Ross Walter Nutritionist & Naturopath - Ross Walter Nutritionist and Naturopath health articles and blog

new research shows artificial sweeteners cause weight gain

18/7/2017

I have written and warned people before about the dangers of some artificial sweeteners (see my other articles below or on my Facebook page), but some new research has been published which again confirms some of the major dangers of these chemicals (Azad et al., 2017).

This new study, published today (17th July 2017), reviewed 37 other studies on over 400,000 people and up to a 10-year follow-up. The study focused on artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose, usually found in diet soft drinks and cordials, and weight loss shakes or protein powders, to name just a few products they are in. The study also looked at studies on stevioside (Stevia extract).

Some of the findings included that the artificial sweeteners can:

1) have adverse effects on glucose metabolism
2) affect your gut microbiome (digestive bacteria) by acting as an antibiotic
3) affect appetite control by stimulating appetite and preventing fullness after a meal, so you eat more and put on more weight
4) increase fat stores, thus contributing to obesity
5) increase the risk of various heart disease symptoms, including high blood pressure, stroke, and other heart-related events
6) increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

The study concluded to say that they found "the consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners was NOT associated with weight loss", and that "the evidence does not clearly support the intended benefits of non-nutritive sweeteners for weight management", and "routine consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners may be associated with a long-term increase in weight and elevated risk of cardiometabolic disease".

This study highlights the importance of checking your product labels for these chemicals - aspartame (E951), sucralose (E955), and stevioside (E960), and avoiding these products. Install an additive app on your smart phone so you can check the additive numbers while you are shopping!

If you feel you need to use artificial sweeteners to lose weight, then you are not focusing on the causes of weight gain, and you can be making your weight worse.

If your weight is an issue, I can help by identifying all the causes of your weight gain, and resolving those to help you to achieve a healthy weight! This can be done with personalised consultations, or our weight loss program.

Please contact me for more information.

My review of the vegan documentary "What the health"

12/7/2017

I've had the opportunity (read as "misfortune") to watch the recently released "What the health" documentary on your food intake and your health. It's really about veganism, which is what they didn't tell you about beforehand, but want everyone to follow.

I have written a long review of the documentary, which I will post on my website, but for the moment, here are some summarised details (I can't call them "facts" as there was a huge lack of this in it):

The three main claims made in the all by "experts" in the film were:

processed meat and animal products causes <insert your favourite disease here>, and
sugar doesn't cause <insert your favourite disease here>, and
a vegan diet will prevent and fix <insert your favourite disease here> in all people.

I don't want to be seen to be bashing veganism at all, as it CAN be a very healthy option for SOME people. Being in practice as a Nutritionist and Naturopath and helping people to improve their health, reducing symptoms and treating chronic health conditions, I know that one type of diet or treatment doesn't work for everyone. I keep saying "everyone is different", because it's true! I have seen many vegetarians and vegans suffer chronic health conditions because they don't do their food intake well. I just don't like the lack of or very poor science used to suggest that veganism is the only way to go for everyone... I am not a massive carnivore as I have greatly reduced my meat intake and often have vegan meals, but I think a more balanced documentary would have been better, but then that wasn't their point.

Sadly the film was extremely biased, with most experts being interviewed (and the directors and producers) being vegan. I have nothing against vegans, but I do against misrepresentation of the facts to support their causes. Despite many of the experts having medical qualifications, there was very little factual information when it came to the body's physiology or biochemical processes. What was mentioned was irrelevant, misleading or facts against plant-based diets being completely ignored.

There were some truths in the documentary - one doctor saying that the medical system is in the business of treating sick people, and not about trying to prevent people from becoming sick. Another doctor saying that all the major diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and more) are largely diet and lifestyle related and therefore preventable. True.

The film refers to very few published studies, but those that were mentioned I studied. There was some misinformation or misunderstanding of the interpretation of the studies to blame meats and animal products for heart disease, diabetes and other chronic diseases, when the study did not actually prove this. See my longer review for some examples.

There were some brief elements of good public information in the film, such as how environmental chemicals enter the food chain and accumulate more in animals higher in the food chain, or what farmed animals are fed can have an effect on your health. Environmental health is just as, if not more, important than individual human health. But commercial plant-based agriculture is just as damaging to the environment with its use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, large scale clearing of forests, loss of nutrients in the soil, damage to the water table and aquifers, and more...

Another good bit of information, while it wasn't news to me, was that the various public health organisations (American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the US Dietary Advisory Committee) all have many commercial and food industry "financial sponsors" and clearly showed this on their websites. This is why we cannot trust these organisations with the advice and information they give. However, what the film didn't mention were any of the plant-based food industry sponsorships of these organisations! (I checked). I have written about this influence before in an article below on my Facebook page or website.

There was a big focus in the film of the health implications of eating saturated fat and cholesterol, which are mostly (but not only) found in animal foods. Again I have written articles on these topics before (see my website or FB page), as a LOT of scientific evidence (which was ignored by all the "experts" interviewed) shows that these are not causes of most of today's chronic diseases.

Pretty much everything health related was blamed on meat and animal products, so the message in the film was a bit extreme for my liking. The lack of real science or accepted evidence was hugely disappointing, and deliberately misleading. If the documentary really wanted to make a difference to your health, perhaps a more balanced (ie, less biased) approach would have made more of an impact to more people. Unfortunately the film will just make the divide between the vegans (and possibly vegetarians) and the rest of the population (including those informed on both sides of fence, and the uninformed and ignorant) all the wider. Good luck if you can last more than 10 minutes of this film!

The "What the health" documentary can be seen on Netflix, or perhaps temporarily on Youtube via this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IANuQET0n9s

For my full notes, please see the text below:

Notes:
Within 60 seconds of the start of the movie, Dr Robert Ratner of the American Diabetes Association is saying that 1/3 of US medicare dollars are spent on people with diabetes, and 1/10 of all US healthcare dollars are spent on diabetes, yet when asked how diet affects diabetes, he REFUSED to answer this and cancelled the interview when pressed on this issue!

The host and filmmaker is Kip Andersen, a "recovering hypochondriac", which changed apparently when the World Health Association announced in 2015 that processed meat was deemed a carcinogen (ie, cancer causing) by increasing cancer risk by 18%.

Kip tried to arrange other interviews, with the American Cancer Society, which was apparently agreed to, but then cancelled when he told them the interview was to be on the topic of diet and cancer. Again, why would they not want to talk about this as poor food choices are a major cancer risk? Maybe it was to do with Kip not dressing professionally for the interviews or having any manners like removing his hat when inside their offices and talking to people... or other reasons, which are suggested later in the film.

There were some truths in the documentary - one doctor saying that the medical system is in the business of treating sick people, and not about trying to prevent people from becoming sick (as there would be no money for them if that were the case). Another doctor saying that all the major diseases (cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia and more) are largely diet and lifestyle related and therefore preventable.

The topic of diabetes was covered a lot and this is where it got very interesting, annoying, and full of misleading or incorrect information...

A "diabetes expert" doctor was interviewed about the causes of diabetes, and said "diabetes is not and never was caused by a high carbohydrate diet or eating sugar"! Just wow! That's not what all the recent (or decades worth of) peer-reviewed scientific studies show! He said diabetes is caused by a buildup of fat in the blood from a typical meat-based diet! Also, allegedly, the fat in the blood causes insulin resistance which leads to diabetes.

It seems the doctor missed his physiology and biochemistry lectures and exams, and the thousands of published studies and texts on diabetes or what causes it! Yes, in diabetes there is an abnormal amount of blood lipids and abnormal cholesterol levels, but this is not the cause of diabetes, but rather a side effect of a diet high in sugar and refined carbs like grains, cereals, and alcohol... Stress also causes high cholesterol, but there was no mention of this regarding diabetes.

