Food Matters

I used to wonder if it really mattered what we ate but I now know from personal experience that it does matter, because changing my diet put an end to my migraines and gave me so much more energy as well!

What goes on on the inside matters.  The food we choose to eat does matter!

Here's another reason why food matters . . .

In this fifteen minute YouTube clip, Dr Drew Ramsey MD, Psychiatrist, explains that the "foods" we are eating in our modern (he says American diet but it's much the same in all Western cultures) "Western Diet" that are highly processed, full of refined carbohydrates, refined sugars, the wrong fats, artificial colours and chemicals, are shrinking our brains and this is contributing to escalating rates of depression.  Dr Ramsey goes on to explain what the solution is.

Together with Tyler Graham, a Nutritionist, Dr Ramsey has written a book called

The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energised  Body 

A bit of a corny title, but there's nothing corny about the message.  This book discusses the history of the industrialisation of food production which has changed our foods so much over the last 100 years, and explains one by one all of the essential nutrients needed for our brain to function the way it was designed to, listing top food sources for each. 

Scattered throughout the book in the margins are the top 100 reasons to avoid processed foods.

Here's just a few:

43. Most processed foods contain at least one - if not several - soy-derived ingredient.  While considered to be healthy, consumption of soya products is associated with cognitive decline and brain atrophy.

50. Low fat, highly processed dairy products get stripped of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fat that fights cancer and prevents abdominal fat deposits.

51. A McDonald's Happy Meal purchased by Sally Davies, a New York based artist, showed no signs of decomposition after six months.

Valuable information if you care about your health.  This book is definitely worth a read.

The Happiness Diet: A Nutritional Prescription for a Sharp Brain, Balanced Mood, and Lean, Energised  Body is not currently available as an ebook but the paperback can be ordered online from Amazon or the QBD online bookshop.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Book Review ~ Drug Muggers by Suzy Cohen RPh

Did you know that medications often deplete your body of vital nutrients because they block your body's ability to absorb them?  This can lead to other health problems because if side effects are not recognised as nutrient deficiencies, you may end up on more medications causing even more deficiencies and side effects.  This problem, described as "drug mugging" by Suzy Cohen RPh in her book "Drug Muggers", may also be a factor if you are struggling to lose weight.

If you are taking any medications I highly recommend you read this book.  Even if you are not, this book is very informative and worth reading.  If I could have seen myself while reading this book there were surely many times my eyes nearly popped out of my head and my jaw dropped!  The section on the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy is certainly something every woman should read.

This book explains what nutrients are depleted by specific drugs, and lists many, and details symptoms that can be side effects of the nutrient deficiencies created by those medications. There is a handy quick reference section listing medications, deficiencies and suggested supplementation, and then a more in depth look at essential nutrients one by one, why our bodies need them, what can rob our bodies of them, food sources and suggested supplements, if needed.  With this information you can have an informed conversation with your doctor about your prescriptions.

There is also a chapter on lifestyle nutrient muggers which discusses things like consumption of tea and coffee, soft drinks, red wine, junk food, fad diets, the use of laxatives, smoking, food allergies, and vitamin D and vitamin B12 deficiencies.

The information in this book highlighted to me all the more the need to be eating a nutrient-rich diet to ensure that I am getting an adequate supply of all essential nutrients to give my body the "tools" needed to function the way it was designed to.  I'd rather do it this way than rely on man-made supplements.   Our bodies are amazing and can compensate for quite a while but like a car engine that does not have regular maintenance, eventually something is going to give.  A very good reason to take every opportunity to put the good stuff in!

About the Author
Suzy Cohen, RPh, is an author, syndicated columnist and speaker.  She is also a member of the American College for Advancement in Medicine, the Institute for Functional Medicine, the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the American Pharmacists Association.  Other books she has written:  "The 24-Hour Pharmacist" and "Diabetes without Drugs".

"Drug Muggers" is available electronically from the iTunes store or Amazon.  A hard copy can be ordered through Amazon or the QBD online bookshop, or ask your favourite bookstore if they can get it.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Know Better. Do Better.

Recently I listened to an interview with Cynthia Pasquella, Nutritionist, Author and Founder and Director of the Institute of Transformational Nutrition.  I'd like to mention two statements that she made:

1.  That she believes that the biggest problem with people's health these days is misinformation; and

2.  If we knew better, we'd do better.

It's two years ago this month since I embarked on the detox program that changed my life and re-trained my whole view of food.  The program promised to help with all sorts of health issues and I was becoming a bit desperate due to regular migraines I was experiencing. To my amazement, within the first week of the program, the severity of those migraines was reduced.  I knew then that I was on to something!  So I followed through and completed the program (4 weeks) and afterwards continued to avoid certain foods.

