Happy Halloween readers, I hope you're enjoying some ghoulish antics
or even a spot of trick or treating this evening.
Overtime I have revised the dietary advice I give and follow inline with research and developments in nutrition but there are a couple of truisms that just get further reinforced:
- We should all be eating plenty of fruit and veg
- We should all avoid processed foods, especially those with non-food additives - which I'm afraid includes a lot of Halloween treats.
As further evidence of why we should be giving these kinds of ingredients a wide berth, I read today on the 'city girl bites' blog that phosphorous, another non-food additive, has now been identified as a possible cause of heart disease:
http://citygirlbites.com/blog/archives/9000
It doesn't surprise me - our bodies are designed to cope with foods and ingredients as we would find them in nature, not when they've been highly refined or artificially synthesised. Overtime I'm sure we'll discover even more negative effects from eating these kinds of foods.
This is why we should be eating a diet of wholefoods and home-cooked meals for our optimal health, however I appreciate that in practice that isn't possible.
To minimize the damage of any ready-prepared or processed foods you need to religiously start reading ingredients labels and avoiding non-food additives. By that I mean anything that isn't a standard ingredient you might use in your kitchen. So rice, that's a food ingredient, sulphur is a non-food additive. It only takes a few seconds but will help you avoid any nasty tricks in your treats.
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Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Cupboard confessional
Us brits like to complain about our tepid weather, but the devastation in the US is a good reminder that we are actually very fortunate to live somewhere with such a moderate climate.
Thankfully all my friends and colleagues in new york are safe, but the idea of them all holed up in their apartments got me wondering about how I would fair foodwise if I couldn't leave my flat.
As is usual for a central london pad my kitchen is fairly tiny so I don't have room for any serious stockpiling, I do however keep a cupboard full of rice, pasta and noodles so I'd definitely be fine on the carb front for a couple of weeks.
Fresh fruit and veg would obviously be the first items to run out, but I do always keep a drawer full in the freezer with frozen fruit and veggies, so I've no excuse not to have my five a day.
If it wasn't for my big tub of rice protein powder, I'd run out of protein fairly quickly. I do keep a few fish fillets in the freezer and cans of pulses in the cupboard, but probably only enough for a week.
Infact the first thing I'd run out of would probably be treats - I deliberately keep supplies of chocolate, cakes, crisps and biscuits to a minimum at home as the easiest way to stop me eating them. This does mean that I'd be in trouble if the power went out though as I keep very little ready to eat food in my cupboards.
I'd be fine on the fat front with a couple of pots of nut butter permanently in the fridge and a shelf full of nuts and seeds to add to my breakfast porridge, salads and stir-fries.
All in all I'd be able to eat pretty healthily for at least a couple of weeks, electricity permitting. Have a look in your cupboards tonight and see how you'd fair - if you'd find yourself living of dorritos and biscuits then it might be time for a cupboard clear-out and healthy restock!
------------------
Thankfully all my friends and colleagues in new york are safe, but the idea of them all holed up in their apartments got me wondering about how I would fair foodwise if I couldn't leave my flat.
As is usual for a central london pad my kitchen is fairly tiny so I don't have room for any serious stockpiling, I do however keep a cupboard full of rice, pasta and noodles so I'd definitely be fine on the carb front for a couple of weeks.
Fresh fruit and veg would obviously be the first items to run out, but I do always keep a drawer full in the freezer with frozen fruit and veggies, so I've no excuse not to have my five a day.
If it wasn't for my big tub of rice protein powder, I'd run out of protein fairly quickly. I do keep a few fish fillets in the freezer and cans of pulses in the cupboard, but probably only enough for a week.
Infact the first thing I'd run out of would probably be treats - I deliberately keep supplies of chocolate, cakes, crisps and biscuits to a minimum at home as the easiest way to stop me eating them. This does mean that I'd be in trouble if the power went out though as I keep very little ready to eat food in my cupboards.
I'd be fine on the fat front with a couple of pots of nut butter permanently in the fridge and a shelf full of nuts and seeds to add to my breakfast porridge, salads and stir-fries.
All in all I'd be able to eat pretty healthily for at least a couple of weeks, electricity permitting. Have a look in your cupboards tonight and see how you'd fair - if you'd find yourself living of dorritos and biscuits then it might be time for a cupboard clear-out and healthy restock!
