Ep. 46: Nutrition Tips for everyone with Tracy Mann, RD
Caitlin Estes:
Welcome to the Woven Well Podcast. I'm your host, Caitlin Estes. I'm a certified fertility care practitioner with a master of divinity degree. Each episode we'll cover a topic that helps educate and empower you and your fertility while honoring the deep connection your fertility has with your faith. Let's get started.
Caitlin Estes:
Welcome back to the Woven Well podcast. Today we're talking with registered dietitian, Tracy Mann, who may actually be our first repeat guest on the podcast, but for good reason. Tracy has been a practicing registered dietician for the last 15 years and has dedicated the last five of those years to women's health specifically. So welcome Tracy. We're very glad you're with us today.
Tracy Mann:
Thank you.
Caitlin Estes:
Today's episode is for every single one of us. What do we need to know about nutrition for our health and fertility, even if we don't have a specific diagnosis? And we hope that listening to this episode, especially as we jump into the holidays, will help each of us feel much better the day after feasting and beyond. So let's start with this one, Tracy. Of course, we should be mindful of what we eat. It's important to take note of what we're putting into our bodies certainly. But how thoroughly should we be keeping track of it? Should we be counting calories, keeping a food log? What should we be doing here?
Tracy Mann:
I think in our culture it's easy to kind of move toward this like obsessed tracking, calorie counting way of tracking. And I actually don't have all of my clients or people that I work with track their food intake simply for that reason. We don't want our nutrition to be an obsessive thing. We want it to just be natural fit into our lifestyles and, and kind of go with what fits our budget and our foods we like and everything like that. However, there are a couple of times when I think it can be useful to do a little bit of tracking and that's if you're planning to work with a health practitioner, like a registered dietician where we can take the information you're recording and use it in part of our assessment. Sometimes that is helpful. We just like to see how you're eating, what you're eating. I like to look at timing of eating, and then just provide tweaks and recommendations based on that. It also can be a great tool to use if you feel like you're getting kind of off track, maybe you're experiencing some signs or symptoms that what you're eating is not supporting your body and so you can just start to record a little bit of what you're eating just to kind of hone in on maybe where you're getting off track. But there's really no reason to just day in and day out for no specific outcome to just be tracking your intake.
Caitlin Estes:
Mm. So that includes even calories because we hear a lot about keeping track of our calories.
Tracy Mann:
You know, if you haven't been working with someone who's accurately estimating your needs, then calories are just this abstract, arbitrary goal. And honestly, I don't even think they really tell the whole picture of an eating plan because calories really are just telling us how much energy we're taking in. But it doesn't tell us where is that energy coming from. Is it primarily carbs or fat or proteins? And are you a person who needs more protein and less carbs or maybe more fat? All of it can become very arbitrary unless you know what your own personal goals are.
Caitlin Estes:
That is so important and so good to know that it's not just this one magic thing that we all need to be constantly thinking about, but it is individual to each one of us. So as we stay mindful about our food choices, what are some of the nutrients that are most important to women's health specifically and how can we be sure that we are prioritizing those nutrients?
Tracy Mann:
Well, I think as women, one of the big things we should be focusing on is just supporting our body's natural processes. Because as we become undernourished it can affect our metabolism, it can affect our hormone balance, and it's really the impacts on metabolism and hormone balance that start to cause signs and symptoms of all different things in our bodies. And so I think some of the big ones are vitamins, like our B vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin D, minerals such as zinc, magnesium and calcium. But really I think it's getting a nice variety of all of our nutrients through nutrient rich foods, trying to eat more whole foods that aren't processed and have a lot of our nutrients stripped away because it. It can be easy to start pinpointing, well I need to take XYZ supplements and then still continue eating my highly processed foods. But we can't really just, you know, pick out specific nutrients for overall health. We really need a combination of all of them. And then trying to look at how can I get less processed foods into my diet? How can I eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and those types of things.
Caitlin Estes:
I especially love that you mentioned the things to be considered in being undernourished. Because I think in our culture it's constantly being told to us that we need to be losing weight, we need to be looking this particular weight, which is a total myth. We all have different body types and body sizes and we can be healthy at different numbers on a scale. In fact, being too underweight or being undernourished can actually have negative health benefits for our body. So really looking at how is my body made, What's a healthy place for me and how can I truly thrive within that?
