Saffron

Polyphenols are beneficial compounds, including flavonoids and phenolic acid. They help improve digestion, blood sugar levels, brain and heart function and boost the immune system. They are abundant in various plants and high levels are found in berries, nuts, vegetables and beans.

Saffron, a powerful polyphenol, is possibly the most expensive spice as it uses a labour intensive harvesting method.
Saffron is an impressive antioxidant; it helps reduce inflammation, has anti-depressive effects, improves brain function, memory, mood, libido, and calms hyperactivity in children. In test tube studies, saffron has been shown to have cancer fighting properties, especially colon cancer.

In Chinese Medicine, saffron is seen as reducing PMS symptoms, stimulating Liver Qi, and removing stagnation.
Recent studies also show that saffron improves age related macular degeneration.

Best to buy saffron threads rather than powdered; crush and soak 20-30 mins in hot (not boiling) water, then add to your cooking.
If you want to buy saffron supplements, make sure to get a standardised, pure and clean product. Naked Pharmacy seems like a good choice. 30mg a day to be taken in the morning with food; do not exceed 1g and not recommended for pregnancy/lactating.

I’ve never taken saffron but the latest research showing its benefits for the eyes..makes it very tempting.

#saffron #spices #herbs #chinesemedicine #stagnation #Qi #PMS #digestion #bloodsugar #AMD #brain #memory #hearthealth

Negative Thoughts…

toxic for us?

Maybe not! While genuine optimism enhances our immune system, too much attachment to positive thinking blocks the reality: the truth!
Of course, there's nothing wrong in being positive, but only if is not at the expense of seeing clearly what is wrong in our lives, with our emotions, with our thinking. Optimism should not blind us; we need to lift that curtain from our eyes and examine what is behind.

When a negative thought comes, rather than pushing it away, let us try to understand what it is that it’s telling us. Real optimists are not scared of looking in the eye of the truth, they are fearless.

Many scientific studies show that hiding behind optimism, usually manifesting itself as fear of facing reality, lowers our immune system. A clear awareness of negative influences takes us to the painful journey of a significant change in our lives.

Why did I get cancer, I never have pessimistic thoughts?..wrong
What is my cancer telling me?.. helpful
As for me, I find it very comforting to say:
Not now, i haven’t got time...
No need for doctors, I can cure myself
I help so many, I don’t need help..

Familiar? Yes i am guilty of all of those thoughts.. though I am beginning to knock down that wall that is standing in front of me, the truth is I am only at the initial stage of this hard, long, upward journey. I urge you to join me.. but I warn you, it will be tough! #acupuncture #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #journey #lifestyle #disease #body #optimisim #selflove ##positivethoughts #meditation #alternativemedicine #negativethoughts

CoQ10

CoQ10 is something that is both synthesised in the body and gained from the diet. It is a key component of energy production and most importantly it’s a potent fat soluble anti oxidant (another reason why eating fat is important - so many vitamins and minerals will only be absorbed if had with fat). CoQ10 is also very important in fertility in both men and women as it protects the sperm from oxidative stress, and it keeps age associated egg deficits at bay. It’s also crucial for heart function and helps manage periodontal disease (gingivitis). CoQ10 is also said to ‘counteract ageing’ as it protects mitochondrial DNA.

CoQ10 levels are depleted by smoking, some diseases (eg cardiovascular), ageing and certain drugs - most notably *statins*. Statins are drugs used to manage cholesterol levels, and are the most  commonly prescribed drug in the UK. Cholesterol and CoQ10 are synthesised using the same pathway, and statins block this pathway - stopping us making CoQ10. Statins have a range of side effects, some of which are because they deplete levels of CoQ10. If you take statins looking at your CoQ10 levels is very important and supplements or a higher CoQ10 rich diet might be very beneficial. Low CoQ10 levels can lead to cardiovascular disease, myopathy and depression just to name a few. Not surprising that depression is a side effect of statin use! 

Foods that contain CoQ10 include: nuts (especially peanuts & pistachios), sesame seeds, olive oil, many fruits & veggies (especially oranges, strawberries, avocado, broccoli, cauliflower) and meat, poultry, fish and eggs. Frying foods decreases their CoQ10 levels dramatically.

Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake mushrooms 🍄 are immune boosting, anti-viral, anti bacterial, anti-candida / thrush (as they contain enzymes that break down candida cell walls).

• They are generally good for heart disease and they manage our cholesterol HDL and LDL ratio. 

• Shiitakes help decrease excess body fat, and rids the body of the residues that build up from eating excess animal protein. 

• They are particularly good for cancer - stopping cancer cell growth, and help those undergoing chemo manage the side effects.

• They contain zinc, vitamin D, iron, B vitamins (including B12), unsaturated fatty acids and choline. 

• In TCM terms, shiitake mushrooms replenish Qi (energy) and nourish blood. They are beneficial to the stomach and are used specifically in the treatment of stomach and cervical cancer. Interestingly TCM advises long term vegans against eating too much of any mushrooms. 

Going Vegan - What to Consider

Thinking about going vegan but worried you won’t get enough of the right nutrients, or enough protein?

What is important when looking at a vegan diet:

1. Make sure you rotate and vary your intake of legumes, grains, veggies, fruits - otherwise you won’t gain enough of the key nutrients that are less abundant in plant foods (this is true vegan or not, but especially Important here).

2. B12 is the only thing that most people on a well thought out vegan diet lack. B12 is found in animal meat, dairy and eggs. Vegan B12 sources: shiitake or lions main mushrooms, sea veggies (kelp, nori, kombu and pulse) or chlorella.

3. Vitamin D - important for everyone especially now in winter, but especially for vegans. Go for sun soaked mushrooms or a supplement (I like the Better You spray with K2).

4. Iron & Protein - it’s a myth that vegans can’t get enough! Make sure to eat lots of legumes (lentils, chickpeas etc), dark green leafy veg, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, oats, chickpeas and combine these foods with vitamin C to up your absorption of iron (peppers, cruciferous veg and citrus fruits - eg a squeeze of lemon on some lentils).

5. Omega 3 fatty acids- vegans must rely on converting ALA (found in plant foods) to EPA and DHA. Oily fish for example, do this conversion for us, so by eating them we get EPA and DHA directly.

   1. Plant foods that are high in ALA include: chia/flax/hemp seeds and walnuts (including chia/flax seeds daily would be a good thing!).

   2. Omega 6 and omega 3 compete for the same enzyme for their conversion, so avoiding high intake of omega 6 is also important (avoid plant oils eg sunflower oil).

   3. Lastly, we need magnesium (dark green veg), zinc (beans, nuts, wholegrains) and B6 (oats, peanuts) as coenzymes to convert ALA to EPA/DHA, so make sure adequate intake of these too.

---

Whilst TCM does not promote going vegan, it does say that only small amounts of animal meat should be consumed in one go, or very slow cooked meat - i.e. a slow cooked bone broth or stew as opposed to a hamburger!

Advantages to going vegan: 

1. Improved glycemic control - i.e. better blood sugar regulation (mostly from the increased amounts of fibre you eat with a plant based diet), especially important for diabetics.

2. lower risk of heart disease (cholesterol levels + blood pressure improves)

3. lower risk of most cancers. This is in part due to decreasing your intake of environmental contaminants like heavy metals which accumulate as you go up the food chain, increased anti oxidant intake and decreased intake of carcinogens (things that cause cancer) like heterocyclic amines which form when you cook meat.

4. Lower risk of food borne diseases (e.coli, salmonella, listeria etc)

5. Increasing antioxidant levels from eating more fruit/veggies also decreases inflammation in the body generally and helps battle many diseases

6. Better for the environment!

However, the common problem is people cut out animal products and instead replace them with pre-packed/processed foods full of unrefined sugar/carbs and trans-fats. If you are vegan, or are thinking about going vegan - please consider your diet carefully to make sure you are getting enough nutrients!

Cholesterol

So what about cholesterol - doesn’t eating lots of fats cause high cholesterol which in turn causes atherosclerosis & heart disease? 

