Sleep Hygiene

Sleep is such an important aspect of health but it is a common area of struggle.  To fall asleep and stay asleep for at about 7-9 hours and wake up refreshed, try implementing these sleep hygiene strategies:

Balancing the metabolism is the long term solution to better vitality, sleep and hormonal balance

 

Metabolism refers to the biochemical process that is used in every cell of the body to breakdown and utilise food and nutrition, oxygenate the organs as well as support growth, detoxification and repair.

A healthy and balanced metabolism is important to achieve and sustain good levels of energy, sleep and weight.  An altered metabolism can often lead to weight gain, inflammation and chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Our body is like an incredible orchestra with all our organs and physiological processes working together in harmony. When we make poor food choices, have an overload of environmental toxins and face stress and pressure (or perceive stress and urgency), disharmony can occur leading to ill health and poor metabolic balance.

By balancing our metabolism, we are giving our body what it needs to nourish and support our lifestyle and health.

Our blood circulates all around the body into the tiniest capillaries through every cell and organ of the body.  It carries with it information on disease, inflammation and function of organs.  It is one of the many indispensable tools used to evaluate health.

Combining chemistry of your blood markers and your weight, height and body measurements with the chemistry of food, you get the blueprint to help you restore health.  We eat daily, we could consume food that nourishes us and enhances our vitality and health or foods that slowly poison us.

The Metabolic Balance program has complex algorithms that support this analysis and with proper coaching, helps you achieve your best possible health outcome. 

The program is divided into 4 phases:

1.      Preparation

2.      Change phase

3.      Relaxed phase

4.      Maintenance phase

The ultimate objective is to enhance vitality, performance and sleep, support acid/alkaline balance, achieve your desired weight, bring renewed energy and sense of wellness and improve your quality of life.

If you would like to know if Metabolic Balance is the program for you, please email to irene@nutriactionz.co.nz to make an appointment for a 15min discovery call.

Easy Satay chicken on vegetables

If you love satay and would like to make a convenient satay chicken (or tofu or beef), know that the trick is in the marinate.  It does not need to be skewered for home made satay.

Ingredients for marinade:

3 large thumb piece of turmeric

1 large stalk of lemongrass

1 piece galangal

6 cloves ginger

1 large onion

2 chillies

pinch of salt

lemon juice to taste

Vegetables blanched:

Bean sprouts

French beans, sliced

Carrots, cut into strips

Fresh mint leaves

Prepare you protein source, which can be 500g of chicken/ beef/ tofu.  Slice protein source.

Method:  

1. Blend together all ingredients for marinade.  There will be enough marinate for at least 2 serves.  Save the extra serve in a small container in the freezer.

2.  Use the other half of the marinade in your prepared protein source.  Marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.

3.  Heat oil in pan and fry marinated meat/tofu until cooked.  Add an extra squeeze of lemon if preferred and some maple syrup to taste.

4.  Blanch all vegetables.

5.  Serve with cooked meat.  In this meal, I used chicken.

What are the symptoms of hyperthyroidism?

Hyperthyroidism is a situation where there is too much thyroid hormones in the body.  Because the thyroid controls metabolism and temperature, when the thyroid is overactive, it means increased metabolic processes leading to weight loss without trying and increased body temperature, often resulting in more sweating. 

Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism include:

•       High blood pressure
•     Rapid heart rate
•        Anxiety or nervousness
•        Difficulty sleeping
•        Frequent bowel movements
•        Hair loss or brittle hair
•        Menstrual cycle irregularity
•        Muscular weakness

Hyperthyroidism is more common in women than it is in men.  The most common cause of hyperthyroidism is autoimmune thyroiditis causing inflammation in the thyroid.  Diagnosis is done through a blood test that measures the TSH, free T4, Free T3 and Thyroid antibodies.  

Autoimmune hyperthyroidism is called Graves disease.  Graves disease patients often have eyes that appear too big (called exophthalmos).

