EP 13 | Protein: The Healing Macro Everyone’s Overlooking

In this episode, Katie & Amanda dive into the often misunderstood role of protein in wellness, exploring its benefits beyond muscle building. They discuss how protein is crucial for gut repair, nervous system regulation, mood balance, digestive strength, and immune function. 

This episode breaks down:

• Debunking Protein Myths
• The Importance of Protein for Gut Health
• Common Protein Misconceptions
• Choosing Quality Protein Sources
• and Practical Tips for Protein Intake

Transcript

Amanda: [00:00:00] Welcome back to another episode. Today we're diving into one of the most misunderstood and controversial nutrients in the wellness world: Protein.

Katie: Now, if you've ever thought protein is just for people chasing biceps and bench press pbs, then think again.

Amanda: Because the truth is protein isn't just about muscle. It's about healing. It's about gut repair. about nervous system regulation, mood, balance, digestive strength, and even your immune function.

Katie: And if you're living with IBD, IBS, fatigue, brain fog, maybe sluggish digestion or chronic health concerns, then this episode could change the game for you.

Amanda: We'll be breaking down why your gut literally can't repair without protein. How protein helps you digest better, not worse. What to eat if red meat isn't your vibe how to spot a high quality protein supplement versus a marketing scam in a tub.

Katie: So if [00:01:00] you've been under-fueling, overthinking, or just completely overlooking this healing macro, you're going to want to listen all the way through. Let's get into it.

Okay then, so it's a myth. Protein is only for bodybuilders.

 I think that this is such a topic. Well, it's a hot topic. I feel like it's discussed all the time. If you listen to health and wellness podcasts or YouTube videos, always talking about protein, how much you need whether you're eating too much or not enough. But I just feel like for the general population. Most people are under consuming protein. Would

Katie: Oh, mm-hmm.

Amanda: you agree?

Katie: Oh yeah. Yeah. 100%. But I think a lot of the time it's because they perhaps don't, Actually realize how important it is considering every single cell in our body is made up of protein and for [00:02:00] cellular repair. It's,

Um, Even shops kind of skimp on it because it's the most expensive ingredient to. Stock and to include. So yeah, I just think there's a lot of information out there on it, but it's not necessarily teaching people how to actually include it in their daily diet.

Amanda: Yeah, and I think that if I think back. To my experience before, well pre-diagnosis, I used to avoid protein, especially red meat because I had a sluggish digestive system and I used to feel that when I ate red meat or ate a lot of protein in a meal, I would have all of these. I would ha experience digestive symptoms like gas and bloating and indigestion and all of those things.

So in my brain, in my pre-educated brain, I equated that with, [00:03:00] oh, my body doesn't do well with this. As a fuel source. And I think that so often we can make those kind of connections and think, oh, maybe, maybe I just shouldn't eat protein. Maybe I'll go vegan or, or vegetarian, and maybe that'll be better for me.

And it can be so easy to kind of, make these decisions based on what you're feeling in your body, but without fully understanding what's happening. And understanding that red meat isn't necessarily the reason why you're having all of these symptoms. It's complex. It's a lot to understand.

Katie: Mm. Yeah. And this is where it comes back to , during that chapter anyway of your healing journey. I know we've spoken about this before, but changing your protein source, if you are struggling to digest things like red meat is fine for that chapter whilst you spend the time healing your bowel and eating protein sources that are [00:04:00] much more easy to digest.

But that doesn't mean you need to cut it out forever, and that doesn't mean that you need to go on, you know, these crazy restrictive diets for long periods of time because. Like you just said, it's not necessarily the red meat that's actually causing the symptoms. It is more likely gonna be something to do with.

Psychological impacts, sleep hormones. You know, there's a lot of other stuff that it, it could be

Amanda: yeah, exactly. And learning to support my digestion was the game changer. It wasn't about avoiding meat, it was about learning to implement those habits that. Support and strengthen my digestion and strengthen my stomach acid and help my body to be able to break these foods down versus just avoiding the thing that's causing the symptoms.

