Sustainable Diet

The Gut-Protein Connection, Transforming Gut Health in Midlife

The Gut-Protein Connection, Transforming Gut Health in Midlife

Protein isn't just about building muscles; it's about building a strong and healthy gut.

Protein is one of the primary building blocks for all cells in the human body, including your gut cells. Even gut probiotics are made of protein.

Research has shown that both the amino acid balance and digestibility of dietary protein are primary factors contributing to gut microbes' composition, structure, and function. [1]

If you live in Australia, you’d think that protein malnutrition couldn’t exist.  But many people in their midlife aren't eating enough protein, especially with trendy vegan and vegetarian diets on the rise.

Unlocking Vitality: Five Truths About Supplements for Midlife Health

Unlocking Vitality: Five Truths About Supplements for Midlife Health

You've probably heard the spiel before: "Supplements are just a waste of money," they say, echoing from news sources or the mouths of misinformed doctors.

But let's face it: mainstream nutrition advice often misses the mark, leaving folks like you and me scratching our heads, especially when it comes to the role of supplements.

Beyond 40: Nourishing Your Gut for Peak Health and Vitality

Beyond 40: Nourishing Your Gut for Peak Health and Vitality

Gut health is one of the most important things to focus on beyond 40.

I’m sure you’ve seen the numerous media stories over the past few years connecting changes in the gut microbiome to everything from obesity, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, mental health issues, autoimmune diseases, to allergies and neurological disorders.

If you're beyond 40 and your goal is to stay in shape, improve low energy (and libido), manage chronic health conditions, and unlock vitality, you’re going to need to have a healthy gut.

Beyond 40: 10 Reasons To Skip Fasting And Eat Breakfast

Beyond 40: 10 Reasons To Skip Fasting And Eat Breakfast

Unlocking peak wellness in midlife can be challenging.

Finding a simple approach to nutrition is confusing. What should you eat to lose weight, boost your energy levels and increase your health and longevity?

Where do you start?

Breakfast is often where I start with many of my health coaching clients looking to upgrade their nutrition.

The start of the day is often when you're most complaint, so it's the perfect place to start.

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5 Root Causes Of Midlife Gut Issues That Your Doctor Won't Know

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5 Root Causes Of Midlife Gut Issues That Your Doctor Won't Know

Your gut health is linked to your overall health.  This makes sense because every cell in your body needs vital nutrients to survive and thrive.  Your gut’s ability to digest and absorb this critical nutrient is essential to your health and well-being. 

Constipation, diarrhoea, bloating, gas, abdominal pain, fatigue, skin irritations, vomiting, and sugar cravings are all signs that your gut isn't functioning as it should.

Unlock Peak Wellness in Midlife with 5 Key Reasons to Boost Your Protein Intake

Unlock Peak Wellness in Midlife with 5 Key Reasons to Boost Your Protein Intake

It's scary how many people in their midlife think they should eat less protein. But the truth is we should be eating more.

When working with health coaching clients, one of the first questions I often get is, “Where should I start with my diet so I can feel better, have more energy and keep up with my kids?"

The answer to that question is protein.

As we age, protein becomes even more valuable because it plays a crucial role in our health and longevity.

Mastering Midlife Nutrition: Busting High-Protein Myths for Health and Vitality

Mastering Midlife Nutrition: Busting High-Protein Myths for Health and Vitality

As we age, we start to pay more attention to our health.  Health, happiness and longevity seem to climb our list of values, especially when we have a family to care for.

This new outlook on our values makes us question what type of diet we should eat.

This leads to the question of how much protein I should eat.

Protein recommendations can vary based on individual factors such as age, sex, weight, activity level, health and fitness goals, and overall health.

Sometimes, we make the mistake of thinking we need to eat less as we age.

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Why recreational athletes often experience leaky gut?

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Why recreational athletes often experience leaky gut?

Back in the day, when I was training and competing in marathons and triathlons, I started to experience certain food sensitivities, poor sleep, diarrhea, and nausea. I put it down to stress, high training volumes, and working long hours as a personal trainer. Although doing a food sensitivity (IgG) test helped me remove particular foods that increased the symptoms (whey, eggs, gluten, cashews, alcohol, etc.), it wasn't enough to fix the underlying cause. I later found out I had a leaky gut, and once I fixed it, all of these symptoms went away.

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Leaky guy played havoc with my sleep, my ability to recover and, therefore, my health and happiness. Today, my gut health is significantly better, and I wish I had addressed the problem sooner.

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Gut issues are not normal, stop ignoring them.

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Gut issues are not normal, stop ignoring them.

I've experienced my fair share of gut issues over the years. From leaky gut, inflammation, diarrhea and even nausea. Did I share too much? The thing is, I didn't take action until I started to realise how the gut plays a vital role in overall health and well-being. Your gut health controls everything from your weight to your mood to brain health, inflammation, exercise tolerance, recovery, and immune function.

Not only that, 90% of your serotonin, the happy, feel-good hormone, is produced in the gut. So if you’re feeling depressed, it could be an underlying gut issue. Serotonin is also a precursor to melatonin, the hormone that helps you sleep.

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Why caffeine is not a consistent performance aid for all recreational athletes?

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Why caffeine is not a consistent performance aid for all recreational athletes?

I recently did an ancestry gene test and discovered that I'm in the 50% of the population who are slow caffeine metabolisers (CYP1A2 AC and CC genotype). I was a little curious to find out what this means and what positive or negative effects caffeine can have on our health and performance?

Numerous studies have linked caffeine with positive health effects like reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, recent research suggests that the effects of coffee on health aren’t the same for everyone, and may depend on genetics and other factors.

I love coffee—and I know I’m not alone.