The next thing that I did was that I began to do my own research.

I got on the internet and started googling and reading articles about vitamins and minerals, why our bodies need them, what their unique qualities and benefits are, and what foods to eat to obtain them.

To try to ensure credibility I made a point of comparing information from various sources.  In the process I came across stories of people who have overcome health issues like chronic fatigue syndrome, thyroid issues, autoimmune disorders, Hashimoto's, tumours, cancers etc, through making changes to their diet.  I gravitated towards these blogs and read with interest what these people were doing with their diet.

With this information, and some trial and error with my own diet, I have begun to discover what really works for me.  I have beaten the migraines - I don't get them anymore, and in fact I barely get any sort of headache anymore, and I have learned a lot about which foods make me feel good - vibrant and energetic, and which foods don't.  Armed with this knowledge and experience, doing without certain foods, and eating lots of the good stuff, is really not hard.

Many of the links that I have posted at my "Inspiration Spot" page are websites and blogs by people who have had their own health issues which they have corrected or manage through diet.  A number of these people have gained formal qualifications as part of their own journey to find answers to their health issues.

I am still learning and continue to devour health information from articles, blogs, books and online interviews. In fact I cannot keep up with all the information I've found that I want to explore, so it will keep me busy for some time!

So this is me, getting a whole lot better informed, and doing better because now I know better.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Grilled Eggplant Sandwich

Avoiding certain things in your diet forces you to get creative.  It also means that you will find yourself eating more plant foods - which is a good thing!

This idea comes from Meaghan of Meals and Miles.  You can read her blog post here:

http://mealsandmiles.com/2009/06/09/marathon-momentos/

This is what I did.  Washed and sliced a large eggplant lengthways into 4 slices then partially grilled these on a sandwich press.  The two outside slices were a bit curved from the shape of the eggplant, but grilling them in the sandwich press flattened them suitably.  I spread each piece with avocado, topped with some leftover parmigiana sauce made the night before*, added some thin slices of goat's cheese and some fresh basil leaves.  I then put the lid on and returned it to the grill until the cheese melted a bit.

It was delicious!  Don't try to eat it like a "regular" sandwich though, knife and fork recommended!

 * Parmigiana Sauce:  fry a diced onion in a little coconut oil.  Add 2 diced tomatoes, a couple of heaped tablespoons of organic tomato paste, a good dose of mixed dried herbs, a dash of pure maple syrup and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until tomato breaks down and you have a sauce. Add a diced garlic clove and cook another minute and serve.  Garlic has greater health benefits if eaten raw or only lightly cooked.

For other "no bread" sandwich ideas check out: http://wisemindhealthybody.com/ad1/9-amazing-bread-sandwich-ideas/?c=jer

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

It's a Matter of Motivation

Motivation:  "that which give purpose and direction to behaviour"

When recently attending an afternoon tea with a wonderful spread of goodies, I selected a carrot stick from the table and began to munch on it.  A friend looked across at me and commented, "Look at you, you're so good.  I can't believe you've stuck at it so long!"

Well, it's a matter of motivation . . .

Strengthening My Immune System

We are nearing the end of the second flu season since I made big changes to my diet and for two years now I have not caught a cold or the flu even though many people living and working around me have.   I even opted this year not to have a flu shot to test my own immune system.  I have gotten a little sniffly at times, but that has always passed quite quickly and symptoms have never gone any further than that.  I have to say that I am very excited about this!

I attribute my strengthened immune system to:

• Avoiding processed and packaged foods, refined carbohydrates, refined sugars and refined cooking oils;

• Eating a nutrient-dense diet which includes lots of whole plant foods; and

• Drinking a good amount of water every day.

I have learned that processed and packaged foods, refined carbohydrates, refined sugar and refined cooking oils mess with our system and inhibit our body's ability to absorb nutrients and function properly. They hinder our body's immune system.

In her book "The Science of Skinny" Dee McCaffery tells us that sugarcane in its raw form is very nutritious.  She then explains in detail the process sugarcane goes through to be turned into the glistening white crystals that we know as sugar.  In short, the processing removes not only the vitamins and minerals from the sugarcane but also the enzymes our body needs to digest it.  So when you consume refined sugar it's not only empty calories, it lacks essential digestive enzymes and your body doesn't quite know what to do with it!  That's just sugar. Dee says:

"Refined sugar and refined flour are so far removed from their natural state that the body does not recognise them as foods - they are toxins that rob us of our health."

