GalleryI was recently asked by a journalist what were the foods that I would avoid and it really had me thinking. What are the foods that would never touch Sophia’s lips, what foods do I shun? Well let me tell you my tip 6 and the reason behind it!
Gluten – putting the current “gluten free’ fad aside I would definitely avoid it, especially if you have an autoimmune condition. Research shows gluten promotes the release of a compound called zonulin, which regulates how permeable your gut lining is. Zonulin is the link between leaky gut and eating too much gluten .
Sugar – highly inflammatory and acidic, sugar feeds the pathogenic bacteria in your gut and causes gut dysbiosis.
Commercial cooking oils – this includes corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. These are too high in omega 6 essential fatty acids, which need to be in balance with omega 3 essential fatty acids. The ideal ratio is 2:1 but for most people it’s at an unhealthy 16:1. This imbalance fuels inflammation in all your cells.
Low fat dairy – when you remove the fat, you are also taking out the fat soluble vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. Most low fat dairy products have too much sugar to compensate the lack of flavour! Look for under 5g of total sugar per 100g.
Additives – although essential for the long life storage of foods, additives have many detrimental side effects – from asthma, to eczema to behavioural issues. Ditch the additives and chose more fresh whole foods instead.
Swordfish and shark – as they are big fish at the top of the aquatic food chain, they accumulate heavy metals, […]
6 Foods You Should Never Eat!
GalleryAre You Failing Your Bones?
When it comes to bone health, I recently did some research to see if Sophia and I were eating enough calcium. We don’t eat any cow’s milk dairy as we are both highly intolerant.
Wear and tear on our bones happens as we age and the ability to maintain strong bones is dependent on a few things. Specialized cells called osteoclasts breakdown areas of weakened bones while osteoblasts remodel the bone with new material. Believe it or not, this process occurs every 3-4 months!
As we age, the osteoclasts start to work harder than the osteoblasts and bone strength starts to decline. Due to less digestive enzymes being released as we age, we also absorb less calcium from the diet. A double edge sword, which can result in osteopenia, or thinning of the bones.
So how much calcium should you be eating every single day? 1000mg for women or 1300mg calcium for pregnant and menopausal women. Have a go at this nifty calcium calculator to see just how much calcium you are having.
Partners in Crime
Vitamin D is crucial to be able to absorb dietary calcium in the gut. And vitamin D also helps your body to get calcium into the bones, instead of it floating around in the blood and ending up as calcium deposits on arteries and joints.
Vitamin K2 is incredibly important to help keep bones strong. In Japan, K2 is used to treat osteoporosis and there is good research to show that it can reduce fracture rates and increase bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.
How much do I need to eat every day?
Here is a snapshot of how much you need to be eating daily to meet your calcium requirements.
Up the duff for me – 100g canned […]
GalleryLeptin – the Missing link for Weight Loss and Mojo
Let me tell you, leptin kills Mojo and is a huge factor in resistant weight loss! I am seeing more and more leptin resistance in clinic and its something that I have researched extensively. Let me give you the low down on this hormone.
Leptin is a hormone made by our fat cells. Once leptin is released from fat stores it enters the blood and travels to the brain, telling the hypothalamus how much fuel you have on hand. Your brain then determines how fast to run your metabolism, based on how much leptin is produced. Your brain relies on leptin to determine not only your state of overall nutritional and fuel reserves but also how fast or slow to run your metabolism.
If your leptin levels are low, it means eat more. When you’ve eaten enough, leptin levels rise, your brain registers your fuel reserves are full which triggers a satiety signal. We then burn calories at a normal rate. When leptin levels are low your brain thinks there is a famine and your body enters fat storage mode and it slows down your metabolism, increases food cravings and causes feelings of lethargy. Your body doesn’t understand that there is actually food available!
Many people make too much leptin in their fat cells, as they simply have too many fat cells. This should tell your brain to burn more fat for energy. But too much leptin causes a traffic jam and blocks the leptin receptors, resulting in leptin resistance. Basically your brain isn’t getting the leptin message and you remain in fat storage mode. This will affect your metabolism and disrupt thyroid function. The main cause of leptin resistance is inflammation – whether that is due to […]
GalleryNeed an instant Cleanse Friendly Snack? I have one for you!
I have a very exciting announcement for you! I have teamed up with the very clever and dynamic Bite Smart, the Guru’s of Healthy Snacks, to bring you a Community Cleanse friendly snack! I always hear during Cleanse that members want easy snack ideas.
Something for after the gym, on the way to work, when picking up the kids from school or simply to have in their bag. Well look no further than this stunning blend of organic coconut flakes, organic Inca berries, cinnamon spiced cashews and pumpkin seeds!
Learn a bit more why these four make up a powerful Cleansing combo:
Organic coconut – a great source of iron and fibre to keep both your muscles and gut happy.
