This saying certainly holds some truth, with everything you eat being broken down by your body to be used to build or repair the trillions of cells that make you, you.

Trillions of hungry cells?  You can be sure these processes require a decent amount of fuel to do their work!

However, different cells and body systems require different types of fuel to complete these tasks, which ideally work to keep you thriving and well. Therefore, it’s important that you’re consuming the right combination of nutrients within your meals to ensure your body can feel optimally vital and healthy.

The Right Combination

Beyond the micronutrients (such as zinc, magnesium or B vitamins) that we consume in healthy foods, our food is primarily comprised of 4 large nutrients, known as macronutrients:

1. Fibre – rich in foods such as fruits, vegetables and wholegrains.
2. Carbohydrates – rich in foods such as rice, flour, potato and grains.
3. Fats – rich in foods such as avocado, coconut, eggs and nuts.
4. Protein – rich in foods such as meats, seafood, legumes and dairy.

While fibre’s importance for digestive health is well known, and carbohydrates and fats can garner a lot of attention in the dieting world, it is humble protein that often misses out on some of the limelight in terms of the health benefits it offers.

In getting to know protein a little better, it’s important to know that proteins are actually comprised of smaller molecules, called amino acids, that all connect together to make a larger protein structure.  There are 20 amino acids in total, 9 of which are known as essential amino acids, as the body cannot synthesise them, so they must be consumed in the diet.

Within your body, protein carries many powerful jobs, such as:

• Building or repairing your bone or muscles, allowing you to move with strength and ease, and reducing your chance of bone breaks or muscle injury.
• Keeping you feeling full and your blood sugar balanced, therefore helping to prevent sugar cravings and overeating.
• Maintaining and improving body composition, helping keep you at a healthy weight and preventing weight gain.
• Creating immune cells, to keep your immune system strong and ready to combat infection.

The Perfect Protein Portion

So how much protein does your body require to stay healthy?

A good rule of thumb is to consume 1 gram of protein for every kilo of body weight (e.g. a 70kg person would require 70 grams per day), however this requirement may further increase if you’re over the age of 70, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or undertake a high level of physical activity (e.g. an occupation requiring physical work or regular high intensity or endurance exercise).

Based on the calculation above, how much protein does your body require per day?

Once you’ve established this, the next step is to discover how much protein you’re actually consuming within your current diet.

Use the table below to do an estimation of an average day’s intake:

(Note: if a food is not on the list, it does not contain a significant amount of protein per serve)

How did your calculations go?

After calculating how much protein your body needs per day, plus how much you actually consume, it can be common to discover you aren’t consuming enough for your body’s needs.

A lack of dietary protein could then contribute to weaker bones, reduced muscle mass or wasting, fatigue and energy slumps, sugar cravings, weight gain, and frequent or longer infections.

Although your protein consumption might need a boost, this doesn’t mean having to eat excessive amounts of red meat or endless cups of lentils! Instead, supplementing your diet with a protein powder can be a quick, easy and tailored way to increase your protein intake.

That said, not all protein supplements are created equal, so when deciding what protein supplement to use, ensure you consider the following:

• Does the product contain a multitude of excipients that would affect the purity of the product?
• Does the product contain sweeteners which may increase your sugar intake or imbalance your blood glucose levels?
• Does each serve contain enough protein for my needs?
• Will your digestive system tolerate the protein supplement (e.g. does it contains fibres which may exacerbate any symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome)?
• Have you eliminated certain foods from your diet, adhere to a certain diet, or have an allergy or intolerance that excludes different types of proteins (e.g. a dairy free, grain free, vegetarian or vegan lifestyle)?

Depending on your need and requirements, three nourishing protein options include:

1. Whey: look for a highly bioavailable protein sourced from grass-fed cows. Whey contains all 9 essential amino acids, and contains naturally occurring immune factors shown to boost digestive health and immunity.
2. Collagen: for example, sourced from beef. Collagen protein is ideal for those on grain free, dairy free or Paleo diets, contains 8 of the 9 essential amino acids, and provides a high-quality protein that also supports healthy skin, hair, nails and joints.
3. Pea: a well-tolerated and easily digested vegetarian and vegan-friendly It contains all 9 of the essential amino acids and is suitable for people following a low FODMAP diet.