And of refined cooking oils (canola oil and all modern vegetable and seed oils):

"Similar to the refinement of sugar and flour, anything good that was in the original oil such as vitamins, antioxidants and other nutrients, are all destroyed in the oil-refinement process.  The remaining "pure" oil is tasteless, and by the time that bottle of oil ends up on your supermarket shelf, it's full of trans fats and free radicals."

So this is the reason I no longer believe in the "sometimes foods" or "80/20" (eat well 80% of the time and the other 20% you can eat what you like) philosophies.  They sound good, but won't deliver optimum health because what we typically view as "sometimes foods" generally contain refined sugar, refined flour and/or refined oils and these are the things that work against the body's natural systems.

Our bodies are amazing and designed to heal themselves.  Our designer and creator also provided us with natural foods loaded with the right stuff to nourish, heal and protect our bodies.  This is what we are meant to eat.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Keeping Me Focused

You know you are doing something right when you go off track and end up suffering for it.

Recently I went to a birthday party.  The food was to be catered, but we were invited to bring along a plate of nibbles if we wanted to.  I went prepared with a plate of chopped vegetables and hummus dip. I ate some of the hummus and veggies, but I should have had more....

The catering was a wood fired pizza van.  Great idea for a party, but not the kind of thing I choose to eat when I'm out these days because I can't control the ingredients.

The first pizza offered around was a spicy salami and cheese.  I thought I'd wait for something with a bit more vegetables on it.   The next was a ham and mushroom - just ham and mushroom, and more cheese.  Then there was a seafood version - a few prawns and more cheese!  I looked around for my veggie platter, but there was very little left.

The party was outdoors.
The evening was cool.
I was rather hungry.
The pizza smelled REALLY good.
I wavered and had a few pieces.  A few won't hurt? ...

I told myself that mushrooms are healthy so I had a slice of the ham and mushroom.  Then I told myself that prawns, full of omega 3 oils are very nutritious, and had two of those.

I don't know exactly what was in the pizza base.  I didn't ask.  I wish now that I had.  It may well have been a pre-mix so the pizza maker may not have known exactly what was in it either.  It was definitely made from refined flour and no doubt also contained refined sugar and oil.  Those things, and the processed meat and cheese, are all things that that I have been avoiding in my diet for some time.  It's no wonder that I found myself with indigestion for several days after that night.  My digestive system didn't know what to do with this stuff!

After 5-6 days of nutrient-dense clean eating again my stomach settled down. But you know what I realised?  It's a mistake like this that is actually a blessing in disguise, because it will strengthen my resolve to stay focused on my goal.  I will do better next time!

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not.  It includes my experiences and opinions.  It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Eating Processed-Free in a Busy World

Eating a processed-free diet has made such a difference to my life that I don't want to go back.  At times this has seemed like a daunting mission, but it has become easier.  I found that the more my body became used to me eating fresh nutrient-dense foods, the more I would crave those fresh nutrient-dense foods and lose interest in everything else.

I have had to sacrifice a fair bit of convenience, but I am doing my best to find shortcuts to manage eating processed-free whilst looking after my family and working full time, and that's part of what this blog is about, sharing the simplest and easiest ways I find to do this.

Dairy-Free Ice Cream Cake with Chocolate and Blueberries

Last weekend was the Queen's Birthday holiday weekend.  We have a tradition in our house which started when my daughter was quite small.  We were invited to go to a friend's house in the afternoon one Queen's Birthday holiday so I thought I'd buy a cake to take over for afternoon tea.  Being the Queen's Birthday holiday I grabbed some candles and we called it the Queen's birthday cake and had my daughter blow out the candles on behalf of the Queen.  The tradition was born . . . and every year since then we have had birthday cake for the Queen and my daughter has blown out the candles on behalf of Her Majesty!

This year I decided the Queen would have a different sort of cake - a dairy-free ice cream cake with chocolate and blueberries.  The recipe comes from theearthearthdiet.com.  I reduced the quantities to one third of the original recipe and used a 20cm (8") pie dish.  I also changed the recipe a little because I didn't have a couple of the ingredients.  My version went like this ...

Easy Slow Cooked Beef

This recipe comes from the Delicious Obsessions blog.  They call it the "Easiest (and most delicious) Crock Pot Beef Ever".  I tend to agree.  The hardest part of this recipe is peeling and chopping all the garlic!

Slow cooking not only makes meat very tender, it also makes it easier to digest.  I am learning that looking after your digestive system is one of the best things to do for good health.