Severe hyperthyroidism can be life threatening, therefore if you have persistent symptoms above, consult a qualified healthcare practitioner and investigate.

Are you tired and overweight? You may be having an underactive thyroid

When the thyroid is underactive or subclinically underactive (I shall explain the subclinical term I used deliberately here), you may have the following symptoms:

•           Unexplained weight gain
  
•           Difficulty losing weight
•          Constipation despite good hydration and fibre intake
•           Low energy and libido
•           Feeling cold all the time, or feel the cold too easily
•           Dry flaky skin
•           Hair loss or brittle hair
•           Depressed, confused and difficulty concentrating
•           Fluid retention
•           Husky voice without a sore throat
•           Pre menstrual tension
•           Infertility /difficulty conceiving

The thyroid can be underactive (through blood tests) or subclinically underactive.  By subclinically I mean the blood test results are still within the range but you have all or some of the above symptoms.

For example, the most common test ordered for the thyroid is Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which is produced by your pituitary in the brain.  The higher the number for TSH, it means the more effort your pituitary has to put in for your thyroid to produce hormones.  Think about it as a mum asking her child to do his/her homework.  She asks in a nice calm tone initially.  And if the child does not respond, she speaks louder with her instructions, and if the child still refuses to respond, mum raises her voice (which mean TSH goes up).  The range is large to be considered “normal”, and often patients think that anything in the normal range means they are fine.  Not so with the thyroid numbers.  The same applies for thyroid hormones Free T4 and Free T3.

The other important marker to consider for the thyroid is thyroid antibodies.  The higher the antibodies, the harder your body is attacking against the thyroid.

Watch my Youtube video here on home help that you can implement to help an underactive thyroid.  If you have persistent symptoms, please seek the help from a qualified healthcare professional.  We offer functional tests here to measure all 7 markers of the thyroid.

Almond Butter Cookes (No flour, no sugar)

Ingredients:

3 cups almond flour (or almond meal)

½ cup coconut flour

150g butter, melted

3 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg

1 tsp baking soda

20 drops stevia

Pinch of salt

Method:

Mix flours, salt and baking soda together.

Melt the butter, add vanilla extract and stevia drops.

Add flour to liquid ingredients.  Break egg in and mix together to form a dough.

Let dough rest for 10 minutes.  In hot weather, you may want to refrigerate it for this 10 mins so it is easier to handle the dough.

Roll into balls and flatten with your palm or a fork.

Bake at 170C for 10-15 minutes.

Makes 25 cookies.

Variations:

Add shredded coconut for Almond coconut cookie

Add unsweetened cocoa powder for Almond cocoa cookie

How not to gain weight with Christmas and festive season food

If you are worried you are going to undo some of your weight loss efforts this year or putting on weight which you cannot accommodate anymore over the Christmas holiday season, do not fret.  

Here are 10 strategies to help you survive the festive season without putting on weight:

1.   Eat something satiating first in that meal – start your meal with something that contains more fats – like salmon, avocado, nuts or nut butters, dark chocolate, eggs. 
   
2. Eat some high protein snacks whilst waiting for your meal, especially if you are attending a dinner party.  Having a Shape Up smoothie or shake first before leaving home helps keep you in check.
3. Pile your plate with salads and vegetables.
4. Eat only when you are hungry and stop when you are full, even if there is still lots of food on the table!
5. Manage your stress – stress increases weight gain, stress can also make you eat to de-stress.  Most stress over this festive season is about pleasing people, financial strain and being perfect.  Focus on the relationships rather than the material things, and you do not have to throw the perfect party, just have fun! Help children to be realistic.
6. Avoid overindulging – alcohol and festive foods, be “Treat Mindful”
7. Do some exercise or go for a walk – enjoy nature with your family.  Exercise in the morning, when your stomach is empty and have your meal after you have worked out.
8. Pamper yourself – have a long bath, listen to music, or go for a massage.
9. Get adequate rest and sleep.
10. Above all, make sure you are well hydrated with water and choose non-sugary, non-artificial sweetener laden drinks.  Simple, plain matcha tea, herbal tea or black tea can break the monotony of just drinking water.  To understand why artificial sweeteners will put weight on for you long term, refer to my article here:  http://blog.nutriactionz.co.nz/2019/10/sugar-substitutes-which-ones-can-we-use.html

Sugar substitutes - which ones can we use?

