Saturday, March 27, 2010
Watch out for partially hydrogenated soybean oil. You'll find hydrogenated soybean oil in every product imaginable! The hydrogenation process alters the configuration of the fat molecule, creating trans fatty acids, which are detrimental to your health. They have been linked to heart disease. Trans fats interfere with normal fat metabolism.
Soy and trans fats are a huge topic so I will expand more of this later on.
Sodium nitrate is found in a variety of luncheon meats, ham, bacon, corned-beef, hot dogs and sausages. This chemical preservative gives meat its bright red colour, prolongs shelf life and kills Clostridum botulinum spores (botulism). When consumed, this chemical preservative combines with your natural stomach chemicals forming nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are powerful carcinogens- causing cancer. Researchers revealed that the increased amounts of nitrates found in normal processed food and the environment are strongly related, and are the root cause for age-related diseases.
Friday, March 26, 2010
So artificial food colouring is the first chemical on the list that I want to discuss. The word"artificial" gives it away! Artificial is obviously not food and is not going to nourish your body.
I don't even know if I need to even expand on this topic! haha.
But if you have any processed foods in your cupboards check how many products have food colouring. You will find it in everything from cereals, muesli bars, sport drinks, lotions and shampoos, to OTC and prescription medicines.
There are 9 artificial colours approved for use by the FDA!
Artificial colours look great. They make food look vibrant and appealing. The majority of food colours are made with petroleum. They are a derivative of Petrochemicals and Coal tar. These chemicals are in no way made to be ingested by humans or any other animal. In fact, food dye is pulled off of the market regularly because of health concerns. Yellow #2 food dye will likely be the next to go. It’s be shown to cause ADHD, multiple types of cancer, male sterility, and many other issues.
Whenever you see a colour followed by a number in the list of ingredients, this is an indication to avoid that product. These include red #3 and #40, yellow #5 and #6, blue #1 and #2 and plus green #3. Ingredients such as yellow #6 have been linked to possible kidney and adrenal tumors. Yellow #6 has been banned in Sweden and Norway.
There has been links between kids hyperactivity behaviour and food additives. There are also claims that artificial colours can cause depression, anxiety and attention deficit disorder (ADD) persit.
The Food Safety Standards Agency states that: "All additives must pass strict safety checks before they can be used in foods and if any new evidence were to emerge from this or other work their safety will be reviewed."
I think it is sad that we have to wait for scientific research to prove there dangerousness and in the mean time human beings are used as guinea pigs. Don't wait for research.. Use your common sense. If your great ancestors would have no idea what it is, then it is not meant for human consumption!
If you require food colouring for a specific recipe, you can find healthier alternatives such as extracts of tumeric, bluberry and beet at your health food store.
As you actively start reading food labels, be aware that food manufactures can also call it "natural food colouring"... just because it says natural does not mean it is a whole food! It is not!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
I noticed that a lot of people get hung up on reading labels. It is a good way of finding out the nutritional content. But there are a lot of flaws with labels. The food marketers have a way of highlighting what they want you to notice. ie. low fat, cholesterol free, organic, sugar-free, natural etc.
People also like to look at how much carbohydrate, fat and protein there are in a certain product. It can be good to know this but it isn't really necessary.
Many food products today are riddled with chemicals. Yes, I said chemicals!
In order to avoid these chemicals, it is important to read the ingredient lists.
Over the next few posts I will be writing a bit about the ingredients to avoid and why they are so bad for your health.
Basically, when reading the nutritional label make sure the product has no more than 5 ingredients. Also make sure you know what they are! If you can't pronounce it then it is not food. Or another idea is to ask your self if your great grandmother would know what that food is. Again if she wont recognize it, then its not good for you.
The chemicals I want to enlighten you with is: artificial food colouring, sodium nitrate, soybean oil, artificial sweeteners, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and high fructose corn syrup.
If you have any processed foods in your cupboard, go and grab them and I can guarantee that it will have one of those ingredients, some of them may have more than one.
Be considerate of your body, it is a blessing to be healthy. I love the saying "medicine is in your refrigerator"
"Let food be your medicine and medicine your food. Whosoever gives these things no consideration and is ignorant of them, how can he understand the disease of man?" - Hippocrates
Sunday, March 14, 2010
I have just gotten back from supermarket shopping...