BBQ Sauce

This is an easy homemade BBQ sauce.  The base recipe comes from mywholefoodlife.com but of course I have adapted it a little!  I reduced the quantities to ensure that I use it all while it's fresh and substituted Worcestershire sauce with coconut aminos, a soy sauce alternative made from coconut sap available from health food stores.

Simple Salad Dressing

Make your own salad dressing and avoid preservatives and additives. This is a really easy salad dressing to make.  Into a small jar place 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard per serving required.  Pour in extra virgin olive oil to desired quantity and add a splash of apple cider vinegar* to taste. Replace lid and shake well. Pour over your salad and enjoy!

*read about the benefits of apple cider vinegar:

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3598/7-Reasons-to-Love-Apple-Cider-Vinegar.html

http://bodyecology.com/articles/apple_cider_vinegar.php#http://bodyecology.com/articles/apple_cider_vinegar.php#

 http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/the-health-benefits-of-vinegar3.htm

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.



Carrot Stringer

I'm a big fan of kitchen gadgets that make my life easier.  Here's a handy gadget for making carrot strings.

Let's face it, munching on carrot sticks can get a little tedious.  A carrot stringer is an easy way to incorporate carrot in your salads, adding appeal with colour and keeping it light, and it's easier and far less messy than grating.

This carrot stringer was given to me as a gift a few years ago.   I believe it came from House but I'm sure you'd be able to find one at any good kitchen store.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

 

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.



A Peek At A Day In My Food Life

This evening was a particularly productive evening because the rest of the family was still out for a couple of hours after I got home from work, but this is fairly typical of my daily routine.  First let's flash back to this morning...

I started the day with a lemon water - 500 ml warm water with the juice of a whole lemon.

I drank a further 2 litres of water throughout the rest of the day.

For breakfast I had porridge made from rolled oats, oat bran, chia seed, goji berries, and macadamia nuts fermented overnight in water and natural yoghurt as recommended by the Weston A Price Foundation's "Healthy 4 Life" dietary guidelines brochure.  I topped the porridge with sliced banana, cherries, homemade nut milk (whizzed up in my blender last night) and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

For a mid-morning snack I had a slice of my homemade sourdough bread, toasted and spread with tahini and a little honey.

For lunch I had a salad made from lots of mixed leafy greens, some chopped leftover beef rissoles, leftover fried onion, tomato, cucumber, avocado and dressing made from mustard, olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Sourdough Easter Bun

As Easter was approaching I thought to myself that I would like to try and make some hot cross buns this year.  I wondered if I could adapt the bread machine sourdough recipe to make hot cross buns.  So I just gave it a go!

SOURDOUGH HOT CROSS BUNS

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons yoghurt

3/4 cup water

4 cups wholegrain flour, less 3 tablespoons (I used Atta Wholemeal)

1 3/4 teaspoons dried yeast granules

3 tablespoons arrowroot powder + plenty extra!

1 teaspoon unrefined salt

1 tablespoon molasses 

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup mixed dried fruit

Mix together yoghurt and water and add to flour.  Mix to form a dough. Cover and leave in a warmish place for 18-24 hours.

I prepared the water, yoghurt and flour mixture and left it to do its thing overnight.  The next afternoon instead of putting everything into the bread machine I added the yeast, unrefined salt, molasses and butter directly to the bowl containing the "sourdough" and began to mix with a metal tablespoon. The mixture was rather sticky but that was OK at this point because it made mixing in the other ingredients easier.  I found it important to pay particular attention to breaking up and distributing the butter evenly through the mixture.

Then I added the arrowroot, 3 tablespoons initially.  I had actually forgotten to take out the 3 tablespoons of flour (4 cups, less 3 tablespoons) the day before when preparing the "sourdough" but it definitely still needed the arrowroot.  In fact it was so sticky that I ended up adding a total of 10 tablespoons of arrowroot plus more on my hands and on the board that I used to knead it on.  Just add as much as you need to handle it, knead it and work it into six buns.  To make the crosses I put about 1/3 cup Atta flour into a small bowl and added a little cold water to form a dough.  Then I rolled this dough between my hands to make long skinny "dough strings" which I cut into 12 pieces to form the crosses.  I placed the buns onto a pizza tray greased with a little coconut oil and decorated them with the crosses.  I found that the crosses stuck to the buns without needing to dab any water on them. I left the buns to sit for about 30 minutes to rise.  I covered the buns with some plastic wrap to prevent the dough drying out. I recommend spraying the wrap with a little oil to prevent it sticking to the buns!

My oven was playing up so I actually cooked the buns in our bbq at around 170-180 degrees (C) for about 30 minutes, turning the tray around halfway through.  The bread is cooked when it sounds hollow when you tap it. Cool on a wire rack and then enjoy with some real butter!