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Monday, 29 October 2012
Preparation is key
A few people have asked me recently for some advice on how to cut out diary, gluten or both. Cutting these out can be beneficial for a host of reasons and I think are worth everyone cutting out for at least a couple of weeks a year.
However it can be tough both mentally and practically. You need to be armed with a shopping list, some good recipes and to know what substitutes you can have for your favourite foods to keep on the straight and narrow.
Gluten free shopping list:
Bread - waitrose gluten free is the nicest in my opinion but all major supermarkets now stock a full range of breads, keep a sliced loaf in the freezer for toast cravings
Pasta - my favourites are Asda's own brand or Salute which is available in waitrose
Treats - most supermarkets also stock a range of gluten-free treats - scones, brownies, biscuits etc. These are all sugar laden like their normal counterparts, but are good to have on standby for when you have serious cravings
Gluten-free recipes:
Asian recipes are gluten free 9 times out of 10 so get a wok and start stir frying. Here are a couple of my favourites:
Jamie oliver's Salmon stir fry
Delia's Chinese prawn stir fries
See my recipe page for my other favourites - they're all dairy and gluten-free:
For puddings I revert to Elana's pantry for recipes for fruit crumbles, brownies and other goodies:
http://www.elanaspantry.com/
Dairy free shopping list:
Milk: this can take some experimentation to find your favourite. Sweetened soya milk or rice milk can be the more palatable and are a good place to start. I vary between unsweetened soya, rice milk and Kara coconut milk.
Dairy-free spread - switch your butter or margarine for a pure sunflower spread - check the label, I use 'Pure' brand or Tescos own 'free from' sunflower spread
Treats: Booja booja ice cream is my ultimate dairy-free indulgences but fruit sorbets are also a good freezer option. Dairy milk is a no no but alot of dark chocolate is dairy free, Lindt is my favourite and I keep a bar of their 80% dark chocolate in my cupboard at all times.
Yoghurt: If you're a a natural yoghurt fan but going dairy free I'm afraid there isn't anything that tastes anywhere near as good as some organic bio yoghurt. Sojade is the closest thing and sugar free, otherwise you can get some Alpro Yofu which is pretty palatable but sweetened.
Cheese: There also isn't anything anywhere need cheese I'm afraid. You can get soya cheeses but they don't taste like cheese and are highly processed so I tend to skip them.
Dairy-free pesto: Meridian pesto is a store cupboard staple for me - adding lovely pesto basil flavour to freshly cooked gluten-free pasta, without the dairy hangover.
Dairy-free recipes
Again for recipes the best ones are the ones that are just naturally dairy free - don't try and make a diary free cheesecake or lasagna it will only end in disappointment!
Daily bites is a great blog to sign up to for gluten and dairy free recipes:
http://www.dailybitesblog.com/
Vegan recipes are also of course naturally dairy free as are the ones on my page:
http://thekindlife.com/recipes
However it can be tough both mentally and practically. You need to be armed with a shopping list, some good recipes and to know what substitutes you can have for your favourite foods to keep on the straight and narrow.
Gluten free shopping list:
Bread - waitrose gluten free is the nicest in my opinion but all major supermarkets now stock a full range of breads, keep a sliced loaf in the freezer for toast cravings
Pasta - my favourites are Asda's own brand or Salute which is available in waitrose
Treats - most supermarkets also stock a range of gluten-free treats - scones, brownies, biscuits etc. These are all sugar laden like their normal counterparts, but are good to have on standby for when you have serious cravings
Gluten-free recipes:
Asian recipes are gluten free 9 times out of 10 so get a wok and start stir frying. Here are a couple of my favourites:
Jamie oliver's Salmon stir fry
Delia's Chinese prawn stir fries
See my recipe page for my other favourites - they're all dairy and gluten-free:
For puddings I revert to Elana's pantry for recipes for fruit crumbles, brownies and other goodies:
http://www.elanaspantry.com/
Dairy free shopping list:
Milk: this can take some experimentation to find your favourite. Sweetened soya milk or rice milk can be the more palatable and are a good place to start. I vary between unsweetened soya, rice milk and Kara coconut milk.
Dairy-free spread - switch your butter or margarine for a pure sunflower spread - check the label, I use 'Pure' brand or Tescos own 'free from' sunflower spread
Treats: Booja booja ice cream is my ultimate dairy-free indulgences but fruit sorbets are also a good freezer option. Dairy milk is a no no but alot of dark chocolate is dairy free, Lindt is my favourite and I keep a bar of their 80% dark chocolate in my cupboard at all times.
