Prepping for Battle: Nutrient Dense Toxin Free (Part 1 of 3)

I don’t know your goals, I don’t know your body type, and I don’t know your activity level.  I am not a doctor nor am I a dietician, therefore I cannot prescribe any specific diet nor do I want to. Ain't nobody got time fo dat! However, what I do want to do is shed some light and bust some myths on the topic of nutrition in this 3 part series.
​
By the end of these blog posts, I hope that all of our readers will understand just how individualized a nutrition plan can be but also how simplistic.  This post in particular is intended to get the right foods on your plate.  We can talk about calories till the grass-fed cows come home but unless those calories are coming from nutritious food sources, any other conversation is pointless.

At Axistence Athletics when our clients ask us how they should eat, we like to use the phrase “Nutrient Dense, Toxin Free”.  Whether you’re Paleo or Vegan, Ornish or Atkins, we think pretty much anyone can get behind those 4 words.  Essentially all we’re saying is that folks should try to choose the most nutrient dense sources of their calories and try to avoid toxic ones.  Makes sense right?

---

So what does “Nutrient Dense” mean?  In this case, when we say “nutrients” we’re talking about vitamins and minerals (technically speaking these are called “micronutrients” for those of you taking notes).  Nutrient dense foods have the highest concentration of vitamins and minerals per calorie.  If it had a mother, or you can eat it as it grows in nature, chances are it’s got some pretty decent nutrients.  For an extensive list of nutrient dense foods click here:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-shopping-list/#axzz2ycS00lpb 

What are considered “toxins”?  When we say “toxins” we’re referring to anything the body recognizes as foreign.  These may contribute to low level, chronic inflammation or they may invoke an all out immune system response like hives.  Depending on your genes and your immune system, what’s toxic to you may not be toxic to me.  A great example is a shellfish allergy.  Shrimp can be a great source of micronutrients and protein, but if you have a shellfish allergy it could be your last meal.   The above link is great list of “toxin free” foods (unless of course you know you're allergic to one of them, please do the common sense thing and choose life over nutrient density).

Of the 7 billion people on the planet, the 2 largest food allergies are wheat and dairy.  Do you have those allergies?  Maybe.  Like I said, I’m not a doctor nor am I a dietician.  The best way to know if you have an allergy to a food is to eliminate it for 30 days, see how you look, feel and perform.  Then reintroduce that food back into the diet and see if there’s a noticeable change.  If you take milk out of your diet for 30 days and put it back in only to find that you’ve missed the flavor, chances are that you have the necessary enzymes to breakdown lactose.  Congratulations.  If, on the other hand, you reintroduce it and your bubble guts come back with a vengeance, chances are you don’t do so well with dairy.  For your sake and for your friends, this would be something you may want to moderate in the future....or at least time properly for the most enjoyment.

In part two, we’ll talk about how to eat for your body type but before we do that we need to make sure you’re eating REAL FOOD!  Here’s that link again:

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-blueprint-shopping-list/#axzz2ycS00lpb

Eat with a purpose,
Ryan Humphries
Co-Founder BushCraft CrossFit