There was a big focus in the film of the health implications of eating saturated fat and cholesterol, which are mostly (but not only) found in animal foods. Again I have written articles on these topics before (see my website or FB page), as a LOT of scientific evidence (which was ignored by all the "experts" interviewed) shows that these are not causes of most of today's chronic diseases.

Later in the film, the host and some of the key experts referred to a 1940s study (something that old is irrelevant, or should not be used as "evidence"!) done on reversing many diseases by just using diet alone. While that doesn't surprise me, but the researcher then had used white rice, fruit and table sugar - all very high carbohydrate foods! These experts were actually mentioning this to support their arguments for the causes and treatment of type 2 diabetes not being related to sugar! They said it was all good because the carbs used in this old study "were all plant based"! Unbelievable!

Kip is in no way a trained or qualified medical, nutritional or science expert, and seems to have selected people to interview based on their being vegan, rather than on any shred of evidence about what they were saying. Hence he didn't question what the "experts" were saying or even understand what they said. Nor was there any balance or opportunity for the "other side" to give any comments.
Another "weight loss expert" doctor said that when you eat fat, it gets stored straight as fat! No, it doesn't! Fats get used for making your hormones, neurotransmitters, myelin sheaths around your nerves, for energy production, for the cell walls of hundreds of billions of new cells you make each day, and more uses! Fat storage from fat intake is the last option, although it does depend on which type of fat is consumed...

The two main claims made in the all by "experts" in the film were:

processed meat causes diabetes, and
sugar doesn't cause diabetes.

The implication in this film is that all meat is evil, causes cancer and diabetes and other health issues, when it is mainly processed meats (tinned meats, hot dogs, and cured deli meats) which can be the problem.

The film refers to very few published studies (which I checked by pausing the film on the screenshot of the study title) and investigating them. There was some misinformation or misunderstanding of the interpretation of the studies to blame meats for heart disease and diabetes, when the study did not prove this. One example (Micha, Michas & Mozaffarian, 2012) showed that there is a higher risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes from a daily intake of processed meats, and little or no risk from unprocessed meats, and the difference was due to the preservatives (nitrates and sodium) in the processed meats, not because of the meat itself! The preservatives in the meat were said to cause atherosclerosis and insulin resistance (which high carb diets do also)! The same study showed it was NOT the saturated fat which caused the health effects, as the fat content of the unprocessed vs processed meat was the same! So this disproves what the "experts" in the film are saying! Additionally, the study suggested it was also how the meats were cooked could influence health effects, such as high temperature cooking or frying causes toxic chemical compounds to form which increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes - again, it's not the meat, but how it's prepared! These simple things were ignored in the film.

And this is just in the first 10 minutes... geez, there's another 1 hours and 20 minutes of this tripe to get through! I seriously considered stopping watching the documentary at this point because it was so full of lies, half-truths, misinformation and bias that it was painful to watch. However in the interests of the public health I persevered, hence this review of the whole film!

The film mentioned that certain carcinogens are found in meat - heterocyclic amine (HCA) and Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds. This forms from high temperature frying or barbequing of meat. However this doesn't happen for all types of meat in all circumstances, as lightly frying or grilling meat doesn't cause this or in harmful quantities. Yet the film doesn't mention this! Also not mentioned, which I find highly misleading is that frying or baking carbohydrates such as starchy vegetables and grains, ALSO create these carcinogenic compounds! But of course this being a biased vegan film wasn't going to mention that...

The film changed topic to start attacking chicken, as it's the most popular form of meat eaten in the USA, after overtaking beef in consumption, and also attacking eggs. Chicken was being blamed for the high levels of cancer consumptions of cholesterol and sodium. Eggs were the equivalent of having 5 cigarettes per day! Eggs were "bad" because of their high content of saturated fats and cholesterol, both of which are NOT health causing issues in most people, as I have written articles on recently and based on many research articles over the past decades. They even used Steve-O (a "comedian" and punishment guinea pig on the "Jackass" TV shows) was interviewed, and he explained his bewilderment about attending a function at the American Diabetes Association, where chicken was served, and he stormed out as "serving chicken at a diabetes event was the same as serving alcohol at an AA meeting". Why did they interview such a non-expert in health and nutrition? (but he was no worse than the other "experts" interviewed)

The film then started attacking the dairy industry, as dairy is allegedly the number one source of saturated fat in diets. That cheese was "one of the world's best foods which compromise health", really and not sugar or trans-fat?! And "most people in the world are lactose intolerant"? How did they feed their babies if breast milk contains lactose?! Sure dairy products aren't great for many people, and I recommend people perhaps eat less of it, especially if they have an undiagnosed intolerance to dairy. The frequent use of various terms for different forms of dairy as "cheese being coagulated cow pus" and similar got a bit cringeworthy after a while.

There were some brief elements of good public information in the film, such as how environmental chemicals enter the food chain and accumulate more in animals high in the food chain, or what farmed animals eat has an effect on your health. Environmental health is just as, if not more, important than individual human health. Farmed animals are kept in unhealthy conditions, and fed GMO grains (known to cause cancer, inflammation and many health effects), antibiotics (to prevent infections and also to increase body weight), hormones and other chemicals, none of which are good for you. Most of the world's GMO grains are used to feed farmed animals, and most of the world's antibiotics are used on them too. Stick to organic and grass-fed or free range animal products instead to reduce your health risks!

Another good bit of information, while it wasn't news to me, was that the various public health organisations (American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and the US Dietary Advisory Committee) all had many commercial and food industry "financial sponsors" and clearly showed this on their websites. I don't believe that industry sponsorship should be allowed of such organisations as it then can be seen as giving biased (or bought) advice to the people who the organisation are supposed to help with advice to reduce their risks or improve their health. The film suggest the industry sponsorship of these organisations was why they were promoting eating of unhealthy foods which were contributing to the very diseases they are supposed to prevent. A lawyer interviewed said as a result of this sponsorship, we cannot trust these organisations with the advice and information they give, because they are financially biased. However, what the film didn't mention were any of the plant-based food industry sponsorships of these organisations!

There was also mention of the lobbying done (and huge budgets spent) by the food and pharmaceutical industries to politicians to write laws which benefit their industry and profits, but which are not actually in the best interests or health of the public. And they also mentioned pharmaceuticals and medical procedures which have nothing to do with preventing or fixing the causes of health issues.

The doctor experts did admit that they were not taught of the power of food and nutrition in their medical studies, hence why most doctors don't know about this or ask clients about their diets, or recommend changing their diets. There was an attempt in the USA to mandate 7 hours of nutrition training in each 4-year period for all medical doctors, but many of the medical associations came out in public (in government hearings) to oppose against this nutrition training!

Cancers were then blamed on all meat and animal products. At least they said cancers are mostly caused by diet and lifestyle factors, and not genetics, and cancers can be prevented by improving your diet and lifestyle - they got that bit right.

The Chief Medical Officer of the American Diabetes Association was shown again in the film (before he cancelled and stormed out of his interview) saying their organisation's mission is "identifying a prevention and cure for diabetes, and until then, improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes". Yet when he was asked what is the best way to prevent diabetes, he said "for type 2 diabetes it is unclear"! He said their organisation doesn't recommend any form of diet to prevent diabetes! But there are many good studies which show a LOW carbohydrate (ie, low in refined carbs, sugar, grains, and alcohol etc) CAN prevent and even reverse type 2 diabetes!

Now onto protein! We are told "plant proteins are better" - no they are NOT! They are no better or worse than animal protein! The experts were asked whether we (as humans) need to eat animal products for protein. One expert said "all protein is made by plants", which is again another bit of misinformation at best (or a misleading lie at worst), as animals make proteins too, and so do we as humans - we take in animal and plant proteins, break them down into their individual amino acids, then we build them up again into many different types of proteins to be used around the body. Once plant or animal proteins are digested and turned into their individual amino acids, your body cannot distinguish whether an amino acid came from a plant or animal, and will use it regardless of where it came from!

