Patterns in Your Nutrition Analysis

I'm going to share with you some of the hidden health clues that we're discussing in the Hidden Health Clues Intensive, our new online program. It's quite exciting because it delves into many of the deeper topics that I truly want to teach people. Often, we don't have enough time for these discussions in our short podcasts or even during our clinic sessions.

I love online programs because they provide us with the opportunity to work with people for longer durations and in much greater depth. The Hidden Health Clues system, in particular, is a compilation of my years of experience as a practitioner.

What I'm discovering are the things that I look for, which help me see beyond the conventional approach when working with an individual. These little clues often assist me in identifying aspects that might have gone unnoticed previously. Today, we will be discussing patterns.

We've discussed the cronometer, a food nutrition analysis app, in previous podcasts and videos. In case you haven't heard about it before, I'll provide a brief explanation. After that, we'll delve into the significance of patterns and why they are important.

It's more than just the numbers – it's more than simply tracking the caloric intake. Many people tend to overlook this aspect, and I'm not necessarily advocating for everyone to focus solely on it. However, as a practitioner, one of the things I pay close attention to is the patterns that I've observed. It's one of those subtle yet effective methods that can truly help identify the trajectory individuals are on.

And so I like to teach people using a nutrition app called cronometer.

There's an app available for download on your smartphone. Simply visit cronometer.com to access the program, which is also available for your computer. This app is free to use, allowing you to track your food intake, even if it's just for a day. In previous videos and podcasts, we discussed the usage of cronometer in more detail. The focus of this particular blog post is on identifying patterns that provide valuable clues.

Now, what do I mean by patterns? In nutrition analysis, we examine both your macronutrients and micronutrients. Macronutrients encompass proteins, carbohydrates, and fats – those larger nutritional components. Micronutrients comprise vitamins and minerals. When we start exploring patterns, our initial focus is on macronutrients.

What I've come to notice is that when there's a higher percentage of carbohydrate intake, it tends to be associated with sleep issues, chronic fatigue, diabetes, hypoglycemia, bowel troubles, and even anxiety due to the blood sugar fluctuations. On the other hand, when fats make up a higher percentage, we typically observe more cardiovascular risks, hormonal imbalances, weight-related concerns, and when both macronutrient and micronutrient proteins are higher, I tend to see issues related to mood, aging, anxiety, stress, depression, mental health, and pain. By examining someone's nutrition analysis, I can often provide a good estimate of the issues they might be seeking help for.

So, the first thing you can do after adding your food is to navigate to the section that displays the macronutrient targets along with the corresponding percentages based on what this person has been eating. Our objective here is to identify the percentages of your macronutrients.

So, for this specific individual, protein intake was at 66%, carbohydrates at 24%, and fat at 43%. We can see that the highest intake is in protein. As we examine these macronutrients for patterns, what am I noticing? So we already know that the highest in intake is protein. So I'm going to go down to the protein section.

My pattern here is this: when protein intake is high, meaning the percentage of protein is greater, and we observe low amino acids, a certain trend emerges. In the breakdown, you'll notice that protein intake is at the top, accounting for 66% of the total intake. Beneath that, all the amino acids are listed. In the case of this particular individual, if these amino acids appear to be low, it suggests a deficiency. So, our observed pattern is a higher protein percentage paired with low amino acids. This isn't an ideal pattern, particularly if there's also a deficiency in B vitamins.

So, moving on, we examine the B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, and folate. If the levels of these vitamins appear sufficient or deficient, it indicates an unhappy pattern. In this case, for the individual being discussed, I anticipate that they might have a tendency towards experiences such as mood issues, aging concerns, mental health challenges, emotional well-being struggles, feelings of anxiety, stress, depression, or even discussing pain.

If we observe a higher level, a greater percentage of proteins, and find that all amino acids are sufficiently met, then I'm content. This indicates a positive percentage and a favorable pattern. On the other hand, if the pattern reveals the highest percentage in fats – meaning fats are the dominant macronutrient intake – and we also notice elevated levels of omega-6 and saturated fats, this suggests an unfavorable pattern. This becomes more concerning, especially when there's a deficiency in vitamins D, E, and K. Such a pattern is worrisome. I would expect that in this case, I might hear about issues related to weight, cholesterol, hormones, liver, or cardiovascular health.

If we observe a pattern characterized by higher fat intake, along with a high omega-3 to omega-6 ratio and low saturated fat, that's a happier pattern. I'm content with that outcome. Conversely, if their highest intake is in terms of carbohydrate percentage, an unhappy pattern emerges when there's a combination of higher carb percentage, high net carbs, and low fiber. This becomes a concerning pattern, particularly if mineral levels are also low. In such cases, my suspicion typically leans towards issues with sleep – possibly insomnia or waking up frequently at night – as well as feelings of weakness and shakiness between meals. They might mention conditions like diabetes or metabolic syndrome, along with discussions about bowel and inflammatory problems.

If we have a higher carb percentage, but we also have a higher fiber, then that's a happy pattern, especially if the list of foods is longer. So high carb percentage, high fiber, long list. That's a happy carb pattern.

So I know this was just a short and sweet, quick little tutorial, showing patterns and what I watch for. Feel free to check it out for yourself – try cronometer.com and see what your nutrient targets are. If you ever need assistance, you can reach us at anmcholistichealth.com or email us at support@anmcholistichealth.com.