Ross Walter Nutritionist and Naturopath health articles and blog

High carbohydrate foods can reduce immune system function against infections

2/4/2020

I have been writing a lot of articles over the past 2 months or more on your immune system, to help you improve its function and strength against the current coronavirus pandemic. I've given you multiple ways to improve your immune system through dietary, lifestyle, supplements and more. This time I am going to talk about what NOT to do!

For your immune system to work properly to protect you from all types of infections, it needs a variety of nutrients from your foods. Good digestion and gut function is important too, which will be a topic for another article in the future!

All those people who have hoarded high carbohydrate foods for the coronavirus apocalypse may not like what I am about to say!

A very recent published open letter from several doctors and specialists trained in nutritional medicine (Clemens et al., 2020) has again confirmed that diets high in carbohydrates, in particular the refined carbohydrates of sugary foods and drinks, grain-based foods (breads, bakery products, cereals, pasta etc) and alcohol (sorry!), all deplete the immune system in a couple of ways:

Carbohydrate-rich foods are metabolised in your body into glucose, which causes an increase in blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels cause a lot of inflammation, particularly to the blood vessels, the liver, but many other organs and tissues too
High carbohydrate foods are generally low in real nutrients, thus causing nutrient deficiencies if consumed in high amounts
High carbohydrate diets cause an increased demand for certain nutrients needed to metabolise the sugar from the foods, such as vitamin C, zinc, magnesium, B-vitamins and more. Note that some of these I've mentioned before in my previous articles on what you need to improve your immune system function
People with chronic health conditions have been shown to have reduced levels of these essential nutrients. Generally, the elderly have more chronic health conditions than other age groups, meaning that they are at greater risk to infections (which is what we are seeing in this coronavirus infection)
The higher your blood sugar level, the lower your vitamin C level, and vitamin C is blocked from entering cells when blood sugar levels are high
Immune system cells (white blood cells) need 100 times the amount of vitamin C than other cells, so high blood glucose will reduce immune system function
High levels of fructose (a type of sugar from fruit, fruit juices, soft drinks, grains and alcohol) significantly inhibits the activation of vitamin D (which is a massive immune system booster and infection protective compound).

In the same open letter, the specialist doctors found for previous infections such as the H1N1 flu, the biggest risk factor for a severe case of this infection was high carbohydrate intake and high blood glucose, especially in those who were diabetics.

To confirm this, other studies showed by reducing carbohydrate intake can provide protection against infections, by stimulating the immune system response (Clemens et al., 2020; Goldberg et al, 2019).

Sadly all those high carbohydrate long shelf-life foods that people have hoarded and now in short supply on the bare supermarket shelves, should be eaten at a minimum because of their negative effects on your immune system.

You need your immune system working optimally at the moment, which means eating more whole, fresh, real and preferably organic foods as much as possible. This means quality meats, vegetables , nuts and seeds, quality fats, eggs, etc and only a small amount of fruit. These foods are nutrient-dense with more real nutrients your immune system needs! Eat less of the highly processed and packaged foods, especially those high in sugar or foods that metabolise into sugar (glucose or fructose) from grain-based foods.

Stay Healthy!

References:
Clemens, Z., Tóth, C., Dabóczi, A., Andrásofszky, E., Horváth, R., Kolonics, G. (2020). Possibilities of reducing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and increasing natural resistance to the disease via nutritional intervention. Retrieved 1 April 2020 from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340296931_Possibilities_of_reducing_the_spread_of_the_SARS-CoV-2_virus_and_increasing_natural_resistance_to_the_disease_via_nutritional_intervention. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.27031.93605
Goldberg, E.L., Molony, R.D., Kudo, E., Sidorov, S., Kong, Y., Dixit, V.D., & Iwasaki. A. (2019). Ketogenic diet activates protective γδ T cell responses against influenza virus infection. Science Immunology, 4 (41): eaav2026. DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aav2026

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Is eating gluten-free a healthier option?

