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 . . .