One of the staunchest vegan experts (Dr Michael Greger, a very biased vegan doctor) said "breast milk is the perfect food for human babies", but that's not very vegan is it?! He contradicts himself several times in the film...

The film suddenly changed track to suggest we as humans are not omnivores but "frugivores", a mainly fruit eater. I thought the documentary was about being vegan, and now we are meant to eat fruit?!

Gorillas were mentioned and shown to be frugivore yet they can be very strong, muscular and powerful (well, the males anyway). The film messes up by then showing frugivore teeth are flat and are for chewing, not biting and tearing with sharp incisors or canine teeth seen in omnivorous animals, so we humans can't be omnivores. But humans have incisors and canine teeth, and gorillas and other primates have even bigger canine teeth than we do! Their other reasons for humans being frugivores were rather weak and pathetic...

Now we come to vitamin B12, which is ONLY found in animal products. One "expert" was asked "what is in animal foods which you can't get in plant based foods?", and he answered "cholesterol and HCAs"! Well, plants have very similar compounds to cholesterol called phytosterols, which have beneficial activities in our bodies (just as cholesterol does)! And I've already said HCAs are also in plant foods... He said "there's nothing you can't get in plant based foods", but he completely missed the rather large fact of vitamin B12 only being in animal foods as animals store it in their muscles!
Dr Greger at least mentioned the lack of vitamin B12 in plant foods, and suggested we should get it from "fortified foods" or a vitamin B12 supplement. Then he contradicts himself, saying "there is no vitamin, mineral or nutrient you can't get from non-animal sources".

References
Anderson, K. (2017). What the health. Retrieved 10th July 2017 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IANuQET0n9s
Micha, R., Michas, G., & Mozaffarian, D. (2012). Unprocessed Red and Processed Meats and Risk of Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes – An Updated Review of the Evidence. Current Atheroslcerosis Reports, 14 (6), 515–524. doi: 10.1007/s11883-012-0282-8

Is salt good or bad for your health?

28/5/2017

For decades we have been told that salt is bad for us, will give us heart disease and will kill us. We are told it is as bad as smoking, not exercising, or eating saturated fat or cholesterol. The latter has been thoroughly disproven as a cause of heart disease, so is salt just another example of poor science which is actually us more harm? Read on!

"Salt" comes in many types, but the main health complaints are about "sodium chloride" or "table salt". The alleged issue with salt is that is causes high blood pressure which puts undue strain on your heart and blood vessels, leading to kidney damage, heart disease and heart attacks.

Sodium levels in your body can be affected by many factors including intake of potassium and calcium (deficiencies of these can cause higher sodium levels), water intake, amount of exercise undertaken, alcohol intake, and other factors.

Blood pressure on the other hand can be affected by many factors also, including stress, nutrient intake (and deficiencies), weight gain, genetics, age, metabolic hormones, blood sugar levels, and other causes.

Hence salt intake is only one of many possible causes of high sodium levels and blood pressure!

However, in many published studies high blood pressure isn't caused by salt, but salt may exacerbate pre-existing high blood pressure symptoms or heart issues, or in those with diabetes or kidney conditions. Over 80% of people with normal blood pressure do not show any signs of high blood pressure from increasing their salt intake. Even those with high blood pressure, 75% are not sensitive to salt! In fact, having very low sodium levels is likely to kill you much quicker than having higher sodium levels or even high blood pressure.

Other issues with "table salt" include that is also contain various fillers including MSG (a known neurotoxin), anti-caking chemicals, aluminium (another neurotoxin), and in "iodised salt", iodine, which is needed in the diet but can lead to excessive iodine causing thyroid problems. Table salt is added to many processed and packaged foods such as breads, cakes, biscuits, crackers, sauces, and many more foods as it can act as a preservative so the food can last longer.

The fact is that we NEED salt in our diets as our bodies use the components of salt - sodium, chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and over 60 or more other trace minerals. We need salt for all of our body functions, including for our brain and nervous system, bone health, pH balance, energy production, digestion and even needed for good heart and muscle activity! Table salt does not contain these additional minerals which are essential for good health, or which can negate the issues of just having just sodium and chloride.

Too little salt (or having deficiencies of the minerals in salt) can lead to insulin resistance, increased fat storage, diabetes, low energy, reduced libido, infertility, poor bone health, poor nervous system function and reduced muscle function including weakness and cramps.

Another major cause of heart disease (other than the disproven saturated fat and cholesterol myths) is actually a high intake of sugar and foods which break down into sugar. This causes inflammation of the blood vessels, insulin resistance, weight gain, diabetes, kidney damage, and high blood pressure and cholesterol levels - most of the symptoms being blamed on salt!

Which types of salt are good for you? Most unrefined sea salt is good, but I'd recommend either Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, because they contain so many other beneficial trace minerals!
Adding these good salts to food is a healthier option, however you shouldn't need to add salt to every meal. If you crave salty foods, there are other causes to this than just lacking salt - you may be deficient in some nutrients which the salt is providing in small amounts. If you are frequently craving salt, then you should see your friendly Naturopath (me!) to investigate which minerals you may be deficient in, and how to correct this with your diet or supplementation.

So don't worry about salt, providing you are having enough of the good stuff! However if you do have high blood pressure, I can help to identify the causes and improve your overall health!

The Health benefits of chocolate!

28/5/2017

Here's an appropriate article on the benefits of chocolate, just in time for Easter!

Chocolate has been demonised for its fat content or being associated with acne, dental decay, weight gain and diabetes. There are many contradictory news articles which make it hard to agree on the benefits (or otherwise) of chocolate. Here's some of the facts, based on scientific research:

1) Cacao, the raw ingredient in chocolate, is very high in antioxidants, to reduce aging and oxidative stress - in much higher amounts in dark chocolate!
2) Cacao is an aphrodisiac!
3) Cacao is high in healthy fats, which has a positive effect on blood cholesterol levels
4) Cacao is high in nitrogen compounds (including caffeine) which stimulate the nervous system but relaxes muscles and reduces blood pressure
5) Cacao contains many minerals such as potassium, copper, iron, zinc and magnesium.

However... (!), there are issues with commercial chocolate and it may not be for everyone:

1) chocolate is highly processed, high in added sugar, and other dubious ingredients like wheat, soy, palm oil, and others
2) chocolate can cause heartburn (indigestion or GORD/GERD or reflux)
3) some people can be allergic or intolerant to some ingredients in chocolate, which can cause inflammation to exacerbate existing health conditions
4) the high sugar content of chocolate can lead to weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and dental decay
5) many of the beneficial nutrients in the raw cacao are lost in the processing of chocolate.

Based on the above I recommend a low intake of commercially processed chocolate, but a moderate intake of raw cacao can be added to meals to give all the benefits of chocolate without the issues. Add cacao powder to smoothies, porridge, protein balls for snacks, or other healthy recipes!

Have a happy Easter!

is water fluoridation good for you?

30/3/2017

There has been a few mentions in the media this week on various chat shows about some comments that a TV personality (Pete Evans, celebrity chef and paleo advocate) said on the topic of water fluoridation. This article dives into the murky waters of water fluoridation! Yes the pun was absolutely intended!The truth is that we NEED fluoride for healthy bones and teeth! But in the form of CALCIUM fluoride which can be found in only some natural waterways, or in your fruits and vegetables! This "natural" fluoride only occurs in some natural waters under high pressure as calcium fluoride is generally insoluble otherwise.

