Do you have a New Year’s resolution?

Is it to get more energy, to have balanced moods, or to control your weight?

Maybe I can help. Read on, my friend.

Cooking your own food is one of the best things that you can do to improve your own health, for so many reasons:

• You cut out packaged food, which means you will be reducing the amount of additives such as sugar, salt and preservatives
• Cooking your own food means that you retain more of the important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B group and vitamin C which normally would be lost in processing and deteriorate on the shelf during storage
• You generally get a bigger variety and serve of vegetables
• You’ll be able to take control of your own portion size

If you can get comfortable at cooking your own meals, you will make the biggest and most long lasting changes you’ll ever make that will benefit your health.

‘I’m not a good cook’, I hear you say. You’re probably rolling your eyes, audibly groaning and about to close this window. But wait! I implore you – read on!

I get it, if you’re not a whiz in the kitchen, cooking for yourself can be overwhelming, boring and stressful.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be this way – the better you get at cooking, the more you come to enjoy it.

That’s why I made this ebook and meal plan – to help with one of the biggest hurdles of health, the struggle of cooking for yourself – this was created for the kitchen beginner.

In my clinical experience I realised that one of the key barriers to people improving their health was their diet, and one of the biggest barriers to improving their diet? The ability and enjoyment of cooking.

‘What can be done about this’, thinks I. ‘I need to provide people with the tools to learn how to cook, but there’s so much more they need to know with this!’

So I got to work and created a 3 week meal plan and nutrition guide designed to help people who struggle to know what to do in the kitchen, but it’s also going to be great for those people who want to know how to eat well, how to eat mindfully, and how to plan their own meals. If you’re a good cook, you’ll still enjoy this ebook and meal plan.

Something you might not know about cooking is that it actually helps to improve digestion – did you know that digestion begins in the mind? This is called the cephalic phase -here is when we start to think about food, anticipate food, and that’s when we start to make all of our digestive acids and enzyme. If we have good production of acids and enzymes this means the better we will be able to better digest our food and therefore the less bloating and digestive symptoms we will have.

This meal plan has been built around the concept of whole food. Whole food essentially means that food in itself has been minimally altered by processing and so it retains the more nutritional goodness.

While one the biggest things that you can do to improve your health is to start cooking for yourself, there’s so many barriers today – one of which is the lack of confidence in the kitchen. In my meal plan and ebook I have threaded throughout tips on how to cook so that you will finish this guide with more confidence to keep navigating the kitchen, as well as making your own meal plan.

There’s so many other things in this meal plans such as a guide to mindful eating and knowing how to balance your nutrients throughout the day.

This ebook and meal plan has been 3 years in the making (most of the delay comes from having had two kids in the process of writing it) but it’s also because I’ve put a lot of love and effort into it – writing the content, creating and testing the recipes, balancing the meals and menus nutritionally as well as designing a shopping list to go with the meal plan.

But ultimately what I want is for you to find it easy to follow, and simple to implement. What I want is for you to have to do minimum effort for maximum gain.

So if your goal is to lose weight, or to get more energy, or to feel better in yourself, then I strongly suggest checking out this meal plan.

For those with food intolerances, you can make substitutions if you need to be dairy free or wheat free, but currently this meal plan is not designed around avoiding food intolerances or allergies. It’s also not suitable for vegetarians or vegans (but I do have something in the works for for you guys).

All you need to do is follow this link and purchase the meal plan.

And because I love you so much I’m going to give you a discount for January – just enter the code newyears at the checkout and you’ll get 25% off (that’s a pretty awesome discount!)

Happy Healthy New Years!

CLICK HERE to buy the Kitchen Novice Meal Plan and eBook – valued at $24.95 (use code newyears in January ’19 to get 25% off)

The post One of the most effective and long-lasting ways to improve your health appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

Salt (sodium chloride) is a staple of every household, having been used by many cultures to flavor food for thousands of years. We have always valued salt highly, so much so it was a form of wage for Roman soldiers, known as salarium, from the Latin word for salt, sal(and hence our term for salary).