In todays day in age we don't enjoy cooking and don't have time to spend hours cooking. We all need ways to make life easier and less stressful. So once I have unpacked everything I pre-cook and prepare some foods. I will boil a few eggs, cook a few chicken thighs, cut carrots into slices, and pre-cut vegetables. By doing this, it is easy to just grab a chicken thigh and mix it together with a salad etc. It reduces the stress about cooking in the evening and you spend less time preparing meals. What I have also found is, I am less temped to snack on junk food. When I snack on junk food it is for the convenience. But now that the healthy food is prepared there is no excuse not to grab that first.
Give it a try. By doing it this way, you will be able to take lunch to work with you all the time and it will be mega healthy. Dinner will be more relaxed and you will be able to enjoy it more. Breakfast will be a full meal and you wont get the cravings in the late afternoon.
Its a win-win situation. You just gotta get into it and enjoy the process! :)
Friday, March 12, 2010
It occurred to me that some of my blog posts have "extreme" views. I do agree upon this statement because after reading numerous articles and books on nutrition now, my views of eating has totally changed. Not everyone has to adopt this way of thinking, it is also a way to show you how serious of an impact some foods can have on your body system.
But 'anywho', this post is about "keeping things simple". This is great advice for people who want to become healthier and don't know where to start. We have all noticed that the medical industry has become over complicated, along with research on what foods to eat. Because there is so much controversial information out there at the moment, it makes it hard for people to know what foods to eat. So in this instance it is important to keep things simple and not freak about what you should be eating. I will give some advice in general on the best way to stay on track to being a healthy eater.
So I've said this before: every meal should consist of protein and produce (fruit and vegetables).
This will boost your metabolism, ensure you are full for longer and less likely to pig out on junk food.
To help kick start your meal planning process, here's a list of Must Have animal and plant protein sources.
Best Animal Based Protein Sources
1. Grass fed beef
2. Fowl- Chicken/Turkey- preferably organic and free range
3. Fish/Seafood- Wild Salmon and Tuna
4. Eggs
5. Dairy- raw milk, plain yogurt, organic cottage cheese
Best Plant Based Protein Sources
1. Legumes/Beans- lentils, black, kidney and garbanzo beans
2. Nuts- almonds etc
3. Whole grains- quinoa, kamut and millet
4. Soy- organic unprocessed, fermented soy only (meaning not commercialized soy products you see in the supermarket. I personally do not eat soy based on the conflicting information that I find. This is an individual choice and if you choose to eat soy, just make sure it is tempeh and miso.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
So my 3 books that I ordered from Amazon has arrived. I am totally amazed by these books! They are a total MUST READ!!!!
I got How to Eat, Move and be Healthy by Paul Chek
The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott
and The Power of 4 by Paula Owens.
These books are more than just eating healthy and exercising. This is HOLISTIC. This is the stuff that educates and sets you up for a life of health and rejuvenation. These are my bibles. Need I say more?
I will do an extended review on all these books later when I have finished. But I just wanted to say WOW.
Hope you are well. Will write up a cool blog post later :)
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
We are always told calcium in our diet is important.. As kids we were told it was good for strong bones and teeth. It is also important for the muscular contractions of the heart and skeletal muscles.
Now back to your teeth..
Are you happy with your mouth full of dazzling white teeth?
If your not, it could be because you are consuming too much SUGAR!
I have already told you before that sugar is bad. I will continue to drill you until you understand how bad it really is!
Daily intake of sugar produces a continuously over-acid condition. Consequently, minerals are required from body tissues (such as bone and teeth) in order to buffer the acidic environment and rectify the imbalance. In order to protect the blood, so much calcium is taken from the bones and teeth that decay and general weakening begin. Excess sugar eventually affects every organ in the body
Basically, the bacteria in your mouth converts the sugar to acid. This acid erodes the enamel and the calcium is pulled out of your teeth causing decay.
Sugar Alternatives
Honey: use only raw (unheated) honey. Used in moderation, honey is supportive of good health and immune function. Avoid cooking with honey as its not heat stable
Stevia: Stevia is a herb and is about 1000 times sweeter than sugar. Additionally, Stevia is known to assist in balancing blood sugar levels, making it ideal for anyone coming off caffeinated beverages or weaning themselves from sweets
Fruit: use in season fruit or dried fruits to sweeten foods. Its a good idea to rehydrate dried fruits and berries by soaking them for 8 to 12 hours before using. Then bring them to a flash boil to kill and unfriendly bacteria, parasites or insect eggs that may have been laid on them during the drying process.
