• Health/ Healthy Food/ Inflammation/ Nutritional Medicine

    OMEGA-3’s and our Health

    OMEGA-3 fatty acids play a vital role in our health. They are essential, hence the term EFA = Essential Fatty Acid and the body does not produce them, we must get them from food or supplements.

    We need three basic types of fatty acids and these need to be balanced in the body for good health. These are Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 but over the last 40+ years our diet, much higher in Omega-6 due to increased consumption of highly processed vegetable oils and processed foods in the developed world, has changed and this balance has been lost.

    Omega-3 fatty acids comprise of:

    ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) comes from plants and is found in foods like flax seeds, chia and walnuts and these are very beneficial to the health of hair and nails. The body can convert ALA to the other forms but inefficiently at about 15%.

    EPA ( epicosapentaeoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) which are found in fish, fish oils and krill oils but are originally synthesised by micro-algae not by the fish. When fish consume phytoplankton that consumed micro-algae they accumulate Omega-3 in their tissues. Human Breast milk contains all 3 Omega-3 fatty acids.

    The benefits of Omega-3 are anti-inflammatory; they are important for all cell membranes, energy, mood, Cardiovascular, pulmonary, immune and endocrine health. DHA is particularly high in brain tissue, the Retina of the eye and in sperm.

    Omega-6 when deficient causes impaired growth, hormone disturbances and immune system abnormalities but when in excess causes inflammation and cancer. The ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 is generally advised to be approximately 2:1 to 4:1 but in the Western Diet the Omega-6 ratio has risen to approximately 20:1 and we know from studies that this has lead to an increase in Cardiovascular Disease, arthritis and cancer.

    The best sources of Omega-3’s

    Omega-3 from fish
    Fish

    FISH: Salmon, Herring, Mackerel, Anchovies, Oysters, Sardines, Tuna and trout.

    VEGETARIAN sources of Omega-3’s:  Algae (high in EPA & DHA), Algae oil supplements, walnuts, flaxseeds, Brussel Sprouts, Kale, Spinach and Parsley.

    If you do not eat fish 2-3 times a week you are unlikely to get enough Omega-3’s and therefore a Fish oil supplement or an Omega-3 Supplement from Algae would be beneficial.

    A typical Fish oil supplement of 1,000mgs contains approximately 180mgs EPA and 120mgs DHA but it can vary a lot. it also has to be screened and any heavy metal toxins removed.

    Krill oil contains higher bioavailabilty than fish oil but there are questions over whether the fishing for Krill is damaging to the ocean ecosystem.

    Algae on the other hand, can be cultivated in pure water and contains more DHA than standard fish oil. It is suitable for Vegetarians, people with fish allergies and does not damage the environment.

    References/studies

    National Institutes of Health Omega-3 fatty acids

    Brain, eyes/Retina – PubMed ncbi-nlm-nih.gov

    Omega-3’s and depression – ncbi-nlm-nih.gov

    Omega-3’s can reduce levels of Triglycerides – nih.gov

    Omega-3’s may help relieve symptoms of RA – nih.gov

  • Healthy Food

    Fresh Broad Bean Hummus

    Fresh Broad Bean Hummus

    Making the most of seasonal, local vegetables I made this fresh Broad Bean Hummus. It may even be appreciated by people who don’t normally like Broad Beans as the tough outer layer is removed. I adapted this recipe to include even more healthy ingredients – including wild garlic leaves, lemon balm and mint leaves.

    Ingredients

    Broad Beans

    Tin of Chickpeas

    1-2 cloves of garlic or a big handful of wild garlic leaves

    tbsp. Tahini

    Lemon juice

    olive oil

    Sea salt and black pepper plus chilli if liked

    Method

    Boil the Broad Beans for 3-7 mins depending on size. If you are using wild garlic leaves you can add them into the pan for 2-3 mins of cooking time. Drain and cool quickly with cold water and ice cubes as this keeps the colour nice and bright.

    Remove the outer layers by pinching and popping the inner Bean out.

    Put beans, drained chickpeas, garlic, lemon balm and mint if using, tahini, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp Olive oil into blender – adding more oil if needed and blend until smoothe.

    Season to taste and when happy with the flavour, chill or freeze.

    This lovely as a dip, or spread on crispy crackers, pittas or toast.

    I also would suggest that it is similar to Guacamole and yet much cheaper to make. It would be lovely on top of homemade burgers, as in one of my previous posts for health fast food.

    Enjoy!

     

     

  • Health/ Healthy Food/ Nutritional Medicine

    Warming Winter Soup in 20 mins.

    Warming Winter Soup

    At this busy time of year there is nothing better than a bowl of warming Winter Soup. Here is a recipe for one of my favourites. It is a healthy mix of vegetables that increase circulation, boost the Thyroid and help the body to detox – like a bowl of sunshine!

    CARROT, APPLE & GINGER SOUP

    4-5 carrots peeled and chopped

    1-3 apples cored and chopped

    thumb sized piece of raw ginger, peeled and chopped

    2 celery stalks chopped

    Add all to a large pan with a tablespoon of coconut oil and simmer for 5 mins. Add at least a pint of hot chicken stock and simmer for 10 mins. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Blitz  and serve. I like it with gluten free seeded toast. 🤗

    For more ideas check out my other posts

    Nutritious Comfort Food for Winter

    Lunchtime Low Carb High Healthy Fats Treat

    and Fabulous Easy Salads

    Enjoy!