Unfortunately calcium fluoride is NOT the form of fluoride which is added to Qld water (or in other states in Australia or the USA or in a literal handful of other countries around the world). The "fluoride" added to our water is either sodium fluoride (used as a rat poison), sodium hexafluorosilicate and fluorosilacic acid - which are waste products of fertiliser and aluminium smelting and extremely toxic poisons... Hence not all "fluoride" is the same, or safe to ingest.

Some other facts about fluoride which the government or medical authorities won't tell you:
1) One of the world's most prestigious medical journals, The Lancet, published a study in 2014 which concluded that fluoride was one of several industrial chemicals which are neurotoxins (ie, toxic to the brain). In this study, neurotoxins like fluoride were said to cause developmental delays in children, and are linked to and increased risk of autism, ADHD, and other cognitive issues.
2) Other studies on fluoride have shown that children exposed to fluoride in their drinking water have a lower IQ.
3) Despite the Qld government's decision to fluoridate water supplies in 2007, only one-third of Qld councils are doing so, as many have reversed their decision and stopped fluoridation, after researching the issue more.
4) Water fluoridation has been shown in published research in 2015 to cause thyroid and parathyroid dysfunction including hypothyroidism (low thyroid function, which leads to low body temperature, reduced metabolism, fatigue and weight gain), reduced immune system function, increased inflammation, and other health conditions.
5) Some types of fluoride used in public water have been shown in research in 2011 to cause cancer, especially bone cancer in teenage boys and thyroid cancer.
6) Excessive fluoridation can cause fluorosis in teeth, which is a mottling discolouration with lighter and darker patches. Because fluoride also gets into bones, a similar effect occurs there to cause bone damage.
7) Research from 2011 also suggests that water fluoridation toxicity causes genetic changes in our DNA, which can explain why this leads to cancer and other side effects.
8) Almost all countries in the world do not fluoridate their water, because they are aware of the scientific studies linking the toxic waste product forms of fluoride with a wide range of adverse health effects.
9) Water fluoridation does NOT solve the causes of tooth decay, which are from poor oral hygiene, not brushing teeth correctly or frequently, and a poor diet of too much SUGAR in your food and drinks! Sugar feeds oral bacteria which produce acidic wastes that eat away at your teeth. Better education and public awareness campaigns for oral hygiene will achieve far more benefit and for less cost, and much safer than water fluoridation.

Water fluoridation is an example of government, medical and industry-sponsored mass poisoning of the population. It's about making money for them, as it's not for any health benefit. Luckily there are some things you can do to avoid toxic fluoride - a good quality water filter such as a reverse osmosis filter with specific fluoride filter and remineraliser can remove 99% of fluoride, or some ceramic filters can reduce about 80%. The jug or tap adapter type filters won't remove any fluoride. I'm contacting a couple of water filter suppliers to see what deals they can offer you!

If you don't believe me, please do your own research into what forms of fluoride are added to your water, where they come from and what effects they have on your body, for your health and that of your family. There's tons of published, peer-reviewed research to back this up, and very easy to find - now that you know the forms of fluoride to look for.

sugar is linked to heart disease, not saturated fat

30/3/2017

If you have read some of my articles, you will know that there is a lot of misinformation on many topics of health and nutrition, and I try to correct those stories with real scientific facts. Some of the misinformation is just from urban myths, hearsay or unsubstantiated stories. Other health or medical stories are manufactured from poor scientific studies funded by the industry or the company who intends to profit from a positive result. This happens all the time, sadly.

Once such biased and corrupted story which has amazingly gone on for almost 50 years was conducted by the American sugar industry in the 1960s. At the time, research was starting to emerge that showed heart disease was being linked to a higher intake of sugar at that time. The sugar industry was understandably concerned about this, and decided to respond by funding scientists to write studies which falsely linked saturated fat to heart disease, while exonerating their own product - sugar.

The sugar industry then lobbied government policy-makers to introduce low-fat health measures, which are, for the most part in government and medical areas, still being promoted today. New published research in late-2016, uncovered old papers and letters showing that the sugar industry did manipulate research and government food guidelines in the 1960s and ever since.

The practice of industries funding research into their own products (as opposed to independent studies which are less prone to bias) still happens today. For example, Coca Cola in 2015 were shown to be sponsoring studies which showed sugary soft drinks were not linked to obesity! There are many more like this. Luckily some journalists or independent scientists are suspicious of such research results and investigate them deeper, and the public are becoming more wary of such blatant bias, and they are not falling for it.

The conflicts of interest in modern science needs to stop. The editor-in-chief- of the most prestigious medical journal "The Lancet" in 2015 said that a lot of the scientific literature published (and peer-reviewed) was simply false. His counterpart in another of the oldest medical journals, The New England Journal of Medicine, similarly said that it was impossible to believe much published research, or to rely on the judgment of doctors or medical guidelines. This is a sad indictment of science today - it's all about profits for the company funding their own research, or getting funds to do research or perhaps for the ego of the scientists writing the papers, but very little to do with improving your health. A lot of this "scientific" fiction is actually harming people and their health.

Most, if not all, of the independent scientific research (which is less prone to poor study designs and biased results) shows that saturated fats are NOT a major factor at all in the development and progression of heart disease! It IS sugary foods and drinks which are linked to heart disease instead, and other refined carbohydrates (grain products, alcohol etc) which causes heart disease - by causing chronic inflammation, damaging blood vessels, raising blood sugars and causing insulin resistance (ie, diabetes), increasing blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.

Be careful what and whom you believe when it comes to health and medical advice! When different scientific results come out, have an open mind and do your own research, or just ask a practitioner (Doctor, GP, Naturopath etc) for evidence, then check it out for yourself. Be prepared to change your opinion, depending on what you find!

Is brown rice healthier than white rice?

30/3/2017

I frequently get asked questions about whether rice is healthy for you, because I point out that whole grains in general (especially processed wheat and corn products) are not healthy and should not be a regular part of your diet. See my other articles about wheat and whole grains. I haven't written much about rice before, so here goes!

The nutrition content of white rice is interesting (not brown rice- more on this later!):
- carbohydrates - 92%
- protein - 7% (but is not a "complete" protein as it's missing some amino acids)
- fat - 1%
- high in some B-group vitamins, especially Folate
- high in some minerals, especially phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.

One main reason for this article is that rice is high in arsenic! Arsenic is a toxic and cancer-causing mineral. Arsenic is much higher in brown rice compared to white rice. This is just one reason why I don't recommend brown rice.

Plants produce grains as a seed to replicate their species. They don't want bugs and pests eating them, so they produce natural pesticides which are found in the outer hull and bran - ie, the brown stuff! This is why brown rice is harder to digest and can cause digestive complaints.

The brown stuff also contains phytates (or phytic acid) which strongly binds to other essential nutrient minerals such as calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium and zinc, which you may have consumed in the same meal. This prevents you from being able to absorb and use these nutrients, and these minerals bound to fibre are excreted instead.

Arsenic is also concentrated in the brown stuff, but in much smaller amounts in white rice.

Despite these facts, brown rice is more often recommended as being "healthier", because it has more fibre and slightly more vitamins and minerals. Sure it has, but it also has all the above negative points as well, which white rice doesn't have! As long as you are eating a high amount of vegetables and some fruits in your daily intake, you will get all the fibre, vitamins and minerals you need, and you will not miss any from not having brown rice (or other grains).

White rice still has some arsenic, but you can reduce it further by changing how you prepare and cook white rice! The steps are:
1. Soak your white rice overnight
2. Tip off the water, rinse in clean water and tip out water again
3. Do not use the absorption method of cooking (ie, 2 cups water to 1 cup rice)! Use 5 cups water to 1 cup rice - as the arsenic comes out of the rice and stays in the water!
4. Monitor the rice until it's cooked
5. Tip off excess water (with its arsenic), and rinse rice in hot water
6. Serve.

Brown rice is not all the healthy hippy food it's cracked up to be! I recommend sticking to white rice instead, if you must have rice.

