Many trend diets ensure a quick success in losing weight – which fizzles out just as quickly. Nutritional programs must be individualized to be effective over the long term. The GlykLich diet adapts to your needs and is based on four elements.
There is no one diet or diet that is right for everyone. Therefore, their effect is usually short-lived. The individual metabolism, lifestyle, age, level of activity and also the microbiome decide whether a person “tolerates” more or less carbohydrates, fat or protein.
Dorothea Portius studied nutritional sciences with a specialization in nutritional medicine and research. She is a trained group fitness trainer and holistic nutritional therapist. In 2017 she received her PhD from the University of Geneva. Since 2019 she has taken over the management of the Chair of Nutritional Therapy and Counseling at the SRH University of Health in Gera.
My GlykLich nutrition is therefore a nutritional principle that can be integrated into everyday life and is individually adaptable. It consists of a nutrient kit with four components:
Your diet or meals should be based on this nutrient kit in order to provide the body with the fuel it needs to maintain important functions. I call this low glycemic anti-inflammatory nutritional principle glycemic nutrition.
“Nutrition that protects us: The program against the greatest causes of disease” by Dorothea Portius
Complex carbohydrates keep the blood sugar level constant and ensure a pleasant satiety. In the form of roughage, they bind pathogenic substances and ensure the elimination of excess cholesterol, broken down hormones and other metabolic end products that have been removed from the body’s circulation with the bile. In addition, dietary fibers serve as food for the health-promoting intestinal bacteria.
A little tip: spread larger carbohydrate portions such as cereal flakes, bread or other pasta over breakfast and/or lunch, because the metabolism of carbohydrates is most efficient in the morning!
Proteins are important for maintaining body structures such as connective tissue, muscles, hormones and enzymes. However, quality counts more than quantity here.
Animal protein can be utilized very well by our body because it is structurally very similar to our own body protein. Here, however, attention must be paid to the quality of the product. Use mainly unprocessed meat products such as chicken breast fillet, beef or lamb fillet and process them gently, such as steaming, lightly frying or grilling.
Eggs and dairy products such as cheese, quark and yoghurt are also very good sources of protein. Pay attention to how eggs are kept, as this has a significant impact on the nutrient profile. Organic free-range chicken eggs (marked with a “0”) have a better fatty acid profile. The same applies to dairy products. Products from free-range and organic animals have a demonstrably higher content of omega-3 fatty acids. Likewise, “natural” milk products such as natural yoghurt or quark without additives should be preferred.
However, meat should not be on the menu every day and can be replaced with vegetable protein several times a week. Tofu, soybeans, and a good combination of legumes, seeds, and grains make an excellent alternative to animal products. Examples of good combinations include legumes with grains (e.g., bean chili with whole wheat bread) or legumes with seeds (e.g., hummus).
In general, less is more. The better the quality of the protein, the better it can be utilized by the body.
Fats play a key role in anti-inflammatory nutrition. Above all, the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids should be mentioned here. Monounsaturated fatty acids can be found e.g. in olive oil – the oleic acid. Interestingly, cold-pressed olive oil contains a number of secondary plant substances such as oleuropein or hydroxytyrosol, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and heart-protecting effects.
The polyunsaturated fatty acids can be divided into two groups, the omega-6 fatty acids and the omega-3 fatty acids. Both are essential for the body, but special attention should be paid to the omega-3 fatty acids.
It is important that the two fatty acid groups are in a balanced ratio; best 3:1 better 2:1 (omega-6 to omega-3). With our current diet and choice of food, there is usually a ratio of 15:1 to 20:1, which is associated with a higher risk of disease. That’s why it’s important to include more omega-3 rich oils in your diet.
Vegetable oils such as linseed oil, walnut oil, rapeseed oil, hemp oil and its seeds and nuts are valuable suppliers of the vegetable omega-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid.
The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA have a higher health-promoting potential. These are found almost exclusively in fatty fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel and tuna. These fatty acids are already used therapeutically for cardiovascular diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease or skin diseases such as neurodermatitis. It is entirely advisable to substitute these oils preventively. If you do not eat fish, high-quality algae oils enriched with EPA are also recommended
An important note: When purchasing oils, it is essential to pay attention to the quality. We always recommend “native” or cold-pressed oils. Vegetable oils rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as linseed oil, pumpkin seed oil or hemp oil are best bought in small bottles and kept in the refrigerator.
Not to be forgotten are the secondary plant substances with their diverse functions on metabolism, detoxification, regeneration and defense. The group of these micronutrients is complex and varied, up to 10,000 different substances can be found in our food. They are mainly found in plant foods; from apple, berries to chickpeas, cauliflower as well as cocoa beans and green tea. The more colorful and diverse your plate or diet, the more diverse the intake of these supernutrients.
Radical diets in particular, i.e. diets that reduce calorie intake to a minimum, tend to have a negative impact on energy metabolism and hormone balance. Too low a calorie intake or a very one-sided diet will cause your body to switch to the back burner. Energy consuming processes are regulated down to the minimum and conserving processes are activated.
You shouldn’t blame your body for that, because it tries to keep cell functions running despite low nutrient intake. The few fuels that make it into the bloodstream are immediately protected and stored – as an emergency reserve. Because your body does not know how long this “state of hunger” will continue. However, your vitality and fitness suffer as a result, which can become apparent through lack of concentration, tiredness, freezing and problems with muscle building despite sport. Nutrition is therefore an important parameter for more energy and quality of life.
Yet nutrition can be so simple if only the right information were conveyed to the outside world. Already Hippocrates remarked “Man is what he eats”.
Following these words and with the knowledge that Hippocrates ca. 400 BC. and at that time oils were not refined, grains were not finely ground, and nutrients were not isolated; we have the problem clearly in mind. A diet that is highly processed and high in simple sugars and bad fats – a diet that is pro-inflammatory and energy-sapping.
Constant snacking and the “wrong” carbohydrates also cause unstable insulin and blood sugar levels, which in turn have a negative impact on sugar and fat metabolism. This promotes a derailment of the metabolism, which is accompanied by bacterial overgrowth in the intestine and an increase in abdominal fat. The increase in abdominal fat and the disturbed intestinal flora send out pro-inflammatory signaling substances, which are jointly responsible for disorders in blood pressure regulation, hormone production and weight regulation.
However, the right fuels or nutrients can significantly reduce these inflammatory signaling substances. These include the four components mentioned above: complex carbohydrates (e.g. roughage), high-quality protein, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and secondary plant substances.