As spring approaches, and we try to shed those few extra pounds gained in winter, sugar is the first to get struck off the list.  But which are good substitutes?  In this article, I explore the different sweeteners, natural and artificial, and recommend the ones that can be used and the ones we should avoid.

Fructose - Avoid

Many of a weight loss diet or low carbohydrate diet use fructose as a sweetener.  Fructose goes straight to your liver for processing and gets converted to glycerol, so whilst it does not create an immediate spike in insulin, it does create an insulin spike a few hours later.  Fructose raises triglyceride (cholesterol) levels.  Fructose is naturally found in fruits and some vegetables, but in its natural form, the naturally occurring fibre in fruits and vegetables slow down the fructose absorption.  However, high fructose corn syrup, a processed fructose from corn added to many processed foods like fruit juices, jams, desserts, soft drinks, protein shakes and other commercially processed food or drinks create huge imbalances in blood sugar levels and can increase fatty deposits in the liver leading to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Fructose can also create bloating in patients with gastrointestinal problems.

Sucralose - Avoid

The most common tradename for Sucralose is Splenda, although a few other companies also make sucralose sweeteners.  Sucralose is bound to maltodextrin, which has about 12-15% sugar which causes insulin response, making it difficult to reverse diabetes and work on weight loss.  This additive has a E number index of E955.

Stevia – Can use 

Stevia is a plant with extremely sweet non-caloric leaves that contains no carbohydrates.  It is 30 times sweeter than sugar, and putting too much of stevia powder or liquid into your food or drink makes it bitter.  It does not stimulate an insulin response.  Be careful that you do not use stevia with maltodextrin.

Buddha’s fruit (or Luo Han Guo) – Can use

This is a relatively new sweetener, with zero calories and does not raise blood sugar levels.

Aspartame - Avoid

The most popular brand names of aspartame are Equal and NutraSweet. Typically, if the product/ drink says ‘Diet’ it is may be sweetened with aspartame.  Long term use of aspartame can create other problems particularly of the neurological systems like headaches, migraines, dizziness and mood disorders.  Aspartame in powder form sold as Equal or NutraSweet contains maltodextrin which leads to weight gain and metabolic syndrome.  This sweetener has been shown to affect the gut microbiome.  This can have a huge impact on weight loss.  This additive has a E number index of E951.

Acesulphame K - Avoid

This is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners.  It is used in many ‘diet’ products.  Though it contains no calories, it sparks an insulin response and weight loss is difficult with Acesulphame K.  This additive has a E number index of E950.

Saccharine – Avoid

This is one of the oldest brand names around.  Whilst it contains zero calories, the latest tests have shown that saccharine disrupts the gut microbiome which we now know has a great impact on weight loss.  Hence, this is not a good sweetener for weight loss purposes.  This additive has a E number index of E954.

Erythritol – Can use with care

This is a sugar alcohol with very little sugar and very low glycemic index (GI=1).  It is good for dental care (does not contribute to tooth decay) but is not easily digested in the stomach, so is fermented by bacteria in the intestines.  This can increase flatulence.

Xylitol – Can use with care

This is a sugar alcohol with a higher glycemic index (GI=10).  Like erythritol, it does not contribute to tooth decay and some clinical trials claim that xylitol may even prevent dental plague.  However, xylitol may cause diarrhea in susceptible individuals or in larger doses.  Use with care.