  • Easy Salads/ Health/ Healthy Food/ Immune System/ LCHF diet

    Nutritious Comfort Food for Winter

    Nutritious Winter Food

    Quick and easy nutritious comfort food for Winter that is also cheap!

    Even in Winter I like to eat salad and this one is super tasty and gives plenty of healthy fats and nutrients to boost immune system.

    SARDINE HOT SQUASH SALAD

    Nutritious comfort Food for Winter

    Ingredients are

    • crunchy lettuce plus fresh herb leaves
    • cucumber
    • mini tomatoes
    • avocado
    • optional celery or fennel
    • tinned sardines in olive oil
    • roasted squash or pumpkin still hot and scooped out with ice- cream scoop just before serving
    • sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds or pine nuts
    • dress with Virgin Olive oil or avocado oil

    Stuffed Mushrooms

    I love mushrooms for boosting the immune system so here is a lovely supper treat

    Nutritious comfort food for winter

    Make the filling by frying these chopped ingredients

    • tomato
    • red pepper
    • onion
    • Pancetta  or streaky bacon
    • plus the chopped stems from the large flat mushrooms

    Fill the mushrooms. top with torn Basil leaves and soft cheese or a coconut cream cheese alternative. Bake in oven 200C for about 15-20 mins. You can also pierce some extra tomatoes and roast them in the same pan.

    I love these served with some cooked Romanesco – if you have never tried it give it a go. It is similar to cauliflower but with a firmer texture and more nutty flavour. My son, who has never liked cauliflower, loves this.

    nutrious comfort food for winter

    Slow- Cooker Hot Pot

    A Winter Staple that makes life easy.  I just add cheap cuts of meat (preferably on the bone) and whatever vegetables I have plus some good organic stock and leave it to cook for at least 4 hours. Normally one pot full will last us for two days – so I get to have a day off from cooking 🙂

    This one was lamb shank with carrots, parsnip, courgette and potatoes plus Rosemary and Bay leaves.

    Get creative and add spices, herbs, or fruit – apricots with lamb and Moroccan spice or chicken with preserved lemons…..my favourites!

  • Exclusion diet/ Healthy Food/ Leaky Gut/ Nutritional Medicine

    Confused by all the nutritional advice? What should you eat??

    Nutritional advice

    Are you confused by all the nutritional advice out there? It is hardly surprising! Nutritional science is moving at an unprecedented pace and much of what we were told in the past and even advised by our Doctors, has been proved to be wrong.

    Any diet given a name seems to be either praised or condemned by someone. Some are aimed at fast weight loss and others more recently at reversing conditions that we previously thought had no cure.

    Atkins/SouthBeach/Dash/Paleo/AIP/LowFodmap/LCHF/  Flat Belly/Slim-fast/Weight Watchers/Slimmers World/Clean/RealFood ……….

    The list goes on and on…  and these days Doctors and Nutritionist are talking much more about Personalised Healthcare and plans that suit the individual – not just the condition. After all, if you are overweight it might be due to diet, lifestyle, hormones, Digestive Problems, Thyroid function, Insulin Resistance etc. and the important thing is to get to the root cause.

    Functional Medicine

    The Functional Medicine approach is based on finding the root cause of your health problems and supporting normal healing by making individual diet and lifestyle choices. It is a system strongly backed by science, evidence and a belief that we all have an ability to heal ourselves and have less reliance on drugs. It is also a system of medicine that believes that health is not just the absence of disease but a state of vitality and mental and physical energy.

    See this article for more information

    What Nutritional advice would I give?

    Modern technology means we can be more aware of our health, our heart rate, quality of sleep, exercise levels, steps taken, energy burnt and we might be more aware of anything not right about our health. Monitoring people and treating the person, not the symptoms is the future of medicine.

    I believe that no one diet suits everyone. For health and vitality you need the most varied diet you are able to digest and you need to work to improve your digestion for the optimum benefit. To get this right we need to let go of any previous beliefs and become aware of what our individual bodies like and need to thrive. Science is telling us that a lot of processed food contains substances that are damaging our health and therefore the ‘trend’ is towards cooking and much more fresh food than has been common over the past few decades. Your diet should not cause inflammation in your body and stress to your immune system but modern processed food diets are proven to do so in a large percentage of the population.

    Canada has just bought out new Nutritional advice and food guidelines based on fresh food and they have a new food pyramid.

    This is based on eating healthy fats, low carbohydrates, plenty of vegetables and some fruit. Good nutritional advice compared to most Countries guidelines.

    In the UK the NHS promotes “The NHS Diet Plan – Science has a go at Diet Plans” – just the title makes me wince!  Out of date Nutritional advice. They are still promoting cereals, bread and wholewheat pasta as a source of fibre and as the bulk of the diet with the emphasis on low fat foods as in the Eatwell Guide which also stipulates vegetable oils and low fat spreads. Functional Medicine Practitioners have been trying to educate people away from these choices for years!

    I do not promote the Low Fodmap diet (often suggested for IBS) as this is one of the most restrictive diets to stick to and doesn’t address healing the digestive system first. No diet should be so restrictive as to take all joy out of eating. Many people that follow this diet might get some digestive relief but will almost certainly suffer from nutrient deficiencies if not carefully monitored and supplemented. Where possible I always favour real food over supplements.