Yoghurt: If you're a a natural yoghurt fan but going dairy free I'm afraid there isn't anything that tastes anywhere near as good as some organic bio yoghurt. Sojade is the closest thing and sugar free, otherwise you can get some Alpro Yofu which is pretty palatable but sweetened.
Cheese: There also isn't anything anywhere need cheese I'm afraid. You can get soya cheeses but they don't taste like cheese and are highly processed so I tend to skip them.
Dairy-free pesto: Meridian pesto is a store cupboard staple for me - adding lovely pesto basil flavour to freshly cooked gluten-free pasta, without the dairy hangover.
Dairy-free recipes
Again for recipes the best ones are the ones that are just naturally dairy free - don't try and make a diary free cheesecake or lasagna it will only end in disappointment!
Daily bites is a great blog to sign up to for gluten and dairy free recipes:
http://www.dailybitesblog.com/
Vegan recipes are also of course naturally dairy free as are the ones on my page:
http://thekindlife.com/recipes
Sunday, 28 October 2012
Flag fresh
Firstly a big thank you for Ms Haribo and Zen dog for filling in from me last week. Great blogs as always and a useful reminder for me of a couple of things ... firstly that sugar is a real trigger food for me and a definite case of where a little leads to alot and also that I need to dedicate some more time for proper chilling out, yoga and meditation and not wait til my body starts telling me to stop.
On my way home this afternoon I stopped off for some groceries and started putting my usual staple fruit and veg into my basket ... then I snapped myself out of my auto-pilot and started looking at the labels ... nothing I'd put in my basket was from the UK and the most wasn't even from Europe.
It's a reminder, along with the freezing weather, that the seasons have changed and so has the British produce that's on offer. Thankfully most supermarkets now put helpful union jack style labels on their british produce so it's easy to spot what's been grown locally and therefore is in season. Eating seasonally helps keep variety in your diet, keep your food nutritious as local produce is fresher and helps the environment by avoiding unnecessary air freighting, plus it supports the UK economy.
I ended up putting back everything in my basket and instead buying some leeks, spring greens, carrots and peppers as well as a bag of conference pears. As we move into winter oranges, clementines, potatoes, squash, cabbage, broccoli and parsnips are also all coming into season but no need to memorize the list, just look for the Union Jack and shop accordingly.
On my way home this afternoon I stopped off for some groceries and started putting my usual staple fruit and veg into my basket ... then I snapped myself out of my auto-pilot and started looking at the labels ... nothing I'd put in my basket was from the UK and the most wasn't even from Europe.
It's a reminder, along with the freezing weather, that the seasons have changed and so has the British produce that's on offer. Thankfully most supermarkets now put helpful union jack style labels on their british produce so it's easy to spot what's been grown locally and therefore is in season. Eating seasonally helps keep variety in your diet, keep your food nutritious as local produce is fresher and helps the environment by avoiding unnecessary air freighting, plus it supports the UK economy.
I ended up putting back everything in my basket and instead buying some leeks, spring greens, carrots and peppers as well as a bag of conference pears. As we move into winter oranges, clementines, potatoes, squash, cabbage, broccoli and parsnips are also all coming into season but no need to memorize the list, just look for the Union Jack and shop accordingly.
Thursday, 25 October 2012
Prevention over cure - good vibrations
I am going for an acupuncture appointment this evening which I always look forward to. I go every 3 to 4 weeks as a preventative measure to help keep me well. People ask me why I go for acupuncture and always expect me to have something wrong already but instead I say I use it to assist in keeping me feeling good. I am by no means perfect in keeping myself well but I try my hardest to use all the preventative options out there rather than letting what might feel like a little niggle turn into something bigger. In old China some doctors were, infact, kept on a retainer to keep people well and not paid when they got sick! The change in this mentality is a different subject altogether!Originally I went for acupuncture some years ago due to a lower back and sciatica problem and it really helped. (This is what then got me interested enough to study it and change careers!). I normally combine treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage and nutrition to keep on top of any niggles, aches, change in mood or feelings of fatigue. According to quantum physics we, and everything around us, are energy and energy vibrates at different frenquencies. Slower energy takes more form (like a table) and faster energy take less form (like gas). As humans, we have our own resonance and I like to imagaine that the beginnings of illness is actually a slowing down or alteration from our optimal resonance into one that doesn't suit us anymore. This energy change is the point at which using complementaty/alternative medicines as a preventative can really work well for us.In current times these preventative therapies could be seen as a luxury but there are many colleges and universities offering reduced price treatments in their student clinics. This is a great option to be able to have regular treatments or dip and in out of different types of treatment depending on what you feel you need. The student clinics are for final year students to gain hands on experience and are normally very well supervised by their tutors during the treatment. I have listed below a few places in London that I have found.Of course there are also totally free ways to increase your vibration such as meditation, relaxation, a walk in nature, listening to calming sounds, some yoga at home or even sending out kind thoughts to yourself and others. But sometimes a nice massage is just what is needed and you deserve to take time out to look after yourself!Have a lovely weekend - and remember to put your clocks back on Saturday night! That extra hour is a free treatment to yourself and could help increase your vibration and have you feeling tip top in this murky weather! :o)Zen Dogshiatsuosteopathyacupuncturenutritionmassageyoga therapytherapy - low cost option
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
A wealth of information.....