Sea salt is the result of evaporated sea water.  Salt can also be mined from the earth, from salt lakes and dried ocean beds.  The quality of salt varies greatly depending on where the salt is mined from (e.g. Himalayan salt is of high quality due to the pristine environment from which it is mined), and the level of refining that occurs (the less refined the salt, the better for you).

Unrefined sea salt is usually quite grey in colour and is derived directly from an ocean or sea. It is harvested through channeling ocean water into large clay trays and allowing the sun and wind to evaporate it naturally. Manufacturers of sea salt generally do not refine it much, so the salt still contains traces of other minerals.  All salt, regardless of its type is generally 98% sodium chloride, with the remainder being a variety of other beneficial minerals (the less refined varieties containing up to 84 types).  The more salt is processed and refined the less of these beneficial minerals remain in the salt.

When salt is taken from dry salt beds the mineral levels are reduced, most likely due to the leeching of minerals from the salt beds over time due to rain over thousands of years.  When salt is taken directly from sea water this has a mineral profile similar to that of our blood, making it a better choice for our health compared to table salt [1].

Sodium is an essential electrolyte mineral, it is important for conveying energy and enabling nerve impulses and muscle contractions.   In the past, salt tablets were recommended in the summer for people to replace sodium lost by exercise or heavy sweating.  This is rarely recommended nowadays as we now know that it is more important to replace a combination of electrolytes, in particular potassium which is important as it helps to keep the correct balance of sodium in the body.

In our body salt has an affinity for water, so when we consume salt this causes a large percentage of sodium to settle in our vascular fluids.  The sodium then attracts more and more fluid, causing an increase in pressure in the vascular system, which is one of the reasons excess salt can contribute to high blood pressure.

To prevent many of the conditions caused by excess salt consumption it is important to have adequate levels of potassium.  Potassium is a mineral that resides on the inside of cells, whereas sodium dwells in the fluid outside and between our cells.  When the potassium/sodium ratio is out of balance our body’s water and acid/alkaline balance become unstable and our nerves and muscles aren’t able to function properly.  The majority of people in our society have a potassium to sodium ratio of less than 1:2.  However the recommendation is to have a ratio greater than 5:1, which is ten times higher than average intake.  A natural diet rich in fruits and vegetables can easily produce a much greater ratio, because most fruits and vegetables have a ratio of at least 50:1.  Some examples include: Apples 90:1, Bananas 440: 1, Carrots 75: 1, Oranges 260:1, Potatoes 110:1. [2]

Main food sources of sodium include: Anchovies, bacon, processed meats, celery, cheeses, pickled olives, peas, pickles, table salt, tuna, salted butter, sardines, sauerkraut, pasteurized cheeses, potato chips, softened water and clams. [3]

Salt is widely known to have an effect on blood pressure.  There are some people who are very sensitive to sodium, and consuming even a small amount can cause their blood pressure to increase dramatically or to develop excess fluid retention.  These people need to not only increase their potassium intake but abstain from all major sources of salt.

Unprocessed salt such as Himalayan salt will have less of an effect on your blood pressure because of its different mineral makeup which allows your body to metabolize it more effectively. [4]

Between 40-60% of people with high blood pressure are sensitive to salt.  People with diabetes and chronic kidney disease and greater age also tend to be more sensitive to the blood pressure raising effects of salt. Being overweight also appears to increase susceptibility to being sensitive to sodium, and increases risk of stroke and heart attack.  If people who are overweight have a diet that is high in potassium then that risk is greatly reduced. [5]

There are some other conditions which will increase your sensitivity to salt, such as Menierre’s disease.  People with these types of conditions also need to be careful about their salt intake.

Some traditional health practices state that energetically, salt has grounding (descending) properties and is ‘vata’ reducing.  If this is taken too far, this excessive grounding energy can cause feelings of hostility, greediness, fear and paranoia.    From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective salt is beneficial for the kidneys due to its yin nature, which allows it to stimulate the kidneys, promoting fluid metabolism and promoting a moistening effect.  An excess of this damages the kidneys, leading to emaciation, weakened bones and blood and deficiencies of the heart energy [1].  When looking at the traditional knowledge of salt and it’s warnings of overuse we can appreciate that it has always been known to avoid excessive salt consumption, and we now understand this is because excess salt can be damaging because it can interfere with calcium utilization and nutrient absorption, as well as contributing to fluid retention and high blood pressure.