    So what is out?

    • Calorie Counting
    • Low fat diets
    • Meal replacement drinks and Bars
    • Low salt (better to have sea salt than processed sodium salt)
    • Low Cholesterol diets
    • using only egg whites
    • artificial sweeteners
    • MSG
    • other processed food additives and colours
    • all day snacking (harms the normal digestive process)
    • Long exercise sessions (HIIT training was proved to more beneficial many years ago – research Loughborough Uni 2013)

    Conclusions

    If you are free from any digestive problems, achy joints, autoimmune disease, disrupted thyroid hormones, skin problems, heart or blood sugar problems then I would suggest that you look at incorporating more fresh foods into your diet, more healthy fats (natural saturated fats, meat, fish, butter, cheese, olive oil, olives, coconut oil, nuts and seeds), plenty of fresh vegetable and some fruit. As you increase natural fats into your diet you become hungry less often and you do not crave snacks or sweet foods as much. You may feel you eat more and feel more satisfied than previously. Cut out as much sugar and processed carbohydrates as you can  and drink in moderation (wine and occasional spirits but less mixers).

    If you have any of the health  issues listed above then I always recommend an Elimination Diet for 4 weeks and the addition of supplements to heal the digestive tract. Probiotics, L-Glutamine, omega 3 oils, Licorice extract, and possibly Silicogel or Aloe Vera until your gut doesn’t bloat or feel uncomfortable and your bowel movements are easy and regular. Following on by very careful reintroduction of individual foods to see if your body reacts to them. This is because the root cause of many of these conditions is a damaged digestive system that might have been caused by infection, stress, antibiotics or intolerance to certain foods. If you can find and afford a Nutritional Practitioner then it would be best to work with them. They may be able to do blood, urine and stool tests as well as allergy and sensitivity tests that may speed the process. It is easy to get confused when doing it by trial and error. I tried going gluten free several times over the years and always felt better initially but it wasn’t until I carried out a proper Elimination diet that I discovered I also had intolerance to Dairy, Soy and oranges! I personally favoured using the Paleo AIP diet initially but have since been able to expand my choice of foods to include rice, gluten free oats, nuts and seeds – all in moderation. That is why I use the terms Paleo Approach, Clean and Real food. No one single diet should define what you eat or restrict foods that you do not have a problem with.

    I have many posts on how to do this, which foods most often cause problems and with ideas for healthy foods  so that it is not about deprivation but about making choices that satisfy you and nourish your body, brain and immune system while giving you abundant energy and good sleep.

    My main tip is to learn to listen to your body. Every day your body will require different food depending on the weather, your activity, your emotional state…(that’s where the chocolate usually comes in)

    One day I might fancy a succulent salmon steak, one day lamb and bacon burger with guacamole and occasionally I fancy this…

           Gluten free seeded toast, baked beans and free range eggs with Celtic sea salt and black pepper.

    Variety is the spice of life:-)

     

  • Exclusion diet/ Gluten Free/ Healthy Food

    Given up Gluten Grains ?- what you need to stay Healthy…

    Natural fresh healthy food Gluten Free

    Given up Gluten Grains?

    Well the media are at it again with their fear tactics and poor science. According to latest reports giving up Gluten could ‘make you more prone to developing Heart Disease and Diabetes’.

    Let me just turn this around for a moment and query whether they are saying that they have scientific studies that prove that eating bread, biscuits and cake prevent Heart Disease and Diabetes?

    NO – all the latest research shows the complete opposite.

    Let’s look at the facts.

    • The studies quoted were mainly based on the fibre content and lack of some nutrients connected to not eating Whole Grains.
    • The majority of gluten grains consumed in the developed World are highly processed.
    • Processing grains strips away the bran and the germ – removing more than half the B vitamins, 90% of the Vitamin E, most of the minerals and virtually all of the fibre.
    • The rise in Cardiovascular Disease and Type 2 Diabetes has been epidemic over the last 40 years when Governments have been pushing high carbohydrate, low salt, low fat diets.
    • People that develop Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes often are overweight and eat a nutrient poor diet.
    • Latest research in many Countries is confirming that a Low Carb, High Good Fats diet can prevent and even reverse both Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease and Government guidelines are being adjusted accordingly.

    What Nutrients do wholegrains contain?

    Processed flour products usually have some vitamins added back in plus sugar and salt to make up for the lack of flavour. Typically in cereals Vitamin D, some B Vitamins and iron are added.

    Unprocessed wholegrains contain

    • all the B Vitamins – B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, Folic Acid, Biotin.
    • Vitamin E
    • Vitamin K
    • Choline, Inositol

    and the minerals

    • Magnesium
    • Zinc
    • Chromium
    • Copper
    • Manganese
    • Molybdenum
    • Phosphorous
    • Selenium

    Therefore if you find you need a Gluten Free Diet for managing IBS, Coeliac or Non-Coeliac gluten Sensitivity, any other inflammatory Bowel disease or Autoimmune Disorders it is important that you eat a varied diet that supplies these nutrients. This is not hard as these nutrients are in many other foods but it does become difficult if you also are limited to a vegetarian or vegan diet and in those circumstances I would suggest enlisting the help of a Nutritionist. If you are Paleo then you may not want to eat some of the foods on this list but for the sake of nutrition I prefer to eat what I term a modified Paleo diet and include them.