Katie: Mm, exactly. Because in reality, protein is so crucial for gut repair. Things like brain [00:05:00] function, things like digestion, things like immunity, and especially in patients that have IBD or IBS or chronic illness. So it's even more of a concern to these individuals

Amanda: yeah, so why don't we jump into some of the myths that we want to address in this episode. I. First and foremost, the idea that high protein are only for bodybuilders. What would you say to that one?

Katie: I would say that yes bodybuilders are on a higher protein diet. Purely because they are, you know, going for muscle hypertrophy in the gym. They're looking to grow, they're looking to get strong. so they will need a higher protein diet. But with that said, if you eat more protein, then you necessarily need, then that protein doesn't actually cause disease within the body.

It doesn't cause any [00:06:00] harmful side effects. It actually just gets oxidized and used for other areas like your hair or your nails.

Amanda: Yeah, exactly. And that we associate protein with building muscle because that's kind of the, the forefront that we see, but I. Using protein for repairing your body is just not spoken about as often. And one of the things that I notice in working with clients is energy levels and satiety when are taking in enough protein in our day. Our energy levels tend to be so much more stable. we're not on this energy roller coaster that so many people are on that are just maybe over consuming processed carbohydrates, relying on caffeine for energy, that sort of thing. and who doesn't want more energy like in your day? That's, it's a [00:07:00] huge thing.

Katie: Yeah.

Amanda: Um. But then also from a, a craving aspect, I think that people tend to just feel more satisfied and full and content throughout their day when they're taking in enough protein.

 Exactly, and it is gonna help them to not reach for the treat tin and possibly consume processed foods instead that would actually have a negative effect on their condition. And possibly send them into a flare up or irritate their gut lining. So yes, satiety, and.

Katie: Feeling full and satisfied is is super important.

Amanda: I think that that's one of the biggest drivers in our, our habits and especially our habits around food. if a person is, is being driven by cravings and on that kind of energy rollercoaster and I. that 2:00 PM slump where they just wanna reach for a chocolate bar and their body's telling [00:08:00] them like, you need carbohydrates. I think that. so many people that I've worked with can start to feel very dependent on those types of foods or feel out of control around foods. Having intense cravings, like you said, driving them to reach for something that maybe isn't the healthiest option or maybe is overprocessed and containing all of these.

Who knows what kind of ingredients. And I really notice that adding in more protein and more fiber, just helps to level everything out. It helps us to make better choices, to feel more stable in our energy and, and just start to build more solid habits for sure. 

Katie: So a lot of people suffer with brain fog, especially when they suffer with chronic health conditions. a lot, a lot of people suffer with, with brain fog. So it's kind of like um, targeting a lot of different areas within the body that is just going to help someone that is suffering

so making protein, a primary [00:09:00] macro is. Very, very important for those individuals yet alone gen pop. Because not enough people, as you said, eat protein full stop. Because did you know that your gut lining renews every three to five days?

Amanda: I did know that 

yeah, obviously protein being the kind of building blocks as you mentioned of our cells. Anything that's regenerating and renewing. Is it gonna be dependent on protein intake?

Katie: Exactly.

Amanda: in the wellness world, you hear a lot about going plant-based and. I think that that kind of demonizes protein, and I've heard a lot of people saying like, oh, you don't need, as we actually take in too much protein, you don't need as much protein, you need more vegetables, that we're consuming, that we're over consuming protein. not to say that I don't agree that we need to eat a lot of plant foods, but I feel that that debate between [00:10:00] plant-based and non plant-based diets, there tends to be a big controversy about protein intake and how much we actually need. So my way of thinking about protein is. Quality matters. It's not just about quantity and a broad array of protein sources is a good thing. So I definitely think that incorporating, different types of protein in your diet, whether that's from plant-based sources or fish or. poultry or red meats, they all have different amino acid profiles and are beneficial in different ways to our body. what are your thoughts on the plant-based protein of debate or controversy? I.

Katie: I think there needs to be a combination of both to create a diverse gut microbiome a lot of the time. Meat [00:11:00] substitutes are very highly processed.

But definitely consuming a wide variety because it's very hard for a vegetarian to eat adequate amount of protein. And what I find is that if they are trying to eat. A good amount of protein. They're over consuming a lot of beans, a lot of things that are gonna irritate their gut and create gas.