Tracy Mann:
And I think what could be helpful for your audience specifically to keep in mind is if they're having issues with cycles and noticing different variations in cycles or specifically experiencing some infertility. I urge everyone to really look at the quality of your foods and make sure that you're eating enough. I have a couple of, I call it miracle stories, where I've had people come in underweight and we just really try to emphasize and focus on nutrient quality, making sure enough energy is coming in and it's not through like eating a million donuts or go add candy bars in your diet. Like we do some strategic nutrient dense food additions and within three to six months, you know, pregnancy is achieved because we have really supported the body.
Caitlin Estes:
Well and that's working within how we were designed, how we were created. We need those nutrients in those whole foods and when we prioritize that, then we thrive. And our bodies are healthier and conception is possible. Of course, that's one scenario <laugh>. There are a lot of different causes for infertility and other struggles, but it's important to consider the role of nutrients within that. Absolutely. So how do we know our body is getting that support and energy and nutrients that it needs? Do we have signs or signals or way to measure that?
Tracy Mann:
Yeah, I think one of the big signs our body will give us, and I think we're scared of it, is hunger. Hunger is actually our body telling us that we need something more coming in. It could be just more food in general. Maybe you've gotten busy and you've started skipping lunch, you know, or something like that where again, maybe sometimes just writing down what you're eating can start to help you see, oh I go from breakfast till dinner without eating anything, I need to be adding in some more snacks or my lunch or things like this. But sometimes we might be eating enough food but if it's not very nutrient dense or it's very highly processed, the body doesn't really get the nutrients it needs. And so it still continues to signal hunger just because it's like it's missing something. And that's part of how it affects metabolism. Metabolism is really, the definition of it is how do we get energy from our foods, and there are a lot of nutrients that we need to make sure that our metabolic processes are happening correctly. So I think that's probably the number one sign that the body will give that you're not getting enough.
Caitlin Estes:
And so that makes me curious about cravings. When we get craving for particular food, I've heard that it means our body needs some sort of nutrients or component. So would you say that that is also generally true? You know, I think about people saying I'm craving a cinnamon roll, so how do we tell the difference between a nutrient craving and a sweet tooth craving? If that's the case, I'm throwing a lot at you there.
Tracy Mann:
Now I love talking about cravings because I like to just clear up a few things. Cravings can be your body's way of telling you it needs something. And I think culturally we are kind of afraid of cravings also and we're afraid to give into cravings because you know, it might mean that we have no willpower or that there's something wrong with us that we're having this craving. And honestly, sometimes it can just be that your body is hungry. So again, looking at your day and making sure that you're eating enough throughout the day, it could be an emotionally triggered craving or even like a fatigue related craving. Like maybe you slept really poorly the night before and now you're craving some sweets, you know, the next day. That's because sweets give us quick energy and the body knows that. So we get these sugar cravings for quick energy.
Tracy Mann:
You should probably just consume whatever it is you're craving, try to keep it to like a serving size. Like maybe if it's those cinnamon rolls the size of your head, maybe like a quarter or a half of it or if it's a smaller, more reasonably sized one, maybe just have one. Eat it. Just let it do what it's intended to do, which is give you quick energy and then, you know, just kind of be aware like I need to try and get a little bit more sleep maybe if I can try to fit in a nap. But other things, like I'll have clients who say I've been craving nuts or like I'm craving dairy, I'm craving meat.I do think that there's probably nutrients in those foods that someone is needing. And in all of those examples, usually it's some sort of mineral. And again it would be good if you could try to incorporate those into your eating to satisfy whatever that need is that the body has.
Caitlin Estes:
Listeners, this is the kind of registered dietician you want. She said if the cinnamon roll was the size of your head, just eat half of it. That's what I'm talking about <laugh>. No, but really I love that you're saying listen to what your body is telling you. I also feel like you're saying don't judge your body for telling you it needs certain things. Sometimes you do need quick energy, but the more you understand about what your body needs and how you can truly meet that need, your answer in the future is not always going to be a cinnamon role. Because we're thinking about how do I give my body the nutrients and the support and the energy that it needs. So when it does have that, probably those cravings for cinnamon rolls are going to be a lot less frequent than they would be beforehand. That makes a lot of sense to me.
Tracy Mann:
The other time we might get a craving for something like that and it's coming up, but you know, if you have a social situation where there's something special that's going to be kind of that emotional trigger too. And just knowing like "this is one time a year that I have something like this," it will ease up those feelings of guilt of wanting and consuming those foods.
Caitlin Estes:
Yeah, that's a really good point. I'm curious to if we notice any changes in what our bodies need nutritionally as we go through a menstrual cycle.