    I follow a Gluten free diet and am also dairy free. Many people that are sensitive to Gluten are also sensitive to Dairy, including people with Coeliac Disease. I like to include some non-gluten grains that I tolerate well and one of the important ones is Oats. Some people might contest this but as long as I buy GF Oats I find they are OK. Oats contain much higher levels of iron and Magnesium than wheat and also plenty of soluble fibre rather than the irritating bran fibre.

     

    What to eat to stay Healthy when Gluten Free

    GRAINS

    Non GMO Corn, GF Oats, Brown Rice, Quinoa, buckwheat and millet.

    VEGETABLES and Legumes

    Leafy Green Vegetables, Avocados, carrots, sweet potato, alfalfa, kelp, tomatoes, Broccoli, mushrooms, peas, beans, lentils, onions, garlic.

    MEAT and FISH

    All meats, liver, pate and other offal for the important vitamin B content. Fish, oily fish and seafood.

    EGGS

    FRUIT

    Melon, Bananas, fresh oranges, grapefruit, apricots, prunes.

    NUTS and SEEDS

    Almonds, Brazil nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame seeds, Flaxseeds.

    DAIRY

    Live Yogurt, Cheese, Milk. If you eat dairy or not I would add a good Probiotic as it is in the Gut that we make the most B Vitamins and neurotransmitters.

    Green Tea and Dark Chocolate

    for good sources of Vitamin K and Magnesium

    If you eat a good selection of these foods on a regular basis you will not be nutrient deficient or be lacking in Fibre but you will definitely be free of the chemicals they spray grains with (like Glyphosate) free from inflammation

    and

    Healthy!

     

     

  • Healthy Food/ Inflammation/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    The TRUTH about FOOD TRENDS

    Food Tends

    The Truth about FOOD TRENDS is that they should be based on knowledge and reality as opposed to ‘FADS’ that are just fashionable. The media appears to be in total confusion about the difference and continues to run stories on conflicting information but the public are become very aware of what the food industry is trying to do and the effect this can have on health.

    A sample of recent news articles

    • several newspapers have covered the topic of artificial meat and why customers are not taking the idea up. I am one of the people covering the story of feeding cattle sweets and other processed food products to fatten them up.
    • From www.glutenfreeschool.com ‘Gluten Intolerance Mouth Symptoms You Need To Know’
    • Wake up World on Facebook posted a video on the 9 things the food industry doesn’t want you to know. link here.
    • The Times 22  April – ‘Forbidden Foods: think twice before you give up dairy, meat or wheat’. ‘The fashion for free-from diets keeps growing, but could damage your health.’ This is statement is firmly in the ‘Fad’ bracket while also having another go at the ‘Clean Eating’ advocates (of which Deliciously Ella is not one). ‘More of us are avoiding sugar and other carbohydrates’ is a TREND backed by a huge amount of scientific research Worldwide as well as Governments in Sweden, New Zealand and in the case of Sugar – the UK. see www.dietdr.com

    The Food Trends for 2017

    The FOOD TRENDS for 2017 are firmly rooted in the knowledge that inflammation is a major cause of Chronic disease and that the epidemic of Chronic disease is crippling the economies and quality of life in all developed countries. Another TREND is that this is happening to our children, that more children are getting Diabetes and autoimmune problems and the TREND to eat high amounts of processed food and not cook fresh food at home goes hand in hand with the rise in health problems.

    Another article this week from www.wellandgood.com

    quote

    “WHY INFLAMMATION-FIGHTING FOODS ARE FILLING UP YOUR GROCERY CART

    Fighting inflammation with food is quickly becoming a major health priority—and for good reason, considering inflammation is linked to everything from bloating and acne to life threatening illnesses, say physicians and researchers.

    “We expect to see the market for inflammation-fighting foods to grow 7 percent by 2020 and expect 2017 to be a big year in terms of new product announcements and continued research and development,” says Deborah Barrington, a senior editor at Industry Dive.

    Inflammation-fighting ingredients are already trending on Pinterest. “Turmeric was one of our trending flavours in our recent Pin sights Flavor Report and specifically turmeric lattes. Ginger tea is also a trending search, up 20 percent,” confirms Stephanie Kumar, partner insights lead at Pinterest.

    It’s no coincidence that many healthy food trends—from the zoodle (zucchini noodle) and cauliflower rice to nut milks and vegan cheese—are substitutes for inflammatory ingredients like gluten, grains, and dairy.”

    My Approach to Food Trends

    So I am one of those Nutritionists that firmly believes in eating as much, fresh, healthy, preferably organic, unprocessed food as possible. Call it Clean Eating if you will but to me it is just normal eating – as opposed to what many people eat, that is a result of our food industry becoming industrialised.

    I have plenty of personal experience of improving health outcomes through diet. I constantly research new scientific advances, which have been extremely prolific in the last five years. We now have a far greater knowledge of how our gut and microbiome affect our immune system and brain and also how a High Fat Low carb diet can reverse Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease as well as how a leaky gut can lead to inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases.