Remember, a large part of feeling healthy and well stems from consuming the ideal combination of macronutrients for your unique body and its needs. While this looks different for all of us, the importance of consuming enough protein is undeniable when it comes to feeling optimally well.

To find out what macronutrient combination is ideal for your body, and to support your diet with these nourishing, therapeutic proteins, contact your closest Natural Healthcare Practitioner.

Toeing the line between casual drinks and a boozy binge

For most people, it’s perfectly okay to enjoy a drink every now and then, but it’s important to be mindful of how much you consume. Drinking more than two standard drinks per day is associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related disease or injury while drinking more than four standard drinks at any given time is classified as binge-drinking, which can have damaging effects on your physical, mental and social health.

Drinking more than two standard drinks per day is associated with an increased risk of alcohol-related disease or injury while drinking more than four standard drinks at any given time is classified as binge-drinking, which can have damaging effects on your physical, mental and social health

Although excessive consumption is harmful to everyone, long-term alcohol misuse affects each person differently and can impact the following:

• Brain: Alcohol negatively affects the way the brain, central nervous system, and body communicate with each other, leading to symptoms of impaired cognitive function, such as slurred speech and poor coordination. If alcohol is misused over a number of years, it can even lead to brain and nervous system damage;
• Liver: The liver is responsible for detoxifying and eliminating potentially harmful substances from our body, including alcohol. Regular intake can burden the liver’s detoxification pathways and cause inflammation that may damage liver cells, reduce liver function and, in extreme cases, cause liver disease;
• Pancreas: The harmful effects of alcohol can cause inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which negatively affects digestive processes, leading to gut symptoms including recurrent abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. The pancreas also produces hormones that control blood sugar regulation (such as insulin) and in extreme cases, chronic alcohol abuse can contribute to diabetes;
• Stomach: Excessive alcohol intake can cause the stomach to produce more acid than usual, which may lead to bouts of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea;
• Microbiome: Alcohol harms beneficial gut bacteria, promoting inflammation of the gut lining that can lead to a condition known as ‘leaky’ gut. A healthy gut lining acts as a barrier, keeping toxins and other potentially harmful substances within the gut, and out of the bloodstream. If the gut lining is ‘leaky’, these substances can cross the gut barrier increasing the risk of a diverse number of chronic diseases, such as ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, arthritis, and obesity.
• Heart: Alcohol can disrupt the electrical signals sent to and from the heart, which can affect the heartbeat. This can increase the risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure), cardiovascular disease, ischemia (restricted supply of blood to the heart), heart disease and stroke;
• Cancer: Alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the risk of many different types of cancer, including cancers of the oesophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, stomach, bowel, endometrium, ovary, kidney, breast and prostate.

With this in mind, if your drinking is excessive, it may be time to ditch the booze, or at least take some steps to reduce your intake.

Getting yourself on the straight and narrow

Alcohol is a big part of many people’s social lives. Whether it’s relaxing at home with your partner over a glass of wine, ending the working week with a few drinks, or celebrating special occasions, it can be hard to moderate your drinking. Whatever the scenario, employing these strategies can help you reduce your alcohol intake:

• Keep track of standard drinks and avoid exceeding four drinks (preferably consuming two or less) on any given occasion;
• Drink slowly and put your glass down between sips to avoid continual drinking;
• Don’t let people top up your drinks as this makes it hard to keep track of how much alcohol you have consumed;
• Avoid ’rounds’ to ensure you drink at your own pace;
• Avoid salty snacks as these increase your thirst and stimulate you to drink more;
• Pace yourself by having a ‘spacer’, such as water or another non-alcoholic drink between drinks;
• Try low-alcohol alternatives, such as light beers and low alcohol premixed drinks;
• Volunteer to be the designated driver for the night;
• Aim for at least three alcohol-free days each week to give your body a break from drinking, or better yet
• Participate in Dry July and have an alcohol-free month.

Skip a drink now and then.

Indulging in a drink or two may be a way to unwind from life’s pressures, however, before those two drinks turn into four, take the time to consider the detrimental impact alcohol has on your health when you next reach for a drink. If you or someone you know has difficulty controlling their drinking, seek support from a doctor or Healthcare Practitioner, or from services such as SMARTrecovery (smartrecoveryaustralia.com.au) or Alcoholics Anonymous.