Below-ground vegetables: By adding properly cooked or, when possible, raw underground vegetables, you often get a beautiful natural sweetness to salads and other foods. For example, a cooked organic sweet potato, shredded raw carrots or beets are quiet sweet and make great additions to salads and sandwiches.
Turbinado sugar and succinat: These are two acceptable forms of sugar, as they are minimally processed and raw. Raw date sugar is also acceptable, but again, sugar is sugar, so consume in moderation.
Politically Correct Nutrition, meaning what the "government would have you eat" or what the typical college-educated dietitian would have you eat", is based on the assumption that we should reduce our intake of fats, particularly saturated fats from animal sources. Fats from animal sources also contain cholesterol, presented as the twin villain of the civilized diet.
Although hydrogenation of fats began in 1912, coronary heart disease was rare in America before 1920- so rare that when a young internist named Paul Dudley White introduced the German electrocardiograph to his colleagues at Harvard University, they advised him to concentrate on a more profitable branch of medicine. The new machine revealed the presence of arterial blockages, thus permitting early diagnosis of coronary heart disease. But in those days, clogged arteries were a medical rarity, and White had to search for patients who could benefit from his new technology. During the next forty years, however, the incidence of coronary heart disease rose dramatically, so much so that by the mid-fifties heart disease was the leading cause of death among Americans. Today, heart disease causes at least 40% of all deaths in the US. If, as we have been told, heart disease results from the consumption of saturated fats, one would expect to find a corresponding increase in animal fat in the American diet. Actually, the converse is true. During the sixty year period from 1910 to 1970, the proportion of traditional animal fat in the American diet declined from 83% to 62%, and butter consumption plummeted from eighteen pounds per person per year to four. During the past eighty years, dietary cholesterol intake has increased only 1%. During the same period, the percentage of dietary vegetable oils in the form of margarine, shortening and refined oils increased about 400%, while the consumption of sugar and processed foods increased about 60%.
The much-maligned saturated fats- which Americans are trying to avoid- are not the cause of modern diseases. If they were, and if the saturated fat or cholesterol myth were true, none of us would be alive today because saturated fat was the primary energy source for most of our ancestors. Studies of North American Indians, Eskimos and other tribes suggest that as much as 80% of their daily caloric intake was from fat, most of which was saturated animal fat
Info from How to Eat, Move and be Health by Paul Chek
I am going to go Gluten Free for two weeks to see if there is any difference in how I feel!!
I am not Gluten Intolerant but I have a feeling I am Gluten Sensitive. I get a bit of bloating, gas, constipation and fatigue. These signs point to Gluten for me. If any one else has any ideas let me know.
But basically, I will record what I eat everyday and write down how I'm feeling for two weeks.
This two weeks will be a time for my digestive system to also get rid of all the inflammation going on.
If I see a dramatic change, I will cut gluten from my diet and slowly introduce properly prepared nuts and grains. ie. by soaking my rolled oats and sprouting nuts.
I will start on Thursday. I need to research what sorts of foods contain gluten.
If you have any research for me to read I welcome all! :)
Monday, March 8, 2010
Saturated fats
- Found in animal fats and tropical oils
- Do not normally go rancid, even when heated for cooking
- Made in our bodies from carbohydrates
- Constitute at least 50% of the cell membranes; they give cells stiffness and integrity
- Needed for calcium to be effectively incorporated into skeletal system
- Protect liver from alcohol and other toxins
- Enhance immune system
- Needed for proper use of EFAs
Sources: animal products, coconut and palm oil
Monounsaturated fats
- Tend to be liquid at room temp
- Do not go rancid easily can be used in cooking at moderate temperatures
Sources: olive oil, almonds, pecans, cashews, peanuts, and avocado
Polyunsaturated fats
- Contain linoleic acid (omega 6) and linolenic acid (omega 3)- essential because our bodies cannot produce them
- Liquid, even when refrigerated
- Should never be heated
Sources: fish oil, eggs and walnuts
Cholesterol
- Gives cells stiffness and stability
- Precursor to steroid hormones and vitamin D
- Acts as an antioxidant
- Needed for proper function of serotonin receptors in the brain
- Low cholesterol levels have been linked to aggressive behavior, depression and suicidal tendencies
- Role in maintaining health of intestinal wall
- High-serum cholesterol levels often indicates that the body needs cholesterol to protect itself from high levels of altered free-radical-containing fats
Sources: animal products
Thursday, March 4, 2010
We all know that sugar makes us gain weight. When we want to lose weight we cut down on sugar. But is weight gain the only consequence we face eating sugar?