Not exactly. Cholesterol is involved in our immune response - i.e. if we hit our arm the body will produce cholesterol to help heal the arm. Fat/cholesterol is only deposited into the arteries when there is inflammation in the body. It then gets oxidised there and builds up. IF you don’t have inflammation or injury to the walls of the blood vessels then cholesterol doesn’t get deposited - no atherosclerosis, no heart disease. So, most importantly - keep down your inflammation levels.

The terms good and bad cholesterol are super misleading. They refer to low density lipoproteins, LDLs (supposed bad) which carry cholesterol from the liver to the cells and high density lipoproteins, HDLs (good) which carry cholesterol from cells back to our liver. What is important, like with omega 3:6, is the ratio of LDL to HDL, if LDL levels get too high in comparison to HDL levels, thats when we have a problem.

Just like other fats, we need cholesterol in the body for a huge amount of functions. For example - alongside cholesterol they also carry good things like anti oxidants, vitamin E, beta-carotene and CoQ10. Another way the body uses cholesterol is to make sex hormones like oestrogen. Actually this is thought to be one of the reasons that breast cancer patients’ cholesterol levels drop as their cancer grows - the cancer cells seem to feed on the LDL cholesterol and using it to make oestrogen and in doing so fuel their own growth. So if oestrogen related cancers like breast/ovarian cancers run in the family then it’s particularly important to regulate your LDL:HDL cholesterol ratio. 

Some tips if you do have high cholesterol and have been told to lower it:

1. Cholesterol is excreted from the body intact, and so if you promote good excretion (e.g. by drinking lots of water and eating lots of fibre) then you help your body stop excess cholesterol going back into circulation.

2. Brazil nuts, as few as 5 Brazil nuts monthly can lower LCL cholesterol levels significantly both immediately and in the long term. Beware though as Brazil nuts do contain a lot of selenium so in excess can be bad for you. Also, look at where the nuts you buy are actually from - Brazil nuts sourced from eg China can be totally depleted in minerals and lack this cholesterol lowering ability.

3. Kale is one of the most nutrient dense foods there are and is also another great one for helping lower LDL and boosting HDL. This is due to the powerful antioxidant affects of kale. Although smoking knocks away the anti oxidants so this won’t work for smokers.

Genes, do they affect our health?

How often have you heard statements like: There are so many cancers in my family, I am bound to get one; or the opposite: Why did I get Multiple Sclerosis? There is no one with MS in my family!

Natural questions to ask especially with all the research going on nowadays with deciphering the genetic blueprint that is the human genome. However.. without analysing the environment where our genes live, this will achieve very little in preventing or curing chronic diseases.

In Biology of Belief (by Bruce Lipton) this phenomenon is explained scientifically. It is the environment that switches on and off our genes. This may sound simple and I guess it is! But, in practice, this is largely ignored in medical treatments. For example, it’s been proven that adopted children suffer health conditions similar to their adoptive parents rather than their biological parents.

If we believe anything so deeply it is bound to happen. Even more importantly if something is ingrained in us from our childhood that, for example, we will not be successful, we probably won’t be! Unless that is, if we manage to change our beliefs at our subconscious level!
One of my closest friends always believed that she would die at 50 because her father had died at 50. All my efforts to change her negative thinking went in vain. She did die at 50 of cancer.

So please please let’s all try to change our negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. We need laughter and to take everything lightly, even ourselves. Laughing at ourselves rather than getting angry, is a good starting point.

Nature loads the gun but we pull the trigger! I will go even further: Our genes load the gun but our beliefs pull the trigger!
Believe it and it will happen!

#acupuncture #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #genome #lifestyle #disease #genes #subconscious #selflove #healyourself #thoughts #healthiswealth #alternativemedicine #beliefs

Stress, Emotions & Health

Our childhood years and the experiences of our early lives make us who we are. They shape our future, influence what we feel and most importantly, how we think in adulthood.

The stresses and traumas, such as parents’ separations, physical or psychological abuse, sibling jealousy, accidents..all carry on into the later years. Most of us would say that we managed to move on, we forgot, we forgave, we buried all that; until that is, a chronic disease such as cancer or an autoimmune condition hits us!

