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Intermittent Fasting | The Importance of Micro-nutrients
by briangryn | April 1, 2021 | Eat Clean
When Intermittent Fasting, you need to think about the vitamins and minerals you’re getting and how you’re keeping them in your diet. Because vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients can do all kinds of incredible things for your health.
The best way to think about vitamins and minerals in your diet is as them being like power-ups in computer games. That is to say, that collecting these through what you eat can increase your strength, your speed, your stamina, your brainpower, and more...
In fact, many of the individual nutrients in our food are now sold as supplements for a variety of athletes. I could write entire chapters on the benefits of countless individual nutrients and each time I did, you’d be compelled to rush out the door and buy them in supplement form...
But the point is that getting these nutrients from your diet is much easier, cheaper, and more effective. When you get fat-soluble minerals and vitamins from avocado instead of a tablet, for instance, you also get healthy fats and fiber. Meanwhile, getting iron from spinach versus a tablet means you’re also getting calcium, folate, magnesium, and potassium.
So if you can get all the nutrition from your diet, by eating a very balanced selection of different foods, you’ll find that you’re able to get an incredible range of different benefits. If for some reason you can not check out this great brand called Isotonix.
Let’s take a look at some examples of crucial nutrients that should try to get from your diet...
Choline:
Choline is a crucial nutrient found in eggs. This is the precursor to a chemical used in the brain known as ‘acetylcholine’. Acetylcholine is the brain's principal neurotransmitter used for communication between cells. The more acetylcholine you have in your brain, the more focused, alert, and awake you are. Supplementing has been shown to boost memory, IQ, and more!
Creatine:
Creatine is a wonder-substance that is incredibly useful for a wide range of different purposes and which is popularly used among athletes. The main role of creatine is to help the cells recycle used ATP to provide you with a few seconds of extra energy. This allows you to run faster for longer and to lift heavier items. Once again, it has also been shown to improve attention and concentration!
Omega 3 Fatty Acid:
Omega 3 fatty acid is an antioxidant that can help to protect cells from damage by free radicals and oxidants. This means that it can help to fight the effects of aging, while at the same time reducing the likelihood of cancer. Omega 3 fatty acids can also improve the communication between cells by improving ‘cell membrane permeability’. This can help to improve IQ. Omega 3 is also great for healthy skin and joints.
Lutein:
A lesser-known carotenoid that is found in the macula of the eye. This is a great micronutrient for reducing the likelihood of impaired vision as you reach older age and can also do a lot of other things. Lutein is linked with energy efficiency and in studies, it has been shown to help rats lose weight and run further on their volition.
Casein:
Casein is a great type of protein found in milk (as is whey). Unlike whey, casein releases slowly which makes it ideal to consume before bed. This way, you will be given a steady and constant supply of protein as you are in your most ‘anabolic’ state (during sleep).
Tryptophan:
Found in numerous proteins and other foods, tryptophan is a natural precursor to serotonin – what we know as the ‘happiness hormone’. This can fight depression, boost your mood, and even help you to sleep better at night (as it is converted to melatonin).
Vitamin D:
Vitamin D should be considered less a vitamin and more of a ‘master hormone’. Among other things, vitamin D aids in the production of testosterone, which helps boost muscle mass, weight loss, energy levels, libido, and more! Vitamin D is mainly produced in the body in response to exposure to sunlight, though it can also be found in eggs. A recent study found that vitamin D is needed for the mitochondria in the cells to regenerate after exertion.
CoQ10:
CoQ10 is another substance that can improve cellular energy by improving mitochondrial efficiency. Another is PQQ. These have been shown to improve not only athletic performance but also brainpower.
Resveratrol:
Resveratrol is one of the most powerful antioxidants we can get from the diet and is often thought of as being one of the most important aspects of the ‘Mediterranean Diet’. The Mediterranean Diet is a diet that consists of foods similar to hot European countries and the logic behind this is that these cultures statistically enjoy longer lifespans and lower incidences of heart disease (this was especially surprising back when we thought that saturated fats cause heart problems!). Resveratrol is not only a potent antioxidant in its own right but also improves mitochondrial performance in a way that reduces the formation of free radicals in the first place. It has been shown to greatly extend the lifespan of rats in laboratory settings in a manner similar to calorie restriction (which also increases lifespans).
Glutathione:
Glutathione (GSH) is often described as the body’s ‘master antioxidant’. This molecule helps to detoxify the cells and combat free radicals and can unlock the full potential of all the other antioxidants in your system. In fact, without adequate levels of glutathione, your body cannot make full use of any other antioxidants from your diet. Vitamin C, fish, resveratrol, and more all become much more potent when combined with a supply of GSH.
Calcium:
Calcium is one of the minerals most responsible for strengthening the bones and connective tissue. It needs a good supply of magnesium and vitamin D for you to get the most of it.
Vitamin B:
Vitamin B complex vitamins include B6, B12, thiamine, folate, and riboflavin. These vitamins can be used for a number of things but are particularly powerful for converting protein and sugar into energy and producing red blood cells. In other words, adding vitamin B to your diet will improve energy metabolism and help you to wake up feeling refreshed!
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that is well known for helping to fend off all manner of diseases by strengthening the immune system. It also happens to help with the production of serotonin thereby boosting the mood.
Zinc:
Zinc is implicated in neuroplasticity. That means that it makes it easier to learn new skills and abilities. What’s more, is that it also helps to increase testosterone production and improves the function of the central nervous system. Many people have a deficiency in zinc.
>Acetyl-L-Carnitine:
This is an amino acid that increases mitochondrial function and thereby enhances brain energy metabolism. It is often given to people suffering with chronic fatigue syndrome. That’s right – each of the 20 amino acids that we need also provides other crucial functions in the body!
Nitric Oxide:
Nitric oxide helps to improve blood flow around the body by acting as a vasodilator. This means it helps the blood vessels to widen, allowing more blood to flow around the body at any given time. This can not only aid in pretty much every function but also has various important roles in the brain and can be used to help us wake up in the morning!
I could go on and on... But the point is that one of the main objectives for a healthy diet should always be to supply the body with all these kinds of crucial nutrients, antioxidants, and minerals. If you do, then you will feel 100% better, live healthier, and find it easier to stick to a healthy diet for weight loss!
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