BONE BROTH ON THE GO

Ok this is a quick message to share a new product that I am currently LOVING that I picked up at the Australia Health & Wellness Summit where my talented hubby was speaking cutting edge training methodologies from the Institute of Motion for optimal health and longevity. I’m a lucky duck I know.

So what is this awesome new discovery you ask?

Well I am afraid it doesn’t involve any baked goods, or fancy superfood BUT it is very much a superfood (just not a fancy one) and of course a nutritious one (that’s what a “super” food should be after all).

It does come in a container so technically it is processed BUT hold your horses not the type of processed food…..

It is BEST OF THE BONE, Bone Broth Concentrate!!!! And no it’s not a powder but a liquidy, paste like substance that is slow cooked (& pressure cook), pasture raised, ground up bone and cartilage with the the marrow and all the goodness in a concentrate.

So all you do is add 1 Tablespoon to boiling water and you have a delicious, mineral, collagen rich bone broth. You could also add it to any cooking to infuse it with the boney goodness.

It is really great for those:

• Who don’t have a slow cooker to make your own bone broth (me at the moment, sad I know)
• For travel. Having broth whilst travelling is so handy to keep our immune system fighting well and aid recovery
• For peeps who want to try out the taste of bone broth before committing to the task of making it
• Time poor folks who still want to incorporate broth into their day but can’t be bothered with all that straining

*** Please note I am not endorsing laziness: making your own broth is way more cost effective and really not that time consuming; chuck it all in, let it simmer for 20 hours then do the messy straining job and your done!!!!

In case you need a brief recap of the benefits of bone broth and a recipe to make your own, check out this blog here.

But in short, the benefits of bone broth date way back to our grandma’s, grandma’s day and well before that, where they insisted on a cup of chicken broth to heal a variety of ailments, like tummy flu. Beyond assisting in digestion, and promoting a healthy tummy lining bone broth has many other reasons to drink this liquid gold daily.

Benefits include:

• Improving joint health and arthritis
• Reducing inflammation
• Helping bone repair
• A rich source of collagen (great for health skin/wrinkles/cellulite and soft tissue repair)
• Supporting the immune system

So if you are looking to improve the health of your skin, the health of your digestive tract, joint health, muscle, bone and soft tissue health and reduce inflammation, incorporating a cup of bone broth is a great starting place.

Using the whole animal (bones, cartilage, organ meats) and not just consuming the muscle meat of animals are key points missing in most peoples diet. These parts offer so many unique benefits and have soooooo much nutrition that it is embarrassing that we toss them out or never eat them. Have you watched, The Revenant, with Leonardo DiCaprio ??? You should, it’s a goodie. But there is a reason why when he is starving and needs food he cuts open the beast and chews on the liver — he knows its’s the most nutrient dense food on the planet and will give him most bang for buck nutritionally for him to survive.

So if you have been toying with the idea of bone broth and haven’t been able to stay committed to incorporating into your life regularly, these guys have done the work for you, and provide it is an easy to use form.

All you need to do is heat the kettle, add a dollop, stir and sip away at the goodness. I was extremely impressed by the taste as I am a bit of a flavour nazi when it comes to bone broth.

Check out the little info video and purchase here: https://theherbaldoctors.com/collections/polypill/products/bestofthebone

Love

Chantel x

MAGNESIUM…. ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH?

Magnesium is a very well talked about mineral. Most people have heard about it, tried it, take it or should be taking it. So before we get into, are you getting enough magnesium, let’s find out a little more about our popular friend, Mr Magnesium (yes it’s a Mister).

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Magnesium is vital to our body. How vital? This vital..

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– Over 300 enzymes need it to function. In particular those enzymes involved with ATP (ATP is the little energy fuel within cells) and enzymes involved in DNA & RNA production (that’s some pretty important stuff right there).
– It’s an important mineral for bone health (most people only consider calcium when discussing bone health) and actually most of the body’s magnesium is stored within bone.
– Magnesium calms the nervous system.
– It is an important mineral for hormone health. In particular steroid hormones (progesterone, testosterone and oestrogen) and thyroid hormone.
– It sensitisers insulin receptors
– And is a great sleep enhancer

Are you getting enough magnesium?