Thaumatin – Can use

This is a natural sweetener and has zero glycemic index.  This is extremely sweet.  This sweetener is not easily available.  However there are no known disadvantages using it.

Is Plant based protein better than whey protein?

Whey is the by product of cheese making, when rennet is added to cow’s milk.  Cheese curds forms out of the rennet and milk mixture and the by product liquid that is strained away is whey.  Whey protein in its pure form has to be heavily flavoured as it tastes bad.

Whey protein is high in casein, the protein in cow’s milk, that is hard to digest and has a high allergenicity risk in many people.  A calf has 4 stomachs, to digest cow’s milk that contains casein. Humans have one stomach and we are not designed to drink the milk of another animal when we have weaned from our mothers.  With just one stomach and limited digestive enzymes, humans have trouble digesting whey giving rise to digestive symptoms of bloating and flatulence.  Approximately 75% of the earth’s population, and over 90% of Asians, have problems digesting lactose, the other component that is present in whey. 

There are many types of plant based protein but the 2 least controversial and low in allergy are pea and rice protein.  Pea protein is tasteless in its pure form.  Pea protein contains all 9 essential amino acids but low in methionine and cysteine but high in lysine – great for your cold sores!  Therefore when combined with rice protein, which is high in methionine and cysteine and low in lysine the two makes a complete protein.

Pea and rice protein typically do not cause allergic reactions.  These proteins are easy to digest and absorb.

Both whey and pea protein are high in leucine and BCAA, the amino acids that helps to build muscles to raise metabolic rate and lose fats.  Since there is difference in leucine and BCAA, it is better to obtain the amino acid from pea compared to whey!

Another important difference between whey and pea protein is how it affects body pH.  Whey protein is acid forming, whereas pea protein is alkalising.  A balanced body pH tending towards slight alkalinity is optimal to provide for healthy cell function.

I have a strong preference of pea and rice protein compared to whey protein for the many reasons listed above to help build muscles, burn fats and make you feel healthy!

Masterchef inspired Fish in Sweet and Sour Broth

Ingredients:
250g white fish fillet (tarakihi/ snapper/ lemonfish/ gurnard/ etc)

fish head and bones or chicken frame
1 handful celery leaves
1 small onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic
3 stalks lemongrass
1/4 pineapple cubed
lettuce
rice noodles or spiralised courgettes
2 pieces tamarind slices
1 bird's eye chilli (optional)
2 tomatoes
1 bunch Vietnamese mint
Piece of ginger (if using fish head)

To prepare the broth:
If you purchased the fish to fillet, you will have the head and frame available.  Heat a medium saucepan and brown the fish head and bones with ginger.  Then add 3 cloves garlic, 2 stalks lemongrass, celery leaves, tomatoes, onion, tamarind, Vietnamese (all except a few young leaves)  and chilli and chicken frame.  Add 1.5L waterand salt to taste.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer on low heat for 1 hour.  Strain out broth.

(if you do not have the fish head and frame, simply replace with some chicken stock)

To prepare lemongrass oil:
Chop finely 1 stalk of lemongrass.  On a very low heat, add olive oil to a pan and fry chopped lemongrass.  Allow the herbs to infuse into the oil in a glass jar or bowl until ready to use.

To prepare garlic oil:
Chop finely remaining garlic.  On a very low heat, add olive oil to a pan and fry chopped garlic until golden and fragrant.  If you are on a low FODMAP diet, you can still use the lemongrass but skip the garlic.

To prepare the fish:
Slightly season the fish with salt.  Pan fry on medium heat for 2 mins on each side.

To prepare the courgette/ rice noodles:
If using courgette, spiralise vegetables and put on the base of bowl.
If using rice noodles, soak noodles in warm water for 10 minutes until it has softened.  Drain. 

Strain the lemongrass out of the oil and toss courgette or rice noodles into the lemongrass oil.