Perhaps the Asian countries have it right all along about white rice... but because rice is extremely high in carbohydrates, it is not something you should have a lot or every day, and for those with certain health conditions (being overweight, diabetes, cancer and others) should even stop their intake of rice.

why you should avoid all plastics - even THOSE "BPA-FREE"

29/1/2017

Plastic bottles, containers, utensils, toys and other everyday items are seen and used everywhere because they are cheap, easy to make, convenient, light and easily replaced. But this creates a lot of problems to the environment, animals, and even your health.

This article is mainly about the dangers of plastics to the health of you and your family.

No plastic bottles or containers are safe! It doesn't matter whether it be store-bought plastic bottles of water, or reusable bottles that you carry around, or those the kids take to school or which you keep in the car. They ALL contain toxic chemicals which have been proven in research to leach chemicals into the water or foods they contain. It also doesn't matter if the plastic is "BPA-free", PET, Tupperware or anything. They all leach chemicals into the water or food, and 50 times more so when they are hot, which is just one reason why you should never use plastic containers in the microwave oven, or to store hot foods...

The chemicals which leach from plastic containers include hormone-disrupting chemicals and cancer-causing chemicals. Plastics contain chemicals like phthalates which mimic the female hormone oestrogen, and are therefore called xeno-oestrogens. Pregnant women and children are the most vulnerable to phthalates and other hormone-disrupting chemicals, according to research. These oestrogen-mimicing chemicals interfere with your evenly-balanced oestrogen levels to cause a wide range of symptoms and health issues, such as birth defects, male infertility or prostate cancer, early puberty in girls as young as 7 years, PMS symptoms or an irregular cycle in adult females, and other conditions. Other chemicals in plastics have also been shown in research to cause cancers. So you don't want these chemicals in your water, food or on your skin where they can be absorbed to cause these health issues!

If you can try this experiment - put a plastic bottle 1/2 filled with water in your car and leave it there all day in the sun. Then take off the lid and smell the water - it will smell a lot of chemicals. DON'T drink it! In fact, once a plastic bottle has been left in a hot car or in the sun, it should be thrown away. And yes this applies to refillable water bottles which children take to school for the same reason - they get hot in summer and leach chemicals which can affect their health.

There was a problem with BPA plastic a few years ago, proven to disrupt hormones and cause cancer, then this was replaced by "BPA-free" or "BPS" plastic... which sure enough after a few years, was shown to have exactly the same issue. No plastic bottles or containers are safe for hot foods or hot conditions. BUT, it has been shown that freezing water or foods in plastic containers has a similar leaching effect.

Other plastic items which you may not have thought of being a major health hazard include:

Plastic cooking utensils - replace with stainless steel
Plastic kettles - replace with stainless steel
Tinned vegetables, especially tinned tomatoes (as the tin liner is BPA plastic to stop the acidic tomatoes from eating away at the metal tin) - replace with FRESH tomatoes and vegies
Plastic wrap in contact with your food
Frozen "ready meals" in so-called "microwave or oven safe" plastic containers - remove the meal from the plastic and put into a glass container or stainless steel saucepan to heat up
There are plasticiser chemicals like phthalates found in cosmetics, hair care, body washes, fragrances and perfumes, household cleaning products and vinyl products in flooring and your car - use natural alternatives, and check the ingredients!
Thermal receipts from shops.

So what products should you use instead of plactics?! For children's water bottles, stick to stainless steel bottles for their durability. Yes they mostly have plastic lids, but this usually isn't in contact with the water if standing upright. For adults, use stainless steel or glass containers, perhaps with a neoprene or silicon cover to protect it. For cooking and storing of foods, again use stainless steel, glass, enamel or cast iron cookware (not aluminium or copper, as these too can cause toxicity). For other plastic products, find alternatives which are safer. More frequent washing of your hands after contact with plastics may also reduce your health risks.

You may not be able to completely avoid all plastic products, but you can be more aware and find replacement products for most of these to reduce your risk of health issues.

what is manuka honey good for?

4/1/2017

I was recently interviewed for the (Australian) TV show "A Current Affair" to give some insight into the health benefits of using manuka honey! (see the video here: www.9now.com.au/a-current-affair/2016/extras/latest/170102/manuka-honey )

It turns out that the manuka plant (also called broom tea tree, or jelly bush) is also found natively in Australia but is less commercially produced than in our neighbouring New Zealand where the Maori word "manuka" and most of the manuka honey comes from. The Australian plants have been recently tested to show similar medicinal qualities to the NZ products, and production in Australia is likely to increase, which is a great potential for our rural industries!

Manuka honey is very popular because of its scientifically-proven antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and wound healing actions! It has even been accepted as a product used in wound management practices in hospitals, added to wound dressings to prevent and kill infections and enable healing. Despite the many billions of dollars spent developing antibiotics to kill bacteria which cause diseases, the bacteria are very smart and can mutate and become antibiotic resistant "super-bugs" to cause even more problems. However, the humble manuka honey can kill these bacteria! Even the dreaded MRSA or "golden staph" and many others.

As a broad-spectrum antimicrobial, manuka honey can be used for many uses, including:
1) for sore throats, tonsilitis, dental or gum infections, dental plaque and biofilms
2) used topically for skin issues - acne, eczema, burns, scalds, ulcers, infections and wounds
3) digestive complaints - SIBO and other gut infections, reflux/heartburn, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

And many more uses!

Manuka honey (and the Australian version) is amazing stuff! But it does have to be a good quality brand, as there are some cheapo imitations around. Manuka honey comes in different strengths of its medicinal content, and rated in UMFs - "Unique Manuka Factor". For thapeutic benefits, needs to have at least a 10 UMF rating. This means it has more antimicrobial strength, and the higher the strength, the higher price. And it is quite expensive! If the Australian production of manuka honey gets going, hopefully the prices should fall!

Get some manuka honey today, just to have in your home for those little health emergencies!

Happy new year 2017!

4/1/2017

Happy New Year!
Yes it is that time of year again when we make our resolutions and goals for the year ahead. We can of course start working on our goals at any time of the year, but it's traditional for many to do this at the start of a year, especially after the probable excesses of food and drink during the xmas week!

Many people tend to focus on their health goals at this time of year - to exercise more, to lose weight, or aim to eat better etc, which is great! But when back in the post-holiday mode and at work again, work or other life duties becomes more of a priority and the health goals are left behind...

Why does it seem so hard to stick to your best intentions for better health? Sure, in every decision you make there is some commitment required, but there is something missing if you can't stick to your plan.

The missing ingredient is that you haven't figured out your "why"! Why are you wanting to make these changes? What are the benefits to making these changes? What do you want to accomplish? And most importantly, how are you going to celebrate achieving your goal?!

I believe finding your "why" before you start is far more important than the "doing" or the "what" part of your goals! Your "why" is your motivator, your reason or purpose, or your real goal! This is what you need to concentrate on, and the "what" will be easier! But there are some tricks to making this work, such as having your "why" written down and in a prominent place where you see it and say it every day, and then do something every day towards your real goal.

If you are looking to improve your health in your new years resolutions, start now! The sooner you start, the sooner you will get your results!

As a holistic Nutritionist and Naturopath, I'd love to be able to help you to achieve your health goals! To help you, I have a special deal on for January only - a 2-for-1 offer for you and a friend to get the best personalised advice for nutrition and natural treatments and save 50%! Whether your goal is to lose weight, reduce or eliminate various symptoms, improve sleep, give you more energy or less pain, I can help you!

I focus on finding the root causes of your health issues, as only by finding and treating the causes will you get a permanent resolution and achieving your health goals! It's easier to reach your goals with the support of a friend, partner or family member, and of course, myself to help!

Save 50% on your consultations during January only, and get started on your new years resolutions!