A meta-analysis looking at the effects of long term sodium reduction of blood pressure found that on average, people with elevated blood pressure who reduced their salt intake by 4.6g/day had an average reduction of systolic blood pressure by -4.97 mmHg, and an average reduction of diastolic blood pressure by -2.74 mmHg.  For people with normal blood pressure an average reduction of salt intake by 4.4g/day reduced systolic by -2.03 mmHg and diastolic by -0.99 mmHg. [6]  So while we need to respect the effect that excess salt intake can have on our blood pressure we also need to realize that just reducing salt in our diet in isolation will not have a large effect. 

To support healthy blood pressure, focus on both increasing potassium intake through fruit and vegetables and avoiding excessive sodium intake from added salt or processed foods (and also working on all the other necessities for a healthy cardiovascular system) rather than just reducing or avoiding salt altogether.  People with salt sensitivity and cardiovascular risk factors should reduce their salt intake to less than 2g/day and only choose unprocessed salt.

Food Standards Australia-New Zealand (FSANZ) estimates that:

“Australians aged two years and older eat an average of 2,150 mg of sodium per day from an average of 5,500 mg of salt (5.5 g). About 80 per cent of this would be from processed foods and 20 per cent from salt used at the table or in home cooking. This estimate does not include the smaller amounts of sodium coming from naturally occurring sodium or sodium-containing food additives… Foods that contribute the most to Australians’ salt consumption are bread and bread rolls, meat, poultry and game products, including processed meat, and cereal products and cereal-based dishes such as biscuits and pizza.” [7]

There are many types of salt available, varying in color and texture and subtle variances in flavor.  These differences are influenced by the environment from which the salt was harvested.

In an interview for ABC Radio National, salt connoisseur Alice Bell explained the differences in salt flavors:

“When it comes to getting to know your salts and learning how to match salts with foods, there are many elements to consider. A denser, drier and more compact crystal such as Kosher salt will dissolve more slowly than a lighter, moister salt such as the Murray River Flake Salt, which will have an impact of both the initial burst of saltiness and length of saltiness on the palate. When used as a finishing salt applied at the table, the colours of salt and shape of the crystals can become important, as they are able to provide excellent contrast and light. As salt acts as a natural barrier against bitterness in foods, its application can change the whole profile of a taste—oranges taste sweeter, chocolate more intense. The ability of salt to remove moisture from foods such as eggplants will in turn permit textural changes in the cooking process that result in a softer fruit. Ultimately the best way to experience, to learn, and to love salts is through trial and imagination.” [8]

Here are some tips to avoid excessive salt intake:

• Take the salt shaker off the table
• Gradually reduce added salt to foods so that you can learn to enjoy the flavours of unsalted foods.
• Try flavouring foods with herbs, spices, and lemon juice.
• Choose low-salt products when available.
• Read food labels carefully to determine the amounts of sodium and learn to recognize ingredients that contain sodium a food with salt, soy sauce, salt brine, or any ingredient with sodium, such as monosodium glutamate, or baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) as part of its name contains sodium.
• In reading labels and menus, look for words that signal a high sodium content, such as barbecued, broth, marinated, Parmesan, pickled, smoke and tomato base.
• Prepared sauces and condiments are often high in sodium; these include barbecue sauce, cocktail sauce, mustard sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce as well as many salad dressings.
• Don’t eat canned foods as these are often high in sodium.
• Serve lemon wedges at the table instead of salt which can be a good flavor enhancer because of its acidity.
• Use a salt free dukkah to sprinkle onto veggies or coat meats with.  This imparts good flavor and crunch.

Summary Points:

• Salt has always been a staple of our diets, whether taken from the sea or mined from the earth, from salt lakes or dried ocean beds.
• Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine have always advised against excessive salt consumption, and this is backed up with modern scientific evidence.  In moderate and balanced amounts salt is beneficial for our health.
• Salt is essential for our health so shouldn’t be avoided altogether, moderation is key.  However some people are very sensitive to salt, and they need to avoid it as much as possible.
• For people who aren’t salt sensitive, problems arise if their sodium: potassium ratio is out of balance, therefore ensuring you have plenty of potassium is beneficial.
• Avoid processed foods as they contain too much salt.  This is the main source of salt in the standard diet.
• Choose salt which has minimal processing, such as Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt.