So here they are my hot cross buns . . . um my hot cross bun pull-apart bun! It was surprisingly light and fluffy given that this is made from wholemeal flour, and delightfully delicious, if I may say so myself!

Of course you don't have to wait until next Easter to try this . . . make it without the crosses for a morning/afternoon tea anytime.

Source / Further information:  Recipe adapted from Bread Machine Bread from the Weston A Price Foundation's "Healthy 4 Life" dietary guidelines brochure
http://www.westonaprice.org/images/pdfs/healthy4life2011.pdf

http://www.bdfarmpariscreek.com.au/index03.php?id=36&pl=20&tl=8 natural ~  biodynamic non-homogenised natural yoghurt available from Woolworths supermarkets*

Jimmy's Atta Wholemeal Flour ~ available from Woolworths supermarkets*

http://www.mainland.com.au/cheese-product/buttersoft-pure-butter/ ~ Mainland Buttersoft butter available from Woolworths supermarkets*

*possibly also available from Coles supermarkets, I just haven't checked yet!

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Bread Machine Sourdough

I am avoiding eating commercially made breads so I was very excited to discover this recipe for sourdough that can be made in a bread machine!

This recipe comes from the Weston A Price Foundation's "Healthy 4 Life" dietary guidelines brochure.  Weston A Price was a dentist who studied the diet, lifestyle and health of indigenous cultures around the world in the 1930's.  He found a definite connection between the consumption of traditional and natural foods and the maintenance of good health.

So why sourdough?

The "Healthy 4 Life" guide explains that:

"Grains, legumes and nuts and seeds . . . are a source of many nutrients, including B vitamins, minerals and special types of fats.  However all seeds contain what scientists refer to as "anti-nutrients", substances that block the uptake of nutrients, block digestion and irritate the intestinal tract.  In traditional cultures all over the world, grains are very carefully prepared to lower the level of these compounds to make grains, legumes and nuts easier to digest.  These preparation techniques include roasting, long soaking of beans followed by cooking, soaking grains in slightly acidic water, followed by cooking, and fermenting bread dough to make sourdough bread.  These preparation techniques not only make these foods easier to digest, they also greatly increase vitamin levels.  In cultures where people depend on grains, legumes and nuts for most of their calories, these preparation techniques ensure that they get ample nutrition."

BREAD MACHINE SOURDOUGH

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons yoghurt

3/4 cup water

4 cups wholegrain flour, less 3 tablespoons

1 3/4 teaspoons dried yeast granules

3 tablespoons arrowroot powder

1 teaspoon unrefined salt

1 tablespoon molasses 

2 tablespoons butter

Mix together yoghurt and water and add to flour.  Mix to form a dough.  Cover and leave in a warmish place for 18-24 hours.

Put the dough plus the yeast, arrowroot powder, salt, molasses and butter in the breadmaker.  Set it to a wholemeal setting and begin.  When it's part-way through the kneading section, check that all the ingredients have mixed together and check the consistency.  If it is slimy, add some more arrowroot, if it's too dry add a few more drops of water, drop by drop.  Proceed as directed and enjoy the bread!

The first time I made this recipe I used the standard wholemeal setting on my bread machine.  It turned out ok.

The second time I made it I decided to try the machine's turbo setting.  I hadn't used this setting before and the bread machine's manual does warn that loaves are likely to be heavier due to less rising time.  To my surprise the bread turned out better than the first time I made it, so I have used the turbo setting ever since.  The turbo setting on my bread machine takes just 1 hour and 5 minutes which means that I can put it on after work to have yummy fresh bread with dinner.

So far I have successfully made this recipe with wholemeal Atta flour, organic wholemeal spelt flour, and Powlett Hill GMO free biodynamic stoneground wheat flour.  I have also made a loaf with all Powlett Hill GMO free biodynamic stoneground rye flour.  That one was a little heavier but still yummy.  A mixture of the stoneground wheat and rye flours worked better.

I use b d Farm Paris Creek organic natural yoghurt because it's the most natural, natural yoghurt that I can find.  It's organic, biodynamic and made from non-homogenised milk.

I like to use Mainland Buttersoft butter because it is pure butter but easy to spread because it's "triple churned".  Other spreadable butter brands are a blend of butter and canola or sunflower oil.

So far I have found the flour to liquid ratio to work well and haven't felt the need to add extra arrowroot or water on checking the mixture as the recipe suggests.  This may of course vary depending on climate conditions, ie more or less humidity.