Organic Inca berries – sweet, tart and tangy all at once Inca berries are a taste sensation. Inca berries are 19% fibre, which makes you feel full for longer, and also provides a fuel source for healthy gut bacteria. Inca berries score higher in their antioxidant capacity than Goji berries, broccoli and green tea.
Cinnamon spiced cashews – cashews are rich in Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant, as well as magnesium. Combined they are a skin beautifying duo indeed! The addition of cinnamon helps to stabilise your blood sugar levels and prevent insulin spikes.
Pumpkin seeds – just 25g of pumpkin seeds can provide almost 18% of your RDI for iron which is perfect for Cleanse when we are avoiding red meat. Pumpkin seeds are a fantastic source of zinc and even the World Health Organisation recommend eating them to get your zinc fix. Preliminary studies are showing promise for pumpkin seeds in helping to regulate insulin levels, another bonus for Cleanse time!
So head over to and order your Cleanse […]
GalleryMy top 5 herbs to support your Adrenal Health
Taking care for your adrenals glands is the key to optimal health so today I’m sharing my favourite herbs to support adrenal health. These are adaptogenic herbs, which mean they increase the ability of your body to withstand stress. They have a balancing effect and support your immune system, which is suppressed with chronic stress.
Research shows that adaptogens work by helping to regulate the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis as well as on a cellular level, priming cells to respond appropriately to stress.
I treat so many clients for adrenal dysfunction and feel that the role of adaptogenic herbs has never been more critical.
RHODIOLA
Used by the Vikings to improve mental and physical endurance, Rhodiola is a potent adaptogenic herb, which is also anti inflammatory, antioxidant, anti anxiety and anti fatigue. I take this one daily and love it. A Swedish study gave Rhodiola to 30 people diagnosed with fatigue syndrome and a placebo to a control group of 30 healthy people. After 4 weeks both groups were assessed via saliva cortisol and the results were compelling, the fatigued people taking Rhodiola had a better cortisol response to stress and were more able to concentrate effectively. I use Rhodiola for both mild and severe adrenal fatigue and know that I feel much better taking it every day.
SIBERIAN GINSENG
A large study reviewed the results of a number of clinical trials involving 2,100 healthy men and women ages 19 to 72. Subjects were given doses of ginseng ranging from 2 to 16 ml of fluid extract, 33 percent ethanol, from one to three times daily for up to 60 days. Subjects had increased mental alertness and work output, enhanced athletic performance and improved work quality. They also exhibited an improved ability […]
GalleryEstrogen Dominance Explained
Do you experience:
Heavier than usual periods?
Irregular or long cycles?
PMS?
Menstrual headaches?
Breast tenderness?
Weight gain on thighs and hips?
Irritability?
Then you may be experiencing estrogen dominance! Let me give you the low down on this hormone imbalance.
Estrogen is produced in the ovaries where it regulates the menstrual cycle and is a pro-growth hormone. It is responsible for the endometrial lining becoming thick and stimulates the maturation of the follicle in the ovary. For the average non-pregnant, non-menopausal woman, she secretes between 100-200mcg of estrogen daily. There are 3 different types of estrogen: estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) and estriol (E3) and ideally the ratio of these different types is 15/15/70.
Progesterone protects us from the growth effects of estrogen and it is made from the base product of cholesterol. Progesterone is made primarily in the ovaries by the corpus luteum but after ovulation, the adrenal glands also produce progesterone. This supports a possible pregnancy and helps the embryo to implant into the endometrial lining. The average non-pregnant, non-menopausal woman produces around 20-25mg of progesterone each day.
Estrogen and progesterone have a balancing effect on each other for example estrogen increases body fat while progesterone helps fat to be used for energy. Another example is estrogen increases fluid retention while progesterone is a natural diuretic. For most women, hormone imbalance occurs as estrogen begins to dominate progesterone. Progesterone production declines by around 75% by the age of 50 while estrogen declines only around 35%. This means there is not enough progesterone to balance estrogen. For optimal health, the progesterone to estrogen ratio should be between 200 and 300 to 1.
For many women between the ages of 20-45, there are two main reasons she may become […]
GalleryHealthy Mum Series: Belinda Kirkpatrick’s Top 3 Tricks
Belinda Kirkpatrick is an expert Nutritionist and Naturopath. She runs two busy clinics in Balmain and Paddington; is on the expert panel of Women’s Fitness magazine; lectures in nutrition and naturopathy; a mother of two beautiful girls and feels like a full-time cook and constant time-juggler!
Belinda specialises in the health of women and children and is also experienced in all areas of general practice. She provides caring, thorough and professional assessments and integrative healthcare.
What are your top 3 tricks to getting more fruit and vegetables into
your children’s diet?