Maybe we did move on but only at a conscious level; what is happening though at our subconscious level? Are there any triggers from those early years? Have we been living on auto pilot, not realising the churning going on inside us?

The scientific evidence would say: definitely! If, and that’s a big IF, we can manage to change our lifestyle, almost everything about ourselves, but most importantly our thoughts at the subconscious level, then yes, we can start healing.

Two books by two doctors explain this phenomena convincingly; Cured by Jeff Rediger; and When the body says No by Gabor Maté.
Thanks to COVID-19 I do not see my patients one to one anymore; now I do distant healing/meditation week after week via Zoom, trying to change their thoughts at the deeper level; all I can say is that they find these beneficial.

As for myself, I am still work in progress and I will always be. Find out what works for you and don’t give up. Miracles only happen with consistency and perseverance, but they do happen!

#acupuncture #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #miracles #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #thoughts #stress #meditation #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #lifestyle #disease #body #fitness #selflove #healyourself #heal #healthiswealth #alternativemedicine #relaxation

Basil

Don’t you just love tomato and basil salad? Besides it’s yummy flavour, Basil also offers great health benefits. It is a good source of vits K, A and C, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron.

Basil contains flavonoids providing anti-oxidant protection. This reduces oxidative stress and strengthens the immune system. It’s volatile oils offer anti-microbial, antibiotic benefits (great for cuts and skin infections), and anti-inflammatory effects, strengthening the digestive tract, and the nervous system; Basil restores the body’s natural pH levels, helps an upset tummy, reducing bloating and water retention. It may also help reduce arthritis and fibromyalgia type pain.

In Chinese Medicine, Basil is seen as warming, reducing wind-cold symptoms, easing cold type asthma characterised with clear white mucus and a pale face. It’s calming effect, especially when consumed in tea form, helps relax, de-stress and focus the mind.

One small area of concern: Basil contains a chemical, estragole, when consumed in large amounts may be unsafe for the liver; also remember basil acts as a blood thinner!

To avoid leaves getting brown patches, store basil in damp paper on the top shelf of the fridge; cooler temps may hasten the browning!

Enjoy fresh basil in pesto, salads and Mediterranean dressings; in cooking add it at the end; in dried form it hasn’t got much flavour. Me? I love basil not just for its health benefits but really for its distinct aroma and flavour.

#acupuncture #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #digestion #disease #minerals #aroma #selflove #vitamins #immunesystem #healthiswealth #herbs #alternativemedicine

Walnuts

These yummy nuts are full of nutrients. They are a rich source of alpha-linolenic acid (a form of omega 3) and gamma-tocopherol (vitamin E). These make walnuts significantly beneficial for heart health, energy and skin health. Walnuts are also great for reducing inflammation and pain.

In Chinese Medicine, they are seen as warming, therefore they should be avoided by those with heat signs such as red face. They also moisten the lungs (great for asthma) and intestines (helping constipation with dryness). Walnuts also nourish the brain and strengthen the kidney energy, helping with impotence.

Avoid raw walnuts as they might carry parasites; however make sure that the dry roasted ones are not cooked at high temperatures. Of course best to buy them organic and unshelled. Also eat them with their skin as it contains phenolic acid, tannins and flavonoids.

Best to freeze them (they last 9 months in the freezer) and soak them for 4 hours; and of course refrain yourself from getting greedy with them as they are quite fattening!

#acupuncture #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #lifestyle #disease #body #immunehealth #hearthealth #healyourself #nuts #alternativemedicine #walnuts

Cutting out fats - A good or bad idea?

After what I wrote last week about cooking with oils, a few people have asked me if they just cut out fat if that’s ok/better. There is a lot of confusion about eating fats. Common view: shouldn’t eat saturated fats, shouldn’t eat trans fats, should opt for low-fat produce. If trying to loose weight, don’t eat any fats at all.

The only bit of this that is true is that we shouldn’t be eating trans-fats. These are produced by cooking oil at high temperatures and hydrogenation (making an oil solid e.g. the process of making margarine), essentially the fats found In processed foods and refined vegetable oils. Trans fats stop normal cell function and amongst other things, are linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and cancer.