20/3/2018

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This is part 3 of my series about gluten-free diets, as it's Coeliac Awareness week! Coeliac Disease is a severe intolerance to gluten (allegedly). Is gluten really an issue and are gluten-free products actually healthier for you?

In the previous article on this topic, I mentioned that I have noticed different people having different reactions to gluten-containing products, or more specifically, different reactions to ingredients found in many grain products. Sometimes it's gluten, sometimes the grain itself, or the glyphosate/Roundup herbicide or other chemicals used in the production, or other ingredients.

Yes gluten intolerance is a huge issue in some people, but there are many more issues caused by other ingredients in grain products. These issues include the high amount of carbohydrates in grains and the quantity of them which our ridiculous food guidelines say we should eat, the anti-nutrients in most grains, phytates, oxalates, lectins, fructans, heavy metals, moulds, and all of the inflammatory effects and symptoms these cause.

Going gluten-free instead usually means changing from one type of grain to another, which can still cause the same symptoms! Weetbix contains gluten, but gluten-free weetbix (or other similar product) is still high in carbs, sugar, phytates, anti-nutrients, moulds, and other negative effects to your health. Just because some food or drink is labelled as "gluten-free" doesn't make it a healthier option!

I've seen gluten-free lollies, beer, meat, water, chips, clothes, and many other products! All of which have never had gluten in them anyway! It's all just misleading marketing.

For your health and that of your family, you should not only ditch the gluten-free foods, but also any grains and processed grain products. That way you don't get any of the negative ingredients or effects from them! Replace grains with whole, fresh, and preferably organic real foods - mainly vegetables, some fruit, quality protein and healthy fats! There are NO nutrients in grains which cannot be found in these healthier options.

Food labelled "Gluten-free" is just a marketing ploy. It's not healthier for you, unless it's "grain-free". Maybe that should be a new marketing campaign?!

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WHO INVENTED THE FOOD PYRAMID AND FOOD GUIDELINES?

5/12/2017

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Have you ever wondered why our government food guidelines are the way they are, or why they don't make a lot (or any) sense, or why we have the current worldwide epidemics of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases, when most people are following these guidelines?

Here you have your answers, if you didn't already know...

But first, who invented the initial food pyramid, in an attempt to tell people what they should eat to be healthy? I'll tell you: In 1924, a dietitian by the name of Mary Barber designed the first food pyramid. And she worked for this company...... wait for it...

KELLOGGS!!

What group of foods did she put on the bottom of the food pyramid, to tell you to eat the most of?! GRAINS! (see pic)

What do Kelloggs sell most of? GRAINS!

Way back then the food pyramid was designed to get people to eat more GRAINS, to make Kelloggs more profit. It wasn't based on scientific evidence that it was good for you!

And today, the situation is exactly the same.

Just a couple of days ago, the Assistant Federal Minster for Health, David Gillespie MP, sent out a media release highlighting the huge financial costs of diabetes and heart disease. It also mentioned that based on some research, simply eating more fibre from grains could improve our health and (allegedly) prevent a huge number of diabetes and heart disease cases.

On face value, that idea may sound ok to you, except that it was Kelloggs who actually funded that research! (see additional pics) Some 93 years after they first started manipulating the public, they are STILL interfering with government advice and the food guidelines to get you to buy what will increase their profits - GRAINS! (in breakfast cereals, muesli bars, breads, and many other products)

So what's the problem with grains? They are high in carbohydrates, which gets broken down into glucose in the body to cause high blood sugars, and in excess, it will be stored as fat. A lot of recent research shows that grains cause high cholesterol, high blood pressure, inflammation, low energy, IBS, and a lot more symptoms, and conditions such as diabetes and heart disease - the very things which the assistant health minister and Kelloggs are suggesting will prevent! It won't - eating more grains will cause more of these conditions.

