Jun 05•14 min read
Nutrition by DNA, Supplements, & Optimal Body Composition
Usually sleep and nutrition goes hand in health as the primary factors to adjust in your road to well-being. However, I wanted to do a big post for sleep as it being a BIG problem.
Now that you read on sleep we will tackle Nutrition by DNA and Supplements. I am not a medical crazy expert, so I will lay important logical foundations. I highly encourage hiring an expert you can work with. Having blood samples and genes checked can speed up the healing/well-being process 10x faster and get you operating at tip top condition to tackles life’s challenges/fitness routines.
A quick note on genetics and the stupid food pyramid we have. The food pyramid implies that everyone should eat the same as per it’s “guidelines”, but this does not work. Our genetics are different pending who we are. An italian, indian, & russian, for example, evolved from two different parts of the world with different cuisine cookings; and on top of this, have different ancestry evolutions(starts becoming complex). Their genes are very different and evolved to eat differently. We have been in the agricultural realm for a very little period of time throughout the whole human race time on this planet; our DNA does not evolve to take these new factors into consideration hence why there is this GLUTEN and LACTOSE issues. Specifically, gluten wreaks havoc on many human’s digestive system if they do not have the genetics to digest it efficiently.
Here are some important factors to consider:
Assuming all other parameters are well with the individual:
The closer to the equator your ancestors evolved, the better you do on carbohydrates (more growing crops, vegetables and fruits; due to good weather)
The further away from the equator your ancestors evolved, the better you do on fat (less growing crops, vegetables and fruits; due to cold weather)
Men and Women are different also, due to different hormones and how body processes nutrition, burns fat etc.
Two twins when training with a same program can react totally different (proven fact; go research). It also applies to their nutrition. Some may need a higher protein intake than the other (just a random example)
Age should be also considered. As we age our system changes. Keep note.
This is a complex field and I’ve stated I am no expert. I am absolutely certain and you can check the research that DNA is an important factor to consider as well as good quality food: Free range chicken eggs, grass fed beef, bison, yak, goat milk (for those lactose, due to the molecule being different from cow), etc…
REMOVE SUGAR FROM YOUR COFFEE OR DRINKS (COCA COLA; GET RID OF IT). GET SUGAR FROM FRUITS ONLY, BUT ALSO LIMIT.
Now that you know this, EAT FOR YOU along with your FAMILY. Don’t go crazy have your “comfort” foods once in a while. Don’t sweat the small stuff, still live your life but don’t get extremely derailed.
Quick note on supplements required guaranteed:
A good quality multivitamin
Good quality Magnesium (as per the sleeping article; everyone is deficient always get this for LIFE)
Vitamin D for those winter long seasons.
For other supplements required, recommended to do a good thorough blood analysis with a certified expert/sport doctor in case you require extra, like Zinc etc.
I want to specify again, if you have no idea how to handle this go with an expert with a good track record. Also be serious and don’t waste their time. Moving on….
Let’s now discuss some tips for optimal body composition for you to start making changes right away. Optimal body composition with a low-carb, high-protein plan is not just about eating a limited amount of carbs and upping your protein intake.
Rather, a lean, strong physique is best achieved by eating the right carbs at the ideal times. Our diet is very carbohydrate heavy focused, we need to reverse this.
Here are ten rules for carbohydrate intake for health and lean body composition.
#1 Eliminate Grains, Particularly Wheat
Wheat raises blood sugar levels quickly in the same way as plain table sugar. White flour-based foods such as white bread or corn flakes are a poor source of fiber.
Also, they have a high glycemic content, meaning they cause a quick spike in insulin. The presence of insulin tells the liver that food intake is meeting energy requirements.
Therefore, lipolysis, or the breakdown of fat for energy from body stores, becomes unnecessary. The insulin spike stops the body from burning fat for fuel.
Any excess sugar or food intake is saved for future energy requirements and stored as fat. Constantly high insulin levels make the body resistant to insulin and can lead to diabetes.
Improve Your Insulin Sensitivity
This is why it’s best to eliminate grains, particularly white grains, and do resistance training –you’ll improve insulin sensitivity.
Research shows that eating a breakfast of whole wheat grains such as barley or rye results in significantly better glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity than a breakfast of white wheat bread.
Plus, whole wheat breakfasts improve glucose uptake at lunch and dinner.
Whole wheat would be better than white wheat—also nicknamed “white death,” but no wheat is your BEST BET(see number #2 further down).
We’re going for low carb here, so I recommend eliminating your grains when possible and getting your carbs from fruits and vegetables.
Indeed, a review published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition points to the fact that vegetables and fruit are preferable to even low glycemic wheat and grain-based foods.
