Everyday micronutrition: a practice with multiple benefits

Micronutrition is the art of optimizing your diet and metabolism using vitamins, probiotics, minerals, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids to support your metabolism and improve your overall health.

Inspired by specialists such as Denis Riché, this practice encourages us to look beyond calories and instead focus on the nutritional quality of what we eat. Read on to discover the full benefits of this new approach to nutrition.

Micronutrition: benefits and definition

Micronutrition focuses on the micronutrients essential for the harmonious functioning of our bodies. Vitamins, minerals, trace elements, essential fatty acids and antioxidants make up this group of essential nutrients that support everything from our vital bodily functions to our general well-being. Unfortunately, the modern diet is often high in empty calories and low in nutrients, and therefore struggles to provide these components in sufficient quantities.

Micronutrition aims to fill this gap by ensuring an adequate and regular supply of these essential nutrients. It plays a preventive role against deficiencies and optimizes the efficient functioning of our bodies and minds, contributing to better digestion, improved sleep, reduced fatigue, lower risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer risks, and helping to combat aging.

Anne-Sophie Adeline, dietician and nutritionist at the Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa Sea & Spa , stresses the importance of a varied, balanced diet to provide our bodies with what they truly need. Through a personalized approach, micronutrition offers a bespoke dietary strategy, aligned with the unique needs of each individual, to promote optimal health and lasting well-being.

Micronutrients and macronutrients: what’s the difference?

All food, whether of animal or plant origin, is made up of macro- and micronutrients. And it all provides our bodies with energy in varying quantities. The role of nutrients is to ensure that our cells are properly nourished and that our bodies function properly. Each micro- and macronutrient meets specific needs. Macronutrients (proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) make up the majority of our diet, and provide the body with energy in the form of calories.

Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and trace elements) do not provide our bodies with energy, but are nonetheless essential for their proper functioning. They play an important role in vital metabolic processes in every cell of our body. They guarantee the correct assimilation, transformation, and utilization of macronutrients, and therefore contribute to optimal health and fitness.

How does micronutrition work?

Taking care of yourself starts with good nutrition. So what exactly is micronutrition? The aim of micronutrition is to enhance our daily diet with the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals such as iron and magnesium, and trace elements such as iodine, fluorine, zinc, copper, chromium, selenium, and manganese) that are essential for good physical and mental health, and which the body is unable to produce itself.

A micronutritionist will carry out a comprehensive assessment to provide bespoke dietary advice and supplements. They take into account specific criteria such as the needs and objectives of each individual, their lifestyle (profession, tobacco and alcohol consumption, sleep quality, etc.), their eating habits, their relationship with food, their current and past state of health and their level of physical activity.

Micronutritionists and medical specialists: who practices micronutrition?

Micronutrition practitioners often include medical specialists, such as nutritionists, but also general practitioners who have chosen to train in this approach. These professionals are registered with the French Order of General Practitioners and have an in-depth knowledge of how “empty calories” and micronutrient deficiencies can affect long-term health. They use micronutrition not only to treat certain pathologies, but also to optimize an individual’s overall health.

A micronutrition practitioner generally begins by carrying out a complete biological check-up to identify any deficiencies or imbalances. Inspired by the work of pioneers such as Denis Riché, these specialists then draw up tailored recommendations, which may include specific dietary adjustments and the use of targeted food supplements. This personalized approach aims to restore nutritional harmony, support metabolism, and promote optimal health.

Who is micronutrition for?

Micronutrition is for anyone who wants to take care of themselves and feel in better physical and psychological shape. Its aim is to maintain an ideal state of health for as long as possible, and to act on risk factors for certain disorders and dysfunctions.

This discipline can particularly be recommended for:

● Children and teenagers with specific micronutrient requirements during growth.

● Students whose busy brains need to be stimulated (especially during exam periods), and whose diet may be unbalanced due to lack of time, organization, or income. An unbalanced diet can have serious consequences for physical and mental fitness.

● Athletes whose training requires a nutritional intake adapted to lowering the risk of cramp, fatigue, pain, injury, and poor performance.

● Pregnant women who have specific needs for the proper growth of their baby.

● Menopausal women, to prevent weight gain, mood, and sleep disorders, osteoporosis, dry skin, and more.

● Overweight people, in whom micronutrient deficiencies can lead to a resistance to weight loss via increased appetite, stress, and sleep disorders.

As you can see, a micronutrition consultation can be useful at all ages and stages of life, for both preventive and curative purposes.

Weight loss, diet, and health... The benefits of micronutrition

Micronutrition can have a tangible effect on:

● Fitness

● Sleep quality

● Mood

● Concentration

● Pain (migraines and headaches, joint pain, etc.)

● Allergies

● Chronic inflammatory conditions

● Recurring infections

● Rapid weight loss

● Digestive disorders such as bloating, abdominal pain and intestinal discomfort

How does a micronutrition diet work?

Of course, nutritional requirements vary according to gender, age, activity level, and lifestyle, food storage, preparation methods, and even geographical factors.

So, what would be the composition of an ideal meal?

ANSES, the French Food Safety Agency, recommends:

● 40% to 50% carbohydrates (grains, starchy vegetables, fruit and vegetables)

● 35% to 40% lipids (fatty fish, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds)

● 10% to 20% protein (animal and plant-based)

Tips for adopting micronutrition into your daily routine

Here are a few simple, practical tips for everyday life:

● The way food is prepared plays an essential role in preserving its nutritional qualities. Micronutrients are better preserved with gentle cooking methods (such as steaming) or in raw foods.

● Limit processed foods that are full of hidden sugar and salt, and instead focus on superfoods.

● Diversify your oils and focus on nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.) and oils rich in omegas 3 and 6 (walnut oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, grapeseed oil, etc.).

● Opt for wholegrain cereals and legumes, which are packed with micronutrients.

● Cook whole foods and choose home-made products whenever possible.

Take an orange, for example:

● Eaten raw, it is very rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. It also takes time to chew it, which contributes to satiety.

● Consumed as a juice, it must be consumed very quickly as vitamin C is water-soluble and highly sensitive to heat and light. This version is also much lower in fiber, and raises blood sugar levels very quickly.

Everyday micronutrition for overall well-being

As you can see, diet plays an essential role in our general well-being. Eating well enables us to be in better shape and therefore be healthier, increasing our physical and intellectual abilities and helping us to sleep better and enjoy lower stress levels as a result. The most important thing is to eat a bit of everything, in all its forms, mindfully, and without letting your emotions overwhelm you. Emphasize fresh, seasonal, locally produced and, if possible, organic foods. But above all, indulge, enjoy yourself, and pay attention to what makes you feel good, so that you can fine-tune the contents of your meals day by day.