Have a wonderful new year full of fun, laughter, adventures and the best of health!

Are you drinking enough water?

23/12/2016

Now that it is Summer again (where I am in Brisbane!), and that means it's hot and humid, and you need to drink more water! I'm not going to tell you to drink 2-3 litres per day! But at least look at the colour of your urine, and if it's not clear or very light yellow - drink some more WATER! No, not just tea, coffee, beer or wine, as these are all diuretic and will make you excrete more water than you are taking in!

The main point of this article is to point out the dangers of using plastic bottles for water - whether it be store-bought plastic bottles of water, or reusable bottles that you carry around, or the kids take to school or those which you keep in the car.

No plastic bottles or containers are safe! They ALL contain toxic chemicals which have been proven to leach into the water (or foods) they contain. It doesn't matter if the plastic is BPA-free, PET, Tupperware or anything. They all leach chemicals into the water, and 50 times more so when they are hot, which is just one reason why you should never use plastic containers in the microwave oven... The chemicals which leach from plastic containers include hormone-disrupting chemicals and cancer-causing chemicals. So you don't want them in your water or food!

If you can try this experiment - put a 1/2 filled plastic bottle of water in your car and leave it there all day in the sun. Then take off the lid and smell the water - it will smell a lot of chemicals. DON'T drink it! In fact, once a bottle has been left in a hot car or in the sun, it should be thrown away. And yes I believe this applies to refillable water bottles which children take to school for the same reason - they get hot in summer and leach chemicals which can affect their health.

There was a problem with BPA plastic a few years ago, proven to disrupt hormones and cause cancer, then this was replaced by BPA-free or BPS plastic... which sure enough after a few years, was shown to have exactly the same issue. No plastic bottles or containers are safe for hot foods or hot conditions. BUT, it has been shown that freezing water or foods in plastic containers has a similar effect.

And let's not forget the environmental damage of all those plastic bottles...

So what bottles should you use?!

For children, stick to stainless steel bottles for their durability. Yes they mostly have plastic lids, but this usually isn't in contact with the water if standing upright. For adults, use stainless steel or glass containers, perhaps with a neoprene or silicon cover to protect it.

Be "water-safe" this summer! Drink plenty of good filtered water, and store it safely too!

CAN naturopathy reduce PMS symptoms? YES!

23/12/2016

This is an article on a real case I've been working on for a female client with severe hormonal issues. Please note that painful periods, PMS, painful breasts, and other menstrual cycle symptoms are NOT normal! They are a sign of hormonal imbalance and there are things which can be done to get rid of these symptoms. I hope this case resonates with you, as it shows how natural medicine works to resolve such issues!

Client: Female, mid-30s with personal and family history of painful endometriosis, severe period pains, cramping and other symptoms, ovarian cysts, painful and swollen fibrocystic breasts, lots of stress and anxiety, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), low energy, constipation, sleep issues (because of the frequent pain), and other health issues and symptoms.

This sounds like a very complex case, but fairly typical of what I regularly see! By asking lots of questions and investigating all aspects of someone's health and lifestyle, I can find the causes of all her health problems. Only when the causes have been identified can a personalised treatment plan be designed and put into action. This is the naturopathic approach - to find the causes, and treat the causes, then the whole body will be healthy and healed!

As always, I reviewed the client's weekly diet - as some specific foods cause inflammation and can make menstrual cycle symptoms worse. Only minor changes to her diet was required. Cooking and lifestyle factors can play a part in hormonal conditions too, such as how are foods cooked, or are plastics containers or bottles used to store food or drinks?

Her symptoms were commonly seen with having "oestrogen dominance", meaning having too high oestrogen levels compared to progesterone (another female hormone). Stress plays a huge part in her symptoms - progesterone is preferentially converted into cortisol (the stress hormone), to cause the oestrogen dominance. But to prove my theory and before I can fix the hormone issues, I needed to recommend the client get a saliva hormone test. This was arranged, and the results confirmed the oestrogen dominance - with all 3 of her oestrogen hormones over double the normal recommended maximum, and progesterone in the lower 1/3 of the recommended range.

A holistic treatment plan was implemented, which included some nutrition changes, stress management, flower essences, and a nutritional supplement which supports the liver to detoxify the excess oestrogen and also to increase production of progesterone.
Within a couple of weeks of starting the treatment plan, the client reported that her fibrocystic breast pains were dramatically decreasing, and when she had her next cycle, she had no PMS pains at all, and the following cycle she had NO symptoms of PMS, or breast pains! This is what all menstruating women should have each month! Other actions were recommended to help with her additional issues.

If you, or someone you knows, is having troubling or painful PMS symptoms each month, or struggling to lose weight, or signs of depression or anxiety (or other symptoms as seen in the picture), then oestrogen dominance may be causing it. I can determine if this is causing your issues, and if confirmed in a pathology test, then you can have the same results as the client in this article!

If this story sounds like you, then I'd love to help you too!

AUOIMMUNE CONDITIONS - CAN NATUROPATHY HELP?

30/11/2016

There are over 80 health conditions which are classified as autoimmune conditions, but what does this mean, and how can naturopathy help?

Autoimmune conditions are health issues where your immune system attacks your normal cells instead of bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells, which is what they should be protecting you against. Autoimmune conditions are normally called a different name, depending on which organs are being attacked. Such conditions cause a lot of inflammation in your body, which can cause many other symptoms other than just in the organ being affected.

Examples of a few more common autoimmune conditions and the organs or regions which are affected can include type 1 diabetes (pancreas), Coeliac and Crohn's disease (digestive tract), Multiple Sclerosis (nervous system), Grave's and Hashimoto's disease (thyroid), Rheumatoid arthritis (joints), psoriasis (skin), lupus (connective tissue all over the body), and many others.

The typical medical approach to autoimmune conditions is to suppress the immune system with anti-inflammatory medications, immunosuppressives, corticosteroids, chemotherapy and other medications to try and slow down the damage. But this is a bandaid approach in that it covers up the symptoms and lessens them, but doesn't do anything for the cause or any real treatment. Suppressing the immune system is never a good idea as it can lead to a greater risk of other infections and even cancer.

The cause of autoimmune conditions is from lifestyle and dietary factors. Stress and nutrition always influences every disease, especially autoimmune conditions. There are other factors involved too, with some triggers being allergies and food/chemical intolerances, microbes and parasites, and toxic chemicals. Another major factor influencing autoimmune conditions is how well your digestive system is functioning, or the integrity of the intestinal wall.

Naturopaths are the best practitioners to help with autoimmune conditions as we do look at the bigger holistic (whole body) picture of your food intake, lifestyle, digestive system, food intolerances and all the other factors involved! With a treatment plan which treats all factors, autoimmune conditions can be slowed, prevented and even reversed!

If you have an autoimmune condition and your treatment isn't helping you get better, I'd love to help!

Your foods are not as healthy as they used to be!

24/11/2016

As a Nutritionist and Naturopath I always ask clients for details about their weekly food intake. Many people think they are eating healthy foods, when they are really not healthy choices, and these are contributing to their health issues! People choose their foods from familiarity, taste, cost, accessibility, ease of cooking and historical or family/cultural factors. Many people also choose their foods as a result of seeing marketing or from old knowledge about foods or meals.

The trouble is that I see there is a lot of confusion about which foods people think are healthy or not. And there is a lot of misinformation about “health foods”, because of conflicting research or marketing.

The government food guidelines are often based around a food pyramid, food groups or meal plate idea. This advice comes from various committees or organisations (Dietitians Association of Australia, Heart Foundation and others), but what you often don’t know is that profit-making and non-food-expert corporates are allowed to have their say in these dietary recommendations! These corporates such as various agricultural or food industry groups, and even supermarkets and retail groups want to have their say so they don’t lose out on profits or their share price… Most of the government food guidelines are therefore biased towards their corporate profits, and not for the benefit of your health. Hence I recommend ignoring these food guidelines, and instead basing your foods choices of qualified, independent and evidence-based experts, like me! (ok, and other Nutritionists and Naturopaths, but not Dietitians as they belong to the biased group).