#2 Yes, Eliminate Grains, Part II
HELLO AGAIN (please do #2 instead of #1, unless your stuck in a hard place)
The grains that make up the Gliadin family such as oats, wheat, and Spelt are the most common food allergen because they contain gluten.
People of Celtic ancestry, like the Irish, are more likely to be allergic to gluten.
In fact, the National Health Institute estimates that gluten allergies affect almost one percent of Americans. Indeed, this number is likely underestimated because this allergy often goes undiagnosed.
An allergy to gluten is called celiac disease and means that the sufferer will have serious digestive damage from eating foods containing gluten.
In some individuals, gluten causes a wide variety of other health problems including weakness, anemia, malnutrition, osteoarthritis, bone disorders, stomach cancer, and abdominal bloating to name a few.
All these problems that will trip you up if you want to gain muscle and lose fat.
Are You Allergic to Wheat?
You can be allergic to wheat and not have celiac disease as well, and even if you’re body isn’t intolerant to wheat and gluten, removing them from the diet is recommended for optimal body composition, digestion, and health.
Besides raising insulin levels in the body and providing a large carbohydrate and caloric punch, the body releases cortisol in response to the stressor caused by the gluten allergy.
Research shows that cortisol partially prevents the harmful effect of gluten in the body.
The problem is that cortisol results in muscle degradation and elevated levels suppress the immune response and lead to adrenal exhaustion manifesting in the form of fatigue, depression, insomnia, and illness—not good!
#3 The Main Source of Carbs Should be Fibrous
Fibrous carbs, including many green vegetables, typically have very low carbohydrate content.
Their inherent high fiber brings about a very moderate insulin response, thus making them an ideal fat loss food.
Research shows that the higher fiber content of most vegetables will delay carbohydrate absorption, favorably modifying the glucose response.
Dark green vegetables usually have a large antioxidant content as well (not as great as dark fruits, but still a sizeable amount).
The best sources of fibrous carbs include (use what works best for you):
Kale
Broccoli
Mustard Greens
Lettuce
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Mushrooms
Green beans
Onions
Asparagus
Cucumber
Spinach
All Forms of Peppers
Zucchini
#4 The Darker the Fruit, the Better it is For You
Dark fruits tend to have very thin skin, meaning they need to produce more antioxidants to protect themselves from the sun.
In contrast, light-colored fruits with thick skins such as bananas and melons have lower antioxidant content.
Dark red, blue, and purple fruits are great anti-inflammatory foods because the extra antioxidants help get rid of free radicals that cause aging and inflammation.
Research shows that berries with high antioxidant content such as bilberries, blueberries, cranberries, and raspberries decrease glucose response in healthy subjects, slowing digestion.
Researchers suggest that the bioactive polyphenols that dark-colored fruits contain promote greater insulin sensitivity.
In addition, there is evidence that adding berries rich in polyphenols to high-glycemic foods that normally trigger a negatively high spike in glucose can moderate the body’s response, producing a remarkably low insulin response.
#5 The Darker the Fruit, the Better it is For You, Part II
The darker the fruit, the lower the glycemic load.
I referred to this above, but be aware that the reason dark fruits promote insulin sensitivity is that they produce a low glycemic response in the body.
Let me call your attention to the fact that not only will you have a better glucose response with dark fruits, but adding them to high-glycemic foods appears to moderate the body’s response as mentioned in number four.
Antioxidant Levels
Researchers suggest dark fruit with high antioxidant content lower the glucose response of other foods because they work as enzyme inhibitors.
Take note that it is necessary to fully chew berries or fruit to release the polyphenols to work their magic on the glycemic index of carbs.
Again, when you compare berries and cherries with bananas and pineapple, the latter two fruits have a significantly higher glycemic index.
Of course, this applies to fruits in their natural state; when grapes become raisins, their glycemic index goes up because of dehydration of the fruit.
#6 Replace Grains with Various Forms of Lettuce in Sandwiches
Instead of using bread, use dark leafy greens to wrap the meat.
This will slow down the glycemic index and help shift the acid/alkaline base in your favor.
Research shows that eating low glycemic foods or adding herbs to high glycemic foods that have a glycemic lowering effect such as flaxseed or fenugreek, reduces pH and glucose response.
Besides, the dark greens will provide more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals as opposed to grains, which are lower in micronutrients.
For example, phytates—the salts of phytic acid that are found in high content in whole grains—block the absorption of many minerals, especially zinc, iron, manganese, and calcium.
You can also replace commercial wheat bread with sprouted grain bread, sweet potatoes, quinoa, kasha or mushrooms. They all help to mimic the chewy consistency of bread.
#7 Limit Fructose Intake
Even though fruits are great foods loaded with nutrients, they also contain fructose.
Fructose in too high quantities can slow down thyroid function, reducing metabolism and negatively affecting body composition.
Research shows that excess fructose in rats results in decreased ATP in the liver, leading to less thyroid hormone uptake, and a reduction in fat burning.