    Gluten, Dairy, GMO, Sugar, Artificial Sweeteners

    I also support finding out if any foods are inflammatory for you and damaging your health and wellbeing and that is what my eBook ‘Turn Your Health Around’ helps you to do. Many people have given up some of these foods and felt a huge impact on their health only to start to substitute with a whole load of substitute ‘free from’ processed foods and seen their health plummet. This is probably why some of the ‘FAD’ myths have endured. You can buy my book on the link below – it is on offer at just £6 at the moment.

    Buy my product

     

    Free From Foods

    I cannot imagine that anyone would stick to a ‘Free From’ diet if they didn’t feel or see a huge improvement in their health.

    A ‘Free From’ diet can be expensive, somewhat anti-social as it makes eating out more difficult and you have to spend a lot of time reading labels and becoming aware of hidden toxic ingredients but if your eczema clears up or your joint pain disappears then it is definitely worthwhile. Do I sometimes fancy a Baguette with butter and cheese? – would I suggest everyone give them up ? – NO.

    ‘Free From’ processed foods can be just as bad for your health as other processed food. Nestle new Go Free range of cereals are still sugar and salt laden GMO cereals and just because they add a few artificial vitamins and iron to them it does not make them healthy.

     

     

    We do eat a few products such as occasional gluten and dairy free wraps or bread and I do sometimes bake with gluten free flour but mostly we eat real food – meat, eggs, nuts, olive oil, vegetables and some fruit ….the clue is if it is real food it doesn’t need a label!

    If you do find that you have to eliminate some foods then it is important to make sure you eat a varied diet that is going to provide the nutrients you need to stay healthy. Plenty of information and recipes on my blog with links to many others, plus Pinterest and Facebook Pages.

    Other important Food Trends are

    • buying more vegetables,
    • organic vegetable and fruit boxes,
    • growing more produce at home,
    • communal gardens,
    • demand for allotments,
    • the popularity of Farmers Markets and
    •  Restaurants that produce fresh locally sourced food.

    Let’s hope that these Food Trends keep growing and that the media stops supporting the food industry giants and out of date nutritional guidelines. These Food Trends are just part of the paradigm shift and our rise in awareness of how we are steadily destroying our planet and our quality of life.

     

     

  • Food intolerance/ Health/ Healthy Food/ Immune system - healing/ Mediterranean diet/ Nutritional Medicine/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    The Real Science behind the ‘Clean Eating’ Trend

    Clean Eating

     Recent UK Television programs have been attacking the ‘Healthy Eating’ movement in a rather frenzied and non factual way, more representative of sensationalist newspapers. So I would like to present a sample of their findings with a more comprehensive view of the real science behind Wheat/Gluten Intolerance and Clean Eating, ask some relevant questions and let you make your own mind up.

    Why the epidemic in Chronic ill-health?

    Disorders are too many to mention but include all Autoimmune diseases and some that are not classified as Autoimmune but the list is growing all the time – Rheumatoid Arthritis, Type 2 Diabetes, Autism, ADHD, Brain Fog, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Depression, Anxiety, IBS, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Heart Disease, Dementia, Alzheimer’s etc.

    These are the diseases that are crippling our Health Service and ruining people’s lives. Research is usually confined to each speciality and often funded by Drug or food manufacturing companies. There are over 10,000 Scientific studies on food and gut related disorders that could possibly be causative factors. So far the research has definitely proved that our digestive tract, which is a major interface between us and our environment, appears to be suffering from our modern diet, toxins, antibiotics etc. affecting protective bacteria(microbiome) and permeability between gut and blood vessels triggering an immune response. 

    [Researchers find biological explanation for wheat sensitivity.

    by Dr. Richard Nahas

    One of the most common treatable factors that we see affecting our patients with chronic pain is non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).  These folks test negative for celiac disease, but they have health problems that go away when they are on a strict gluten-free diet … and return when they eat gluten, even in trace amounts.  While there has been very limited scientific research to explain this phenomenon, it is very obvious to every single provider who has used it with their patients that NCGS is very real and very important.  I have personally observed improvements in joint pains, muscle aches, fatigue, depression, anxiety, asthma, eczema, thyroid problems, obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, memory, sleep and many autoimmune diseases in patients who have gone gluten-free.

    This study provides evidence that people with NCGS have a leakier gut than those without it.  It comes as no surprise to me, but it should help keep the skeptics quiet for awhile.  I have long believed that true innovation in healthcare has and always will begin with forward-thinking doctors and patients who are willing to try new things and observe the results.  It is unfortunate that it has taken a global juggernaut and a multi-billion dollar industry to stimulate this kind of research.  There are dozens of other important ‘discoveries’ that are being used by integrative practitioners and these need to be validated by good science. Smart researchers should pay more attention to what these doctors are doing, because there are many breakthroughs that are waiting to be made.

    A nice article on the study is here: http://newsroom.cumc.columbia.edu/blog/2016/07/26/columbia-researchers-find-biological-explanation-wheat-sensitivity-2/

    How to heal a leaky gut?  There are many ways.  The short answer is to see an integrative practitioner.

    via Seekers Centre Researchers find a biological explanation]

    Then this is an article from the Scientist that was commissioned to research for a recent BBC Horizon program …….

    [“How clean eating became a dirty word as food gurus distance themselves from the trend that made them famous

    Obesity and other diet-related illnesses are easily the greatest public health problem of our time. But losing weight and keeping it off is incredibly difficult; it is not what we are evolved to do.