To serve, add fish pieces, lettuce, pineapple and ladle broth into the bowl.  Add fresh Vietnamese mint to garnish.  Spoon some garlic oil on.

Serves 2.

Sunrise Shape Up Smoothie

1.      This super antioxidant smoothie is not just great to help keep your weight in check, it also helps to keep you young.  It is packed with beta carotene, Vitamin C and curcuminoids which is anti-inflammatory.

Ingredients:

1 scoop Shape Up

½ orange peeled

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ carrot

1 glass of coconut water

Method:

Blend all ingredients in a strong blender together until smooth.  Enjoy in a tall glass or drink on the go.

Alkaline diet: why do we need it and how do we have it?

There are many diets out there, and you are probably not alone in trying to work through the minefield and decide which is the best for you.  Should you be keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, mediteranean and the list goes on.  There needs an element of individualisation according to your genetic tendency and lifestyle needs.

An alkaline diet is a diet that is high in fresh vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts.  A review in the Journal of Environmental Health 2012 showed that alkaline diets reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases such as arthritis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and loss of bone density.

Our blood runs in a tight pH band of about 7.36-7.40.  Our body goes through great lengths to maintain stable blood pH.  A lower pH means our body is acidic, a higher pH means it is basic.  We want to maintain a neutral to slightly alkaline pH.  Alkaline diets have been shown to be beneficial for maintaining good blood pressure, preventing formation of kidney stones, build stronger bones, reduce muscle wasting, lowers chronic pain, boost vitamin absorption and help weight loss.  (NOTE:  do not confuse blood pH with stomach pH.  The stomach is the only part of the body that should maintain an acidic pH to allow digestion to pass through efficiently.)

The total acid load in our diets from our hunter gatherer diets to our current modern diets has increased dramatically.  Our foods have significantly less potassium, magnesium, fibre, essential vitamins and antioxidants and have significantly higher sodium, processed fats and refined carbohydrates.  This causes electrolyte imbalances and acidity.

How to keep an alkaline diet:

1.  Buy organic foods that have been grown in an alkaline soil.  If you grow you own fruits and vegetables, give the soil enough essential minerals and seaweed.
2.  Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, they are best bet to increase alkalinity.  Fruits and vegetables like beetroot, cucumber, cabbage, spinach, carrots, beans, alfalfa, barley grass, celery, watermelon, figs, tomatoes, mushrooms, lemons, grapefruit and kale.
3. Eat plant based protein like almonds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, tempeh, tofu, sunflower seeds and hazelnuts.
4. Reduce intake of acid forming foods, keeping it to no more than 25% of your food intake.  These foods include animal meat, shellfish, dairy, eggs, deli meats, peanuts, walnuts, grains and its derivatives, breads, and baked goods.
5. Decrease processed and refined foods, sugar, coffee, carbonated drinks, alcohol and cordials.

Precautions and Implementation of Alkaline Diet

It is important to keep a balance of alkaline and acid forming foods.  Some acidic foods like eggs, fish and walnuts have much to offer in terms of nutritional benefits like essential fatty acids and antioxidants.  We are aiming for a healthy balance.  Eat a variety of real, whole, unprocessed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables and limit consumption of packaged and processed foods and beverages.  Should you be drinking alkaline water or bicarbonate of soda to alkalise?  The short answer is No.  Whilst short term studies done on subjects drinking alkaline water and bicarbonate water showed an increase in pH, these studies have not tested the long term effects and addressed the potential of the alkaline fluids in neutralising stomach pH that can cause more problems with pepsin and delayed protein digestion and acid reflux.

Why do women gain weight after menopause?

Weight gain after menopause is a common observation, even in women who are slender pre-menopause. There are many reasons for the weight gain.  The change of life where the reproductive years of a woman end, means that the ovaries will reduce dramatically its production of sex hormones and hand this job over to the adrenals to do it.  The adrenals do not make quite as much hormones as the ovaries do.  As fat cells are little endocrine organs, a body hungry for estrogen can make more fat cells to get more estrogen.