When it comes to natural, unrefined fats then saturated fats are actually often healthy for you (it’s the saturated fats found in junk food that are bad). Low fat foods are often advertised as healthy, but are pumped with refined sugar and artificial sweeteners that are bad for you.

The truth is we NEED fats in our diet for various functions including making hormones (oestrogen/testosterone/progesterone), proper cell growth and development (including in the brain), proper immune system function etc. Even if you are trying to loose weight, cutting out fats entirely is definitely not the solution and will literally affect your brain functioning, concentration levels etc.

You want to opt for fats making up around 20-35% of your daily diet (thats around 44-78 calories/day for an average adult woman), as a combination of polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated healthy fats. Examples of healthy fats: nuts, seeds, oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, sardines) avocado, olives/olive oil.

FYI fats include omega 3 which everyone has heard of and we all know is good for you

Hempseeds

Considered a superfood, this cannabis sativa plant species may not be very tasty (at least for me!) nor contain any psychoactive compounds (just in case you hoped you could get high from them!) but are well worth adding to your diet.

Hemp seeds are very nutritious, rich in essential fats, fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc and potassium.

Many health benefits:
- Heart health; reduces blood pressure, inflammation and regulates cholesterol levels; rich in healthy fats, magnesium, potassium and in arginine (which, in the body, produces nitric oxide and hence relaxes blood vessels)
- Digestive health; rich in soluble and insoluble fibre, reduces blood sugar spikes
- Skin benefits; improves dryness and itchiness; rich in healthy fats and zinc
- Hormonal balance; reduces inflammation, helps with PMS and menopausal symptoms, rich in essential fatty acids
- Complete plant based protein source; contains all the essential amino acids; 25% of the calories coming from protein

As always, best to buy organic, soak for 2-4 hours. I like grinding and adding them to salads...and only in small amounts, as taste wise they are not my favorite from the world of nuts and seeds! 

#seeds #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #immunesystem #healthyfood #omega3 #healthyfats #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #lifestyle #disease #body #seeds #selflove #healyourself #heal #nuts #alternativemedicine #hempseed

Cumin

The small Cumin seeds add a lot of flavour to many dishes, especially the Indian and Middle Eastern ones. Cumin also offers some health benefits:

- Provides important nutrients, such as iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, B vits especially B1
- Enhances digestion; stimulates pancreatic enzymes and helps increase bile release from the liver for efficient digestion and nutrient absorption; great for flatulence
- Contains antioxidants such as terpenes and phenols, hence great for immune support with anti-cancer properties
- Helps control blood sugar and reduce cholesterol levels
- Anti-microbial properties; reduces food borne bacteria

In Chinese Medicine, it is said that Cumin’s warming and pungent qualities promote energy circulation; also by increasing metabolic rate Cumin may be useful in weight loss diets. However Cumin is not recommended for an inflamed stomach.

Whole cumin seeds may be dry roasted (until popping) then added to soups or cooked rice, buckwheat and quinoa. Some recommend to complement cumin with fresh lime juice for added flavour. I add cumin when cooking lentils, black or adzuki beans; and I love it in humus.

 #acupuncture #spices #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #immunesystem #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan ##traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #lifestyle #disease #body #fitness #flatulence #herbs #digestion #alternativemedicine #cumin

Almonds

in Ayurvedic Medicine almonds are said to build Ojas, the physical, intellectual and spiritual strength. Rich in healthy protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, they offer some important health benefits.

- Heart health; rich in healthy fats, protein, fiber, magnesium, vit E; help reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol levels
- Blood sugar control; low in carbs, rich in biotin, healthy fats, protein and fiber
- Acid reflux ease; the only alkaline nuts (all the others are acid forming); a handful a day help prevent heart burn
- Alzheimer’s disease prevention; rich in vit E and Magnesium
- Weight reduction; almonds boost metabolism and reduce appetite

In Chinese Medicine, almonds are seen as relieving Qi stagnation in the lungs and easing constipation; but not recommended for those with damp conditions such as oedema and sluggishness.

