Nutrition

“Let foods be your medicine NOT your poison!”

In this section you will learn to identify the right foods for your body type and why a personalised amount of macronutrient ratios (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) is a key pillar to maintaining a healthy mind and body.

“Ever wondered why the same diet can help a person lose weight but another person can gain weight?”

... “This is because we are all unique, and there’s no ‘cookie-cutter’ approach to eating.”

However, there is a method to eating according to your unique body type and this maybe a lot simpler than you think! Basically, it works by identifying where your ancestors were from many generations ago and eating the same foods that they had eaten. Knowing where your ancestors were from will help you identify the amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, based on the available foods in their regions.

Knowing your body type

In the 1930’s Dr Weston Price studied isolated indigenous cultures from all around the world. Price found that village people with minimal access to foods from the “modern world” were very healthy and robust. They were eating only wholefoods local to where they lived and their ratios of proteins, carbohydrates and fats differed depending on the climate.

However, Price found neighbouring villages with direct access to the “modern world” who ate manufactured non-wholefoods, were suffering from many diseases such as obesity, diabetes and inflammation, and their life spans were much shorter.

So to understand what foods your body is suited to, go as far back as you can in your family tree and look where your ancestors lived, because the climate they lived in determined how rapidly they converted food into energy. If they lived in colder regions, then they converted energy quickly, and needed to eat heavier proteins and fats that burn slowly.

In contrast, those that lived in warmer climates, converted food into energy at a slower rate and needed to eat mainly carbohydrates rather than protein and fat.

Therefore, your ancestors that lived closer to the Polar Regions (further from the equator) would have access to more animal proteins and fats.

Whereas, if your ancestors lived closer to the equator they would have had access to more fruit and vegetation.

Polar Vs Equatorial

Polar Regions: An Inuit culture (formally known as Eskimo) are a group of indigenous peoples inhabiting the Polar Regions, and would’ve hunted animals, including birds, caribou, seals, walrus, polar bears, whales, and fish provided all the nutrition for the Inuit people for at least 10 months of the year. In the summer season Inuit people gathered a few plant foods such as berries, grasses, tubers, roots, stems, and seaweeds. A person from this region would have been eating carbohydrates with a lower glycaemic index (less sugar, typically above ground vegetables and occasional fruits) and protein with a higher fat and purine content (darker and denser).

Equatorial Regions: An indigenous person from Borneo, also with no access to modern foods, living right on the Equator, would’ve eaten some fish and prawns, but it would have been a lot easier to access rice and local fruit and vegetables all year round. Tropical climates have more vegetation and therefore vegetables and sweet fruits would’ve been growing in abundance. A person from this region would have been eating carbohydrates with a higher glycaemic index (more sugar, typically below ground vegetables and sweeter fruits) and protein with a lower fat and purine content (lighter).

Your ideal protein, carbohydrate and fat ratios

As you can see the ancestors who lived closer to the Polar Regions will be a Protein Type, and those closer to the equator will be a Carbohydrate type. However, if your ancestors were living in between or were a mix of Polar and equatorial regions, then you will be a Mixed Type.

At this point, you may be thinking that you don’t know much about your ancestral history? Or if you do, they may be from different regions of the world? … Your mother maybe from Alaska and your father could be from Borneo, which means their diets would’ve been the complete opposite!

No worries, there is way to tailor your food requirements which involves adding or subtracting proteins, carbohydrates and fats accordingly… and you will explore this in the next section titled Mixed Types.

Protein Types

Protein Types need a diet that is rich in oils and high-purine proteins such as organ meats, beef, dark-meat poultry, and seafood including salmon, tuna, herring, and mussels. Protein Types can also eat fats such as eggs, whole milk, cream, and whole-milk cheese, but these should not replace animal proteins. Their carbohydrate intake should be low with a focus on complex carbohydrates (whole grains, vegetables) over simple ones (sugary, starchy foods). As a Protein Type, your ratios should be around; 45% protein, 20% fats and 35% carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate Types

Carbohydrate Types need a diet that is high in carbohydrates and low in protein, fats, and oils. They should eat low-purine proteins, such as turkey and chicken breast (light meat only) and lighter fish like haddock, perch, sole, and flounder. Carbohydrate Types should stick with low-fat dairy products and eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. They don't need to load up on refined carbohydrates such as candy or potato chips. As a Carbohydrate Type, your ratios should be around; 20% protein, 10% fats and 70% carbohydrates.

Mixed Types

If you're a Mixed Type, it means you're somewhere in the middle of the other two types. You need to eat a mixture of Protein Type ratios and Carbohydrate Type ratios. Typically Mixed Types don't get cravings and need a good balance of foods. However, this doesn’t mean you have the green light for eating what you whatever want! If you don't carefully manage your diet you could develop sweet cravings-or any other kind of craving, and gain weight. As a Mixed Type, your ratios should be around; 40% protein, 10% fats and 50% carbohydrates.