In addition, because of the many changes to the way your foods are grown, processed, stored, transported and even cooked in these modern times, your once-healthy foods may not be good choices any more. For example, the amount of toxic pesticides, herbicides, fungicides sprayed on your (often genetically-modified) food crops, which are then exposed to various radioactive metals, or preservatives or gases to stop them rotting, stored in cold rooms for months to years, then mixed with more additives, preservatives, and artificial colourings, flavourings and sweeteners, before you finally get to eat it.

Then there’s your ethnic background and individual intolerances to foods which can affect how your food choices can affect your health. Certain ethnic cultures have historically not eaten some types of food groups, and their health is affected if they follow the “one size fits all” approach. This is another reason why the government food guidelines are not a good example to follow.

The point I am trying to make is that you should know where your food really comes from, what it is exposed to, what it contains, and what effect it has on your body and your health. Sometimes it can be hard to find these things out, but this is where I can help you! I can provide you with the best advice specific for you and your health goals, based on the latest research, and personalised to your lifestyle and food tolerances/intolerances!

To get the best of health, talk to an expert who has your health and best interests at heart. (That would be me!).

Eczema can be easily and quickly cleared!

11/11/2016

If you, or your children or anyone you know suffers from eczema, there is a lot that can be done to clear it quickly with a few simple steps!

Eczema can be a sign of an allergy or intolerance to certain foods, chemicals or environmental factors. Eczema can also be due to poor elimination of wastes. Your skin is one of 4 elimination paths, after your digestive tract, urinary tract, and respiratory system, in that order. If wastes cannot be removed using these 3 paths, they will come out through your skin! This isn’t ideal as it can lead to various skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema.

Eczema can cause more emotional stress and embarrassment as it can look unsightly as well as being itchy and sore. Typical eczema creams may stop the itch or pain, but not the root causes, which is why eczema keeps coming back or gets worse.

By investigating, identifying and treating the causes of eczema, it will clear quickly and stay clear! An eczema treatment plan can include a food intake analysis, food intolerances test, digestive system and detoxification improvements, topical cream, and other treatments as needed.

If you know of anyone with eczema, I’d love to help them!

nutriENT deficiencies are A MAJOr cause of mental ILLNESS

15/10/2016

It is Mental Health Awareness week! This means it is time to think about your mental health and that of your family and friends. Mental health conditions are not to be ashamed of, and a lot of the time it’s not your fault. But there are some simple causes and simple treatments which address these conditions.

As a Nutritionist and Naturopath, can anything be done for mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, stress, and neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and others? Yes, there is a lot that I can do to help!
It used to be said that mental health conditions like depression were caused by an imbalance of hormones or chemicals in the brain. That is only partly true. But recent research shows that there are other things that cause these imbalances of hormones. Attempting to fix the imbalances with medications (ie, antidepressants and others) is futile and dangerous, because they do not actually address the root causes.
Your hormones are made from ingredients in your body. You make them every day from what you take in – from your FOOD! You know that some foods make you feel great with lots of energy, while other foods can make you feel sluggish, and giving you pains and digestive upsets. This is because your food becomes you, in the form of new cells and hormones every day! You can only have the best of mental and physical health when you provide your body with the right foods that YOUR body needs, as what might be right for someone else may not be right for you.
Research shows that various vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to mental health conditions. It can be as simple as that! But what may be lacking needs further investigation to find the right treatment for you. Taking an antidepressant is NOT going to address these deficiencies, but they attempt to make you feel better (that’s if they work for you at all), and all the while your body is getting sicker because it’s deficient in certain nutrients. And then there’s the side effects of the medications such as digestive conditions, weight gain, worsening depression and suicidal thoughts, and more. Does a doctor even look into the possibility of a nutritional deficiency causing depression, anxiety or any other "mental illness"? No, they don't! They aren't trained in nutrition or the effects it has on the body.
Your food intake isn’t the only cause for mental health conditions, as stress, digestive conditions, infections, medications and lifestyle factors can all play a part too. Hence to truly treat and resolve mental health conditions, you need to have a completely holistic treatment plan – which is what I do!
I also have a 1-hour mental health seminar that I have developed for corporations and community groups, to inform and empower people to better understand mental health conditions and how to improve your health holistically. Please let me know if you would like me to present this at your location.
If you or anyone you know has a mental health issue, I would be love to be able to help you! Please like and share this, so I may be able to help others with their mental health too!

Who really came up with the health star rating system?!

2/10/2016

The "Health star rating" system in Australia is flawed, useless, biased towards processed foods over less processed foods, and is based on faulty science and corporate interests to maintain their profits.

As I mentioned in my recent article about dietitians and the Dietitians Association of Australia, this organisation is "sponsored" by many food industry groups, "food" manufacturers like Nestle, McDonalds, Campbells, Arnotts and other non-healthy "food" companies. In return for this sponsorship, the DAA provides biased advice which is not based on current nutritional research, but helps to maintain the profits of their corporate sponsors. I have also written previously about the health star rating system (search for my post below), but this article is a different look at it.

What better proof of this biased (or corrupted) health rating system is to look at who was actually a part of this system. I'm sure this might surprise you! The organisations who decided on this rating system included:
- Government representatives - untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- NSW Food Authority - responsible for food safety, but untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- Australian Medical Association - representing some Australian doctors, untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine

- Choice - consumer group, untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- Australian Food and Grocery Council - an industry body for food manufacturers and suppliers, untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- Australian Industry Group - represents many industries and manufacturers, of which the spokesperson represented the confectionery industry in Australia and was the VP of the International Confectionery Association, untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- NZ Department of Primary Industries - responsible for food regulations. Spokesperson was trained as a dietitian... (which is not about nutrition or nutritional medicine)
- Australian Beverages Council - representing the manufacturers of non-alcoholic beverages (such as soft drinks, fruit juices, cordials etc - not "health" products are they?!), untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- Australian National Retail Association - representing retail, fast food and service industries, untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
- Obesity Policy Coalition - enforces laws to support obesity prevention - do we actually have any? Because they aren't working!
- Public Health Association of Australia - at last, some organisation which appears to have something to do with health! But it uses advice from government committees and organisations with a doctor and medical bias, again who are untrained in nutrition or nutritional medicine
This information is plain to see on the Health Star Rating System website (here: http://healthstarrating.gov.au/internet/healthstarrating/publishing.nsf/Content/Acknowledgements)
As you can see from the design of this "health star rating" system, there is very little to no basis to do with real nutrition or your health, but almost all to do with the food industry and processed food corporations and maintaining their profits. This is very disappointing.
You should not use or rely on the "health star rating" system for your food choices. Ignore them and your health will be better for it! In fact, use this system in reverse, by selecting foods with a LOWER star rating for a better choice, and most of the time your choice will be a healthier one! Or better yet, choose foods which do not have a label and thus no rating system, like fresh, organic vegetables and fruit, and organic grass-fed animal products.

which fats/oils are the best for your health or cooking?

27/9/2016

In the 1970s-80s we had the "low/no fat" scare campaign, because all dietary fat was apparently evil, as what fat we ate became the fat that we put on... which is a total lie! Because of this scare marketing, almost all homes and restaurants changed from using lard or animal fats (ie, saturated fat) for frying or cooking, and replacing with "cheaper" and "healthier" vegetable oils, or more correctly called seed oils. What the seed oil companies didn't tell the restaurants or home cooks was that the seed oils went rancid quicker and didn't last as long, which meant that you had to buy them more often! While seed oils were initially cheaper, buying them more frequently meant it actually cost you MORE money, and made the seed oil companies MORE profits!