Works Cited

[1] P. Pitchford, Healing with Whole Foods, 3rd Edition ed., Berkeley, California: North Atlantic Books, 2002.

[2] M. Murray, J. Pizzorno and L. Pizzorno, The Encylopedia of Healing Foods, New York: Atria Books, 2005.

[3] H. Osiecki, The Nutrient Bible, 7th ed., Eagle Farm: Bio Concepts Publishing.

[4] J. M. Mercola, “Mercola.com,” 25 August 2010. [Online]. Available: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/08/25/why-has-this-lifesustaining-essential-nutrient-been-vilified-by-doctors.aspx. [Accessed 2013].

[5] J. He, L. G. Ogden, S. Vupputuri, L. A. Bazzano, C. Loria and P. K. Whelton, “Dietary sodium intake and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease in overweight adults.,” The Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 282, no. 21, pp. 2027-34, 1999.

[6] F. J. He and G. A. MacGregor, “Effect of longer-term modest salt reduction on blood pressure,” The Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews, vol. 3, no. CD004937, 2004.

[7] FSANZ, “Sodium and salt,” August 2011. [Online]. Available: http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/scienceandeducation/factsheets/factsheets/sodiumandsalt.cfm. [Accessed 12 February 2013].

The post Salt appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

‘Good’ fats

These include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Both of these fats will be liquid at room temperature such as oils.

Monounsaturated fats are found primarily in plant based foods. Our bodies also have the ability to make monounsaturated fats from saturated fats, assuming we have plenty of the vitamins and minerals (such as zinc) that are involved in this process. Good sources include almond, olive, pecans, cashews, peanuts, avocados, canola, and macadamia. These oils are safe to use in low to moderate temperatures.

Polyunsaturated fats are essential fatty acids- see below. They turn rancid easily and should not be used in cooking. Food forms of polyunsaturated fats, such as macadamias are very beneficial for your health as they are less susceptible to oxidation than food forms of monounsaturated fats.

Essential fatty acids

Essential fatty acids are essential because 1: We need them and 2: They cannot be synthesized by our body and therefore need to be included in our diets. These include omega-3 and omega-6. Unfortunately, for most of us the balance of these fats is way off. Ideally we would have a balance of between 1: 1 and 4:1 omega-6 to 3. The standard western diet ratio of these fats is a long way off this, it is usually between 20:1 and 10:1. This means we are eating too many foods high in omega-6 fats and not enough foods high in omega-3s. Too much omega-6 can is pro-inflammatory and can lead to an increase in blood clot formation, cancer, weight gain, high blood pressure, depression and depressed immune function. Both were once found balanced in foods, but modern agricultural practices means that the omega-6 content it much higher. For example, organic eggs from hens allowed to feed on insects and green plants can contain omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids in the beneficial ratio of approximately one-to-one; but commercial supermarket eggs can contain as much as nineteen times more omega-6 than omega-3.  Red meat (pork more-so than herbivores like cows)  and poultry have been affected in the same way with the increase of grain feeding.  These animals traditional diets would have provided us with good fat balance, however now these foods are inflammatory.

Omega-3: Fish, soy, wheatgerm, flaxseed, walnut, nuts

Omega-6: Safflower, sunflower, corn, red meat, nuts, seeds and plant oil. Most processed and fast foods contain high amounts of omega-6 due to the overuse of corn products and cheap oils used in the processing.

Eating whole, fresh foods and fewer processed foods and opting for free range eggs and chicken and grass fed red meat (pork MUST be grass fed or free-range) will help you regain the balance of omega-3s and omega-6s.