Obviously this is not going to produce a loaf that looks like your commercially baked sandwich loaves, in fact it looks more like a banana bread, so it's not really suitable for sandwiches.  That doesn't bother me though because I rarely eat sandwiches these days, opting for salads for lunches instead.  It is however very delicious served freshly baked, with real butter, accompanied by a good slow-cooked stew!  I also like to have it as a snack toasted and spread with tahini and a little manuka honey.

Source / Further information

http://www.westonaprice.org

http://www.westonaprice.org/basics/principles-of-healthy-diets

http://www.westonaprice.org/images/pdfs/healthy4life2011.pdf

http://www.bdfarmpariscreek.com.au/index03.php?id=36&pl=20&tl=8 natural ~ yoghurt available from Woolworths supermarkets*

Jimmy's Atta Wholemeal Flour and Macro Organic Spelt Flour ~ available from Woolworths supermarkets*

http://powletthill.com.au/tablet/flour.html ~ GMO free biodynamic stoneground flours available locally from Greenies Real Food http://www.greeniesrealfood.com.au

http://www.mainland.com.au/cheese-product/buttersoft-pure-butter/ ~ available from Woolworths supermarkets*

*possibly also available from Coles supermarkets, I just haven't checked yet!

                      ~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

People Who Have Inspired Me: Dee McCaffrey

Dee McCaffrey is the author of "The Science Of Skinny".

I have been gleaning nutritional information from a number of sources for a while now but this book has a lot of great information packed into one place!

There are a couple of spots in the book that got a little too scientific on me, but mostly there are very clear explanations of the effect that different foods has on the body making it easy to understand why it's good to eat certain foods and why certain "foods" should be avoided. (When you read the book you will understand why I used quotation marks around the word "foods" here.)

Dee is well qualified to give us this advice. She begins the book by telling her own story of how she fell into emotional eating and wound up being obese, and she explains how she turned that around to lose her excess weight and keep it off for the past twenty years.  She is a qualified chemist, nutritionist, health coach and co-founder of Processed Free America.

I highly recommend this book to everyone, fat, thin or in between, because optimal health is not just about being skinny.  This book teaches how to help your body function the way it was designed to.

The Science of Skinny gives you the inside information on all those strange food additives which will change the way you look at processed foods.  You will learn why refined sugar and refined flour are your enemies.  You will learn why you should avoid unfermented soy products.  You will learn a lot about fats and oils, why we need fats in our diet, which ones to use and which ones to avoid.

The Science of Skinny provides comprehensive information about the health benefits and disease-fighting qualities of a number of foods.  Knowing this information makes eating a healthy diet so much easier because you understand the benefits!

The Science of Skinny also includes an eating plan and recipes to help you get started.

It seems that it often takes a health crisis for people to get serious about overhauling their diet, like me with my migraines and Dee with her obesity. Those of you who know me personally know that I have always been fairly skinny, although there was a time when I weighed 13kg more than I do now. So for me this journey is about inner health, but I do believe that if you get that right then everything else will fall into place, including losing excess weight if that's what you need.  From my own experience it is definitely not only about eating more of the good stuff, but it is about what you don't eat as well.  Forget those "sometimes foods" and find yourself healthier alternatives that you love to indulge in!

The Science of Skinny is available as an ebook from iTunes, Google Books or Kindle. 

The paperback version is harder to find.  None of my local bookstores had it in stock but were willing to order it in.  Or you can order it yourself from their online stores.

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Lazy Shepherd's Pie

I started cooking Shepherd's Pie like this when we were renovating our kitchen and my cooking facilities were very limited.  It's not really that lazy but it cuts out the step of putting the "pie" together and baking it in the oven.  It saves a bit of time and still tastes great.

Although my mother did teach me to cook things from scratch, as a working mother I looked for shortcuts and found myself cooking tomato-based dishes like this by opening a jar of bolognaise sauce.   Now that I'm trying to avoid processed foods I use fresh diced tomatoes instead, and you know what?  It doesn't take much longer!  I have a gadget called a Genius Nicer Dicer Plus* which enables easy chopping of vegetables and is great for dicing tomatoes - something that is messy and just never very successful by hand!

 

I don't actually measure things too carefully when I cook so the quantities below are really just 'guesstimates' of the good shake of herbs, couple of dollops of tomato paste, little bit of water etc that I used.  This batch was a hit though - hubby said it was "awesome"!