Its not. I will show you how sugar works in the body and the effect it causes. For some people this might go straight over your heads because it will be a bit of science involved, but try to understand because this IS important and our body deserves better!
I'm going to start off saying that most people think a"calorie is just a calorie". That if you eat 2000 calories a day you will be healthy, that it does not matter which types of foods you eat, aslong as you reach your limit. I'm going to change your thinking and tell you that a calories is NOT just a calorie. It depends on HOW it is processed in your body!
This article is based on the video; Sugar: the bitter truth by Robert Lustig
People are heavier than ever and fat consumption has gone down. As fat has gone down, taste declines too, so what manufactures does to make food more tastier is they add sugar/high fructose corn syrup. As a result we are getting bigger and suffering more diseases! So its not the fat, its the sugar!
Just some grounding information.. Sucrose (or table sugar-the stuff you put in your coffee etc.) is half GLUCOSE and half FRUCTOSE. Glucose is needed in the body. But in my opinion after watching the video, fructose is a poison and is a big problem!
In a lot of processed foods these days the manufactures use HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. HFCS is also half glucose and half fructose. Manufactures claim that HFCS and sugar are no different. They actually are not lying to you! They are both equally BAD. The problem is the quantities- we are eating too much!
Fructose consumption before WW2 from natural fruit and vegetables was about 15gms/day.
Nowadays we are eating 72.8gms/day!!!! With 1 in 4 kids being obese!
Now moving on to how calories work inside the body. We will focus on 120 calories of glucose (about two pieces of white bread) . 80% of the glucose calories will get used up by the organs, muscles and the rest of your body. Your cells run and operate on glucose.
The other 20% of calories goes to your liver
So what happens to the 20% of calories that goes to your liver?? (this is the tricky part)
The glucose turns to G.6.P (glucose 6 phosphate). The P means it has to be phosphoralated or a phosphate needs to be added to turn into glycogen (storage of sugar). So ATP (energy)- has three phosphates on it, it gives one of its Ps and turns into ADP-two phosphates.
Glucose also turns into Pyruvate which goes to the mitochondria (its the powerhouse-where the ATP is made) and turns into something called acetylcholate which goes through the Cribs cycle to make energy-ATP and carbon dioxide that you breathe out.
But some acetylcholate is left over which turns into citrate, which comes out of the mitochondria and gets worked on by some fat storing enzymes, these enzymes are working to turn these sugars into fat. The citrate is going to be turned into VLDL (this is the bad cholesterol which causes heart disease, obesity and a lot of other issues).
The glucose will cause an insulin response which increases leptin, a hormone made in your fat cells which sends a message to your mind to tell you, you are full!
Hope you are keeping up :)
Now on to the glass of orange juice you just drank! (Sucrose).
As stated above. Sucrose is half glucose and half fructose. We now know what 80% of the glucose will be used by the body, muscles and organs and 20% will go to the liver, lets now focus on the fructose.
With the fructose, all of the calories (60 calories) will go to the liver. Nothing will reach the body, muscles, organs. This should tell you something.. The liver is a huge organ which detoxifies the body, is there any coincidence that 100% of the fructose goes to the liver????
This is putting a huge stress on your liver!
Now back onto the 60 calories of fructose; also don't forget about the 12 calories of glucose that also goes to the liver! Thats going to be a lot of Phosphate stealing going on! Remember how the ATP (3 phosphates turned to ADP- two phosphates). Now it changes to AMP - 1 phosphate and then into IMP. Thats a lot of phosphate donations! So what is the consequence? You get a build up of uric acid. Uric acid is associated with Gout! That uric acid causes your endothelial cells (the cells that lines your arteries) to reduce the production of nitrate oxide (nitrate oxide keeps the arteries dilated or nice and wide so stuff can go through). If there is no or little nitrate oxide there, it will cause high blood pressure! Thats a problem these days.
You will also get the production of xylulose 5 P which is going to increase those fat storing enzymes.
And then we have pyruvate again which turns into acetylcholate which turns into ATP. Now you have a lot of those Phosphates again. But you have so much that you produce citrate which works with the fat storing enzymes and so now you have lots of VLDL (lots of heart disease making cholesterol) and you have lots of fat!
