The Ideal Nutrition Blog | Ideal Nutrition

14 Jan 2022

Does Coffee Stunt Your Growth?

Coffee is probably one of the most well-studied beverages around. If you received a dollar for every time you saw a news article citing recent research about the benefits or risks of coffee drinking, you would probably get pretty rich, pretty quickly. But have you ever heard someone say that coffee stunts your growth? There are quite a lot of reasons why you may not be wanting to pump your kids up with coffee. Hyperactivity due to the caffeine probably being at the top of that list. Another reason parents often cite though is not wanting to stunt the growth…

10 Jan 2022

By Hanah Mills

Protein: What’s Important When Trying to Build Muscle?

Protein is obviously the most important macronutrient to focus on for building muscle. In the nutrition world, things are either oversimplified or overly complicated with emphasis placed on things that do not really matter. One of the things that can be confusing for people is that for protein and muscle growth, multiple things are required. But each of these things matters to varying degrees. The four main aspects of protein for muscle growth are: 1) Total protein intake 2) Protein distribution 3) Protein quality 4) Specific timing If you are trying to maximise muscle growth, you need to nail all of these…

05 Jan 2022

By Leah Higl

CSID: How To Manage Sucrase-Isomaltase Deficiency

What is CSID? Congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency (CSID) is a genetic condition that affects the body’s ability to digest certain sugars. Sucrase and isomaltase are enzymes produced in the lining of the small intestine to break down sucrose and maltose/isomaltose (starches). But with this condition, there is a relative deficiency of these enzymes. Therefore, when a person with CSID consumes sucrose or maltose they may experience unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms. The most common symptoms are loose bowel movements or diarrhea and bloating. Although some people may experience vomiting as well. A familiar way to think about CSID would be to compare it…

04 Jan 2022

By Aidan Muir

What Does a Consult with One of Our Dietitians Look Like?

You might be interested in what a session with one of our dietitians will look like before making the investment into booking in. Or maybe you are just curious and have no desire to book in. Either way, this post will be an attempt to cater to both audiences and summarise what our consults look like. What Type of Clients Do We See at Ideal Nutrition? Before getting into what the consult looks like, it makes sense to discuss what type of client we typically see. We see a 50/50 mix of athletes and non-athletes. Within the athlete portion, it…

10 Dec 2021

By Aidan Muir

5 Tips for if You Struggle to Eat Enough Calories

There can be a lot of reasons why somebody could struggle to eat enough calories for their goals. Maybe you have high calorie requirements due to a variety of factors including high activity levels or having a lot of muscle mass while trying to gain more size. Alternatively, maybe you just have a busy schedule or limited appetite and struggle to eat enough food. Either way, this post will cover a variety of ways to get more calories in. 1) Add Liquid Calories It is easier to drink than it is to eat. Getting a similar amount of calories from…

09 Dec 2021

By Leah Higl

Training The Gut For Endurance Athletes: A Dietitian’s Guide

Endurance athletes such as marathon runners, triathletes, and long-distance cyclists typically utilize food during training and events to improve their performance. The body can only store a limited amount of glycogen, the storage form of carbohydrates, in the liver and muscles. So once these storages have been exhausted or significantly reduced, the body has to turn to fat as a major fuel source. The issue with this is that using fat as a fuel source is less efficient than carbohydrates and will limit the intensity that the athlete can continue to perform at. This is often what is occurring when…

26 Nov 2021

By Leah Higl

Hypothalamic Amenorrhea: How To Restore Your Period

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is a condition where the menstrual cycle has stopped. Amenorrhoea is the absence of a menstrual cycle. Hypothalamic refers to the hypothalamus, which is a section in the brain that produces a number of hormones. The menstrual cycle provides key insight into the body’s hormonal balance. So when someone loses their period outside of menopause, the effects of contraception, or another diagnosed condition, it may be a sign that something is wrong. Nonetheless, if the menstrual cycle has stopped, it can be a sign that the body is under a lot of stress. The concept of not…

19 Nov 2021

By Leah Higl

Do High Protein Diets Negatively Impact Gut Health?

Diet significantly affects the health and composition of the gut microbiome. Recently, there has been a lot of talk around high protein diets and their impact on gut health. Specifically, high protein diets may negatively impact the gut microbiome. Although, it seems that there are several dietary strategies you can use to protect your gut health if you do have a high protein diet. These include maintaining a high fibre intake, having a diverse range of plant foods in your diet, limiting fat intake to <40% of caloric intake and moderating intake of red and processed meats. The Research -…

18 Nov 2021

By Aidan Muir

Is HMB Useful for Building Muscle?

Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB) is a chemical that is produced when the amino acid leucine is broken down by the body. It has a few different names depending on the specific version of the molecule. Other names include beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyric acid, beta-hydroxy and beta-methylbutyrate. The human body naturally produces it, but typically only produces around 0.3g per day on average. When people supplement it, standard dosages are usually 3-6g per day. Interest in HMB supplementation started in the early 2000s when a few studies showed significant gains in muscle and strength in comparison to placebo. There have even been two later studies…

04 Nov 2021

By Leah Higl

Inositol: Is It A Useful Supplement For Those With PCOS?

Inositol is a compound that is abundant in the human body. It plays a major role as a component of cell membranes. It also influences insulin and other chemical messengers in the body. Supplementing with inositol has gained traction as a treatment for some of the symptoms and conditions associated with PCOS. But how useful is inositol supplementation and how do you take it? What Is PCOS? PCOS is a condition that affects hormonal levels in women. It is categorized by a higher than normal production of male sex hormones which can lead to an inconsistent menstrual cycle, infertility, body…