The Ideal Nutrition Blog | Ideal Nutrition

26 Nov 2021

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…

27 Oct 2021

By Leah Higl

Carbohydrate Periodisation: Train Low & How To Do It

Traditional approaches to managing nutrition for endurance training have previously placed an emphasis on high carbohydrate availability. This often means having a carb-rich meal or snack before training, carbohydrates during longer training sessions and followed up by a carb-rich post-training meal. So what is this new train low concept? We have relatively small carbohydrate stores of around 300-900 grams in the muscle and 20-100 grams in the liver. The storage form of carbohydrates is called glycogen. How much carbohydrates you store (your carbohydrate availability) depends on your diet. A higher carb diet will result in greater carb storage while a low…

20 Oct 2021

By Leah Higl

Is Soy Really That Bad For You? Soy & Estrogen

Soy doesn’t have the best reputation in the western world. Whilst foods like tofu and edamame are embraced in many Asian cultures. It seems to be quite a demonized food in countries like Australia and the United States. First things first, I work with predominantly plant-based and vegan people. Mostly assisting them with optimizing their diet for athletic performance and muscle gain. I am a huge advocate for soy as a predominant source of protein in this situation. Soy has what we would consider a ‘complete’ amino acid profile. Products made from soy are usually very efficient sources of plant-based…

09 Oct 2021

By Tyler Brooks

Is High Protein Intake Bad for Kidney Function?

There has been a persistent myth in the nutrition and supplementation landscape for decades that a diet high in protein, or too much supplemental protein can damage the kidneys and even lead to kidney failure. This particular myth dates back decades, and there is a relationship between dietary protein and kidney function. I think that this reoccurring link that keeps getting made between high protein diets and kidney damage stems from a few different areas, which I'll break down below! First: Some Background... The kidneys play various roles in the body, primarily in regulating blood and the waste products in…

06 Oct 2021

By Aidan Muir

RPAH Elimination Diet: A Low-Food Chemical Approach

Food chemicals can play a role in a lot of conditions. Avoiding or limiting certain food chemicals could dramatically improve symptoms in some cases. In other cases, it might just be a frustrating and complex process undertaken for no reason. We often think of food chemicals as things that are artificial or added to foods. But some relevant chemicals are naturally found in food as well. Just because something is “natural” does not mean it cannot cause symptoms. As a generalisation, the stronger the flavour of the food, the higher its chemical content is likely to be. It is also…

01 Oct 2021

By Leah Higl

Does Celery Juice Live Up To The Hype?

I remember when the celery juice craze started. It was mid-2019 and I was still partly working in a hospitality job. It was kind of overnight that we had to start buying up hundreds of dollars worth of celery each week to keep up with the celery juice demand from customers. One large celery juice, hold the ice, was a very popular order. Each customer describes the benefits of celery juice at the checkout whether or not their thoughts were asked for. Common lines were, “ Celery juice is just so hydrating” “I am doing a cleanse and can only…

28 Sep 2021

By Leah Higl

Diverticular Disease: What To Eat & How To Reduce Flare-Ups

Diverticular disease is when small abnormal pouches form in the bowel wall. This condition has two different classifications. Diverticulosis - this is the formation of the pouches in the bowel wallDiverticulitis - is the inflammation or infection of these small pouches in the bowel wall Diverticulosis can be present and remain completely asymptomatic causing no issues at all. However, the issue is when diverticulitis develops. However, only 10-25% of people with diverticulosis will develop diverticulitis. Diverticulitis may present with abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, flatulence and/or blood in the faeces. Management of the active states of diverticular disease often involves…