The world of nutrition can be confusing and frustrating. As a strength and postural restoration coach, I frequently get questions from my clients about finding the right nutritional balance. My usual approach is to try and explain the general scientific concepts around nutritional issues and then individualize my answers.
Since the majority of my clients are older adults, their nutrition information is largely taken from the media; newspapers, radio and TV. Although these platforms are useful in delivering “what is new” and succeed in engaging their audience to follow recent debates and discoveries, they do lack specificity. When I do give advice, I always return to the Delphic Maxims: Know Thyself and Nothing in Excess. I interpret the first maxim as self-control acquired through self-awareness, and the second maxim as to do everything in moderation which inevitably requires the first. If people would apply these two phrases into their list of must-dos, we would all be healthier.
Recent interactions with some of my 65+ clients provide specific lessons. One client mentioned reading in the paper that fresh orange juice is not as good as one thinks since it is full of sugar. That can be true as most fruits are high in simple carbohydrates (sugars which are absorbed quickly). But it is the dose that matters. Drinking one cup of fresh orange juice is useful as it provides you with vitamin C. However, if you drink a few cups a day then it adds up. Moderation is key.
Another client asked if red meat is really unhealthy and if it causes cancer. This could be true as we tend to have an overconsumption (high dose) of meat that is neither healthy for us nor is it good for the environment. It is important to alternate your sources of protein; beef, chicken, fish, beans, seeds, etc., throughout the week to have a moderate dose and avoid overcooking, especially over-barbequing food to a black crust which is carcinogenic.
For breakfast, another client said they had a bagel with peanut butter and a coffee. While this may suffice, it would be better to include more protein in every meal with the aim to have a third of a plate of protein per meal. Remember that it is important to pay attention to the dose of what we need. Adding two eggs or a cup of Greek yogurt in place of half of the bagel would be good options. Moreover, drinking coffee at least an hour away from a meal is also beneficial. But even the dose of change that is required from my clients must be taken into consideration. Again, moderation is key.
To truly benefit from the above brief observations, we must draw deeper into the first maxim Know Thyself. Self-knowledge must come first in order to achieve Nothing in Excess. While I help my clients draw awareness to their habits, I also believe most people have another person who can help them, be it a spouse, parent, colleague or friend, assuming that they have a willingness to learn. Moreover, you can do so independently following certain practices and guidelines. As an example, I purposefully re-booked one of my clients at lunch time as he often came to his 2 pm training session feeling “full”. His eating patterns justified his action as a businessman. After a few weeks he recognized the importance of training at noon instead as he felt more energetic and scheduling his meetings at other times. This spared him two large meals, two desserts, and a few drinks.
We all have our good and bad habits. The goal is to find a balance between them. I ask new clients about their favorite foods, what they eat for comfort. Then they look at me with awe and sometimes with suspicion when I say “Alright, we will still eat cheese and have wine, cola, fries and cheesecake. BUT we will plan for it”. For now, I will leave you with this: One of my professors at my university finished each lecture with one sentence “It is not what is happening or what will happen, always ask: How much, how long. The dose makes the difference between a medicine and a poison.”
The next article in this series Part II, Understanding Balance will expose our paradigms in the world of nutrition