    Over the past 20 years, my research at the University of Cambridge’s MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit has focused on the genetics of why some people get fat and some don’t. Science is set up to get to the truth eventually. It does not provide quick answers.

    As a result, there are many desperate people looking for a way out, a silver bullet. Over recent years, a proliferation of, by and large, skinny and attractive food gurus armed with dietary advice that is not based on any serious scientific evidence.

    Much of this new advice goes far beyond healthy eating, and in some instances argues that food can actually make you well. Welcome to the world of “clean eating,” which I have spent the last few months investigating for a BBC documentary, to understand just how scientific these claims really are.

    It became clear that many hundreds of thousands of people are more likely to believe the advice of these food gurus — buying their books and following their social media feeds — than listen to scientists and other experts who are taking an evidence-based approach to nutrition.For healthy-eating devotees, Instagramming everything that passes their lips, the term #clean reigns supreme. Clean eating is not one way of eating, but encompasses many different dietary approaches. In the documentary, we focused on three of the big beasts: giving up gluten, an alkaline diet and a plant-based diet.  via How clean eating became a dirty word as food gurus distance themselves from the trend that made them famous“]

    So I question many of the statements made in this article and subsequent program.

    • “losing weight and keeping it off is incredibly difficult, it is not what we are evolved to do.” From a scientist that studies genetics and obesity I have to assume that he thinks as a race we should all be fat and unhealthy then.
    • “Much of this new advice goes far beyond healthy eating and in some instances argues that food can actually make you well.” Thomas Edison said “the doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” This has been the premise that all Nutritional and Functional Medicine is based on – food can make you well.
    • He has studied Metabolic diseases for 20 years and claims that Science does not provide quick answers and that people would rather follow ‘Clean Eating’ gurus than listen to evidenced-based scientists and other experts.
    • He claims that what is being promoted is not based on any serious scientific evidence so maybe he hasn’t had time to read the 10,000 plus articles on PubMed, peer reviewed medical studies or research nutrition at all.

    What we are seeing now is a massive trend of people taking responsibility for their health and fitness. People realising that the advice to eat low fat and consume processed vegetable oils and fats from mainstream science, Government and most Doctors has been wrong and has actually lead to one of the worst epidemics of chronic disease worldwide.

    Twenty years ago we thought that there was a genetic reason of all chronic disease but now we have mapped our human genome we realise that what we eat can change how those genes react – not the other way round.

    The so called ‘trend’ towards healthier eating and understanding how important Nutrition is to our wellbeing started more than 30 Years ago. For me it started with a book ‘Nutritional Medicine’ by Dr Stephen Davies (Oxford) and Dr Alan Stewart (Guy’s Hospital London) who were members of the British Society for Nutritional Medicine. This book was published in 1987 and it changed my life. I was a nurse at Charing Cross Hospital but always more interested in preventative medicine than mainstream.

    Over the years I was influenced by ‘Gurus’……

    such as Dr. Jeffrey Bland and trained in Nutritional Medicine myself. Now the ‘Gurus’ at the forefront of modern Functional Medicine are able to influence and educate far more people by online Forums and Seminars.

    Dr. David Perlmutter, Dr. Frank Lipman, Dr.Mark Hyman, Dr Josh Axe, Dr. Terry Wahls – who reversed her own MS and is now back teaching, plus all the hundreds of other Doctors and Nutritionists working tirelessly to further the fight against our epidemic of Chronic disease. Dr. Andreas Eenfeld needs special mention for his work in helping the world to understand and reverse Diabetes by going against mainstream views and proving what actually works. Also Dr. Alessio Fasano for his brilliant work as a scientist who is getting to the root of what is going wrong in our gut and microbiome – although they interviewed him on the program they managed to discredit the importance of his work by separating his research on gluten/gliadin and gut damage from how what we eat is fundamental. Two other books ‘Clean Gut’ and ‘Clean Eats’ by Alejundro Junger MD helped me navigate a good elimination diet and get to the bottom of several food intolerances and reverse Autoimmune problems in both me and my son.

    The lovely Ella from ‘Deliciously Ella’ was also on the program explaining how changing her diet had made her well again and sharing her passion for real, fresh food. There are many others doing the same – promoting the fact that fresh food is far healthier than anything produced in factories. Encouraging people to cook instead of buying packaged food or take-aways, surely this is a good thing? Surely this is what is fueling the massive success of people like Ella and Joe Wicks The Body Coach – by the fact that they can show results – evidence based nutrition. Why does anyone want to make programs to put us off doing this? But the program ended by visiting a place in the USA that treats a handful of ill people – who often have terminal cancer and who sometimes die. As with most bad reporting,they have to show an extreme example and pretend that it is linked to their main hypothesis.

    One of my favourite Gurus is Sarah Ballantyne PhD who developed The Autoimmune Protocol that has helped so many people with Autoimmune disease and furthered scientific discovery. Here is an a review showing some of the successes and breakthroughs that are changing the face of medicine.

    [If the stories compiled on our site and from the worldwide community are anything to show, the Autoimmune Protocol has helped a great many people with autoimmune disease live healthier, fuller lives. Many of us discovered this way of eating and jumped in as early adopters, before the research had time to catch up with us. I, for one thing, am happy I did, as I would not be healthy and happy today had I not made that leap! A lot of people get hung up on the fact that for the most part, the medical community does not acknowledge or support this intervention for managing autoimmune disease. Let’s be real though — times are changing (more on that in a minute!).

