Protein: What You Need to Know!

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Protein

Amino acids are the building blocks for all structures in your body. Cells, organs, tissues, hormones, neurotransmitters, bones, joints, hair, skin, RNA, DNA, your genes. Seriously everything. They also play in important role in liver detoxification.

Amino acids come from protein-rich foods that you eat. Your body breaks proteins down into those amino acids during digestion, and then they get absorbed so that your body can use them.

Nine amino acids are essential which means you need to get them from foods you eat because your body can’t make them.

Your body can make non-essential amino acids from essential ones. But in times of stress (physical, chemical, emotional, any form of stress), some of those non-essentials become conditionally essential, meaning you also need to get them from foods you eat because your body isn’t able to make them under those conditions.

When you are struggling with skin rashes, food allergies and sensitivities, gut problems, and any other health problem, this is a source of chronic stress, and under these conditions, you need to get essential and conditionally essential amino acids from food to support your body so that it can repair AND continue to function optimally.

Protein Sources

Animal foods like chicken, beef, fish, and eggs contain all of the essential and conditionally essential amino acids and therefore are considered complete proteins.

Most plant proteins are not complete because they do not contain the full spectrum of essential and conditionally essential amino acids.

Animal proteins have better digestibility and more protein per weight/quantity compared to plant proteins.

If you eat a completely plant-based diet, you will need more protein than someone who consumes animal foods to get the variety of amino acids you need.

Plant and Animal Protein Sources: How Do They Compare? Fullscript

Not Eating Enough Protein is one of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to heal their skin

Children need more protein than adults per pound of body weight because they are growing and developing, add a healing journey on top of that, they need even more.⁠

Here’s why:

• Protein builds and repairs all structures in your child’s body, including skin.⁠

• It doesn’t get stored in your child’s body like fats and carbs do, so they need to eat it every day to keep tissues from breaking down. A serving with each meal can help ensure enough is getting in.

• Guidelines you see online for how much protein your child should be eating, and often what you hear from your doctor or other conventional practitioner, are for preventing deficiency. They are not for optimal health and certainly not adequate for skin healing.

Child standard published guidelines

• Age 6 months, about 1.12g per kg of body weight each day

• Age 10 years, about .74g per kg body weight each day

What’s needed to support optimal health, growth, development, and healing

• Minimum of 1.5 - 2g per kg of body weight each day

If you're curious, search online for nutrition for wound healing to see what it takes to heal the skin. You'll see that true healing comes from increased intake of a variety of nutrients, starting with protein. And that intake is above the general guidelines.

To find out how much protein your child needs on their healing journey divide their weight in pounds by 2.2. Then multiply that number by 1.5 at a minimum. The number you get is the amount of protein in grams your child should eat daily.

To find out if they are getting enough in their diet from foods they are eating, use a nutrition tracking app like Cronometer. You can set up a free account, enter what they are eating, and it will show you how much they are getting in so you can adjust that as needed.

For adults standard published guidelines are about .8g per kg of body weight each day. To support optimal health and healing you need a minimum of 1.5g per kg of body weight each day.

Serving sizes

A rule of thumb is to eat a serving of complete, quality protein with each meal.

Kids aged 1-3 (3 servings per day)

• 1 ounce of meat, fish, or chicken

• 1/4 cup cooked beans

• 1/2 egg

Kids aged 4-6 (3 servings per day)

• 1 ounce meat, fish, or chicken

• 1/3 cup cooked beans

• 1 egg

• 1 Tbsp nut butter

• 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds

Kids aged 7-10 (3 servings per day)

• 2-3 ounces meat, fish, or chicken

• 1/2 cup cooked beans

• 1 - 2 eggs

• 1-2 Tbsp nut butter

• 1 ounce nuts or seeds

For older kids and adults (3 servings per day)

• The size of your palm for meat, fish, or chicken

• The size of a clenched fist for beans and legumes

• 2 Tbsp for nut butters

• A small palm full of nuts

Final thoughts

Eating a combination of animal and plant proteins can make up a healthy, varied diet.

Choose healthier, more sustainable animal proteins like organic, pasture-raised, grass-fed, and wild-caught.

Resources 

• http://www.buildhealthykids.com/servingsizes.html

• https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Portions-and-Serving-Sizes.aspx

• https://fullscript.com/blog/best-protein-sources?

• https://justalittlebite.com/plant-based-protein-a-guide-from/

• https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16902324/

  https://www.chla.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/Nutrition%20for%20pediatric%20wound%20healing.pdf

Serving Sizes, How Much You Should Be Eating

Graphic Credit: Stay Fit N Young

How Much Should Your Little One Be Eating?

Graphic credit: Mommy Maricel

If you’re struggling with understanding serving sizes, these graphics can provide some guidance!

