Top Nutrition Trends of 2022
There were many hot topics this year but thankfully they were not all about that pesky virus! Here are the most important trends that I saw in nutrition talk this year.
Food is medicine - okay this is not new, but thanks to the pandemic, more are realizing that nutrition really does impact health and immune function. There has also been more recognition that what we eat impacts our gut microbiome. The gut microbiome is made up of trillions of organisms that are like another organ and impact our immune function plus many other things, including mood! Did you know that the gut produces 95% of your serotonin?!
Protein is king - Each macronutrient has had it's primetime moment and protein is in the spotlight now. We know that everyone needs more than the RDA of .8 grams per kilogram of body weight so just ignore that guidance. Protein is so important for muscle mass, particularly if trying to lose weight, but there are many more benefits to eating more protein, such as improving satiety, reducing cravings, protecting bone density and boosting metabolism. And to all my premenopausal ladies, increase your protein in the second half of your menstrual cycle. And to my post menopausal ladies, increase your protein ALL THE TIME. If you don't know how much protein you should be eating, let's chat!
Blood sugar management using CGMs (continuous glucose monitors) - CGMs (to learn more about them and my experiment with them read this) were initially created for diabetics but are now becoming more mainstream. They give you real time blood sugar levels so you can learn which foods, and food combinations, cause blood sugar spikes. High blood sugar is a health concern and linked to many diseases but what causes high blood sugar is unique to each person. These devices can also help you learn how exercise affects your response to food and which foods best fuel your exercise. Additionally, many professional triathletes are using them to dial in race and training nutrition. I wore a CGM for two key races this year to determine if my race nutrition needed adjustment and it was quite interesting. My blood sugar had a big spike in a more intense race (an Xterra off-road triathlon) and I really did need that caffeinated gel in a half ironman. I've been able to use the CGM data, along with my metabolic testing, to further fine tune my race nutrition. You will be hearing more about CGMs as I think it's another great tool to help learn more about our bodies and uniquely adjust nutrition.