Unfortunately most people don’t get adequate magnesium to support these essential functions. Reason being, it is quite difficult to get enough through the diet. Firstly, the major reasons for this is the richness of magnesium in todays soil has declined. And secondly, the presence of anti-nutrients like phytates which inhibit the absorption of magnesium, are present in many of the foods highest in magnesium.

Certain conditions can also predispose you to having lower levels of magnesium. They include:

– digestive disorders like Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Gastrooesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) especially those taking Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPI’s)
– Renal disorders
– Some diuretic medications
– Alcoholism
– Older age

Signs of magnesium deficiency can include:

– muscle cramps, probably the number one reason seek out magnesium. On a side note cramps can also be associated with several other mineral deficiencies. Check out this podcast for more info about cramps.
– heart arrhythmias
– headaches
– type 2 diabetes
– migraines
– PMS
– tremors
– hypothyroidism

So how much magnesium do we need?

Well the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) is 400 to 420mg per day for males and 310 to 320mg a day for adult females. However, RDA refers to the amount required to avoid deficiency versus optimum performance. It has been suggested that a more optimal range is about 500 to 700 mg per day from a combination of food and supplements.

So unless you are consciously aware of your intake, be it through food or supplements, it’s pretty safe to assume, that you’re probably not getting enough.

How to ensure you are getting enough magnesium?

1. Eat foods that are rich in magnesium.

– Nuts and seeds. Eg. pumpkin seeds and almonds. But they also contain phytates. Remember they are anti-nutrients that reduce the absorption’s of the magnesium (and other minerals). One way around this is to soak nuts and seeds overnight, then put them into a dehydrator or roast them at a low temperature (150-170 degrees) before consuming them. This process is call “Activating” and reduces the phytic acid. For the most delicious Activated Nuts and Seeds, check out Star Anise Organics, the taste is like no others.
– Dark leafy veggies. Eg. spinach, chard.
– Molasses (Did anyone else use to dip their finger in the horses molasses and like it? I did, haven’t had any recently, but maybe I should get back into my old habits!)
– Dark chocolate .. MMM HMM … That’s right, I say go ahead with some quality dark chocolate. Are you craving it? Maybe your body is trying to tell you something.
– Banana’s …. See delicious Bedtime Banana Tea Video BELOW!!!
– Legumes are a good source too. Impressive on paper but they also contain phytic acid, so they need to be soaked prior to eating in order to make the magnesium more bioavailable (means the amount that actually gets absorbed into the blood stream and has an effect i.e. different to the amount written on paper).

2. Supplementation

– Probably a good idea considering the average American gets less than 250mg per day (sorry couldn’t find the Aussie data, but I assume it will be around the same) through the diet which is below the RDA (which as I mentioned it not the “ideal level”). Those who consume a nutrient dense, whole foods diets probably do have a higher intake closer to the RDA, hence may only need to supplement with an additional 100 to 200 mg per day.
– Chelated forms of magnesium are better absorbed. Eg. Magnesium glycinate, magnesium malate. I have had a hard time finding these forms in Australia in most shops but ask at your local health shop/pharmacy/naturopath. When it comes to supplements – quality matters!!! Like most things you tend to get what you pay for. So look for quality brands, as the quality of the ingredients, manufacturing, form of the compound, what else is in the supplement matters. This one is a pretty good option http://au.iherb.com/Now-Foods-Magnesium-Bisglycinate-Powder-8-oz-227-g/59860
– Epsom salt bath. Well absorbed, cheap and an awesome excuse to have a bath. Go on, when’s the last time you treated yourself!!!!
– Topical magnesium preps. I like the Ancient Minerals Brand. Rub in yourself, or con someone to give you a massage, just before bed. That should get you feeling relaxed and ready for bed!

I like to think of myself as a minimalist when it comes to supplements in general. There are less than a handful of supplements that I recommend to take as maintenance supplements and magnesium is one of them. It is also helpful therapeutically for people dealing with a lot of stress, tension and sleep disturbance. For more tips on sleep check out this blog here.