Hi NITC readers, Zen Dog here for the last couple of blogs this week.....
Even though I am not a trained Nutritionist I try to stay on top of food news and views and have some blog/FB feeds setup to my phone to be able to catch-up with the latest health information from all over the world. As a student of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, food is one of the key components in health and potential illness. Someones diet can tell us alot about the symptoms they are experiencing and how an illness has progressed, so I always try to be watchful of my own food intake.
Out of all the new nutrition and health information out there though, today I wanted to talk about the new concept of the 5:2 fasting plan (note: I hate the word diet as it has so many negative connotations for people so I have chosen the word plan)
After watching Eat, Fast, Live Longer (BBC2) I trialled the 2 days fasting and 5 days usual eating plan for 6 weeks and I am still doing it to some degree depending on what is going on in my life. If you are interested in this new concept then I would recommend watching the programme and doing some research first (some links at the bottom of the blog).
The main points are that by cutting calorie intake, the bodies fat stores can be accessed and burned for fuel. Scientific research has also shown the body can go into a 'growth' and 'repair' mode when dealing with less calories and also can switch down some reactions in the body which disturb the balance of health.
Personally, I certainly noticed benefits such as weightloss and more specifically a change in my shape (I hold alot of my weight on my thighs). I was more alert and had more energy. On days I fasted I would just do gentle yoga and also try to not be doing anything stressful. These are the important things to be mindful of as overexcising or having to give a stressful presentation at work can have a counterproductive effect during the fasting times.
After the 6 weeks I had a week off when I had abit of a cold (which I nipped in the bud with some timely acupuncture) and also when I was juggling alot with my work and study. Even when not fasting though, I have noticed it has somewhat changed my eating habits as it has brought extra awareness to what I am putting in my mouth and the biggest question - 'do I really need this?'
I always hated the thought of counting calories (after lots of Weight Watcher experiences in my 20's!) and I know Emilie is not a fan but for 2 days a week when you make sure you only eat 500-600 calories it again brings focus onto your food and becoming more of a conscious eater. Another major point is to make sure your 500-600 is from highly nutritious foods like green veg, pea protein, green juice, fresh vege soups, beans and pulse etc. These will provide you with the energy you need and not spike your blood sugar which will take you into hunger! This 5:2 concept does need a certain amount of organisation so you know what you will be eating.
From my Chinese Medicine training we know everyone is different and everyone needs to be treated as such - there is never a one certain treatment for one condition, it always depends on the individuals' symptoms. So I take this and relate it to food too. The 5:2 concept is not for everyone and I am not recommending as such. But I would advise my patients - take responsiblity for your health and be open to new information.
Everyone can find their optimum health in different ways and if something isn't working for you then change it. Be empowered by food and trial things in the knowledge that it doesn't have to be set in stone. Make health work for you and be excited by all the accessible information out there that can help you to help yourself and get your body functioning well.
Zen Dog
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19112549
http://www.livestrong.com/article/500744-are-caloric-restriction-intermittent-fasting-two-potential-diets-for-successful-brain-aging/
http://www.ion.ac.uk/information/onarchives/detox
http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/benefits-of-fasting.aspx
Even though I am not a trained Nutritionist I try to stay on top of food news and views and have some blog/FB feeds setup to my phone to be able to catch-up with the latest health information from all over the world. As a student of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine, food is one of the key components in health and potential illness. Someones diet can tell us alot about the symptoms they are experiencing and how an illness has progressed, so I always try to be watchful of my own food intake.