And, you know, they're very uncomfortable because they're eating too much fiber. You know, if they've decided to be vegetarian then, then that's their decision and that's fine.

But I I've done it. I wouldn't personally, I. Do it again because it, it wasn't good for me. And it's very, very difficult to actually consume. I know a lot of people don't think so, but it's very difficult to consume the protein levels that you should be and consuming the amino acids that you need to be consuming as a human being to yeah, get that from a, a vegetarian or [00:12:00] vegan based diet.

It's extremely difficult.

Amanda: I agree. I, I had a conversation with a client recently who. attended a yoga retreat and she was telling me about the food. And this client of mine has Crohn's disease and manages it mainly with diet and lifestyle choices. And, she said she found it incredibly difficult because this yoga retreat was offering a vegetarian diet and it was primarily raw and, 

Katie: wow.

Amanda: For

Katie: that's,

Amanda: her that that is not the number one choice that she would make be to be just consuming a bunch of raw plant-based food. it wasn't a huge deal because this, it was only a couple days, I think it was a three day retreat, so she was able to kind of pick and choose and, and there were some cooked options, like soups that she was able to choose that were a little kinder on her system, but. it kind of made me reflect, listening to her speak about that. It kind of made me [00:13:00] reflect on how a lot of that wellness industry view that as the, this gold standard of, of health that consuming raw plant-based foods is, you know, that this is what's going to make you the healthiest. I think that that is not necessarily true. May maybe it could act as a bit of a reset for somebody who doesn't have the best diet and maybe. You know, make some people feel great after that, those three days. But for someone like my client who has IBD it was not ideal. And she was not getting enough protein and, having a hard time with her digestion and, and like you said, experiencing issues with gas and bloating because of the high amount of beans that she was consuming.

So it was interesting.

Katie: Yeah. Raw plant-based diets are the hardest to digest, so she must have, I would've been [00:14:00] pretty gutted if I was

Amanda: Yeah , but it just, it kind of speaks to exactly what we're talking about and, and this controversy and and debate that's been going on for years about protein and in my mind, I obviously believe that Whole Foods as much as possible are the way to go. And like you said, consuming foods that you know, what they contain and they don't contain a bunch of fillers and emulsifiers and additives and so that's something to take into consideration as well.

It's, I, I firmly believe that it's not just about Amount we're taking in when it comes to protein or any macro for that matter, but quality plays a big role in it as well.

Katie: Yeah, methylation is huge and maybe we can cover that on another. Episode, but the quality of ingredients is again, just, not spoken about enough. But then it does come [00:15:00] back down to a bit of, you know, cost of living and yeah, organic meats being more expensive and you know, that whole.

Issue, but the quality of ingredients is so important and how your body utilizes those ingredients is, is so important.

Amanda: Yeah. And so that kind of leads into. About supplementing with things like protein shakes, because it can be hard to, to get enough protein in your day, it can be hard to always get it in the form of the highest quality whole food source. And I'm realistic when I, I speak to my clients about. what I'm eating, what I'm choosing as far as protein sources. So I don't believe that just eating a bunch of protein shakes or just adding a collagen supplement into your coffee, you know, is, is necessarily the way to go. But there are times that we need to. [00:16:00] Reach for things that are maybe a little more convenient and something that we can take on the go. I find that making smoothies with a high quality protein powder is something that is one of the easiest ways that I can ensure I'm getting adequate, only micro mi uh, macronutrients, but micronutrients in my day.

But navigating that can be tricky.

Katie: Yeah. And you know, I've got quite a few clients that don't want to eat protein because they feel like it's not good quality, but you can definitely get high quality. Protein supplements, you just need to be very selective. And if you are that worried, then you can even opt for like a bone broth protein supplement.

It's not gonna taste as good. But definitely utilizing these supplements that are actually. You could class them as a whole food, because supplements are, yeah, kind of on a different level, but [00:17:00] utilizing these quick sources of protein so that you can start getting enough protein in through your day is a really quick and clever way of doing it.

