with success being measured in pounds lost. All of these can further damage your relationship with food and your body, and are mostly unsustainable. 
3. Figuring out your ‘why’ and negative core beliefs is the number one step to changing your thought process around eating, weight, and your body. You can get started with this post, Three Checks to do Before You Lose Weight.