    Research is one of the missing links to this acceptance, because it starts the conversation about how and why these interventions might be working, and informs doctors on what to recommend to their patients. I am eternally grateful for the work of people like Sarah Ballantyne, PhD, who presented a refined version of the Autoimmune Protocol in her book The Paleo Approach, and Terry Wahls, M.D., who in addition to her book The Wahls Protocol has raised funding and conducted clinical trials using dietary and lifestyle interventions to manage multiple sclerosis. These contributions have begun to ground the Autoimmune Protocol in the scientific landscape, which is essential if we are to get anywhere in getting the medical system to make these important shifts in philosophy.

    A new study on the Autoimmune Protocol and rheumatoid arthritis

    Julianne Taylor, as a part of her Post Grad Dip Sci in Human Nutrition, conducted a qualitative study research project for Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand. I’ve been following Julianne and her writing since the beginning of my journey, as she was one of the first people I found online writing about her personal experience using ancestral principles and the elimination diet in order to manage autoimmune disease (her blog was one that helped me decide to personally take on the protocol!). In the study, she interviewed those who had experienced success with rheumatoid arthritis in order to find out more information about management with dietary interventions. For those who are interested in this research, I’m presenting a summary here.

    Aims of the study:

    1. To find out what motivated people to change their diet in the first place.
    2. To discover which challenges they encountered changing and maintaining the diet.
    3. To learn how they managed those challenges.
    4. To find out which foods they consumed and which presented symptoms on reintroduction.

    Julianne found 10 participants from ages 28-60, with a positive RA diagnosis who had been following the Autoimmune Protocol or similar elimination diet for 6 months to 5 years and had reduced their disease symptoms or clinical markers. She interviewed every participant on a variety of topics and presented a summary of her findings.

    Some of the findings I found interesting (although not surprising!):

    • Some of the study participants were encouraged to try the Autoimmune Protocol from alternative healthcare professionals (the system is changing, folks!).
    • Many participants found their conventional doctors to be unsupportive of their nutritional choices, and chose to work with a combination of both natural and conventional practitioners.
    • Those that participated in the study were convinced to try it because of a blend of science as well as anecdotal evidence.
    • One participant found relief on a strict Whole 30 Paleo-style diet and did not take out additional foods, while the rest of the participants did.
    • Both mental and physical preparation were key at making the dietary transition work for those who participated (what do I always say — set yourself up for success!).
    • Everyone who participated in the study shared that there was one important person who supported them in their transition, either emotionally or physically. Many helpers assisted by shopping for and cooking food (this is huge!).
    • 80% of the participants switched overnight, while 20% made gradual changes. Many chose dates to start that were clear from family celebrations or events that would create difficulties.
    • The two biggest challenges for participants were eating away from home and lack of support from friends and family.
    • Adherence to the the diet was very high, over 95% for all but one participant who was at 85% compliance, and avoidance of pain was the primary motivating factor.
    • The dietary changes were difficult to implement, but became easier as time progressed.
    • The main dietary challenges for participants were the time it took to prepare meals, lack of convenience foods, high cost of food, eating out, travel, and lack of understanding.
    • Every participant experienced health improvements besides a reduction in their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms — there was weight gain or loss, if the person needed it.

    I found these reintroduction findings particularly interesting:

    • Most participants used a unique reintroduction protocol — some focused on the one in The Paleo Approach, Reintroducing Foods on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, relied on advice from their healthcare providers, or blended that with their intuition to customize an approach.
    • Some participants had been on a standard Paleo diet before trying the elimination diet to successfully pinpoint additional sensitivities.
    • The most common sensitivities found in the group as a whole were wheat, dairy, eggs, and corn.
    • Other sensitivities found in some participants but not others, were rice, nightshade vegetables, rancid and heated seed oils, and soy.
    • Every participant had foods they reacted to in a way that was different from a rheumatoid arthritis flare.

    While this study was not randomized and controlled and leaves a lot of questions unanswered, it offers a fantastic starting place for other researchers developing interest, seeking funding, and conducting more in-depth studies on why these dietary and lifestyle interventions are working for people. We can only hope that as time progresses, there will be more research and discovery that will enable doctors to fine-tune dietary interventions to best manage autoimmune disease.

    If you’d like to learn more about Julianne and read some of her writing, check out her blog Paleo Zone Nutrition. You can contact her directly to request to see the study. She is also publishing a series of blog posts on the topic.

    A clinical trial using the Autoimmune Protocol is underway

    Dr. Gauree Konijeti, M.D., M.P.H., director of the inflammatory bowel disease program division of gastroenterology at Scripps University in San Diego will be running a clinical study titled “Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease” this fall. Dr. Konijeti will be using Angie Alt’s online program SAD to AIP in SIX to study outcomes in patients with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis using the Autoimmune Protocol to manage their autoimmune diseases. We couldn’t be more thrilled about this new study and hope that more collaborative efforts are on the horizon with the medical community!

    via Research Update: New Study on The Autoimmune Protocol and Rheumatoid Arthritis – Autoimmune Paleo]

    Conclusion

    For anyone who is still with me – congratulations – this is much longer than my normal posts!