1. My girls and I LOVE a smoothie with breakfast or as an after school snack. One of their favourite blends is when I blend frozen mango, banana and raspberries with coconut milk and chia seeds. They really have no idea that I also add 1/4 of an avocado, a stick of celery and 1/2 a cucumber. Sometimes I also sneak a little fresh beetroot in there but start small or your smoothie can end up tasting too woody! This way I know that they have already had 3 different fruits and 3 different veggies before they even start the day!
2. When the girls were small I used to make batches of my special “immune power pots’ – simply saute loads of garlic, leek, onions, parsley and shittake mushrooms. Add tomato paste or passata and blend together. This can then be used as pasta sauce, tomato dipping sauce, baked on fish or in casseroles. These veggies are full of immune-boosting foods that protect their immune systems during the winter months.
3. Desensitise your kids to raw vegetables by offering them as snacks most days when they are young. Make platters with carrot sticks, cucumber, celery and capsicum along with […]
GalleryHealthy Mum Series: Alexx Stuart’s Top 3 Tricks
Alexx Stuart is a best selling Real Food author and educator, getting people excited about delicious real food, low tox living and sustainability for our health and the planet. She says “Never feel guilty about what you didn’t know yesterday, focus on feeling excited about that change you’ll make today”. With a special passion for inclusive, allergy friendly cooking and preventative healthy living, her recipes nourish the mind and body with oodles of deliciousness and fun. Alexx is determined to make the journey of ‘losing the toxic weirdo products’ one of discovery, not deprivation.
What are your top 3 tricks to getting more fruit and vegetables into
your children’s diet?
Love veggies yourself. Be the example who visibly chomps on raw carrot sticks and beet / guac dip and say how super yummy it is. Show as much if not MORE enthusiasm for veggies as ‘treats’. We tend to as a culture get our kids ballistically excited about ‘that special cupcake’ and then sternly say ‘eat your veg’. The messaging is all wrong and no wonder the result is that kids might turn their noses up at the food they’re supposed to eat and chase the thrill ride foods instead…
Take your kids to a market and let them choose the veggies, then cook the veggies with them – taste some raw, talk about texture, then cooked, then letting them stir in the butter… We seem to mainly let our kids in the kitchen to cook with us when it’s cake making time. If they’re part of the every day cooking, they’ll be much more inclined to have a go at stuff they’ve made the effort to cook. No age is too young. My son used to stir (assisted by […]
GalleryHealthy Mum Series: Stacey Deutscher’s Top 3 Tricks
Stacey is a corporate girl, turned happy, healthy mother! She has a real desire to show others how quick and easy making nutritional choices for the whole family can be.
On her website, A Healthy Mum, Stacey shares quick, healthy recipes for the whole family and snippets of knowledge to help families on their journey to peace, happiness and health.
What are your top 3 tricks to getting more fruit and vegetables into
your children’s diet?
Use a grater – my grater is my secret weapon in the kitchen. I’m constantly grating veg and adding it to the babes meal. I grate zucchini in his eggs, carrots and beetroot in meat sauce and avocado in his smoothie.
Include them – My guy is under 2, so helping in the kitchen is limited, therefore get him to help at the farmers market instead. It takes double the amount of time for him to put the beans in a bag, but he loves it and gets used to the food. If he’s in the kitchen, I’ll get him to help me use the blender or the juicer, again getting him excited about food.
I eat it – I think setting an example and eating at the same time is imperative. If it’s good enough for me it’s good enough for the babe
(more…)
GalleryElixir of the Gods
Kombucha – you might be wondering what this latest fad is all about. In 2011 sales of bottled kombucha in America doubled to almost $90 million. This fizzy, nutritious drink is actually not a new discovery, but only recently has it become one of the hottest trends in health beverages. During my last Community Cleanse, I ran a Kombucha Tea workshop with Shakti from The Holistic Chef. She is the all time guru at fermented foods and I have been having kombucha ever since.
Kombucha is made from black, white, or green tea, sugar, and a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) which is then fermented. The bacteria and yeast that grow on top of the drink form a mushroom-like appearance. Simply said, it is fermented tea.
Kombucha is an acquired taste – fizzy, tart-like with a sour smell similar to vinegar. Some people add juice to the base brew to make it more palatable. Don’t be surprised, though, if you find some things floating in your drink as those are bits of bacteria that make kombucha great for your health.
Apart from probiotics, healthy bacteria that improve gut function, kombucha also contains good amounts of B vitamins and antioxidants. Health benefits of kombucha are primarily based on its probiotic content of good bacteria. Studies show that probiotics found in yogurt, fermented milk and other fermented foods improve gut health, strengthen the immune system, synthesize and enhance easier absorption of nutrients, reduce symptoms of lactose intolerance, decrease the prevalence of allergy in high risk individuals and reduce the risk of some cancers. Kombucha has gained popularity for its ability to boost digestive health and relieve bloating, constipation and other gut issues.
Another study shows drinking kombucha tea not […]