The current food guidelines which still advise us to eat 6-11 serves of grains daily, were produced by the Dietitians Association of Australia, who accept a massive amount of sponsorships from food industry corporates like Kelloggs, Sanitarium, Arnotts, Campbells, Nestle and many more... this is a huge conflict of interest and it shows in their unscientific recommendations. The DAA guidelines are about protecting their corporate partners' profits, and not based on independent scientific research or what is best for your health. Hence why you should ignore these guidelines, and eat LESS grains, if you want to be healthier.

For the best independent nutrition advice, instead talk to your (non-DAA-aligned) Nutritionist or Naturopath. We have your best interests and health at heart, based on recent scientific research.

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

24/11/2016

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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!).

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grains are fed to animals to fatten them up... get the irony?

18/8/2016

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If you read my articles regularly (see below) you will know that I am not a fan of whole grains such as wheat and corn as being a regular part of any healthy nutrition plan.

In short, the main reasons for this are:
1) Grains are high in carbohydrates, which get broken down in the body into glucose, causing high blood sugar spikes, high insulin response (to store the glucose as fat), and weight gain and diabetes
2) The government food guidelines are biased towards eating a massive amount of grains per day, for corporate profits, not from any scientific or health basis
3) The genetic modification of wheat and corn in particular, makes them "Roundup Ready", or splicing toxic bacterial genes into corn so the plant produces its own pesticides, which you then eat...
4) The GMO "Roundup Ready" wheat is laced with Roundup (aka glyphosate) which the World Health Organisation rated in early 2016 as a "probable carcinogen" based on many research studies
5) The genetic modification of wheat has led to a higher amount of gluten in wheat, rye and barley grain products. As we cannot break down gluten fully, we need bacteria and yeasts to do this, and bread-making used to be a fermented process to allow these microbes to reduce the gluten in breads and to make them more easily digested by us. This doesn't happen for the most part in modern baking, and high amounts of gluten are causing a LOT of digestive complaints and mental health disorders in particular
6) There are NO nutritional ingredients in grains which are not found in other foods, such as vegetables, nuts and seeds, and other foods. You won't miss anything by not having grains
7) GMO grains, soy, sugar, hormones, antibiotics, and other rubbish, to fatten them up, but somehow all of these things are allegedly healthy for you?!

Wheat, corn and many other grains are linked to diabetes, weight gain, fatigue, sleep issues, depression, neurological disorders (alzheimer's, parkinsons, multiple sclerosis etc), IBS and many other digestive and gut conditions, cancer, and most autoimmune conditions. If you have any of these conditions, you need to consider looking at how grains are possibly causing your health issues.

There are plenty of healthier alternatives to having wheat and corn products, and removing wheat and corn from your diet will improve your health in so many ways.

How have you noticed grains like wheat and corn affect you?

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The food pyramid model is an Unhealthy joke

5/3/2016

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The old food pyramid theory of healthy nutrition is an absolute joke, because of its food industry sponsorship bias and ignorance of current nutrition research being implemented in its design. So what are my recommended guidelines as to what foods are good to eat and how much should I eat? I'm glad you asked!

There are 2 models I believe are important for the best health, which show you:

1) which foods are best to consume
2) how much of each to have in a meal

The food pyramid design shows which foods to eat more of - at the bottom of the pyramid - and foods to eat less of - at the top. The original food pyramid was designed in 1924 by Mary Barber, who was a dietitian employed by... wait for it... KELLOGGS! So she designed a food pyramid with grains as the food group to eat the most of. What do Kelloggs' products have the most of? Grains! So Kelloggs designed the food pyramid to sell more of their stuff! It's nothing to do with grains being healthy for you, it's all about making more money from you.

Recent research into grains shows that they are neither healthy for you, and they actually contribute to obesity and many chronic disease conditions including heart disease and cancer. I have written about the negatives on grains in other articles in my blog. As a result, I have removed most grains from "my" recommended food pyramid design.