Almonds are best soaked overnight. The skin may irritate the gut lining for some and can be removed easily after soaking; however the skin is bitter and offers antioxidant benefits, protecting against oxidative stress.

I love almonds therefore eating only a handful of them is really difficult for me, so I only soak 10-12 overnight to protect myself against my greediness!

 #acupuncture #acupuncturist #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #immunesystem #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #magnesium #disease #body #fitness #selflove #healyourself #almonds #healthiswealth #alternativemedicine #nuts

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera, also called aloe barbadensis, is a very popular plant, known mainly for it’s property of soothing skin inflammations, however it does so much more.

- For the skin, aloe vera, applied topically, heals burns and wounds; helps with seborrhoea, psoriasis and even more serious conditions such as cellulitis and abscesses;
- Gastric ulcers/ Ulcerative Colitis; 25-50ml aloe vera juice daily has been found to be effective
- Asthma; 5ml of 20% solution of the extract daily over 6 months shows promising results
- Diabetes; aloe exhibits hypoglycaemic effects with half tsp 4x daily over 3-4 months
- Viral infections such as Measles, HSV 1, and HIV; injections of it’s antiviral component, Acemannan, seem promising
- Cancer prevention; it’s therapeutic effects are significantly increased when used in conjunction with melatonin for solid tumours

Be aware that aloe may cause skin reactions or worsen dry skin in some people and it’s laxative effect may encourage a ‘lazy colon’ where the intestines start relying on it for bowel movements.

I make my own gel from the fresh leaves which I store in the freezer; this allows me to use it if and when.. 

#acupuncture #aloevera #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #skin #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #diabetes #disease #body #ulcers #cancer #asthma #ulcerativecolitis #healthiswealth #alternativemedicine #psoriasis

Absorption

Do you think that when you eat any food you automatically absorb all the nutrients in it? Probably... if you are in your 20s! And if you do not suffer with digestive issues such as IBS or gastritis. Ageing and stress also reduce our absorption significantly.

I have already written about the importance of chewing well for digestion. Chewing activates stomach acid production and amylase, the enzyme in the saliva which starts breaking down the food. The small intestine is where most absorption occurs and pancreatic enzymes help break down sugars, proteins and fats.
When vital nutrients are not absorbed properly then multiple health problems can occur, from eczema or hair loss.. to autoimmune and degenerative conditions.
Little helpful hints along the way:

- Reduce junk and heavy/rich meals such as excessive red meats and cheeses; increase plant based foods
- Avoid high sugar and fried foods
- Avoid too much liquid at meal times
- A teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar (preferably with the mother) before meals helps stomach acid production
- Start meals with bitters such as cruciferous vegs, salads or a teaspoon of Aloe Vera juice
- Chew each bite 40-50x
- Increase raw foods which have more digestive friendly enzymes
- Avoid eating for 3 hours before bedtime, and, 2 hours before and 1 hour after exercise
- if you are suffering with digestion, separate proteins from carbs in the same meal; eat fruits away from meals; also try digestive enzymes and/or hydrochloric acid

You may think these are obvious things to do but are you doing them? Maybe not! Just be aware that we all need good digestion to avoid health issues.. and I promise you these health issues do come eventually.. and sometimes very fast!

 #acupuncture #gastritis #nutrition #nutritionist #naturopathy #naturopathicmedicine #health #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #wellness #healer #food #diet #dietplan #tcm #traditionalchinesemedicine #herbs #lifestyle #disease #body #fitness #selflove #healyourself #nutrients #chewwell #alternativemedicine #absorption

Cooking + Storing Oils

Going back to cooking with oils again as still something people are confused about and sadly there are a lot of mixed messages out there. See my first post on this here.

Simply: Oils (/fats) go rancid/oxidise very easily. Once they go rancid/oxidise they produce free radicals, compounds that are bad for our health (including peroxides, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, and Malondialdehyde, a carcinogen i.e. causes mutations/cancer), and are inflammatory.