It does interact with a few medications (bisphosphonates, nitrofurantoin, digoxin) so check with your doctor or pharmacist before starting if you are on any other meds. If you take too much, you will know about it –  because it is also used as a laxative. So if you notice things are on the looser side, dial it back.

Do you want to add a little more magnesium into your life RIGHT NOW?

Here is a little Bedtime Banana Tea recipe that is super easy, quick to make, and tastes delicious.

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Enjoy - Love Chantel

GUT HEALTH : HOW TO REBUILD WITH PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS

The importance of Gut Health has really exploded. Probiotics are a household name and prebiotics won’t be far behind them. And to be fair, rightly so. There pretty much isn’t a single condition that in some way can’t be linked back to the health of the gut.

My recent little bout of “Welcome to Byron Bay” gastro bug, reminded me of how important building gut health up is and hence I decided to share a little how to guide that turned out to be not so little. So feel free to skip ahead to the, Love Your Guts Banana Omelette recipe….

Just incase you haven’t heard the word on the street or you missed this blog: , let’s do a little recap.

• We are finally starting to develop a deep appreciation for the trillions of microbes that inhabit our small and large intestines.
• Most of these little guys have co-evolved with humans, relying on us for their survival and we relying on them for health and wellbeing
• We feed them nutrients through the foods we eat (or we should) and in return they digest carbohydrates that would otherwise be indigestible to us and make vitamins and other important substances like short chain fatty acids (butyrate, propionate) that we otherwise cannot make. Microbes protect us against infections, regulate metabolism, and host the majority of the immune cells in our body.
• This symbiotic relationship is what makes up a persons microbiome. If all is well this hopefully harmonious collection of microorganisms looks after so many vital functions in our body.
• So hence, unless you have been living under a rock for the past several years, I am sure you have heard that a disrupted gut microbiome is associated with an overwhelming large amount of common conditions.
  To name a few: acne, antibiotic associated diarrhoea, asthma/allergies, autism spectrum disorder, autoimmune disease, cancer, dementia, dental cavities, depression and anxiety, diabetes, eczema, fibromyalgia, gastric ulcers, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological disorders, parkinson disease. This is a partial list and new ones are added almost monthly.

I would go as far as saying that gut dysfunction is one key underlying mechanisms that contributes to almost all disease. Hence, supporting it’s diversity and abundance will make you more resilient against infection and disease.

How do we support gut diversity and abundance ?

Probiotics? Yes certainly this is a good starting place otherwise supplement companies would not be creating new products with different strains and different combinations of microorganisms everyday.

It’s difficult not to notice how many different brands of probiotic supplement are available on the market today ? All claiming to have a zillion times more live cultures than the next. I can remember when it was just good old “Have you had your Inner Health Plus today?” and that was it. Times are a changing.

The important things to know about probiotics are:

• Most probiotics do not quantitatively change the composition of the gut microbiome over time. That means that if you take a capsule of a zillion Lactobacillus acidophilusone day, then on the second day another zillion, you don’t increase to two zillion. Feeling a bit ripped off? Not so fast
• Probiotics do however play a primary role in immune regulation , helping to regulate and balance the immune system (remembering that over 70% of our immune cells reside in our gut) AND reduce inflammation in the gut. Two very important factors for health.
• A good strategy with probiotics is to take a wide spectrum of microorganism like lactic acid producing bacteria (Primal Defense Ultra by Garden of Life), soil based organisms (Prescript Assist) and beneficial strains of yeasts (Saccharomyces boulardii) . And rotate them.
• The best and most cost effective way to get a diversity of beneficial microorganisms is to become a fermenting extraordinaire or seek out locations that sell fermented foods (Byron Bay is winning in this departments). And again the key word being “diversity” so ensure you are getting the full spectrum of fermented foods; kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, beet kvass etc.
• For example, if you look at the content of the amount of beneficial microbes in a glass of kefir, it is far greater than any commercial probiotic you can get. Mother nature will always win out.

What about abundance?

Well it turns out there is a second part to the story, enter, the new (but not so new) kid on the block; prebiotics . Prebiotics are a food source for beneficial bacteria that already live in our gut and DO increase the number of beneficial microorganisms significantly over time.