Tracy Mann:
Yes, yes. This is probably one of the biggest questions I get from my female clients is they'll start to notice and especially those who track their cycles, they're like, 'Oh you know what, after I ovulate or like that week before my period, I am starting to get so hungry. I'm craving all these carbs, all the sweets, things like that.' And that is your body telling you something in that luteal phase between ovulation and your period starting. Your body is preparing for pregnancy and it doesn't know until there's no implantation that you're not pregnant. And so it's still preparing and our body needs extra energy coming in if we are going to be pregnant. And so I tell them if you're eating pretty balanced and eating pretty nutrient dense all during your cycle, those cravings should start to subside over time. But it's also good to maybe plan in an extra snack during those one to two weeks, just being prepared, trying to keep them nutrient dense and just don't be afraid of feeling that extra hunger. And then typically those cravings start to subside as the period comes and we start moving into that follicular phase.
Caitlin Estes:
And I would say too, for listeners, if you notice it getting really extreme, these food cravings are getting really extreme right before your period. And maybe that's in addition to having mood swings, you know, feeling more likely to feel depressed or crying more easily or having bloating or headaches or fatigue, all these other things as well. Those may actually be a sign of premenstrual syndrome. I'm just throwing that out there as well because like you're explaining, Tracy, there is a healthy cause and solution and there is maybe a sign of unhealth. So looking into both of those and measuring that I think is important to you. So these are great notes for daily choices and for changes throughout a menstrual cycle. I think both of those are absolutely relevant here on this podcast specifically. So what about a special event like a birthday or a vacation or if people are listening as we release this, the holidays which are fast approaching. What's the best way to care for our nutritional needs while, you know, still living our lives?
Tracy Mann:
Yes, and I truly pride myself on helping people enjoy, indulge on certain occasions and then try to stay really reasonable throughout the rest of the year and you know, during just your normal daily routines. So I like to treat holidays specifically because they're usually a day, sometimes they morph into more than one day, but really try to view them as a special day. Usually there's a special meal of some sort. Really enjoy those foods. There's a lot of emotional joy that we can get from consuming foods, whether it's just a favorite from childhood or grandma's favorite recipe, things like that And just keeping in mind, this is just one day. If I'm already currently working with clients, we'll start to talk about, you know, maybe portion sizes and things like that. But just in general not feeling guilty.
Tracy Mann:
Not letting one day turn into a whole week or even a whole couple of months, like between Thanksgiving and New Years. There's a lot of time that goes by and one day usually won't make or break health goals. But if you, you know, take Thanksgiving and carry that into the new year, you will start to maybe experience some unwanted signs and symptoms from that. In the case of like a vacation or something, I always just say do the best you can. There's definitely probably going to be more indulging than you would on a normal day, but you can still make any choice. You know, work within whatever your goals are at the time. And sometimes it's truly just relaxing and enjoying. I have a ton of clients that when they're on vacation and their stress is greatly reduced, they over, well they think they're over indulging, and they actually, they don't gain any weight. They don't experience any negative signs or symptoms of hormone imbalance or anything like that because of the stress. It's reduced, which is crazy.
Caitlin Estes:
I love your reminders about balance and about the big picture. What are our end goals in all of this? And it's health. It's understanding what our body's doing and feeling good within our body and we can do that even while enjoying a slice of cheesecake on Christmas day or fill in the blank, whatever it is. So that's so good. Well Tracy, I appreciate you sharing all of this with us. I've enjoyed working with you in the past on our P C O S specific education, but I think this general nutrition education is really great for our listeners. So if someone would like to learn more about your work, what's the best way for them to get in contact with you?
Tracy Mann:
My website is a really good place to just get general information and it's everydaynutritionllc.com. I am going to be hosting a Healthy Habits for the holidays challenge coming up probably right around when this episode drops. That information will be on the website or if you'd just like to email me to get immediate access to the challenge, it's my name, Tracy.mann@everydaynutritionllc.com.
Caitlin Estes:
Perfect. And we will have both of those things linked in the show notes for anyone interested listeners, I hope this has been a really helpful episode. I think it has been. I've learned a lot. If you have questions about nutrition, women's health, fertility, anything, I hope that you'll send them our way. We always are working on compiling questions like these to create episodes like these, so we want to make sure you feel educated and empowered when making fertility decisions. And if you liked this episode or our podcast overall, would you mind taking a second to write a written review for our podcast? It really makes a world of difference to those searching for podcasts to see what other listeners have to say and it really mean a lot to me as well. As always, thanks for listening. As we continue to explore together what it means to be woven well.