Polyunsaturated fats (vegetable, flax & groundnut oils) oxidise the most easily, meaning:

• Do not heat them

• Store them in the fridge/freezer

• Store them in dark bottles (light makes them go bad)

• When you use them, close the lid straight away (air oxidises them)

Most vegetable oils generally, are heavily processed and refined meaning they are effectively turned into trans-fats. (Margarine too). This means they are highly inflammatory & they should be avoided. If you do consume any of these polyunsaturated oils, make sure they are RAW & COLD PRESSED, only drizzled over cold food, and that you store them properly.

Monounsaturated fats (eg olive or avocado oil), naturally contain a lot of anti oxidants in (eg Vitamin E), and are slightly more stable than polyunsaturated fats. This means they are ok for using to cook at low temperatures (<180 deg c). Never re-heat oil a second time. Again, go ORGANIC EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL (in dark bottle, fridge/cool place, close lid quick). A lot of people keep their cooking oils near the stove, this is really bad as the bottle gets hot & the oil oxidises.

Saturated fats (eg coconut oil, butter, ghee) are more stable, and less prone to oxidation & have a high smoke point. They can therefore be used for cooking at high temperatures. Saturated fats get a bad name due to their links with heart disease, this is from hidden saturated fats mostly found in processed food, a little bit of coconut oil is fine.

Lastly, people ignore best before dates often, DON’T WITH OILS - go into your cupboards now and check, you might be surprised to see most are already well pass the best before date: Throw them away.

The main message: STOP COOKING WITH VEGETABLE OILS, if you do cook with oil, use coconut oil/butter or extra virgin olive oil. Best bet… get a non stick pan & don’t cook with oil at all, and, take care of your oils + how you store them.

Cosmetics

Try avoid products that contain Bisphenol A/BPA, (or phthalates, dioxins, perchlorate and PFCs). These chemicals contain xenoestrogens which mimic oestrogen in the body and disrupt normal body/hormone functions. They contribute to hormone related issues/cancers (eg breast/prostate/ovarian), infertility/PCOS etc. My general rule would be go for the most natural products you can find as less likely to do any harm !

Flax Seeds

Current obsession: flax seeds.

Flaxseeds help lower blood pressure - just a few table spoons a day has been shown to be very effective. In some studies they come out as 2-3 x more effective than medicines used to treat high blood pressure.

They are also shown to help control cholesterol, blood sugar levels, lower inflammation and are great for constipation.

They are known for being one of the richest vegan sources of essential omega 3 fatty acids (anti inflammatory is just one benefit - have written lots more about omega 3 before so scroll up).

Flax seeds have high levels of phytoestrogens (lignan precursors that our gut bacteria converts for us) which is why they are great for PMS linked breast pain, but also why they can generally lower a women’s breast cancer risk, especially true for post menopausal woman, and decrease existing breast cancer, reducing existing tumour size. Flaxseeds also cause a rise in endostatin (a protein that starves tumours of their blood supply).

This has been thought to be why woman who have frequent UTIs have a higher risk of breast cancer - the antibiotics used to treat them wipes out our good gut bacteria and so we can’t make use of the lignans we ingest from our food.

Lastly, I’ve already mentioned seed cycling for menstruating women - consume flax seeds daily for the 1st half of your cycle to help promote oestrogen production. Eat flat seeds freshly ground (and don’t heat them) as they oxidise quickly. Store them in a dark, sealed container

Phytates for Iron

Phytates are found in whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds and they help detox excess iron from the body (which could otherwise turn into harmful free radicals as we have no natural way to rid ourselves of this iron). This is one reason why increased animal meat consumption has been linked to higher cancer risk. So, If you eat a lot of animal products - try pairing them with some beans/lentils to help manage the ratio of heam iron (the kind found in animal protein) to phytates. 

If you didn’t already need another reason to donate blood doing so is another way to decrease the amount of heam iron we have and actually has been linked to lowered risk of dying from gut cancers. 

Phytates also generally inhibit the growth of human cancer cells and keep our other cells growing healthily. In fact some studies have shown they have the ability to decrease tumour size. They are anti oxidant, anti inflammatory and immune enhancing.