General ‘rules’

1. Start with non-starchy vegetables, and fill your (or your little’s) plate 1/2 way with them

2. Add protein (1/4 of the plate)

3. Add fats (see serving sizes, a serving with each meal)

4. Add carbs (1/4 of the plate)

5. Eat until satiated, not stuffed

6. Fill up on non-starchy vegetables first

For littles

1. They have an innate ability to regulate their hunger and fullness cues, and their intake naturally changes during and between growth spurts

2. Never force them to eat, or bargain with them to clean their plate

3. Appropriate portion sizes are smaller than you might think

4. Expose your little one to a variety of foods from ALL food groups and categories of foods

Additional resources

Tips for picky eaters —> click here

Introducing solids —> click here

More on protein —> click here

If you are looking for more guidance on what to eat —> click here

Prebiotic Foods And Resistant Starch

Photo credit: Denise Johnson

Rashes and food reactions are symptoms of an immune system gone haywire, and the underlying mechanisms for how this happens involve diet and the gut microbiome.⁠ ⁠

Diets low or void of prebiotic foods (like a Western-style, Carnivore, Ketogenic, or low-complex carb diet) can increase the risk of this happening.

Prebiotic foods are fiber-rich (often missing from diets like those mentioned, among others) and promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes. These microbes make short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).⁠ SCFAs help regulate inflammatory responses in the body. ⁠ ⁠

When levels of beneficial gut microbes are low or out of balance, you can end up with low levels of SCFAs, leading to dysregulation of inflammatory responses and lots of inflammation.

Inflammation causes the immune system to react, which triggers rashes like eczema and food allergies.⁠ ⁠

What can you do? Add prebiotic foods to your diet to promote the growth of beneficial gut microbes! Examples include:

• Chia seeds

• Flax seeds

• Hemp seeds

• Legumes

• Pumpkin seeds

• Quinoa

• Brown rice (cooked and cooled)

• Steel-cut oats (cooked and cooled)

• Whole grains

• Vegetables (nonstarchy, raw have higher prebiotic content)

  • Cruciferous (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, arugula)

  • Leafy greens

  • Onion

  • Leek

  • Garlic

  • Chicory root

  • Asparagus

  • Jerusalem artichoke

  • Dandelion greens

  • Other nonstarchy vegetables

• Vegetables (starchy)

  • Sweet potatoes/yams

  • Potatoes (cooked and cooled)

• Fruit

  • Apples

  • Green bananas (less ripe ones)

  • Berries

Notice that brown rice, oats, and regular potatoes should be cooked and cooled. This changes the structure of the starch they contain and makes them resistant starch. Resistant starch is prebiotic. It also doesn’t result in blood sugar spikes (a benefit if you struggle with blood sugar issues like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes).

How To Save Time Preparing For Your Diet Plan

Photo credit: Jan Sedivy

One of the biggest challenges to making changes to your diet and sticking to your new plan is the time it takes to prepare good-for-you meals and healthy snacks.

Here are some tips to help you save time and stay on track!

• Chop vegetables ahead of time, place in containers or bags so you can grab them on the go as snacks, or throw together a quick salad

  • Have a favorite vinegar on hand (balsamic, rice vinegar, red wine vinegar, fresh lemon or lime) and healthy oil (extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil) to make a quick dressing for salads

  • Add vegetables and the dressing to a container (even a large zip lock bag), shake to mix, and eat

    • Great for a quick on the go salad, and you can take it to work for lunch or a snack

    • Add hardboiled egg, chicken, nuts, or any other protein of choice to make it a meal

• Invest in a crock-pot or instant-pot

  • Recipes are available everywhere, throw in your ingredients before you leave for work in the morning, turn on the machine, and when you arrive home, you’ll have a hot, home cooked meal waiting for you

  • Leftovers can be taken to work with you the next day for lunch

• Shop online for groceries, there are a variety of options for this nowadays

• Cook in large batches, divide food into smaller containers or freezer bags, and freeze to enjoy throughout the week, or to take with you to work

• Cook with friends, and take turns making meals together to increase the fun factor and turn the work of cooking into a fun and social activity

• Purchase pre-made meals and snacks, Territory Foods, Blue Apron, Freshly, and Graze are examples of companies that deliver fresh ingredients to your door on a weekly basis, and you can search for more such companies in your area online**

  • Many deliver precooked meals, and also cater to special dietary needs

  • Some meal kits are now sold in stores, and the Guide to Cutting Meal Kit Costs provides helpful tips on how you can take advantage of savings

Need more assistance or have questions? Contact me today!

*Adapted from the Bioindividual Nutrition Institute

**This is not an endorsement for any particular company, these are simply examples of companies that provide meal services

If you need guidance on what to eat, The JCB Nutrition Food Pyramid and Diet Plan will help. The program will:

• Help you understand which foods to avoid if you are embarking on an elimination diet

• Teach you which healthy foods contain natural chemicals that can trigger symptoms including skin and gut issues, among MANY others

• Show you what those natural food chemicals are

• Teach you what foods are common allergens

• Guide you in choosing what foods to eat and in what amounts

Tips For Navigating The Supermarket

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My number 1 nutrition tip is to eat quality, nutrient dense, whole, real foods.

