How I Ended Up on a Low Carb, High Fat Diet and Stuff I've LearnedAlong the Way [Part I]

Recently I saw the ABC's Catalyst program about the low carb, high fat diet,  "Low Carb Diet, Fat or Fiction".  It is an informative and well-rounded report.  You can watch or download it here.  It runs for about 29 minutes.

I didn't set out to go on a low carb, high fat diet, but in my pursuit of a processed-free, nutrient-dense diet, I realise that's actually where I have ended up.

Initially when doing the detox program that kick-started my journey and healing process, I went gluten-free for two months.  I chose to reintroduced gluten into my diet after that, but on a greatly reduced scale.

I thought that my diet wasn't too bad but I decided that I would stop eating all refined carbohydrates; so nothing that contained any refined sugar or flour. I used to mostly eat wholemeal bread but I made a decision to only eat wholemeal bread, pasta and rice.  

I stopped eating sandwiches because I wanted to lower my gluten intake and increase my intake of plant foods.

Breakfast in a Jar

I like to leave for work early to beat the traffic and get a good parking space. So I prepare and drink a lemon water from a travel mug on my way to work and I pack my breakfast to eat at the office.

This is a favourite that I can prepare at night and store in the fridge for a quick grab on the way out the door in the morning.  I pop it in an insulated bag with an ice pack.

Packed in this jar are raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, a tablespoon of LSA (ground linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds), 4 dessert spoonfuls of full cream natural yoghurt (I like B.d. Farm Paris Creek organic Natural Yoghurt with probiotic cultures),  a handful of raw macadamia halves, a sprinkle of dried goji berries, a little pure maple syrup and a good dash of cinnamon.

Berries because they are a great source of antioxidants, and they're delicious!

Yoghurt for protein and probiotics.

Nuts and Seeds also for protein, minerals: calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, potassium, selenium, B vitamins, vitamin E and good fats.

Pure maple syrup - a natural sweetener that is a source of manganese and zinc.

Cinnamon - an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial spice that is also a digestive aid and a source of calcium.

~ 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.

Food for Thought on Food Choices

From my experience the past couple of years, eating the way that I have, I have really learned to listen to my body.

I believe that when I'm hungry it's my body's way of asking for fuel.  That is probably no great revelation to anybody but by fuel I mean nutrients.  The nutrients that my body needs to function the way it was designed to.  By nourishing my body with nutrient-dense foods I am meeting that need, enabling my body to do its job with ease, and I am satisfied.

When we fill up on foods of empty, or limited nutrition, the body continues to signal that it is hungry because it hasn't received what it needs.  This results in:

• over-eating;
• the body working harder, prioritising and compensating(*); and
• stores of "fat" from foods of little nutrition because the body cannot use it and doesn't know what to do with it.

It makes sense.

Nutrient-dense eating = all round better function = a healthier, leaner and happier body!

(*) When we consume refined foods such as refined sugar which has been stripped of nutrients and essential digestive enzymes in the refinement process, the body pulls stored minerals (especially calcium) from the bones, tissues, and teeth in order to digest it.  This is called "leaching".

Source:  "The Science of Skinny" by Dee McCaffrey - chapter 4 "A Scientist's View of Sugar and Flour".

~ 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.

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.