Nutrition Essentials

Dr Colin Robertson is an exercise and nutrition scientist who has spent the past 30-years working in high performance sport, clinical exercise physiology, and sports science research. He is an accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach, Kinanthropometrist, and a registered Nutritionist with British Dietetics Association. He has trained and tested Olympic athletes who competed at four events (Beijing, London, Rio, and Tokyo), he has worked in Premiership football, and both national and international rugby. As an environmental physiologist, he has prepared several people to climb Everest, row across the Atlantic Ocean, race across the Sahara Desert, and trek to both the North and South poles.

Do you have the stomach for it?

 The gut-brain axis is the system that connects your gut with your brain and is a bidirectional communication pathway between the central and the enteric nervous systems, that links emotional and cognitive centres of the brain with peripheral intestinal functions. The gut is the epicentre of emotion, hence the term ‘gut feeling,’ and so it is very easy for our emotions to be hijacked by foods that manipulate the hormonal exchanges that take place in that space.

 The gut is often referred to as the second brain, which somewhat undersells the vital role it plays in both the establishment and maintenance of optimal health. In truth, the gut develops first in the womb, as it did in evolutionary terms too, and 90% of the communication between the gut and the brain travels upwards from the gut to the brain. The gut, and the gut microbiota (the diverse tropical rainforest that exists in your gut) are central to your health status, and 70% of your immune function is derived from this ecological wonder. As such, an investment in preserving and optimising the gut is an essential step to achieving good health.

 The 100-trillion bacteria that live in your gut require two essential conditions to foster the best outcomes: a daily provision of dietary fibres (that literally feed the gut), and protection from foods that cause inflammation (primarily, refined sugars and ultra-processed foods). The average recommendation for adults is to consume 25-30 grams of dietary fibre every day, but current estimates are that most people consume less than half of this amount on most days.

 So, let’s keep things simple: reduce and avoid sugary snacks, and likewise detach from a reliance on convenience and ultra-processed foods. Instead, favour whole foods, leafy greens, fruits and berries, and establish a practice of preparing your own food. Study after study has confirmed that the single biggest difference a person can make to the quality of their diet, and therefore the improvement of their dietary health, is to increase the time they spend preparing their own food.

 Develop a passion for making meals and put sugary options back to being treats; experienced only occasionally, and not a daily feature or part of a reward system for good behaviour.

It’s a hard cell…

 All of the bodies systems depend on balance, which in biological terms is called homeostasis, the dynamic art of equilibrium. At a biochemical level, this is often expressed as ratios, the amount of one element to another, and these ratios are more sensitive than most people realise, and just like a high-performance engine, fine-tuning will make a world of difference to how they function.

 At a fundamental level, we humans are a collection of 37-trillion individual cells, and these cells are repairing and renewing every second of each and every day. Once 365-days have passed, you are pretty much an entirely new collection of cells (underpinning the aging process), and after approx. ten-years, there’s barely a cell left of the person you once were. In very real biological terms, every decade or so you become a brand-new person, with only the memories and scars (and, perhaps, tattoos) left of the person you once were.

 In evolutionary terms we commenced as a species as one single cell, a cell that mustered-up a metabolism that gave it the capacity to store energy for long enough to divide and replicate, and as such transform from single-celled to multicellular life. The same is true of you. You started life as one single cell in the womb, and then the cascade of evolutionary processes triggered the divide and replicate response, and in the blink of an eye you became a collection of 37-trillion cells that would last a lifetime. In the truest terms, health begins and ends at a cellular level.

 There are lots of factors that influence cellular status, but a critical one from a dietary perspective relates to the ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 (both from the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) group). These PUFAs are essential nutritional components, and essential in two ways: 1. The body cannot manufacture them itself, and so is entirely reliant on dietary sources, and 2. They are essential for the optimal health and functioning of the cell.

 In the modern world, with the average diet comprising of 65 – 80% processed and ultra-processed food, we consume far too much omega-6 (it is used heavily in processed food, and is the common cooking oil used in homes), and far too little omega-3 (particularly the marine omega-3s, EPA and DHA, which are derived from fatty fish – salmon, mackerel, anchovies, krill, etc.).

 The DHA component largely influences cognitive and function, and in early life is a key aspect of brain and neurological development (hence why health authorities all over the world encourage pregnant women to supplement with omega-3). EPA has an anti-inflammatory role and works to balance-off the pro-inflammatory influence of omega-6 (both essential in immunological terms). It is easy to see that when we have too much influence from a pro-inflammatory component, and a deficiency in the anti-inflammatory, chronic inflammatory processes are let loose, and these processes are at the foundation of all non-communicable diseases (NCDs, type two diabetes, obesity, certain cancers, cardiac disease, and metabolic syndrome, for example). Therefore, managing the balance is essential, and one of the most profound preventative health strategies you can invest in.

 The ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 influence the cell membrane, and a cell deficient in omega-3 is less dynamic, more rigid, and as such compromised in how well it can absorb nutrients and eliminate waste. The ratio required for optimal cell health is 4:1 (omega-6: omega-3), but across the research literature it has been observed that average values across the population are 14:1.