    •  Far from being unscientific this movement is fuelled from information from highly qualified Doctors and Nutritionists, many of them with personal success stories and disease reversals of their own.
    • It is a movement that has been building for years and recent scientific research has taken it to a different level.
    • There is the added incentive that our healthcare system is not coping with the huge rise in chronic diseases and we know we need a more preventative strategy, incorporating diet and lifestyle.
    • We are in an era of great change, we need to embrace it and keep an open mind.
    •  No longer will we be fobbed off with ‘just eat a balanced diet’ or ‘well, it’s your age’!

    We also need to educate ourselves and be capable of seeing ‘alternative truths’ whenever we come across them. Most of them need ignoring but sometimes they need to be exposed for what they are. Some of our previously trusted sources may no longer be putting a balanced, educated view.

    Please feel free to comment – especially if nutrition and fresh, natural food has changed your health for the better:-)

     

     

     

     

  • Healthy Food/ Immune system - healing/ Ketogenic diet/ LCHF diet/ weight loss

    Fat v Carbs

    Nutritional advice

    The debate on Fat v Carbs rages on!

    I personally and with clients, have found it works in that you get to a normal weight and then it stabilises even though you may add in a few more natural carbs like rice, gluten free grains, dark chocolate and red wine. Health markers improve, immune system improves, cravings disappear and energy is increased and because of this it is a very sustainable way to eat.

    Sustainability is key to weight-loss and keeping it off. I have known many people who have tried very low fat diets only to gain even more weight when they return to ‘normal’ eating. Low fat diets deprive you of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K that are essential for good health and a strong immune system and yet that is what Government Guidelines have been for decades.

    Here are the foods to eat on a Low Carb High Fat Diet 

    • Meat
    • Fish
    • eggs
    • Vegetables
    • A little fruit
    • Nuts and seeds
    • Dairy products (not low fat versions) if not intolerant to casein or lactose.
    • Natural fats and oils like Coconut oil, Olive oil, olives, avocados and oil, ghee and butter if tolerated.

    If the source of these foods is organic, free range, grass fed(beef) etc. then that is when I use the term ‘CLEAN’ diet as it avoids all processed food, sugar, gluten grains and keeps fruit sugar low.

    In case you missed it, here is an excellent program from the BBC – well worth watching. The results in just a 3 week trial are disclosed with weight loss, lower cholesterol and also enjoyment of eating natural foods and no hunger or bad side effects.

    Take a look on YouTube

    If you like ‘studies’ then go here.

  • Autoimmune diseases/ Celiac/ Coeliac/ Food intolerance/ Healthy Food/ Ketogenic diet/ Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity/ Wheat and Dairy Intolerance

    Healthy Food while travelling – with Food Intolerance

    healthy food while travelling - with food intolerance

    Finding Healthy Food while travelling – with Food Intolerance problems is not easy. I am lucky enough to have just had two wonderful, mainly sunny, weeks exploring the Canadian Rockies. As my son and I are both Gluten and Dairy free, travelling and eating out generally can cause problems. Canada had many more Gluten free restaurant options than we get in the UK and restaurant staff everywhere were much more aware and helpful than here. They also seem to serve low carb main meals and do not offer fries with everything. As with the special meal pictured above – the potato was minimal, which is how we like to eat. Even when high in the Rockies, Salads and fresh fruit salads were plentiful. We also found that they have quite a few Gluten free beers. As elsewhere, we found Italian Restaurants usually had Gluten free pasta and Pizza options.

    Preparation is everything

    I started by investigating the airline food available but there was literally nothing we could eat and although most airlines can substitute Gluten free or Dairy free they seem incapable of doing both. The risk is too great and nobody wants to be ill on a 9 hour flight or at the start of their trip. I bought some Paleo Protein Bars and made some chocolate crisp protein bars to fill in for when breakfast or lunch was not possible. We took dates, dairy free chocolate and mixed nuts (which we couldn’t eat because someone on the flight had a severe nut allergy.) We have a basic standby of fruit, ham or turkey, gluten free crackers and crisps which saw us through most of the difficult days actually travelling. Each place we visited we Googled ‘Gluten free Cafes and Restaurants’ and were quite overwhelmed by how much information was out there.

    Eating Out 

    We actually found some great places!  We had a delicious, really healthy lunch of Meatballs on zucchini noodles with mushroom sauce in The Kofta Meatball Kitchen in Cambie Street, Downtown Vancouver. We had a good burger with a very acceptable Gluten free Bun in Milestones, Kelowna plus salad.

    The best meal of the entire holiday was the steak wrapped in smokey bacon with a black pepper demi-glace and lovely fresh vegetables which is the feature image above. The chef at The Marmot Lodge, Jasper, then excelled himself by producing a gluten and dairy free Hazelnut chocolate tart with a berry coulee! It was incredible – thank you, you are a star!

    hazelnut chocolate torte

    Then when in Victoria on Vancouver Island we found an amazing place called Sante Gluten Free Cafe (check out their Facebook Page) where we had a fantastic chicken risotto and we also bought pizzas, lemon coconut slice plus a Cinnamon bun for our long journey home. We also had a lovely meal in the Milestone’s on Victoria Harbour.

    We survived the whole holiday without getting ‘glutened’ and have some lovely memories – so thank you Canada! It certainly isn’t easy finding healthy food while travelling – with food intolerances but with a little planning it is possible to eat and even be a little indulgent 😉

    Let’s hope awareness keeps improving.