A very interesting study from the University College London in the UK followed 3,486 people for five years. At the end of five years, they matched their depression to their diet.They found that the most depressed individuals consumed “processed food” (heavily loaded by sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products). In contrast, the least depressed people consumed a diet of “whole foods” (heavily loaded by vegetables, fruits and fish).Depression is a surprisingly common symptom. Before you turn to pharmaceutical antidepressants, start with changing your foods. If you eat a healthy diet your depression may subside. I strongly encourage you to take a good hard look at your diet – the best and most effective way is to write a food/mood diary and begin to notice any trends that appear. How did you feel an hour after you ate that coffee and banana bread this morning?I always see improvements in mood when the processed nutrient-poor food is removed and replaced with whole, organic and nutrient rich foods.Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle ageBACKGROUND: Studies of diet and depression have focused primarily on individual nutrients. AIMS: To examine the association between dietary patterns and depression using an overall diet approach. METHOD: Analyses were carried on data from 3486 participants (26.2% women, mean age 55.6 years) from the Whitehall II prospective cohort, in which two dietary patterns were identified: ‘whole food’ (heavily loaded by vegetables, fruits and fish) and ‘processed food’ (heavily loaded by sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products). Self-reported depression was assessed 5 years later using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression (CES-D) scale. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in […]
Food As an Antidepressant
A very interesting study from the University College London in the UK followed 3,486 people for five years. At the end of five years, they matched their depression to their diet.
They found that the most depressed individuals consumed “processed food” (heavily loaded by sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products). In contrast, the least depressed people consumed a diet of “whole foods” (heavily loaded by vegetables, fruits and fish).
Depression is a surprisingly common symptom. Before you turn to pharmaceutical antidepressants, start with changing your foods. If you eat a healthy diet your depression may subside. I strongly encourage you to take a good hard look at your diet – the best and most effective way is to write a food/mood diary and begin to notice any trends that appear. How did you feel an hour after you ate that coffee and banana bread this morning?
I always see improvements in mood when the processed nutrient-poor food is removed and replaced with whole, organic and nutrient rich foods.
Dietary pattern and depressive symptoms in middle age
BACKGROUND: Studies of diet and depression have focused primarily on individual nutrients. AIMS: To examine the association between dietary patterns and depression using an overall diet approach. METHOD: Analyses were carried on data from 3486 participants (26.2% women, mean age 55.6 years) from the Whitehall II prospective cohort, in which two dietary patterns were identified: ‘whole food’ (heavily loaded by vegetables, fruits and fish) and ‘processed food’ (heavily loaded by sweetened desserts, fried food, processed meat, refined grains and high-fat dairy products). Self-reported depression was assessed 5 years later using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression (CES-D) scale. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in […]
GM Foods – Are You Aware of Why You Should Avoid Them?
The Academy of Environmental Medicine has released the following statement:Natural breeding processes have been safely utilized for the past several thousand years. In contrast, “GE crop technology abrogates natural reproductive processes, selection occurs at the single cell level, the procedure is highly mutagenic and routinely breeches genera barriers, and the technique has only been used commercially for 10 years.” Despite these differences, safety assessment of GM foods has been based on the idea of “substantial equivalence” such that “if a new food is found to be substantially equivalent in composition and nutritional characteristics to an existing food, it can be regarded as safe as the conventional food.” However, several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signalling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system. Read more here.Genetic engineering (GE) is a radical technology that manipulates the genes and DNA of living things. Unlike traditional breeding processes, GE takes genes from one life form and forces them into another. Using GE, genes from bacteria, viruses, plants and animals have been inserted into soybeans, canola, corn and cotton to grow commercial crops. These GE crops (also called genetically modified organisms or GMOs) are processed into foods and sold in our stores. Most processed GE foods are unlabelled. Right now, millions of Australians are eating GE food without realising it.I am strongly opposed to GM foods – we already have evidence that they cause health problems but I think there will be so much more information coming out over the next 5 years. So far, there has not been any long […]
GM Foods – Are You Aware of Why You Should Avoid Them?