Out of all the new nutrition and health information out there though, today I wanted to talk about the new concept of the 5:2 fasting plan (note: I hate the word diet as it has so many negative connotations for people so I have chosen the word plan)
After watching Eat, Fast, Live Longer (BBC2) I trialled the 2 days fasting and 5 days usual eating plan for 6 weeks and I am still doing it to some degree depending on what is going on in my life. If you are interested in this new concept then I would recommend watching the programme and doing some research first (some links at the bottom of the blog).
The main points are that by cutting calorie intake, the bodies fat stores can be accessed and burned for fuel. Scientific research has also shown the body can go into a 'growth' and 'repair' mode when dealing with less calories and also can switch down some reactions in the body which disturb the balance of health.
Personally, I certainly noticed benefits such as weightloss and more specifically a change in my shape (I hold alot of my weight on my thighs). I was more alert and had more energy. On days I fasted I would just do gentle yoga and also try to not be doing anything stressful. These are the important things to be mindful of as overexcising or having to give a stressful presentation at work can have a counterproductive effect during the fasting times.
After the 6 weeks I had a week off when I had abit of a cold (which I nipped in the bud with some timely acupuncture) and also when I was juggling alot with my work and study. Even when not fasting though, I have noticed it has somewhat changed my eating habits as it has brought extra awareness to what I am putting in my mouth and the biggest question - 'do I really need this?'
I always hated the thought of counting calories (after lots of Weight Watcher experiences in my 20's!) and I know Emilie is not a fan but for 2 days a week when you make sure you only eat 500-600 calories it again brings focus onto your food and becoming more of a conscious eater. Another major point is to make sure your 500-600 is from highly nutritious foods like green veg, pea protein, green juice, fresh vege soups, beans and pulse etc. These will provide you with the energy you need and not spike your blood sugar which will take you into hunger! This 5:2 concept does need a certain amount of organisation so you know what you will be eating.
From my Chinese Medicine training we know everyone is different and everyone needs to be treated as such - there is never a one certain treatment for one condition, it always depends on the individuals' symptoms. So I take this and relate it to food too. The 5:2 concept is not for everyone and I am not recommending as such. But I would advise my patients - take responsiblity for your health and be open to new information.
Everyone can find their optimum health in different ways and if something isn't working for you then change it. Be empowered by food and trial things in the knowledge that it doesn't have to be set in stone. Make health work for you and be excited by all the accessible information out there that can help you to help yourself and get your body functioning well.
Zen Dog
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/9480451/The-52-diet-can-it-help-you-lose-weight-and-live-longer.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19112549
http://www.livestrong.com/article/500744-are-caloric-restriction-intermittent-fasting-two-potential-diets-for-successful-brain-aging/
http://www.ion.ac.uk/information/onarchives/detox
http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/benefits-of-fasting.aspx
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Addicted
Miss Haribo again,
I realised a terrible oversight from yesterday: I forgot the great Gary Becker aged 81 who still maintains a very interesting blog.
Becker's Nobel prize winning lecture "The economic way of looking at behaviour" is well worth a read. (link but may be gated: http://faculty.smu.edu/Millimet/classes/eco4361/readings/quantity%20section/becker.pdf )
But despite him inspiring my life of crime, today I'm going to talk about addiction. Becker is well known for his work on "rational addiction". To me this is really interesting because it means that we have more control over our addictions (sugar, Grazia, cigarettes) than the word "addiction" would imply and we have the power to shake them.
Addiction occurs because consuming the addictive thing now means we get happier from consuming it in the future, in other words eating a krispy kreme today makes you love them even more in the future, meaning you want to eat more of them. Even small increases in consumption today can lead to large increases in future consumption. We really need to remember the effects that "one delicious doughnut" will have on our future selves and our desire to eat more. It's not just my waistline today that will thank me for passing on sugar laden stuff but my future waistline.
Becker's work gives us some excellent strategies for dealing with our addictions:
First: sharply cutting consumption now can be very successful in giving up our krispy kreme habit
Second: even events in the future, such as a tax increase next year on alcohol, can make us cut down our drinking today.
Third: There are two stable situations: one where we consume a lot of the addictive good and another when we don't. We can keep the "good" state forever.
Don't forget that addiction can be positive as well as negative such as exercise and that warm fuzzy glow when you do something nice. Just doing a bit of exercise today can set off a virtuous cycle of happy healthiness.
Miss Haribo
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