Protein is the POWERHOUSE macro and here's why. . .

The macros of fats and carbs are our energy macros. They are the ones that fuel our bodies. Protein, on the other hand, is the macro that builds our body. We need a specific amount to build and maintain muscle, and muscle is tied to our longevity. When I say longevity I’m talking about healthy years of life, not lingering frail sickly years. I bet we all know someone who lingered their last 10 years of life with not enough energy or health to enjoy the things they loved like fishing, traveling, hiking, going to bazaars, but instead they were tied to a pharmacy, a daily schedule of medications, walkers, chairs that help them stand, special socks/shoes and their best friends were a heating pad and the TV remote. They really are not living life at that point, but existing. Who wants that? What if those years were all strong, healthy, fun-filled, independent years? That’s what we all want, right? – Healthy Years of LIFE! Well, protein can help get us there!

Proteins crucial role in healthy aging

Look, I’m pretty sure you are like me and want to maintain your independence as you get older. Who wants to require help getting off the toilet? Right? As we get older, maintaining our muscle, its function and strength becomes more and more important. Here are several ways in which protein can contribute to healthy aging and reduce the risk of frailty:

Muscle Maintenance and Repair:
- Adequate protein intake helps prevent muscle loss (atrophy) that can occur with aging and who wants that? I am proactive about this, and do what I can to prevent muscle loss. You can do that, too.
Muscle Protein Synthesis:
- Eating protein stimulates muscle protein synthesis – that is how the body builds new proteins to repair and replace damaged or aging muscle tissue. Consuming sufficient protein helps optimize this. I aim to optimize this. Note: carbs and fats cannot do this. This is why protein is vital.
Bone Health:
- Protein is not only important for muscles but also for bone health. Optimizing our protein means we can have greater bone mineral density, reducing the risk of breaking a bone. Think of strong skeletal health which is necessary to be resilient!
Immune Function:
- Protein is a key component of the immune system. Most people look at me weird when I say that, but it is true. I will be diving into that in a later series, but just know that a healthy and robust immune response depends on protein.
Satiety and Weight Management:
- Protein can help you stay in your skinny jeans. You know the ones that make you feel AWESOME. Yeah, those! Protein-rich foods give us that feeling of fullness and satiety. Just protein alone can do this, but when coupled with resistance exercise and walking, I feel unstoppable.
Prevention of Sarcopenia:
- Sarcopenia refers to age-related loss of muscle mass and function. Protein, along with resistance exercise, is a key component in preventing or slowing down the progression of sarcopenia. Being inactive and not eating enough protein is a recipe for poor muscle health. But we have a choice: We can actively work to keep our muscle and to create more. This is how we age in a healthy way.

FOOD- How to eat more protein!

The goal is to eat about 30-50 grams of protein at each meal so all of the things l listed above can happen. We cannot build a body out of fig newtons, malted milk candies and french fries from the food truck on the corner. We need protein:
On my instagram and facebook pages I share my meals and many recipes of how I will slip out an ingredient for something else that will pop up the protein. Example: I will add cottage cheese to increase protein, swap 1/2 of the flour for egg white protein in some recipes, or even use egg whites instead of water when making muffins or pancakes. There are some other easy tips and tricks that make eating protein more enjoyable so that getting in the 30-50 grams per meal is something that happens regularly.

I have a recipe booklet available if you’d like to have some ideas of things you can do. One of the joys of creating recipes is you can adapt them from sweet to savory. Example: Instead of a vanilla protein powder which is sweet in my waffle recipe, I will use a plain protein powder and some seasoning. Both batters will make a nice crispy waffle, but one is sweet that works great with berries or butter and syrup, but the other works as a “bread” to go alongside of turkey stew or my favorite meatball and sauce recipe. Both add extra protein to my meal.

From a salmon bake and a new twist on meatloaf to pumpkin squares – there is something in this booklet for you. If you’d like a copy of the booklet, you can get it here

Disclaimer: Although I am a nutritionist I am not your nutritionist. This blog post is not medical advice of any kind. Please see your healthcare provider for any health concerns and/or diet changes.