Wow! Hope you stayed with me here.
So that 120 calories of sucrose works totally different than the glucose alone. You can see it works differently but you end up with a lot of fat.
But thats not all!!!!
Also in the liver with fructose you get a lipid droplet, that causes you to have a nice fatty liver!
You are also going to get a increase in FFA (free fatty acids) which goes to your muscles that makes you muscularly insulin resistant, that means your insulin will stay nice and high which will store fat!
You also get JNK1. Its an enzyme produced in the liver which down regulates the insulin receptors which makes you liver insulin resistant!! That resistance makes your insulin levels go up even higher! which again makes you fat!
Now you have so much insulin making going on that your brain can't see the production of leptin which means you are never full and always hungry. Thats why you are eating all day!
We have a recipe for:
- Hypertension
- Heart disease
- Obesity
- Insulin Resistance
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Fatty liver
- Can't stop eating
So is a calorie really just a calorie?
Absolutely not! They work completely differently. Until we realize this- we will keep pointing a finger at the fat.
IT IS NOT THE FAT.
If this went over your head, read it over and over again, til you understand!!
Make sure to watch the video.
The site is : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
I really hope you can understand this and I also deeply hope it will change your attitude about food!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
I think this is a common problem woman face today. I know this is something I am trying to overcome.
There are several things that may be causing your pooch belly.
1) You may not be drinking enough water
Being in a state of dehydration will cause your body to hold onto fluid that is currently has, causing a bloated stomach and/or puffy body. This is a survival mechanism that has existed since the beginning of time. Our bodies require water to function. If you are not getting enough of it, the body will retain the water it does have access to until more water becomes available again
Solution: Duh! Drink more water. Your body will remain properly hydrated and will function optimally- allowing excess water to be eliminated- which will flatten out your tummy within a few short days.
2) You could be consuming too much salt
An excess salt in your body will cause water retention (similar to dehydration) and you will quickly get a bloated midsection
Solution: Read your labels. Salt is hidden in so many foods, that we often don't know we're consuming it. So be aware of what you are putting into your body. Prepare meals as often as possible to control the amount of salt content.
3) You may have a food allergy you are unaware of
Many people suffer from a gluten allergy and more a gluten sensitivity. Keep a food journal and note when your "baby bump" makes an appearance (for example, is it when you eat bread of pasta?). You may start to notice a trend and you may even want to consider going for an allergy testing or seeking out professional advice from a dietitian.
4) Stress= pooch
When your stressed out, the body produces an influx of cortisol- the hormone that will give fat deposits the "thumbs up" to sit in your stomach. Take a serious look at how much stress you have in your life.
Solution: Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, but it can also cause stress if you are not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. To help alleviate stress, ensure you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Consider meditation or yoga as a way of coping with your busy mind or make an appointment for a massage. Taking time out for something that brings you happiness is often the best way to curb stress and, ultimately, give that pooch a rest to.
There has been a few people asking what books I have been reading. I have two health books at the moment: Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno.
These books are awesome! And has become my passion for Holistic Care. I also get a lot of information from YouTube and searching the internet.
There are 3 books that are coming in the mail. Hopefully arrive at the end of the month.
The Power of 4 by Paula Owens
How to Eat, Move and be Healthy by Paul Chek
and
Metabolic Typing by William Wolcott
There are more that I want to save up 4 :)
This isn't a cheap passion haha!
A Life Unburdened by Richard Morris
The Fourfold path to Healing by Thomas Cowan
Nutrition and Physical degeneration by Weston A. Price
Good calories, Bad calories by Gary Taubes
The most effective ways to live longer by Jonny Bowden
If you want to get these books it is easiest to order from Amazon- that's where I got mine from.
There are obviously more books that I have on my list but these are the main ones I want to get now (or whenever the bank account says now!) ;)
I will do reviews when the other books arrive.
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About Me
- Katie
- Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand
- Hi.. Im Katie. I am 20 years old. I am a student nurse. I love learning about healthy eating and living healthy lifestyles. There are so many lies and myths about the food we eat today and I am determined to spread the word. If you have any questions don't be shy to ask. Email me at k_rotgans@hotmail.com P.S I am not a doctor, I do not diagnose conditions. I am just hear to educate myself and others. Any symptoms I address please see your doctor.