For women who have had a rough adrenal ride pre-menopause, (stressed, busy and tired) having the adrenals take on the additional burden can mean more cortisol and more weight gain in the abdominal area.

At menopause, the levels of progesterone also drop.  A drop in progesterone can affect water balance and fluid retention.  So clothes can feel tighter, ankles can be puffier and the rings don’t tend to slip in and out so easily anymore!  Some of post menopausal weight gain can be water and not fats.  Running body composition tests like the Bioimpedance Cellular Health test is useful to identify what the body composition and cell quality is.

With hot flushes and night sweats, women often complain of disrupted sleep which makes them fatigue during the day.  This can result in more food intake to combat the tiredness, which can result in weight gain.  Bad food choices can result in more weight gain. Mood swings can affect motivation to keep active and maintain a regular exercise routine.  Exercise improve the production of endorphins and insulin sensitivity which are crucial to maintaining a healthy appetite and curb cravings.

What can you do about it:

1. Eat foods that contain phytoestrogen like soy and alfalfa.  Studies done on Japanese women who consume a high quantity of soy, in soy sauce, miso and tofu find that these women do not typically have menopausal symptoms.
2. Use herbal and nutritional supplements that will help balance estrogen and progesterone, including black cohosh, vitex, bupleurum, rhodiola and withania.  However, due to the effects herbs have on the body, it is not advisable that these herbal supplements be taken long term without monitoring.  Please seek the advise and help of a health care professional trained in herbal medicine. 
3. Practice yoga and meditation.  Yoga is calming as well as strengthening, which is a great balance for this time of life.  Reduce stress, give support to the adrenal glands.
4. Practice high intensity interval training at least 3 times a week.  If you have a favourite sport, like tennis or netball, keep yourself active and maintain a routine for exercise.
5. Avoid alcohol, soft drinks, fruit juices and sugar.
6. Consume a diet high in vegetables, adequate amount of protein for your activity, and plenty of water.
7. Have enough good fats from avocado, raw seeds and nuts, cold water fish and olive oil.
8. Do an AMY1 test, to see how much carbohydrates you can tolerate in a day.  We offer this test.  Ask for it if you are interested.

Five-spiced Chicken with Goji Berries

4 pieces boneless skinless chicken thighs

Handful of curry leaves

1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets

2 tablespoons of goji berries soaked

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp five spice powder

1 tsp salt

Marinate chicken thighs in five spice powder and salt for at least 30 minutes.

Mean while, put oil in a pan and fry curry leaves until fragrant/ golden. Set aside.

Heat some olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant and add broccoli florets in.  Put a dash of tamari to season and add drained, soaked goji berries in.

Fry marinated chicken thighs in a pan, 10 minutes on each side until juices turn clear (not pink).  Serve with broccoli and goji.  Sprinkle prepared curry leaves on top.  Serves 4.

Which sugar is good for you?

There has been a lot of publicity of late regarding sugar and its relationship with the diabetes and obesity epidemic.  All sugars affect your insulin balance and metabolism.  If you have diabetes, candida, yeast or fungal infections, autoimmunity or are having a battle with your waistline, all sugars should be avoided.  Artificial sweeteners (zero calorie sweeteners) are no better solutions as they can be toxic to your body.  One in three adult New Zealanders is obese, and this is a serious health crisis.  If you fall into that category, please avoid all natural and artificial sweeteners.

However, if you are a healthy adult, you can have some natural sugars from raw honey or maple syrup.  For both these sweeteners, choose the darker varieties.  NZ active manuka honey is known for its non-peroxide antibacterial activities, which is unique and has been proven to react against Staph aureus.  All honeys contain peroxide antibacterial activity.  Honey is high in fructose (with some sucrose and glucose), as well as minerals and vitamins.  Honey is also a demulcent which soothes the mouth and throat.  But, if you are diabetic, insulin resistant, FODMAP and/or overweight, you should not consume honey.