Ingredients:

[Meat Sauce]

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

500 g beef mince

1 brown onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, diced

4 tomatoes, diced

1/4 cup water

1 medium carrot, diced

1/2 cup cauliflower, cut into florets

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 Tablespoon dried Mixed Italian Herbs

3 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

Sea Salt or Himalayan Rock Salt & pepper to taste

 

[Mash]

1 medium sweet potato

1 large white potato

Method:

[Meat Sauce]

Heat oil in pan and fry onion and carrot for a couple of minutes.  Remove.

Add a little more oil and cook mince until browned.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add tomato, cauliflower, tomato paste, herbs and maple syrup. Stir well and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Add peas and simmer another minute.
Add garlic and simmer another minute.

[Mash]

Peel and chop potato into small pieces.   Add 1/4 cup water and microwave on high 8 minutes.

Check potato is cooked evenly and is soft enough for mashing.  If not stir and cook a little longer.

Drain and mash with olive oil to desired consistency.

To serve spoon mince mixture on one side of the plate and then spoon mash partially on top and on the other side,  Top with grated cheese or sprinkle with savoury yeast flakes.

 

Notes:

* I purchased my Genius Nicer Dicer Plus from Target but I understand its also available from Harvey Norman and Big W or you can find it online at eBay.  View a youtube demonstration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=931Yg6GYT3w

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Apples

When it comes to sticking to a real food diet an apple is one of my top go to snacks.  For fresh fruit it travels pretty well and doesn't need refrigeration.

Apples contain potassium and a small amount of vitamin C.  They contain high levels of various plant chemicals including the flavonoid quercetin, which has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory action.  They are also a valuable source of pectin, a soluble fibre that can help lower 'bad' cholesterol and help prevent colon cancer. Eat apples with the skin on as the skin contains up to five times as many plant chemicals as the flesh.

Apples are pretty convenient to just eat on their own, but to jazz it up a little I like to chop an apple into wedges and dip it in nut butter.  This is a favourite afternoon snack at the office!

Any of these work well as a dip:

Almond Spread

Almond Spread with Chia
Cashew Spread

ABC Spread (made from Almonds, Brazil nuts & Cashew nuts)

Hazelnut and Cacao Spread*

Look for the 100% nut varieties. 

 


Something else that works well as a dip for apple pieces is raw raspberry jam. Below is a link to a Raw Raspberry Jam recipe from Rawedibles.com

http://rawedibles.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/raw-natural-raspberry-jam.html






Source: 100 Best Health Foods by Parragon www.parragon.com/lovefood

Nut butters are available from health food stores, and the health food section of Coles and Woolworths supermarkets.

*Mayver's Hazelnut Cacao Spread is simply blended hazelnuts and cacao and is available from selected Coles supermarkets or you can order online from Aussie Health Products www.aussiehealthproducts.com.au

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

The Nitty Gritty on Fat Burning and How Lemon Water Can Help

Drinking lemon water is something I took up primarily as a caffeine replacement, but also because it has a very alkalising effect on the body and helps to cleanse out impurities.

This article about lemon water explains how it also assists with fat burning. You see one of the liver's functions is to burn fat and pump excessive fat out of the body.  However if the liver is not functioning correctly and is congested and clogged, it begins to store fat rather than burn it.  This article explains that if you have a roll of fat around your middle, it may be because you have a "fatty liver".

Each day your liver produces a liquid called bile. Bile is a soap-like substance that helps break down fat globules into smaller particles so that they can become mixed with water and flushed out rather than stored in the liver.  A good reason to also drink plenty of water each day.  

Dee McCaffrey says:

"Bile is essential to the liver's ability to burn fat, therefore it is important to make sure your body is producing enough bile, and that the bile it produces is of high quality. The liver cannot perform its fat burning role if it is hampered by a lack of bile nutrients, congestion and even clogged bile ducts which constrict bile flow and result in less bile production.  Bile cannot do its job of breaking down fats if it is congested or thickened with food chemicals, pesticides, drugs and other toxins."

"This is where the lemon water comes in.  The combination of fresh lemon juice mixed with water is a well-known bile thinner.  The vitamin C from the fresh lemon juice benefits the formation of quality bile  as it helps the liver to produce a compound called glutathione, which helps cleanse and regenerate the liver.  The warm lemon water also promote peristalsis, the contraction of muscles in the bowels that keeps waste (and fat) moving along the digestive tract and out of the body for elimination."

Source:  The Benefits of Lemon Water by Dee McCaffery CDC
http://www.processedfreeamerica.org/resources/health-news/441-the-benefits-of-lemon-water

Dee McCaffrey is an organic chemist, visionary, author, philanthropist, and nutrition missionary.  Dee and her husband are the founders of Processed-Free America, an organization dedicated to providing healthful education in nutrition, cooking and implementing lifestyle changes for weight loss and optimal health.

