The importance of good fats and protein balance

“Fat” has a bad reputation. Unlike with white bread in our article about “High Density vs Low Density carbs” <link to N001 - How high and low density carbs work together> this common perception just isn’t true. Healthy fats are so important!

The "bad" fats we need to eliminate from our diets

It's really only saturated and trans fats that are bad for you. Less than 7% of your total daily calories should come from saturated fats. Less than 1% should come from trans fats. In a 2,000-calorie daily diet, that makes for less than 15 grams of saturated fat and less than 2 grams of trans fat.

"Bad Fat" Foods:

• lard

• butter

• milk fat

• meat

• pork skin

• ice cream

• cheese

• coconut and palm oil

So then, if bad fats are so bad! What are good fats?

"Good Fat" Foods:

• Fish

• Nuts and nut butters

• Seeds such as chia seeds and flax seeds

• Olive oil and Avocado oil

• Avocados

What about protein?

As we age, our bodies require roughly 50% more protein than to better preserve our muscle mass and strength.

Sufficient protein is also important because it helps to increase the body's immune functions and reduce recovery time from illness as we age.

Fitness enthusiasts often recommend taking a protein supplement 15–60 minutes after exercise. This time frame is known as the “anabolic window” and is said to be the perfect time for getting the most out of nutrients like protein.

Read Labels and Make Better Choices

The best way to keep on top of the fats in your diet is to become a label reader. On the nutrition facts panel, you'll find all the information you need to make healthful choices.

Look for foods that are low in "total fat" as well as in "saturated" and "trans" fats.

Bear in mind that a product label can boast itself as "trans fat free" - but may actually contain up to 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving -- which can add up quickly!

Tips to help you stick with good fats:

• Choose a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

• Try a vegetarian meal, with plenty of beans, once a week.

• Select dairy products that are skim or low-fat.

• Experiment with light and reduced-fat salad dressings.

• Replace fattier sauces with vinegars, mustards, and lemon juice.

• Use unsaturated liquid oils, such as canola or olive, instead of butter or partially hydrogenated margarine.

• Limit your consumption of high-fat foods, such as processed foods, fried foods, sweets, and desserts.

• When cooking, substitute the lower-fat alternative (low-fat sour cream, low-fat cream cheese etc.) whenever possible.

For more information on healthy eating tips and tricks, check out our article about why you should eat whole foods more often!

Top 10 vitamins and supplements for Ageless Golfers

There are so many vitamins and supplements out there, it’s hard to know which ones to take!

Your best bet of course is to talk to your Family Doctor, or Naturopath, to help you determine what’s missing from your nutrition intake.

Starting with your diet is ideal, and once you’ve got that all figured out and your doctor says that your blood work looks great, and that your levels are all where they need to be? Then you may not even need to supplement your nutritional intake because your diet is that great!

Awesome work!

So, just keep that in mind.

Otherwise, here is the list of vitamins and supplements that work best for me, and the people I golf with that you may want to ask a medical professional about:

1. Fish Oils

Have you experienced memory loss or brain fog? A great way to help deal with that is to ensure you're getting enough DHA. You can do this by taking fish oils!

There are many fascinating benefits of taking them, including memory retention!

2. Vitamin B12

Many folks don’t get enough of this essential vitamin. A deficiency will make you seem irritable and feeling sluggish.

The only way to know for sure if this important vitamin is something you need to be supplementing on a daily basis is to talk to your doctor and have your levels checked out.

3. Probiotics

Antibiotics have saved many peoples' lives since their application via western medicine.

But did you know that there are probiotics too?

The easiest and cheapest way to find or make them is in fermented foods, such as sauerkraut.

But you can also buy them in a supplement form in gel capsules, powders and drops!

I take this to help with my overall mood, as well as to help me maintain a healthy weight (it helps with sugar cravings!) and I even give a baby version of them to my kiddos (way better than gripe water) to help keep their tummies stay happy and healthy!

Don’t forget to eat your probiotics with prebiotics: plant fibres that act like fertilizers and actually stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut.

4. Multivitamins

There is a lot of debate about whether or not we need to take multivitamins. I feel it’s important for me to take one approved by my doctor, so do your research and speak with your family physician about which might be the right one for you.

5. Iron

Iron is very important and low energy levels could be a sign of a deficiency. The best way to know is to talk to your doctor and have your blood tested for a deficiency.

6. Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha is traditionally used as an adaptogen for many conditions related to stress.

It's believed to have chemicals that help calm the mind, lower blood pressure, and improve the overall immune system.

7. Reishi Mushroom

This is a mushroom that is said to be very high in nutritional value and is often referred to as a superfood (an all-in-one source of nutrients including protein levels comparable to eggs) due to its low calorie, high protein content.

It contains a high amount of: fibre, amino acids, and healthy fatty acids.

Here is a quick list of what are believed to be the benefits of the most well-known and potent variation, Red Reishi:

• Antioxidant

• Fights cancer

• Decreases fatigue

• Supports gut health

• Increases mental wellness

• Boosts the immune system

• Supports the immune system

• Helps with Alzheimer's disease

• Prevents and slows the spread of cancer

• Improves the health and functioning of various organs, including the heart, liver, and kidneys

8. Echinicia

Have a cold or flu but don’t want to take an over the counter medicine that could interact with something else already in your personal arsenal?

Consider the simple flower, echinacea. It’s said to help with: sore throats, coughs, and even fevers.

Echinacea is widely believed to help boost the immune system and help the body fight infections.

9. Oil of Oregano

Another one of my favourite natural flu fighters is oregano oil. Made from yet another simple plant, it’s said to be an effective, natural antibiotic and antifungal agent, and it may even help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol levels too!

10. Spirulina

Okay, keep an open mind because this last one is weird!

Spirulina is a blue-green algae, and is believed to be one of the oldest life forms on Earth.

Used by the Aztecs as an endurance-booster, this is another one that is often called a superfood!

They say the Aztecs also used it to help treat disease, while modern research supports many of the alleged benefits of taking spirulina, and continues to study its potential for treating health concerns.

However, they also warn that folks with shellfish, seafood or iodine allergies should strictly avoid spirulina.

"If you suffer from the rare disease phenylketonuria, you should avoid spirulina since it contains the amino acid phenylalanine -- a substance that people with phenylketonuria cannot metabolize.”

It tastes bitter, so it's often mixed with yogurts, juices, and smoothies to improve its flavor, and is commonly available as a supplement at most health food stores.

Vacation Flex Meal Guide

When putting together your meals, do you have a system? One that you trust? One that makes it easy for you to not worry about counting calories or not eating enough to feel full?

Whatever your answer, I hope I’ve piqued your interest and invite you to check out this simple, easy to manage meal guide. You can use it for any special diet or income bracket because it’s just a guide.

It will save you: time, money, stress; and! It will allow you to get creative in the kitchen!

I think this is the easiest mix-and-match meal plan guide there is!

It consists of three main types of meals:

1. Stove top meals

2. Sheet-pan meals

3. Sandwiches/wraps

And they all include the most basic and healthiest of ingredients:

1. Fruits and Vegetables (High density and Low Density Carbs)

2. Proteins (meats/beans/nuts/seeds/dairy)

3. Grains (High density carbs)

4. Fats

This is the best way to break down how to mix and match essential food groups to create a delicious, healthy meal, without having to count calories.