Saturated fats

Saturated fat is found primarily in animal foods. The only exceptions to this are the tropical oils—coconut, palm, and palm kernel—and cocoa butter, which come from plant sources. These are also saturated. Unlike unsaturated fats, saturated fats are solid at room temperature, like butter, cheese, lard, bacon fat, milk fat, and the fat in meat products

Saturated fats are essential for our health and are often given a bad reputation by companies which sell vegetable oils.  This bad reputation began by a misinterpretation of a study done several years ago which showed that eating less saturated fats and more vegetable oils reduced cholesterol levels.  Alarmingly, what this study also showed was that these same people had an only temporary increase in cholesterol and there was an INCREASE in mortality rates!  So eating more vegetable oils and less saturated fats might reduce your cholesterol short term, but it’s not actually better for you.

Some studies have shown that eating red meat may increase the risk of colo-rectal cancer and lung cancer.  This may not be due to the red meat and saturated fat itself but rather the lack of total fibre in the diets analyzed.

Breast milk naturally contains saturated fat.  We NEED some, it is essential.  However taking all the information into account, we can realise that while saturated fat is not bad for us or evil (trans fat is evil) and it is ok to have some, we shouldn’t go overboard and that an excess  of anything is bad for us.

Trans fats (and how margarine is made, don’t read if you’re squeamish!)

Trans fats are produced using a process called hydrogenation. This is the process that turns polyunsaturated oil, normally liquid at room temperature, into fats that are solid at room temperature-margarine and shortening. To produce them, manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils-soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid from the extraction process and mix them with tiny metal particles-usually nickel oxide. The oil with its nickel catalyst is then subjected to hydrogen gas at high-pressure and high-temperature. Next, soap-like emulsifiers and starch are squeezed into the mixture to give it a better consistency. The oil is yet again subjected to high temperatures which turn it rancid then it is steam-cleaned to remove its unpleasant odor. Margarine’s natural color, an unappetizing gray, is removed by bleach. Dyes and strong flavors must then be added to make it resemble butter. Finally, the mixture is compressed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a health food. This does not sound like something that should be put into our bodies to me!

These artificially produced fats are used in place of butter and lard, fried at high temperatures without burning and increase the shelf life of foods. Food companies caught on and began using trans fats in commercially produced goods. Restaurants and fast-food chains started using trans fats exclusively for deep frying foods like fries.

Trans fats are even worse than saturated fats. They not only increase LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) but also lower HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), increase the risk of diabetes, gall stones, and internal inflammation. Consumption is associated with an increase risk of coronary artery disease. In the brain and other neurons in the body trans fats may become incorporated into cell membranes and impair their ability to function, communicate, and transport nutrients. Trans fats are just close enough in structure to healthy fats to stand in for them in biological functions. But they cannot do the job of the healthy fats and so cause dysfunction and disease.

Cholesterol

Cholesterol has gotten such a bad rap. And yet cholesterol, another kind of fat, is an essential part of every cell membrane in the body, the central nervous system, hormones, and other physiological functions. In fact, cholesterol is so important to the health of the human body that it is made inside the body. Your liver makes cholesterol and sends it out into the bloodstream for your body to use. Only 20% of the cholesterol comes from our diets.

There is “good” cholesterol (HDL), and “bad” cholesterol (LDL).  There is also something called vLDL, or very low density lipo-protein which is a ‘dangerous’ cholesterol because it is inflammatory and sticky, so it can stick to the artery walls.  This is increased if there is oxidation of peoples fats (such as by not having enough antioxidants in the diet or eating too much trans/hydrogenated fats).  When there is too much vLDL cholesterol circulating in the bloodstream, it can cause inflammation in the lining of the artery. Over time the results of this inflammatory process cause plaque to build up and begin to clog the arteries. Plaque and sometimes blood clots form. Both can block arteries, causing a heart attack or stroke. HDL cholesterol’s job is carrying the cholesterol back to the liver.  HDL is cardio-protective and helps reduce inflammation and plaque buildup in the arteries.

There is cholesterol found in all animal products, however it is now becoming understood that foods containing cholesterol do not actually raise your blood cholesterol levels.

If your cholesterol levels are high, you need to dig deep (with the help of a holistic health care practitioner such as a naturopath) to identify WHY they are high.  The possible causes are many, but diet isn’t likely to be one of them.