If you’ve checked out my Nutrition Recommendations, you’ll understand why! If you haven’t, definitely check them out.

A diet of whole, real foods means eating foods that are in their real form.

To shop for whole, real foods, go around the perimeter of the store, and avoid isles where packaged products are found.⁠ ⁠

Start in the produce section and fill up your shopping cart with a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables and select a variety of bright colors. Aim to try at least one new ‘fun’ fruit or vegetable per week.

Buy your meats at the butcher counter and buy organic/grass-fed/pastured/free-range products when possible. These types of animal products have a healthier fat and overall nutrient profile than their processed [grain fed] counterparts.

If dairy is included in your diet, purchase full fat dairy. Low-fat and nonfat versions have sugars and other substances added to them in order to improve the taste and texture of these processed foods, so avoid them.

When it comes to condiments, read the labels. For oils, look for organic, and first cold pressed products. Avoid condiments that contain added sugars and high fructose corn syrup, and even agave (many salad dressings are loaded with extra sugars like this).

Because you are buying whole, real foods, many of them will not come in labeled packages, and this is good!

When purchasing foods that have labels, if you can’t pronounce an ingredient, don’t buy it. Also, the fewer listed ingredients the better (5 or less is best). Remember that whole, real foods don’t have ingredients because they are ingredients!

Beware of packaged foods disguised as healthy. As an example, just because it says gluten free on the box, doesn’t mean it’s a health food!

Reference:

Zeratsky K. Healthy Lifestyle. Nutrition and healthy eating. Mayo Clinic.http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/functional-foods/faq-20057816. April 11, 2015. Accessed July 11, 2017.

Snack Ideas

Photo credit: Kelly Sikkema

Healthy snacks fuel your engine. Macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) give your body what it needs so it can do everything it’s supposed to (develop, grow, build, repair, function, and thrive).

Some of my favorite snacks:

1. Hard-boiled eggs - protein, healthy fat (if sensitive to chicken eggs, duck eggs might be an option)

2. Seeds and nuts - protein, healthy fat, fiber, a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients

3. Dried fruit - carbohydrates, fiber, high in sugar so go lightly

4. Sliced avocado - healthy fat, fiber, a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients

5. Fresh fruit and vegetables - carbohydrates, fiber, a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and other phytonutrients

   • Cut up and dip in nut or seed butters, guacamole, and/or hummus for an extra nutrient boost

6. Vegetable chips/kale chips/beet chips

7. Nut and seed crackers

8. Roasted chickpeas, or other beans - protein, carbohydrates, fiber, a wide range of vitamins, and minerals

   • Drain canned chickpeas or other beans, place on a cookie sheet, add favorite seasonings, bake until crisp

9. Natural beef, salmon, or turkey jerky

   • Look for as few ingredients as possible

10. Lara Bars, Rx Bars or Epic Bars

11. Yogurt - protein, healthy fat (go for unsweetened, full-fat versions), probiotics

12. Fruit and nut/seed balls

    • Dried fruit (dates, raisins, prunes, apricots, etc.), nuts/seeds (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, etc.), add to a food processor and mix/blend until sticky, roll into balls, can roll in raw cacao powder (extra antioxidants, and minerals) if desired, keep refrigerated

13. Cooked chicken thighs or cooked chicken breasts, meatballs, or turkey balls, keep them ready in the fridge to grab on the go or in a pinch when you need a protein-rich snack

14. Dark chocolate, 70% or higher, about 1 oz serving – antioxidants, minerals

15. Power smoothie, blend well

    • Protein powder - 1 - 2 scoops/servings

    • Nuts, seeds, nut/seed butters - 1/4 cup nuts/seeds, 1-2 Tbsp nut/seed butters

    • Kale, spinach, carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, other vegetables - 1-2 cups

    • Blueberries, other berries, banana, apple, other fruit (go lighter on fruits, they add sugar, berries are lower in sugar) - 1 piece of fruit, 1/2 cup berries

    • Water or milk of choice - 1/2 - 1 cup (more liquid will thin out the smoothie)

    • Raw cacao powder, turmeric, cinnamon, other spices - anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutrients - 1 tsp

    • Avocado or avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oil, butter, ghee, or coconut cream - healthy fat - 1-2 Tbsp

    • Ice - your call ;)

16. 'Ice cream' the JCB Nutrition way

17. Chocolate (Avocado, Sweet Potato, Or Banana) Pudding Or Frosting

Pro Tips:

• Always take into account your unique tolerances.

• Eating healthy sources of protein and fat throughout the day helps balance blood sugar, which improves mood and energy. It also keeps you full longer.

• Aim for a source of protein and fat with each meal too!

Need help or have questions? Contact me today!