Amanda: Yeah. our lives are busy and we need things that are easy and quick and, not a lot of preparation. So, I think that there's a balance between both striking a balance between. Eating full on convenience foods all the time and cooking everything from scratch. There's kind of a happy medium finding that balance is different for everybody.

Do you have certain go-to protein supplements that, you like or do you kind of between a couple different brands?

Katie: So I actually went through, so when I was competing in bodybuilding, I went through so many different brands because I. They were all just triggering my Crohn's and it was a complete nightmare because I was actually having to eat a [00:18:00] lot of protein at that time. And they would just trigger my symptoms real bad.

But I found this one product called Huel and, i've actually been blessed enough to partner with them now, but it's the only protein that doesn't trigger my symptoms at all, and it tastes great. So that's what I use. On that note, if you do suffer from digestive issues, I wouldn't bunch protein, like a protein powder in, or whey protein powder in with protein bars. protein bars more times than not have ingredients in them that can be quite triggering. So I wouldn't necessarily say that's a, a good idea if you've got active symptoms at the moment.

So that this is, we are kind of like separating them. Would you agree, Amanda?

Amanda: Yeah, I've, I've found very many protein bars that have clean ingredients and aren't just full of a whole bunch of nasty things. [00:19:00] so I, I'm trying to think. There's one, there's one protein bar that I've tried that was quite good, and it was a egg white based protein bar, but it was very low amount of ingredients and very minimal, minimally processed. But I do remember that it contained nuts. Which might not work for some people, but I can't, I can't remember the name of that one. But yeah, I would agree 

Katie: Yeah, yeah. . they are so, so hard to come by and a lot of the time what you see in convenience stores the ingredients in those bars are not gonna be your friends. So we, I just wanted to make that clear that we are not combining, you know, protein powder with protein bars

Amanda: they're more of a treat.

Katie: Okay. So in terms of high quality protein choices that are non red meat, if you are struggling with red meat at the moment, and if you can tolerate eggs, would be things like white fish. Sounds boring, but you can actually jazz [00:20:00] it up and it tastes delicious. Things like sea bass cod haddock, what do you have over there?

Do you have tilapia? You do.

Amanda: We have, well, specifically where I live, we have like freshwater fish. but it's expensive fish. I mean, Just fish all over the world is expensive. But I find that fish is a, a great, especially if you're in a flare up state or struggling with your, with digestive symptoms, I think that from a digestive perspective you're not going to maybe run into the same sort of digestive symptoms from fish as you would from eating red meat.

So I think

Katie: Oh yeah..

Amanda: Option, but once again, going back to quality over necessarily quantity with fish and trying to find wild caught and not farm whenever possible.

Katie: Mm-hmm.[00:21:00] 

Amanda: that, that quality difference really makes a difference.

Katie: Yes, i'm a salmon girl. Do you like salmon?

Amanda: I love salmon. It's becoming harder and harder to find here I in Canada for sure.

Katie: Really

Amanda: To

Katie: in the supermarket.

Amanda: Mm-hmm. Not, not wild caught. It's almost impossible to find, at regular supermarkets. You can get it if you go to like specialty kind of shops and delis and things like that. And alternative here would be trout.

Trout is very similar to

Katie: Yeah,

Amanda: salmon. And a little easier to find.

Katie: yeah, for sure. Yeah, it's just doesn't have that genis. It's a bit fishier, isn't it? Trout?

Amanda: A little bit, yeah.

Katie: Things like. Chicken thigh or Turkey mince. Also great choices. I love Turkey mince. If I did wanna swap out beef mints, Turkey mince is delightful. Season that up. Do you like Turkey mince?

Amanda: [00:22:00] That's one of the things we eat the most

yeah, we, we tend to do the, I don't even know what we would call it, but cutting up all the vegetables in your fridge and them, like, kind of steaming them and then serving them on top of some seasoned Turkey. Maybe serving on rice or just having it like that is something that we eat often in my

Katie: Ooh, that sounds yummy.

Amanda: Instead of having taco meat, know, cooking up in seasoning taco meat and eating it in a taco, we would just kind of do like this deconstructed taco, and then we just started. Adding in more vegetables and using it as one of those meals where you have a bunch of veggies that you need to use up.