Maple syrup is a natural sweetener from the sap of the maple tree.  It is rich in minerals, particularly sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc and manganese, vitamins and polyphenol antioxidants.  Maple syrup is high in sucrose (with some fructose and glucose).  It has a lower glycemic index than table sugar and less processed.

On the other hand, there is agave, table sugar, artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup.  These sweeteners are a no go, because they are low in antioxidants, some are even artificial, as the name suggests and toxic, so using them to sweeten will just raise your blood sugar, crease an insulin spike, without any other added benefits of antioxidants, minerals or nutritional benefit.

And the whole idea of sugar free?  You need to be cautious!  If you see the label “Sugar Free”, always check if there are artificial sweeteners.  Technically there is no added sugar, but the product is still sweet.  The only acceptable sugar free substitute is if it is sweetened with Stevia or Lovia which typically are plant based sweeteners, Stevia from the stevia plant and Lovia from combining Buddha’s fruit and stevia.

Avoiding processed foods is a good way of avoiding added sugar.  

Mushroom omelette with spinach and pomegranate

Ingredients:

2 eggs beaten
1/4 onion, sliced
4 white button mushrooms or 2 large brown mushrooms, sliced
salt, pepper
1 handful spinach
1/4 cup pomegranate

Method:

Put 1 Tbsp coconut or olive oil into a pan.  Add onion and fry till fragrant, add mushrooms.  Once mushrooms start to wilt, add in beaten eggs to cover the vegetables.  Allow mixture to firm in the pan on low heat.  Flip it over to cook the other side for another 2 minutes.

Take omelette out and serve on a wide flat plate.  Put spinach and pomegranate.  Serve.

Organic Foods and Gluten Free Foods are not necessarily healthy

There is an increasing awareness on the accumulation of pesticides and chemicals in our food chain.  Organic food purchase is on the rise.  Studies have always wanted to defy the nutritional contents of organic food, i.e. the vitamins and minerals in the organic food that it is no better than conventionally grown food.  However, these studies have not considered how much resilience a plant without pesticides needs to have in order to survive, and when we consume organic foods, we are consuming this resilience and ability to thrive.  These are minute phytochemicals produced innately by the plant that is beneficial for us.

Gluten Free is a term used to define grains that do not contain gluten, namely rice, buckwheat, quinoa, millet and amaranth.  Root vegetables, vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts do not contain gluten either.  When foods are sold as fresh produce, the contents is 100% of the produce itself, e.g. an avocado is 100% avocado, a capsicum is 100% capsicum.  There is no question of gluten, hence no need for the label gluten free, unless it is whole wheat, barley, rye, oat or spelt.  The problem arises when foods are processed, e.g. the making of gluten free biscuits, the contents may be made of sugar, butter, rice flour and potato flour.  A gluten free biscuit made out of sugar, butter, rice flour and potato flour is gluten free but high in sugar.  Everyone of the content in that biscuit other than butter is or will convert to sugar, making that biscuit a sugar load!

There are many parties that have jumped onto the organic and gluten free band wagon, including gluten free cereals, gluten free sausages, gluten free cakes and biscuits, and the prices can be many times that of their conventional counterparts.  Gluten has been shown to be a problem for many people even if they are not coeliacs.  You can only be celiac if you have the gene transcription for it.  However, you can still have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, which creates many problems, digestive or otherwise.  The solution is not to get out there and buy gluten free substitutes but to go back to the drawing board and consume organic, whole foods that are rich in nutrients and low in processing.

5 reasons why you could be struggling with constipation and what you can do

Constipation is a lack of regular bowel movement or bowel movements that require straining and does not empty completely.  Many people claim they are regular and their definition is once every 2 days or 3 days.  Being regular really means one to two bowel movements a day.  There is a problem if we eat 3 times a day, but we eliminate only once every 2-3 days.