Glycation
Too much fructose in the diet also increases glycation.
Glycation in layman’s terms is browning, like the browning that makes a crust on bread.
Glycation is the cross-linking of proteins (and DNA molecules) caused by sugar aldehydes reacting with the amino acids on the protein molecule to create Advance Glycosylation End-Products (AGEs).
If you want to see protein cross-linking in action, cut an apple in half and watch it turn yellow!
Why is the worst glycation agent fructose?
Because it does not raise insulin.
In other words, the insulin is not getting it into muscle cells, meaning it lingers around in the body and wreaks metabolic havoc. Fructose is like the guest that won’t go home once the party is over.
High Cholesterol
One study compared the effect of a diet high in fructose with one high in glucose.
After ten weeks, the fructose group had significantly elevated levels of cholesterol and insulin, while insulin sensitivity and fat metabolism decreased.
They also gained significantly more total fat and an even greater percentage of abdominal fat than the glucose group.
Further research shows that this extra insulin causes dysfunction of cells, and in addition to the negative effect on body composition, it accelerates aging, vascular degeneration, and development of diabetes.
In contrast, there is evidence that consuming a post-exercise meal with glucose as the carbohydrate source results in greater fat oxidation and a more favorable metabolic response than if fructose is used.
Bone Health and Longevity
A study found that long-term high fructose consumption accelerates skin and bone aging because it modifies DNA, damaging tissue collagen.
While this doesn’t speak directly to our topic of body composition, it points to the damaging effect of excessive fructose on health and longevity.
For very active individuals, 20 to 30 grams of fructose should be the maximum intake.
Some of the worst sources of glycated fructose are weight loss bars that contain high fructose corn syrup, like the ones that used to be sold by a famous Texan verbally abusive lawyer, turned weight loss guru. Then again, he was fat, and still is!
To check your glycation levels, ask your doctor to measure the concentration of glycated hemoglobin in your blood.
A study from England revealed that glycated hemoglobin is the best test to predict mortality—far better than cholesterol, blood pressure, or body mass index.
#8 The Best Time to Load Up On Carbs is the First Ten Minutes Following Your Workout
Insulin sensitivity is at its highest after a workout making this the critical time to take in carbs to maximize muscle mass gains.
Originally, based on the research that was available at the time, It is typically recommended two g/kg of bodyweight.
Over the years, after being exposed to more research and discussions occurring around this area. It has come to the conclusion that it should be a reflection of the training volume for the training session.
The greater the number of reps per training unit, the greater the carbohydrate intake.
All Reps Are Not Equal
A squat or deadlift workout routine is more demanding than doing biceps curls and triceps extension workout.
By the same token, three reps of slow tempo squats have a different caloric demand than three reps of the power clean. Extra information for your notes.
#9 Use Supplements That Promote Insulin Sensitivity with High-Carb Post-Workout Meals
A number of supplements support glucose uptake and promote insulin sensitivity, including nutrients such as taurine, arginine, magnesium, and R-form alpha-lipoic acid.
Adding them to your post-workout meal will help send glucose to muscle cells instead of fat cells.
Indeed, a review from the journal Biological Trace Element Research reports that magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism while influencing the activity of hormones that control blood glucose levels.
Low Magnesium
Low magnesium can cause insulin resistance, which may result in the kidneys being unable to retain magnesium during episodes of hyperglycemia, creating a downward spiral of magnesium deficiency, fat gain, and subsequently diabetes.
Many herbs such as American ginseng, fenugreek, and bitter melon also facilitate glucose uptake by muscle cells.
Research shows that adding fenugreek to a whole wheat bread will result in greater insulin sensitivity and more glucose uptake than consuming whole wheat bread without fenugreek.
Similar results were evident when flax was added to a wheat chapatti, indicating flax may be a good addition as well.
#10 Add Protein to Your Post-Workout Carb Meal
Protein is a critical part of post-workout nutrition because your muscles are primed for feeding and need amino acids for peak recovery.
Essential amino acids (EAAs), particularly the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), have been shown to trigger protein synthesis and fat loss.
Taking BCAAs will also allow you to train harder and longer because the amino acids enhance fat oxidation and research shows that individuals with a higher BCAA intake in their diets have lower body weight and better body composition.
Taking as much as 40 grams of EAAs after heavy training results in an anabolic shift from muscle protein degradation to protein synthesis.
It is suggested using 15 grams of protein for every 50 lbs of bodyweight—you will increase glycogen storage by as much as 40 percent, and will boost the release of the anabolic hormone, IGF-1.
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REMEMBER these are general tips to consider but please consult an expert as everyone is different genetically and at different levels / situations.
I hope to have helped someone on nutrition on this post and elevated their knowledge to eat better and healthier.