And so

Katie: Yes.

Amanda: it all up,

taco meat, put all the veggies on top, maybe, you know, drizzle a little bit of something, some sort of sauce for flavor.

Yeah, it's one of those things that you can eat and you can change the seasoning. [00:23:00] So maybe one day we have something that's a little more Asian inspired flavors or the Mexican inspired flavors and, but really it's just meat and veggies.

Katie: Okay. Things like Greek yogurt, also a great option. If you can tolerate it. Bone broth. I used bone broth a lot when I was healing into remission.

Amanda: Me

Katie: Yeah. Yeah. You can also kind of just sip this instead of a protein shake, 

Amanda: Yeah, I find that there's more people, I don't know how it is over there, but there's more brands that you can buy, like ready-made bone Broth. 

Katie: vegetarian wise, tofu quinoa's a great one too, actually.

Like, not for a sole protein source, but it's, it's a really, really good ingredient to consume

Amanda: Mm-hmm.

Katie: a lot. I like, I like quinoa.

Amanda: Yeah, me too. Definitely. Higher [00:24:00] protein than, than just eating rice.

Katie: Yeah.

Amanda: I also love.

Katie: Yeah. Oh, I'm obsessed with rice. You could maybe do your tacho deconstructed bowl with quinoa. Probably already do that, don't you?

Amanda: Yeah, we kind of switch up our base. So some days we'll do like roasted potatoes as a base and then put the meat on top and then all the veggies. Sometimes we'll do rice, occasionally quinoa.

Katie: Yummy. I'm getting hungry now.

Amanda: And these are, and this is such a great makea ahead meal, 'cause you can make a giant batch of this and then put it in your fridge and have leftovers for days.

Katie: Yeah. I think a lot of people become quite overwhelmed with thinking, oh my God, I need to cook something different every day. You can always bulk , make your protein. So you just cook up a load of chicken breast , or Turkey mints and, then you just need to cook your veggies and add it to the Turkey mints.

But I think a lot of people get overwhelmed with knowing what to [00:25:00] eat and then just thinking, I'm gonna be cooking for hours every day. But it doesn't have to be like that. There are quick smart, ways of, yeah. Making it, you know, a lot shorter on, on the time front.

Amanda: Yeah, and one of the, one of my favorite things, because I find as a mom who busy in the mornings, I find mornings can be the most difficult time Mm.

actually prepare food and get enough protein in your first meal of the day. I think a lot of, busy people struggle with their first meal and something I've done is using those leftovers.

So the thing that you cooked for dinner the night before as your. Or why not eat that for breakfast? It doesn't have to be eggs for breakfast. You can eat leftovers for breakfast when you're short on time or you're in a rush. Because I find that we tend to protein at our [00:26:00] dinner meal, and it tends to be an afterthought for our breakfast and lunches.

So. Why

Katie: Yeah.

Amanda: take those leftovers and eat them for breakfast and set yourself up with enough to really establish your steady energy for the day?

Katie: one of the most common fears we hear really is that protein is hard to digest but that's actually. A myth as well because in reality, protein, you know, it stimulates the production of stomach acid. Which you need to break down food properly, right?

And when stomach acid is low, which happens a lot with stress and chronic illness or even age that's when digestion gets, you know, super sluggish and you get bloated and gassy and refluxy. And ironically, skipping protein can make that so much worse. So sometimes it's not the protein, it's how your body is processing it and the form that you [00:27:00] are eating it in.

So yeah, if you, if you know of a protein that works well for your body, then lean into that and , batch cook it so that it's just there waiting for you ready to go whenever you're hungry.

Amanda: Yeah, absolutely. And I think interestingly enough, the times in my life when I have really my macros to make sure that I'm getting enough protein, which is usually done from a. Athletic perspective, right? So if those times that I'm actually tracking my protein is because I have gym goals that I'm trying to achieve. But interestingly enough, I always feel my best at that. Time when I have that proper balance of macros when I'm not over consuming carbohydrates and under consuming protein. And fiber is also when I feel the least amount of symptoms as far [00:28:00] as indigestion and gas and bloating. And I noticed that probably a few years ago when I remember, working with a trainer I was just really on top of my food intake for a period of months, and,

with him and told him, I, I don't think I farted in six months.