The Academy of Environmental Medicine has released the following statement:
Natural breeding processes have been safely utilized for the past several thousand years. In contrast, “GE crop technology abrogates natural reproductive processes, selection occurs at the single cell level, the procedure is highly mutagenic and routinely breeches genera barriers, and the technique has only been used commercially for 10 years.” Despite these differences, safety assessment of GM foods has been based on the idea of “substantial equivalence” such that “if a new food is found to be substantially equivalent in composition and nutritional characteristics to an existing food, it can be regarded as safe as the conventional food.” However, several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food consumption including infertility, immune dysregulation, accelerated aging, dysregulation of genes associated with cholesterol synthesis, insulin regulation, cell signalling, and protein formation, and changes in the liver, kidney, spleen and gastrointestinal system. Read more here.
Genetic engineering (GE) is a radical technology that manipulates the genes and DNA of living things. Unlike traditional breeding processes, GE takes genes from one life form and forces them into another. Using GE, genes from bacteria, viruses, plants and animals have been inserted into soybeans, canola, corn and cotton to grow commercial crops. These GE crops (also called genetically modified organisms or GMOs) are processed into foods and sold in our stores. Most processed GE foods are unlabelled. Right now, millions of Australians are eating GE food without realising it.
I am strongly opposed to GM foods – we already have evidence that they cause health problems but I think there will be so much more information coming out over the next 5 years. So far, there has not been any long […]
Fair Trade – Why You Need To Support It!
What is Fair Trade?“Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair Trade organizations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.”Why Fair Trade?International trade has been a historical link between peoples of the world. It can be used to increase corporate profits without benefit to the wider community and to promote intercultural understanding, grassroots development and economic justice. The advantages of current international trade practices are not visible to all people in the world. For small farmers, access to market or price information is difficult and as a result, many become increasingly dependent on middlemen and receive smaller and smaller returns for their work. In bad times, many lose their only property – their land – and thus, their livelihoods.Similarly many plantation workers endure low pay, unsafe working environments and poor living conditions. Too often they lack the opportunity to participate in decisions that affect their lives on the plantation. The way that many products are produced, traded and consumed is simply unjust; this is a major cause of continuing world poverty.Fair Trade is an alternative approach to conventional trade. It is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing rights of, marginalised producers and workers – especially in low-income regions.Fair Trade is about giving disadvantaged people power: by […]
Broccoli Sprouts – A Superfood That I Love!
I go to the organic markets each Saturday and buy fresh 3 day old broccoli sprouts I love adding them to my salads and their taste is absolutely delicious. I am always hearing about the latest “super food” that cures everything from insomnia to cancer. The vast amount of research that I have read on broccoli sprouts is very compelling – I am convinced that the high levels of sulphoraphane are incredibly beneficial. So, go ahead and start adding this incredibly therapeutic food to your diet. This is the epitome of “food as medicine!” A new study suggests an easy way to reduce the risk of a bacteria associated with stomach cancer: eat broccoli sprouts. In a study conducted among 48 men and women from Japan, Johns Hopkins investigators found those who ate 70 grams of fresh broccoli sprouts a day significantly reduced the H. pylori in their stomachs.All of the participants tested positive for the bacteria. The researchers then randomized them to either 70 grams of broccoli sprouts per day or a similar amount of alfalfa sprouts. The subjects were retested for H. pylori at four and eight weeks. By the final follow up, the broccoli sprouts had done the trick. People who ate the alfalfa sprouts showed no change in the degree of infection.This study supports the emerging evidence that broccoli sprouts may be able to prevent cancer in humans, not just in lab animals, study author Jed Fahey, Sc.D., was quoted as saying. Broccoli sprouts are rich in Sulforaphane, a naturally occurring phytochemical that enhances the cancer-protective capacity of animal cells. According to studies by Dr. Paul Talalay and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, sulforaphane […]
Emma’s Fast Food Dinner