A simple way to look at it is – Probiotics and fermented foods which contain them are the bugs themselves, and prebiotics are the food the bugs need to survive and multiply. In technical terms, they are indigestible carbohydrates (note indigestible to us humans) that make their way intact to the colon (large intestines) where they selectively feed beneficial bacteria (which is what we want).

Note that ONE of the side effects of a long term low carbohydrate diet, where people limit the amount of starchy vegetables, fruits, white rice, and other grains, is that it can potentially starve off beneficial bacteria in the colon. This can give rise to a host of gastrointestinal symptoms (namely constipation or diarrhoea) and actually cause issues when the person tries to reintroduce these foods back into the diet. Often the reintroduction issues are mistaken as “not able to tolerate” those foods as oppose to lack of those foods being the problem of the distress in the first place.

What and where are prebiotics found?

In short in a variety of plant foods.

1. Fermentable fibers such as resistant starch (eg. unmodified potato starch, green banana flour or plantain flour)
2. Non-starch polysaccharides such as inulin, FOS, FODMAPS, pectin, cellulose
3. Soluble fiber (psyllium husk, acacia fibre, glucomannan, guar gum)

Food sources of prebiotics include:

1. Resistant Starch:

• Cooked and cooled potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams
• Cooked and cooled parboiled rice
• Cooked and cooled properly prepared (soaked or sprouted) legumes
• Dehydrated plantain chips

***** Allow these foods to cool completely in the fridge or freezer. They can be warmed up for eating, but the temperature should stay below 130 degrees in order to provide the beneficial prebiotics.

Resistant starch has been touted as the next big weight loss supplement. It does have some impressive health benefits such as improved insulin sensitivity, decreased blood glucose levels in response to meals, reduced appetite and reduced fat storage in fat cells. Move over Garcinia Cambogia.

2. Non Starch Polysaccharides:

• asparagus, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root, onions, radishes, leeks, tomatoes, turmeric, pears, kiwis

3. Soluble fibre

• carrots, winter squash, potato, sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, beets

Eating a combination of uncooked (usually has more prebiotic fibre) and cooked versions of the above.

Examples of supplemental powders to increase your prebiotics intake:

• Prebiogen: Start with 1/8 scoop daily and increase to 1/2 to 1 full scoop
• Unmodified potato starch (Bob’s Red Mill All Natural) or Green Banana Flour (Mt. Uncle’s brand): Start with 1/4 teaspoon daily and gradually increase over the course of a couple of months to 1-3 tablespoons
• Glucomannan powder (Now brand): Start with 1/8 teaspoon once daily mixed in 30ml of water and very slowly increase up to 1/2 teaspoon daily
• Psyllium husk powder (Now brand): behind with 1/4 teaspoon mixed in 30ml of water and gradually increase to 1 to 3 teaspoons taken at separate dosesor Acacia Fibre

Just like with fermented foods, different types of fibre stimulates the growth of different beneficial bacteria, so getting a variety and rotating them will be key.

A BIG CAUTION:

• In the case of starting prebiotics, MORE is not better. It is SO important to start with a really small dose and very slowly work your way up as tolerated
• Know that some gas and bloating is expected, particularly as you begin taking prebiotics (as it is stimulating the growth of bacteria in the colon). However people have been hospitalised from taking too much too soon, so start super small.
• Prebiotics are best AVOIDED if you have Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth (SIBO), fungal overgrowth or a parasite infection. Hence, if you are getting a lot of gastrointestinal symptoms and haven’t found out why, consider getting a stool test done before experimenting with prebiotics.
• If you have noticed after reading this that you get a lot of gastrointestinal complaints after eating foods rich in prebiotic fibres that may be sign that you need to do some investigating.

So next time you do the shopping, make sure you are thinking about feeding your now known “extended family”.

If you’ve got their back, they will have yours. If not, expect some disharmony. I warned you here first ;).

Symbiosis (from Greek “together” and “living“) is close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species.

Now for the long awaited recipe.