Because it just, you know, there was no gas and bloating and discomfort because I was choosing 

Katie: Mm.

Amanda: that worked best for my body in the right quantities and not over consuming or not under consuming early in the day and then binge eating in the evening and, and all of the things that we tend to do when we're not paying attention to what we're eating.

Katie: Mm.

Amanda: It's interesting that those times when I'm consuming the most protein, I actually have the best digestion.

Katie: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And it is funny because going back to like protein powder and utilizing protein powder to [00:29:00] assist with things like training and picking, the right one that works for you. You know, if you can't pronounce the ingredients on the label or you dunno what half of them are, then just put it back.

You know, look for 20 to 30 grams of protein per serving. No artificial sweeteners and no like fillers or gums. It can irritate the gut lining. You know, you want a protein that works with your body. Not one that. Bloats you out or spikes your blood sugar or makes you super gassy. So I'd say those are the fundamental things to look for if you are selecting a protein powder.

Amanda: I find the one that I'm using right now is a, is actually a plant-based protein powder. And I've had different experiences with both. So I think that's a, a common question that I'll hear, like, should I use whey or should I use, like, should I use a whey whey protein powder or like a whey protein isolate, or should I use a plant-based protein powder?

And I've had a wide variety of experiences with. [00:30:00] of the above. I've had whey proteins that completely bloat me and horrible gas. And then I've had plant-based proteins that have done the same thing. So it's not that, it's specifically the type of protein. It could very likely be the ingredients in that particular brand.

Katie: Exactly. And my protein is also plant-based,

Amanda: Hmm.

It took years to find one that that I tolerate that tastes good and that mixes well and isn't gritty.

Katie: Mm, grainy.

Amanda: yeah. And I also find another, another great way to up protein intake if we're talking about making smoothies. I. Even just adding a tablespoon or I think a tablespoon of 

Sunflower seeds. That's something I've started adding recently.

Katie: You should try hemp seeds as well. De she.

Amanda: hemp seeds as

Katie: Yeah.

Amanda: Yeah.

Katie: So in summary protein is foundational for healing. [00:31:00] Okay? It's not just for building muscle,

Amanda: Yeah, and I think that we need to start looking at protein

Katie: I.

Amanda: a really, a healing powerhouse that supports our gut, that supports our brain, that supports all of the tissue in our body. I. And not just something that is going to help us put on size or put on muscle in the gym. It really is a healing ingredient and needs to be treated like that.

If we want to prioritize healing of our body.

Katie: And prioritizing it will mean a better gut function, better mood, faster recovery. So essentially, don't fear protein. So if you've got digestive issues, learn how to work with it smartly.

Amanda: Yeah. And sometimes I think learning to work with it is making gradual changes versus trying to overhaul everything. Another thing that I've [00:32:00] noticed in working with clients is if we drastically try to increase anything overnight, there's, there's usually symptoms that come along with that. So. Uh, Your protein intake in a day might not be the smartest idea.

Just like doubling your fiber intake in a day might not be the, the kindest thing to do for your body. So making slow adjustments is okay, choosing quality over quantity, especially as you up your. Protein intake is definitely the way to go. eating a lot of processed meats things like deli meats and pepperettes and just to try and get those numbers up isn't a strategy that I would recommend.

I would recommend whole, whole food sources of protein whenever possible, and towards quality over just trying to hit that, those macro numbers.

Katie: Yeah, I agree. And just knowing [00:33:00] that the little upgrades make a big difference, so. Yeah, even kind of going back to what you just said, you know, making really small adjustments to start with even like swapping cereal out for eggs and building on that is, gonna really help you with changing your behavior.

And with that. Changing your lifestyle and improving your symptoms. But just starting up small and not overwhelming yourself, even from a cognitive standpoint is, is gonna be really, really important to actually, you know, stick to new lifestyle habits and increasing protein being one of them.

Amanda: Yeah, absolutely.