Tonight I came home after a 12 hour day and then a 2 hour drive home (dont ask!) to flop on the couch and wonder what was for dinner. I really couldn’t be bothered cooking and I hadn’t organised anything in advance – a cup of tea was looking like a great option. Then I remembered my version of “Fast Food” and started to get hungry. So, I dragged my tired butt into the kitchen and made my trusty emergency dish.It is fast (10 minutes), cheap and very nutritious. So keep this one handy for when you are tired, uninspired and don’t want to eat the processed options.Ok, all you need is the following ingredients and don’t forget to use your improvisation skills!1 teaspoon of White miso paste2 tablespoons ArameFresh GingerOld vegetables in the bottom of the fridgeFrozen yellow fin tuna or salmon fillet – cut into small cubes, be careful not to cut your fingersFirst of all, put the kettle on and pour boiling water over the Arame – soak for 2 minutes. Add the miso paste to 2 cups of boiling water in a saucepan. Add ginger, the strained Arame and the firmer vegetables such as corn, carrots, potato, pumpkin or parsnip etc. Cook for 2 minutes. Add all other vegetables and the fish. Cook for 3 minutes.Serve with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and fresh herbs if you have them. Voila, a highly nutritious dinner served in 10 minutes. All you need to do is ensure that you have miso paste and Arame in the pantry and some frozen fish in the freezer! You can try variants such as adding garlic, chilli, Dulse flakes, tofu or edamame beans.So, post […]
Walnut-rich Diet Boosts Diabetic Heart Health
Daily consumption of walnuts, rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, may improve the health of blood vessels, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease, says a new study from Yale. Supplementing the diet of middle aged diabetics with 56 grams of walnuts led to significant improvements in the function of the blood vessel lining (endothelium), and there was also a trend towards improved cholesterol levels, according to findings published in Diabetes Care.The study adds to a growing body of science supporting the health benefits, and the heart benefits in particular, of increased consumption of nuts. Previous studies have reported benefits for almonds, macadamia, and pistachios.Indeed, a recent study funded by the California Walnut Commission found that the fatty acids present in walnuts and fish oil may work in different ways to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. According to findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (May 2009, Vol. 89, pp. 1657S-1663S), a diet supplemented with walnuts led to reductions in cholesterol levels, while a fish diet led to reductions in blood levels of triglycerides.For the new study, David Katz and his co-workers from the Yale University School of Medicine recruited 24 type-2 diabetics with an average age of 5, and randomly assigned them to a diet with or without 56 grams of walnuts for eight weeks.At the end of the intervention period, blood flow was measured using flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and found to have “significantly improved” by 2.2 per cent in the walnut group, compared to 1.2 per cent in the non-supplemented group.Furthermore, blood sugar levels, and total cholesterol levels were also decreased from baseline values. However, these values did not reach significance compared to the non-walnut eating group. […]
My Favorite Superfood – Edible Sea Vegetables
My Favorite Superfood – Edible Sea Vegetables Many different cultures with well developed traditions, intuitively incorporated sea vegetables into their diets for their unique nutritional and medicinal properties. The regular use of these sea vegetables adds an extra dimension to flavor but they are also a powerhouse of nutritional energy.Why would anyone want to eat sea vegetables? Because they offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean-the same minerals that are found in human blood. Sea vegetables are an excellent source of iodine and vitamin K, a very good source of the B-vitamin folate, and magnesium, and a good source of iron and calcium, and the B-vitamins riboflavin and pantothenic acid. In addition, sea vegetables contain good amounts of lignans, plant compounds with cancer-protective properties.Wakame – grows in temperate waters and is raked from the ocean floor, graded and sun dired. Wakame strips need to be soaked for approximately 10 minutes and then cut into pieces. Remember that Wakame will expand up to 7 times its size! This is the type of sea vegetable that you will find in your miso soup.Arame – is hand selected and pre cooked for 7 hours to tenderize. Most are cut into thin strips and just needs to be boiled to 5 minutes before use. Arame has a mild taste so start with this one.Kombu – is dark sea kelp that is being raked from the ocean floor and sun dried. Rinse it well and soak for 10 minutes. Kombu is great to use as a stock and invaluable for reducing the gas causing side effect of beans. Just add a strip of Kombu when cooking […]
The True Food Guide 2010 is Out Now!
I am an absolute fan of the True Food Network and wait for their guide with baited breath. They save us all the work of trying to determine what foods are GE(genetically enginered)free. So, with my trusty little guide in my hot little hand, I have been able to negotiate my shopping with ease!Australia currently has limited labelling laws for GE foods. That’s where the Truefood Guide comes in handy. The Guide rates food brands and products as Green (GE-free) and Red (may contain GE ingredients).You can browse or search for brands on the right-hand side. The Guide is also available for download or you can order a convenient wallet-sized hard copy.Buy Green – Companies and supermarkets listed as green have implemented policies and procedures throughout their supply chain to actively avoid ingredients derived from GE crops.Avoid Red – The companies and supermarkets listed in the red section of the guide may have products that contain ingredients derived form GE cropsRemember, the only way to safely avoid GE foods is to eat organic. We have yet to see any long term research on the effects of GE foods so until I am convinced that GE foods are safe, then I will be choosing to eat organic food. With love and awareness, Emma xxxPS This video is absolutely fabulous – you will actually LOL!