LOVE YOUR GUTS BANANA OMELETTE

It’s “gut loving” cause I pimped it with some prebiotic fibre to feed the little guys and some gelatin to support a healthy gut lining.

What you need for omelette : 

1 x banana
2 x eggs
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp maca powder
1/4-1/2 tsp Mt. Uncle’s banana flour
1 Tblsp Great Lakes Gelatin Powder

What to do:

1. Smash the banana with a fork in a bowl.
2. Add 2 eggs and mix together.
3. Add cinnamon and Gelatin powder to the mix.
4. Heat butter on a pan on a medium to high.
5. Once the pan is heated, add mixture to pan.
6. Allow it to seal on one side, sprinkle banana flour onto the mixture, and then flip in half and allow it to further cook though
7. Garnish with kefir/yoghurt and nuts and seeds.

****Original version of this recipe is courtesy of the talented @theholisticnutritionist. You know it’s a good recipe when it’s still a staple meal some four years on.

Gut Loving Banana Omelette with goats milk kefir and Eros brand activated nut and seed mix

Hope you enjoy it for years to come too.

Love Chantel x

IS A COFFEE BREAK GOOD FOR YOU?

Hello there fellow coffee lovers – Is it time for a coffee break?

Before you get all shaky thinking I am going to take your beloved coffee away, stick around, as I too, am an avid coffee lover! So I’ve got your back, despite me needing a coffee break every now and then.

There is nothing better than the fresh smell of roasted coffee beans, the smile of a friendly barista, and that first sip of creamy, warm goodness in the morning. And let’s face it, if you simply love the taste of coffee, no nutritious, creamy golden latte replaces the distinct flavour of the beloved coffee bean. There really is no comparison.

It is no secret that Australian’s looovvveeee their coffee and we have built a very inviting culture (and social media accounts) around our beloved lattes.

Fav coffee hub in Byron – 100 Mile Table. Check it out :)

But are we doing harm with our “daily coffee ritual” ? Well, the answer is, it really does depend on the individual and their circumstance.

Let’s take a look at an example comparison.

Meet Sally. Sally is a mum. Her sleep has been disrupted over several months, she has just started back at work, her husband works away and she juggles the responsibility of the kids, the house, and has little down time for herself.

She NEEDS a coffee or two or three every day to feel human.

Then meet Mick. He is a self funded retiree, who lives by the beach, every morning he strolls along the beach with his best mate, Boris the dog. He comes home to a freshly prepared breakfast that his lovely wife has ready for him. Next off, he goes down to the local golf club to catch up with mates for a hit and a mid morning coffee.

Mick enjoys his morning coffee but if he misses it, it’s no biggy he still functions the same as if he had had a coffee.

Whether you are a Sally or a Mick there are some important considerations to know before deciding if it is time to take a break from coffee.

Consideration Number 1: Coffee Metabolism

– People metabolise coffee differently. Fast metabolisers response to the effects of caffeine will be shorter lived while slow metabolisers will have a more prolonged effect. They are the people who when they drink coffee in the afternoon are still revved up and cannot sleep
– To find out if you are a slow or fast metaboliser you can get this type of genetic info from a company called 23andme. But most people inherently feel if they are fast or slow metabolisers.

Consideration Number 2: Coffee and the adrenal system

– Beyond how you metabolise coffee, where you are at in your stage of life matters.
– In particular the health of your adrenal system (aka your stress response network)
– If you are sleep deprived, exercising intensely or a lot or both, exhausted after workouts, not getting enough recovery, you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, you wake up feeling tired in the mornings, you feel dizzy when you stand up quick, you feel exhausted in the afternoons, or you feel jittery or wired after coffee these are all symptoms of problems with the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (you stress response system) and coffee is probably a BAD IDEA. (Despite it seemingly like a dam good idea – because hey your tired right?)

Consideration Number 3: Are you currently adding to the stress

– When you are burning the candle at both ends, coffee feels like your only friend. If you drink coffee and then later in the day your energy crashes, and you see this as a sign to refuel with another coffee, this is a classic sign that the coffee is messy with your adrenals.
– What most people don’t realise is that when they are in this situation and they are drinking more coffee, more regularly (because they are tired) it actually makes you more tired and it’s only when you stop that you realise, “Crap, it was actually making me more tired than awake.” This won’t happen after a few days, but rather a few weeks and with healing the Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Dysfunction.