However, you may be subject to fluctuating between a Protein Type and a Carbohydrate Type, which means you will need to be more aware of how you respond to each meal type. You can get a better understanding on how to do this in the section 3 pages down titled Fine-tuning your proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Firstly, what are proteins, carbohydrates and fats?

• Protein helps you build muscle, recover from workouts, and keeps you feeling full.

• Carbohydrates are made of building blocks of sugars and provide your body with energy.

• Fats provide insulation for your organs, maintain cell membrane health, and help your body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Food Chart

To help you better understand what foods are classed as proteins, carbohydrates and fats, you can refer to the list beneath;

PROTEINS

Organ meats

Beef and Lamb

Bacon

Duck

Chicken

Sardines

Salmon

Anchovy

Caviar

Mussel

Cream

All Cheeses

Eggs

Yogurt

Milk

Always have meat or seafood with every meal, not just dairy for your protein source.

CARBOHYDRATES

Brown Rice

Amaranth

Buckwheat

Corn

Quinoa

Spelt

Bean sprouts

Broccoli

Brussels sprouts

Cauliflower

Celery

Cucumber

Daikon

Eggplant

Leeks

Lentils

Beans

Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)

Mushrooms

Okra

Onions

Pea pods

Peppers

Radishes

Rutabaga

Squash

Swiss chard

Tomato

Water chestnuts

Watercress

Zucchini

Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)

Salad greens

Avocado

Olive

Apple (occasional)

Pear (occasional)

Banana (occasional)

Only eat the sweet fruit sparingly. Soak grains to activate them and help the digestion process.

FATS

Peanuts

Pistachios

Almonds

Sesame Seeds

Chia Seeds

Cashews

Walnuts

Hazelnuts

Olive oil

Flaxseed oil

Avocado oil

Walnut oil

Sesame oil

Grapeseed oil

Coconut oil

Lard

Butter

Ghee

Cream

Cheese

Egg yoke

When cooking, only use lard, ghee or coconut oil. Eat nuts sparingly and consider soaking them overnight before eating.

Eat the right amounts

Even if you eat the best food in the world, over eating and under eating is an added form of stress to your body and your mind. By eating just enough food for your needs, you will have less chance of an energy crisis or even a disease.

Eating too much can lead to digestive disorders, especially when the digestive track becomes blocked from all the backlog of food. Symptoms such as belching, farting and bacterial build up can occur, along with weight gain!

Whereas not eating enough is the general cause of malnutrition and can result in tiredness and irritability, an inability to concentrate, always feeling cold, depression, loss of mass and body tissue, and a higher risk of getting sick and taking longer to heal.

Eat to satiate, not until you are feeling full. Commonly, many people eat until they can’t eat no longer and this attitude often stems from the way we were brought up by our parents or by our teachers in the school canteens.

Rule of thumb for portion sizes

This is just a general guide to your ideal portion and ratio sizes with each meal; breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Protein Type

Two handfuls of animal products and one handful of fruit and veg.

Carbohydrate Type

Two handfuls of fruit and veg and one handful of animal products.

Mixed Type

One and half handfuls of both animal products and fruit and veg.

Note: you may like to subtract meal sizes at breakfast because your digestive enzymes need time to proliferate. One hour after eating breakfast, see if you feel bloated or low energy, and if so, reduce accordingly. To promote more digestive enzymes, consider taking a fermented food with your breakfast each morning. Coconut yogurt or sauerkrauts are very effective, or you can drink the juices from 3-4 lemons to stimulate your digestive system. If you are having issues with digesting food, then consider following the next section or consult a professional.

Fine-tuning your proteins, carbohydrates and fats

If you do not know where your ancestors were from, or you are possibly having digestive issues, weight gain, energy peaks and troughs; use the adjustments beneath. It can assist you in choosing the right amounts of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Too many carbohydrates

Energy highs and lows, feeling jittery and anxious are the common signs and symptoms of too many carbohydrates which often means there is stress on the liver, pancreas and hormonal system.

Add more protein and fat to your meal, reduce the carbohydrates and see how you feel.

Too many fats

Feeling lethargic, dull, full, heavy feeling, headaches and even knee pain are the common signs and symptoms of too much fat.

Add more carbohydrates and proteins, reduce the fats and see how you feel.

Too many proteins

Feeling bogged down, low energy, sugar cravings and other stimulants are common signs and symptoms of too much protein.

Add more carbohydrates and fats, reduce the proteins and see how you feel.

Your poop will tell you!

Normal poop is brown and has a soft to firm consistency and is soft to firm in texture. Poop that is passed in one single piece or a few smaller pieces is typically considered to be a sign of a healthy bowel.

If your poop looks any different than this one in the middle, then you may have digestive issues and need professional advice.

Final thought

Once you practice this essential pillar of health on a daily basis, you will start to feel what your body needs. Try not to be hard on yourself if you get frustrated at the beginning. If you need more assistance with understanding your ideal food type or happen to be struggling with digestive or weight issues; feel free to contact me and arrange a complimentary consultation to better understand why it could be happening and how to achieve your desired results.

Most importantly, enjoy your food!