Bowel emptying is a very important part of healthy living, detoxification and weight loss.  Our liver processes toxins and dumps them into the bowels for elimination.  In cases of delayed bowel emptying, the toxins can reabsorb creating increased toxic burden resulting in low energy levels, nausea, headaches, aches and pains or a crampy uncomfortable abdomen. 

If you have constipation, the first thing you need to investigate is your diet.  Are you having enough fresh vegetables, some fruits, seeds and nuts?  Fibre is required to bind and bulk.  Are you drinking enough water?  A normal healthy person requires 30mls of fluid (excluding coffee and alcohol) per kg body weight. 

Are you on any medication where the side effect includes constipation?  If so, it is time to review your medication.

Do you have a healthy gut flora?  Have you been on antibiotics more than twice in the last 2 years?  Are you on the oral contraceptive pill? If your gut microbiome is out of balance you could be constipated.

Are you stressed?  Our ancestors were hunter gatherers and stress meant that they had to run from the saber tooth tiger.  When trying to safe our lives in an emergency, our bodies do not get us to waste time visiting the lavatory.  That said, our modern day stress is different but the impact on the nervous system and signalling remains the same.  If you are stressed, get onto natural stress management protocols.

Do you have a habit of holding it in each time you an urge to defaecate that your body is losing its ability to move the bowels regularly.  If so, make sure you listen to your body’s signalling and go when you feel the urge.  To stimulate the large bowels, squatting for a period of time to induce the urge is a great strategy.  We used to have squat toilets until sitting toilets were invented.  We were not meant to be sitting and defacating at the same time!

Don’t underestimate the benefits of pooping regularly.  

Goji Shape Up Balls

100g organic goji berries

30g organic chia seeds
20g ground almond

1 scoop Shape Up weight management powder

2-3 drops stevia (optional)

1. Soak goji berries and chia seeds until water covers over the seeds and berries.  Soak for 1 hour.  The berries would plump up and chia seeds feel gel-like.
2. Put both soaked goji and chia into a blender and blend using pulse.  There will be some leftover liquid in the bowl.  If you prefer the balls a little more moist, use the water in the balls. (There should not be a lot of water left over)
3. Pour out into a bowl and add 1 scoop of Shape Up.  Mix well with a spoon.  Shape Up is our non-allergenic weight management protein with fat burners, herbs and minerals.
4. Roll balls together with your hands.  This quantity makes about 8 balls.  They can be chilled in a covered container for 3 days or frozen for upto 2 weeks.
5. This makes a good snack over the holiday season when you are travelling or camping or when you have to bring a plate of dessert to share.  Double or triple up the quantities if you have to serve more people.

Cranberry Pistachio Flourless Biscotti

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond meal

1 egg, beaten

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tbsp almond milk

1/4 cup pistachios, shell removed

¼ cup dried cranberries

Grated rind of ½ orange

Method:

1.         Preheat oven to 170 degrees C.

2.         In a large mixing bowl whisk together the almond flour, egg, baking soda and salt.

3.         Add the maple syrup and almond milk. Mix together with a wooden spoon until ingredients are well combined.

4.         Fold in the pistachios, cranberries and orange rind.

5.         Line a baking tray with baking paper.

6.         Using your hands pour the dough out of the bowl and onto the baking paper. Use your hands to form the dough into a sort of flat log. It should be about 1 inch high, 8 inches long and 2 inches wide.

7.         Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until it begins to brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 1 hour.

8.         Once the dough is cool use a knife to cut the log into about 15 strips. I prefer to make diagonal cuts because this gives you longer biscotti.

9.         Place the biscotti on their side.

10.      Bake in a 130 degree oven for 10 minutes to dry the biscotti out. Flip the biscotti over and bake for an additional 10 minutes on the other side. If they are still very moist you may need to flip again and put back in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.