Consideration Number 4: How it should affect you

– If things are going well with you and your friend coffee, you should feel a natural lift and improvement in mental clarity. You should’t notice any highs or lows in how it affects your energy. If this is your case – you have the green light. Lucky buggers!

Consideration Number 5: Coffee can cross react

– Coffee can cross react with gluten so if you are celiac or have non-celiac gluten sensitivity there is a possibility you may be reacting to coffee.

Consideration Number 6: What else is in your coffee

– If coffee is a vehicle for a truck load of added sugar, artificial flavours and processed milk then this daily habit might need some revising

Consideration Number 7: The minority

– If you are the small percentage of annoying persons that can have up to 4 coffees a day, sleep well, have great energy throughout the day, can exercise and improve and have no jitteriness after coffee then who am I to argue.

Consideration 8: The benefits

– Quality coffee is loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants and has shown benefits in reducing risk of diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimers, Parkisons and cancer.

So if you are a Mick, and can relate to the positive effects of your morning coffee and feel great for the rest of the day, I see no reason to give up the beloved coffee ritual.

However, if you are more of a Sally, or are going through a time in life that you can relate to feeling you are burning the candle at both ends, or are dealing with an illness, you need to come to terms that coffee isn’t your friend right now! It’s time to take a break! I didn’t say forever, just right now.

Easier said than done. Here are some tips:

– Don’t stop cold turkey. If you are drinking more than a cup of coffee per day, gradually reduce your intake over days to one cup. Then try alternate days or half shots. Then have a weekday free break and treat yourself of weekends only. Then try a week free break. Or if things are serious, try have a month off.
– Despite having some challenging days soon enough you will start to feel less tired and regain your energy levels.
– Substitute your routine with delicious calming and soothing herbal teas or some other delicious beverages like kombucha so you still feel loved
– Regaining your energy might require some additional work with a practitioner to get your adrenal system back on track
– As a general rule, if you start feeling like you NEED a coffee to energise you, that is probably the exact time that you shouldn’t have one. – Stressing an already stressed system is only going to further lead you down a dark hole and make it harder to climb out of.

Remember that nothing is forever, it’s just for now, a small sacrifice, to get things back on track.

Love Chantel.

WHY I DISLIKE THE WORD P A L E O

Most people around me know I eat this weird “PALEO DIET”. So much so when I mentioned eating a whole “bunny” for dinner on Sunday night my work colleagues actually thought I meant a WHOLE WHITE FLUFFY BUNNY –  Talk about taking nose to tail to the next level. After we discovered I was in fact talking about the brown, cadbury variety we agreed that if I did in fact eat a whole rabbit describing it as a bunny may have been a little masochistic.

Too cute to eat!

I have eaten a Paleo-Template-Diet (really hate the word diet) for the last 4 years (pretty long diet wouldn’t you say?). I also got introduced to it prior to it becoming the most searched diet in google, associated with Crossfit or a widely publicised “thing”. Before Pete Evans, before paleo bars and paleo granola. The persons who introduced it into my life are extremely intelligent and people I trust.

Eating this way helped me significantly with my health complaints; namely skin issues, energy, mood, and body composition. Although these health improvements also came in conjunction to managing stress, exercising more smartly, prioritising sleep and having more pleasure in my life.

So I strongly suspect it wasn’t one single change from pasta to grass fed steak that paved the way to improvement but rather a combination of lifestyle factors.  Which is actually really at the essence of a good Paleo Diet.

However, over the last two years I really purposefully distanced myself from the wording “Paleo”. Reason being is it got so confusing and muddled with peoples opinion that the word conjured up so much misinformation and opinions . So I thought – hey its better to lose the label and focus on what really matters – eating anutrient dense, anti-inflammatory, real food diet that supports how MY body functions AND enjoying life and that includes sometimes eating foods that aren’t necessarily healthy but are pleasurable – and I am talking the “non paleo” kind.