See also: http://putthegoodstuffin.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/information-lemon-water.html

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Avocado

I LOVE avocado. Avocado makes everything special!

Avocado is one of those foods that many people seem to be a bit frightened of eating too often because its high in calories due to a high fat content.  I don't worry about calories.  I eat avocados whenever I want to because they are so nutrient rich and the fat in them is good fat.  

Avocado is rich in many nutrients:  vitamins C, E, and K, folate, iron, potassium and magnesium and also contains smaller amounts of several other minerals.  Avocado is great for your skin, is a good source of fibre, helps to protect the liver and helps to lower cholesterol.  It contains oleic acid which can lower the risk of breast cancer, glutathione which also helps to protect against cancer and lutein which helps protect against eye cataracts and macular degeneration.

 

These days I eat avocado 4 or 5 times a week.  I put it in salads, spread it on toast topped with a boiled or poached egg, use it instead of cheese on a homemade hamburger, make guacamole by mashing and adding lemon juice, fresh herbs and garlic and spread it on steak, or chicken or use it as a dip.  I don't usually eat a lot of bread but on a recent camping holiday a good compromise between healthy and convenient turned out to be BBQ chicken and salad wraps for lunch.  I mashed and spread avocado over the wrap before adding the other ingredients.  With the creamy flavour of the avocado I didn't feel the need to add any store bought dressing or mayo that would be full of refined sugar and preservatives.

Avocado can be added to smoothies and I have even used it to make chocolate mousse!  The avocado gives the mousse a lovely texture.

For more nutritional information and inspiration about how to eat avocados visit the Australian Avocados website,  or here's an idea I have previously posted http://putthegoodstuffin.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/guacamole-topped-steak-with-rice.html

Sources:   http://m.avocado.org.au

100 Best Health Foods by Parragon www.parragon.com/lovefood

 

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Banana Pancakes

This idea comes from Edible Harmony's Two Ingredient Flourless Pancakes.

The original recipe is just two ingredients: banana and egg, and works very well for a quick breakfast or snack.  For additional nutritional impact I like to add a few extra ingredients:  LSA*, chia seed and blueberries.  As this is quite easy to make I often made this for breakfast on a recent camping holiday. You can mash and mix the ingredients with a fork but to speed things up I recommend using a potato masher.

Banana Pancakes

Ingredients

1 banana

2 eggs

1 tablespoon LSA*
1 tablespoon chia seed

A handful of blueberries - fresh or frozen

In a bowl mash the banana.  Add two eggs and mix well.  Add the LSA, chia seed and blueberries and stir to mix through.  Let the mixture stand for a few minutes to allow the chia seeds to absorb some of the egg and thicken the mixture.  Pour mixture into a hot pan and cook until the edges begin to firm up and bubbles start to appear.  Turn and cook on the other side.  I recommend keeping the pancake size small, about the size of your hand, so that they are easy to turn without breaking. Serves one.

The natural sweetness of the banana makes these pancakes sweet enough so that you don't need to add any syrup.

*LSA is a mix of ground linseed, sunflower seed and almonds.

Source: Edible Harmony http://www.edibleharmony.com/

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.

Chocolate Hazelnut Raspberry Soft Serve

I came across this idea from The Detoxinista.  Megan's Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream is very easy to make.  It's just frozen banana blended with peanut butter.  I tried it with almond butter instead and it was delicious!

Then I had an idea.  Instead of almond butter I could try Hazelnut Cocao spread and add some raspberries.

Chocolate Hazelnut Raspberry Soft Serve

Ingredients

1 frozen banana

1 handful of frozen raspberries

1 tablespoon Mayver's Hazelnut Cacao Spread*

1-2 tablespoons of coconut water

I chopped the frozen banana into chunks and put that into a mini food processor.  Then I added the raspberries, a splash of coconut water and about a tablespoon of Hazelnut Cacao Spread.  I whizzed it in the blender, stopping a few times to scrape down the mixture.  That's it.  Spoon into a plate and serve if you can resist eating it straight from the food processor bowl!

*Mayver's Hazelnut Cacao Spread is simply blended hazelnuts and cacao and is available from selected Coles supermarkets or you can order online from Aussie Health Products www.aussiehealthproducts.com.au

Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

http://detoxinista.com/2012/07/peanut-butter-banana-ice-cream-dairy-free-vegan/

~ take every opportunity to put the good stuff in ~

This blog is about me, what I'm doing, what's working for me, and what's not. It includes my experiences and opinions. It is for general information only and is in no way intended to replace the advice of a health care professional.