The layout of this food pyramid is rearranged a little from the original design, but it is all about fresh, organic, whole and real foods! This new model is based on a recent food research and on changes to farming and agriculture practices which make a lot of our food unhealthy and contributing to poor health.
Fats and oils - have been moved down the pyramid, meaning that we should eat MORE of the healthy fats - raw nuts/seeds, avocado, eggs, olive oil (unheated and as a dressing only), butter and coconut oil (for cooking), and fatty fish - and none of the unhealthy ones (trans-fat from processed and bakery foods, vegetable oils and margarine).
Grains - mostly removed (especially wheat and all bakery products, corn, breakfast cereals, pasta etc)

Dairy - removed and replaced with nut milks, rice milk etc, but NOT soy milk (or anything soy for that matter)
Vegies - moved down to the bottom (excluding water) so we need to eat the most of these per day
Fruit - put into their own group and moved up to eat less of these. Real fruit is ok. Fruit juice is not ok.
Meats - should be organic and grass-fed (NOT grain-fed), to reduce the intake of hormones, antibiotics and other chemicals to increase the shelf-life of meat. Limit processed meat intake.

Yes the medicos (who are untrained in nutrition or the effects of food on the body) and dietitians (who are sponsored by food industry groups and provide biased advice like the old food pyramid) would be horrified by this design, as it lacks any dairy or grains! I have written other articles on whether dairy or grains are really necessary in our diets - and they aren't! There's more calcium in vegetables, nuts and seeds and some seafood than in dairy! And there's nothing in grains that can't be obtained from the other food groups, particularly vegetables, nuts/seeds and grass-fed meats. You will not miss any nutrients by reducing or cutting dairy and grains from your diet!

I will write about how much you should eat in your meals in another article soon!

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How times have changed on fat and cholesterol research

18/1/2016

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I have written previously about how low fat diets actually cause more negative health issues than they are supposed to prevent (see other articles below) and even more recent scientific research backs this up.

Unfortunately the old paradigm of low fat and low cholesterol foods are healthy and reduce the risk of heart disease was based on shonky observational studies (by reviewing peoples' diet diaries) done in the 1950s to come up with their conclusions, and not by any clinical studies done in the laboratory to prove that dietary fat actually causes the issues in peoples' bodies. Hence we have had 50 or more years of misinformation and conflicting advice by those who want to stick to the old low fat paradigm (Doctors, Dietitians and many personal trainers), and those (like me) who look at more current clinical research studies which shows that low fat and low cholesterol diets are not recommended because of the health risks they cause.

So what does actually cause heart disease, high cholesterol and atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of arterial walls that lead to blockages, clots and strokes)?

According to recent research, it's trans-fat (from processed and fried foods and margarine), SUGAR and WHOLE GRAINS which are the main culprits in heart disease and arterial damage, and not healthy fats, especially not saturated fats, which appeared to have a protective effect on the heart! Saturated fats (such as in butter and coconut oil) increase your "good" HDL cholesterol, but trans-fat, sugars and grains do the reverse - they increase your bad "LDL" cholesterol and lower your "good" HDL cholesterol.

In addition, fructose (the sugar found in fruit) has also been implicated in obesity and heart disease - in the concentrated and processed forms of fructose such as sugary foods, soft drinks, and fruit juices. However fresh whole fruit is fine as it doesn't have the same effect.

A diet high in sugars and grains leads to obesity, which causes insulin resistance and diabetes, which in turn causes high blood pressure, and in turn this causes heart disease, kidney problems, eye diseases and lowered eyesight, poor circulation and further heart damage in a vicious cycle - and leading to death.

There are many other negative issues with sugars and grains too, such as causing cancer, gastrointestinal issues, depression and mood swings, liver issues and causing or exacerbating many other health conditions.

So if you are wanting to improve your health, please come and see me for a personalised nutrition plan and treatment plan to reverse any health conditions you may have, and to improve your health and make you feel a lot better!

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High carbohydrate foods can reduce immune system function against infections

Is eating gluten-free a healthier option?

WHO INVENTED THE FOOD PYRAMID AND FOOD GUIDELINES?

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

grains are fed to animals to fatten them up... get the irony?

The food pyramid model is an Unhealthy joke

How times have changed on fat and cholesterol research

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