This article from Chris Kresser, who is one of the most respected practitioners in his field especially when it comes to evaluating research, explores some of the most common Myths about Paleo Nutrition. He is someone I trust and value his opinion in high regard. Please READ. 

When it comes to being healthy, we are really bombarded with informations mostly from sources that don’t have our best interests at heart – so please remember to tune in and use some logic people!

1. If it comes in a bag or a box – is it fresh, real living, and going to provide you with every thing you need for life?
2. Your body requires and uses amino acids and protein to build structures inside of you – do you really think eating the most viable form of protein (animal products) is a bad idea for our long term survival?
3. We preferentially use glucose and fat for fuel, we have the ability to manufacture glucose inside us, hence it is important for survival. Low blood glucose is a bigger threat to our life than high blood sugar. Eating enough quality carbohydrates is essential to fuel our body and keep body systems working well.
4. Fat forms the core structural unit of a cell and many other important functions in the body, so eliminating a whole food group (low-fat era) may potentially cause some issues for us.
5. If you house an animal in an unnatural environment, it gets sick, depressed and usually fat. The environment and what an animal eats and is exposed to affects the quality of its produce. Pasture raised, grass fed cows have a higher amount of omega 3 fatty acid (has anti-inflammatory properties), a higher amount of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) a fatty acid which has recently been studied for its anti-cancer properties and higher amounts of Vitamin E, zinc, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium, than grain-fed meat.  So next time your butcher gets stroppy if you ask if it grass fed – tell them the reason you are asking is a cow is designed to forage and roam freely and eat grass! And that’s the type of meat you want to consume, and politely walk out the door. Note: this hasn’t ever happened to me, I find butchers to be overly friendly :). But I have heard it happens !!!! Sigh.
6. Did your Grandparents have access to baby formula, ready made pasta sauce, microwavable dinners? No. And they had better health than us.
7. Did children eat perfectly mashed “baby food” and packaged rice cereal as first foods back in the day before food intolerances existed? Did they go on to eat le-snacks, little chippies, muesli bars, pop tops, weet-bix, zoopa-doopas as a part of their staple diet? Did they have behavioural disorders?
8. Does eating quality and a variety of animal parts (meat, bones, offal), eggs, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts and seeds, unprocessed dairy, white rice, properly prepared grains and eliminating excess sugar, packaged and processed foods, and seed oils that were originally used to make industrial products like soaps and plastic sound dangerous to you?
9. Is eating some chocolate or a piece of cake made with flour and sugar going to send your body into a spiral and cause it to breakdown or gain 5 kgs?- unlikely!

My message is – don’t get caught up in all the drama. Be self informed

Start making small changes with your nutrition that feel right to you and that makes sense to you.
That may look like cutting back on your sugar in your coffee, reducing takeaway dinner to once a week, incorporating more vegetables into your main meal or finding a local butcher.
It is these small steps that you implement daily into your life that you can sustain for the long term that will yield the greatest results overtime for your health and your families health.

Here is a super simple recipe to get you started.

Super-duper Salmon Patties

Ingredients:

1 tin of John West Wild Caught Alaskan Pink Salmon(strained)
1/2 clove of garlic (grated/crushed)
2cm of fresh ginger (grated)
2cm of fresh tumeric (grated) – you could use powdered
2 stalks of shallots (or 1/4 onion)
1 stalk of leek (cut finely)
1/2 zucchini (grated)
2 eggs (pastured raised)
1/4 cup of Gouda cheese (grated)
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil for frying

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl place the tin of salmon and mash with folk.
2. Grate garlic, turmeric, ginger, zucchini and cheese and place in bowl
3. Add finely chopped shallots and leek to the bowl.
4. Crack 2 eggs, and mix
5. Add salt and pepper. If mixture is to runny thicken with 1/2-1Tbsp of arrowroot powder, coconut flour
6. Heat coconut oil on a pan.
7. Add 1/4 cup dollops of mixture. Allow to brown on one side then flip using a spatula and fork.
8. Serve with a side of kimchi/sauerkraut and white rice.

Enjoy

Love Chantel