Many plant-based oils can be very good for you, such as olive oil, coconut oil, and others. But again like some other foods on this list, the devil is in the details... Many of these same plant-based oils can be incredibly damaging to your health in certain circumstances.

Oils and fats do not contain just one type of fat - they are mixture of several different types, as shown in the picture below.

A definition of the different types of fats and oils is needed here:
- A monounsaturated fat has one (ie, mono) double bond in its chemical structure
- A polyunsaturated fat has two or more (ie, poly) double bonds in its chemical structure
- A saturated fat has no double bonds
- Double bonds make the oil or fat more liquid but less stable, or in other words, more unstable in the presence of oxygen or heat
- By definition and having more double bonds, polyunsaturated fats are the most unstable and tend to oxidise very quickly when exposed to heat, or even at room temperature
- Oxidised fats and oils become rancid very quickly, being very sticky and having a "not right" smell
- Oxidised fats and oils are very inflammatory to your body
- Oxidised fats in your blood is what causes atherosclerotic plaques in the walls of your blood vessels and increases your risk of heart disease or heart attacks
- Saturated fats are stable in the presence of oxygen, tend to be more solid at room temperature (ie, lard, butter and coconut oil), and are much more stable when heated or exposed to oxygen
- The "smoke point" of an oil is irrelevant as to whether it is a healthy oil or not!

One of the worst things you can do with some oils or fats is to HEAT them! This exposes them to more oxygen, breaks the unstable double bonds and turns the oil into an oxidised, rancid and inflammatory oil. As you can see from the figure above, the oils to absolutely avoid for cooking are the polyunsaturated seed oils - those with a higher % of blue or orange shown in the figure above. Amazingly enough, this includes many oils which we are told in their marketing (aka "lies") are "healthy" for you - canola, sunflower and soybean oil and others!

Do NOT use polyunsaturated seed oils for cooking! Especially not canola, safflower, sunflower or olive oils. In fact, with the exception of flaxseed oil, all of your polyunsaturated oils should be thrown away as they are already likely to be rancid and oxidised and causing you adverse health effects.

Monounsaturated oils are not that much better - they will still oxidise and become rancid when heated or exposed to oxygen. So these oils having a high % of yellow in the picture, should NOT be heated either. With the exception of olive oil and perhaps flaxseed oil (which is only kept in the fridge - because it oxidises far too quickly), all the other monounsaturated oils should be thrown away.

Saturated fats on the other hand are stable when heated (as they have no weak double bonds) and do not oxidise as quickly as the other types of oils. Hence ONLY saturated fats should be used for cooking! This means butter and coconut oil. Lard is ok, but has a high polyunsaturated fat % which can oxidise to be rancid.

For making dressings on your salads or vegetables, use olive oil or flaxseed oil. Flaxseed oil can be very healthy as it has a very high % of a plant-based omega-3 oil, which is an anti-inflammatory oil. But this oil is VERY unstable to heat and oxygen, must be kept in the refrigerator and used quickly. Olive oil is very healthy (preferably organic and extra virgin) but for dressings only!

I hope this explains which oils are good for you and why, and which to only use for cooking!

Are Nutritionists the same as DIETITIANS?!

24/9/2016

Dietitians and Nutritionists are not the same! We aren't even in the same century, or even in the same galaxy, when it comes to giving the same advice on food and nutrition for your health!

Nutrition is becoming more of a topic of interest in reality TV shows, people wanting to cook their own great meals or to have dinner parties, or for those who want to improve their health. But there is a lot of misinformation about what foods are healthy or not. Which side should you believe?

Dietitians are registered with the Dietitians Association of Australia, who "control" how the Dietitians can practice or what advice they are allowed to give. Dietitians who step outside the DAA guidelines, such as recommending a low processed carbohydrate diet for diabetes (which is actually ideal) are de-registered and kicked out of the association as seen in one case in 2014: http://www.zoeharcombe.com/2015/10/jennifer-elliott-vs-dietitians-association-of-australia/

The DAA have claimed on their Facebook page on 23-9-2016 that they are "the only nutrition professionals recognised by the Australian government, Medicare and the National Disability Insurance Scheme". Recognised for what? The Australian Government recognises Nutritionists and Naturopaths too, our courses are government approved, and health funds recognise us enough to offer you rebates on our consultations! At this stage, yes, Medicare only recognise Dietitians for bulk billing of consultation fees, because Dietitians are in bed with the medical profession and the Australian government and have been for a long time. Due to their lobbying, they are trying to keep this situation the same.

Dietitians, through the DAA, are also in bed with food and supermarket corporations and various food industry groups too. Such corporations "sponsor" the DAA with funding, in much the same way as corporations and industries sponsor the government - for favourable decisions and profits. The DAA show some of their sponsors on their website for all to see - Campbells, Arnotts, Nestle, McDonalds and many more. These are hardly health food companies! This is a major conflict of interest or bias at its worst. See some of the corporate sponsors in the picture for an idea how bad the DAA has been penetrated...

As a result of this corporate sponsorship, the DAA advice is still the same old "low fat", "low calorie", "food pyramid", and "everyone is the same" approach which they have been spewing forth for about 60 years - AND IT'S NOT WORKING! As a nation, we are getting unhealthier as a result, with higher rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and many other chronic health conditions - all affected by poor nutrition advice from the government, the DAA and dietitians.

Nutritionists and Naturopaths (like me!) on the other hand are independent health professionals, not controlled by any association or dictated to as to how they can practice or provide treatments. These modalities are very much evidence-based on current scientific research, and are personalised to the individual client, as everyone is different!

Our general advice is that your foods need to be unprocessed, whole and fresh, and without being exposed to toxic chemicals. We are also far more than advisors on your food choices, but holistic health practitioners who are trained and educated on improving your lifestyle, sleep, stresses, digestive system, immune system, and many other areas, and able to treat all manner of health conditions. Sometimes we can recommend certain pathology tests and supplements to give your body a boost when needed. We work with many other medical practitioners and allied health professionals too!

For the best health of your family and friends, ignore the biased and corporate sponsored food and nutrition marketing from the government and it's associated bodies. Trust the government?! No way! Get your nutrition and health advice from an experienced and independent health professional, who is more interested in improving your health than keeping the corporate sponsors happy.

Good health to you!

is fruit as bad as sugar for your health?

22/9/2016

We hear frequently that processed sugar is bad for us, causing everything from acne to weight gain! The truth is that sugar is a lot worse than that! It can also cause diabetes, heart disease, liver disease, cancer and many other chronic health conditions.

Does this also apply to the sugar found in fruit? Lets find out!

The fruit sugar is called fructose, which is different to the glucose found in vegetables. These different types of sugars are absorbed and used differently i...n the body. The good news is that the fibre in fresh and whole fruit slows down the absorption of fructose! So it would be hard to overdose on fresh whole fruit! Although this may not be ideal to do if you have diabetes, cancer or heart disease.

Fresh, whole fruit provides an abundance of vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and many phytonutrients to improve your health. The best fruits are those that are organic, in season, and locally grown - for the highest nutrient content.

In small amounts, up to 60% of fructose is converted to glucose to be used for energy by the body's cells, and any excess is stored as fat. However in concentrated forms of fructose like dried fruit, soft drinks, fruit juices, and corn syrup, honey, maple and agave syrups, fructose is converted by the liver directly into fat.

High intakes of concentrated fructose has been shown in research to increase blood sugar and cholesterol more than other types of sugars, causing weight gain, fatty liver, and inflammation of the blood vessels, leading to diabetes and heart disease and many other health conditions.

For your future health and prevention of health conditions, stick to fresh whole fruit regularly in your diet, but avoid the concentrated forms of fructose as these will make your health worse.