 The way to address this is to increase your consumption of fatty fish and consider the use of a daily omega-3 supplement. At the same time, assess your diet and see how you can make some meaningful changes to the types of oils you use to cook and prepare food with. Favour extra-virgin olive oil for cooking, and drizzling over salads, and again, reduce your consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods. 

Less is more.

(Excerpt from Made to Move by Dr Colin Robertson)

Life is full of contrasts and contradictions. In an age of food opulence, a phase of voluntary famine has gripped those with an interest in health and fitness. People who want more by having less. I, for one, applaud the principle, and as I am about to unveil there are some worthwhile, and verifiable, benefits to the practice.

The research has revealed the following benefits of intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating:

1. Cognitive function and memory. Repeated studies have observed that intermittent fasting boosts working memory in animals and verbal memory in adult humans.

2. Heart health. Intermittent fasting has consistently shown that lowered blood pressure and resting heart rates, as well as other heart-related measurements, occur in the wake of fasted periods.

3. Tissue health. In animals, intermittent fasting reduced tissue damage in surgery and improved results.

4. Type 2 diabetes and obesity. In animal studies, intermittent fasting has proven to be effective at preventing obesity. And, in several studies, obese adult humans lost weight through the practice of intermittent fasting.

How people with type 2 diabetes may benefit: Most of the available research shows that intermittent fasting can help people lose body weight and lower levels of fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and invigorate leptin pathways (that influence appetite and body-fat regulation) while reducing insulin resistance, decreasing levels of ghrelin (the hunger hormone), and increasing levels of adiponectin (a hormone your adipose (fat) tissue releases to help with insulin sensitivity and control inflammation). Studies have found that some patients practicing intermittent fasting (under the supervision of their doctor) were able to reverse their need for insulin therapy and medication.

1. Physical performance. Improved maintenance, and increased development, of lean (muscle) mass, along with a corresponding decrease in body fat. Animal studies (with mice) whereby they were fed on alternate days observed better endurance (running).

Are you convinced yet? Are you ready to hold-off on that sandwich for lunch you had planned? Before making any swift decision, let’s look at some of the safety considerations around intermittent fasting.

While some people try intermitting fasting for weight management (the procedure itself, if nothing else, helps to manage calorie intake), and others use the strategy to help address chronic conditions (such as arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes), intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone.

As with commencing any strict dietary regime, it’s best practice to you check in with your doctor / primary care practitioner first, and the following groups would be wise to steer clear of intermittent fasting:

1. Children and teens under age 18.

2. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

3. People with type 1 diabetes who take insulin. While an increasing number of clinical trials have shown that intermittent fasting is safe in people with type 2 diabetes, there have been no studies in people with type I diabetes, and intermittent fasting eating patterns may result in unsafe levels of hypoglycaemia during the fasting period for people living with the condition.

4. Those with a history of eating disorders.

Intermittent fasting and time-restricted eating (for clarity, intermitting fasting involves a minimum of a 24-hour (but more typically 48-hours) fast, whereas the 16/8 format (16-hour fast, and 8-hour eating window) is a good example of time-restricted eating) present an excellent and meaningful challenge, which the process of overcoming offers as much value and reward as the outcomes do.

 In modern industrialised countries, most people have become so unaccustomed to experiencing hunger that we have even invented a term for an extreme cocktail of pronounced appetite and emotion, hangry; a condition whereby a person is so hungry they are angry. What a soft society we have become. Let me be the first to tell you, if you live in a house, have an income, and access to food for most of the time, it’s completely okay to be hungry. Own the situation and manage your emotions accordingly. If it’s that easy to get your riled and fired up, wait until you hear about the real problems the world is dealing with.

 Fasting is hard to do, it takes discipline, and for that reason alone I encourage you to do it.

A Brew Steeped in History

 Caffeine is widely recognized for its ability to boost alertness, improve mood, and increase physical and mental performance. Research shows that caffeine can enhance focus, reduce fatigue, and even aid in endurance activities by promoting fat oxidation and reducing perceived exertion. Caffeine is also rich in antioxidants, which may help protect cells from damage and lower inflammation in the body. Qualities such as these have made it a popular choice for boosting productivity and enhancing exercise performance, it is even alleged to have ushered in the age of enlightenment.

 However, caffeine consumption also has potential downsides. High intake can lead to jitteriness, insomnia, increased heart rate, and digestive discomfort. Regular consumption can result in dependence, leading to withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, and fatigue when caffeine is reduced. Overuse, especially in the form of energy drinks, can also lead to overstimulation and interfere with healthy sleep patterns, which are crucial for recovery and mental clarity.

 To benefit from caffeine without adverse effects, it is best to use it strategically. Limit intake to 400 mg per day (approximately 4 cups of coffee) and avoid it late in the day to prevent sleep disturbances. Opting for natural sources like coffee or tea and combining caffeine with a balanced diet helps sustain energy without excessive spikes or crashes.