Fats and calories

Fats do contain twice as many calories as carbohydrates. However the key is how they are digested. Complex carbohydrates take 2-3 hrs to be digested. Refined carbohydrates will take 30 minutes. However fats will take 5-8 hours to be completely digested. Therefore, fats keep hunger satisfied 3 times longer and can also help to keep blood sugar levels from spiking. It is important to include some ‘good fats’ into your diet when trying to lose weight for this reason. We also know that ‘good’ fats are needed to burn fat and lose weight.  If you cut fat out of your diet altogether your body will be very stubborn about letting go of it’s stored fat!

Low fat diets

Low fat diets eradicate the good and the bad fats. Remember- we can not make essential fatty acids and this is why they are needed in our diet. By avoiding all fats we are also missing out on the variety of other nutrients found in foods like nuts, oils and avocado. Following a strict low fat diet can lead to low energy, nutrient deficiencies, poor concentration, rebound weight gain and depression. Low fat products will also often have more sugar to make them taste better.

Cooking with fats

• Cook with olive oil only at low to moderate temperatures
• Do not cook with polyunsaturated fats such as avocado and flaxseed as the heat combined with oxygen damages the oil
• Try cooking with stock, vinegar, wine or water instead of oils
• Steam veggies, then finish off under the grill to brown rather than cooking covered in oil
• Use avocado, hommus or olive oil on bread
• Keep oils oils that are vulnerable to oxidation in dark glass containers and store away from sunlight.
• Do not use oils in plastic containers as they can leach harmful chemicals from the plastic.

Good Oil choices:

For deep frying:

• Animal fats such as lard or tallow (e.g. superfry)
• A refined olive oil (e.g. light olive oil) – don’t use extra-virgin olive oil which doesn’t hold up to the high heats)

For pan frying:Any olive oil

• Butter
• Coconut oil

For roasting:

• Animal fats
• Olive oil or other oils higher in saturated fats such as coconut oil or macadamia which also holds up very well to the sustained high heat.

Adding more Omega-3 fats into your diet

• Eat a handful of nuts daily, especially walnuts
• Fish x 4/week
• Drizzle olive oil or flaxseed oil combined with lemon juice and herbs over salads and steamed veggies
• Add flaxseed meal to your muesli, shakes, yoghurt (grind it fresh each week and keep in the fridge)
• Use avocado or olive oil as a spread on bread
• Be conscious of foods high in omega 6

Some points on spreads…

Essentially, margarine is processed and full of hydrogenated oils so this ‘health food’ is not good for you at all!  Even though it doesn’t contain cholesterol, as you know this isn’t such a bonus.  Even the olive oil spreads contain other processed oils, which highlights the important of reading ingredients on food labels.  Stay away from margarine unless you know which oils go into in and whether it has been processed in a safe way.

Butter is fine for you, but try to use organic!  A portion of butter is the size of the top segment of your thumb.

If vegetarian, use olive oil, hommus or avocado or Melrose omega spread on bread (made from flaxseed oil, an omega-3).

More on Cooking with Oils …  Smoke Point

The smoke point refers to the temperature at which oil begins to smoke. At this point the oil starts to decompose. If oils are heated to smoke point there’s an increased risk of producing carcinogens and the food will burn and taste terrible. Refined oils have a higher smoke point than their unrefined counterpart and when higher temperatures are required, for example, to BBQ, stir fry or deep fry at high temperatures (over 200C) they are almost a better option, were the majority not refined through chemicals solvents. For a product to be classified as organic its production process must be also be approved by the organic industry therefore thea ssurance of a chemical free oil is to buy orgainc refined oils for high heat cooking.

Many people reuse their oils which can have the effect of reducing the smoke point of the oil. Reusing oils also increases the production of free radicals and should therefore be avoided regardless of the cost saving.

The table below gives the smoke point of most well known and less known oils.

Cooking Guide

200C – Suitable for all types of cooking including stir frying, deep frying, BBQ’ing, grilling, and baking
175 – 200 – medium heat frying, grilling, baking
107 – 175 – gentle frying on a low heat, light grilling
107 C – use cold in salad dressings

The best advice for cooking is to use an oil with a high concentration of more stable monounsaturated fat. Only use a refined oil of quality when you are sure no chemicals were used in the refining process. ( refined camellia tea oil is an excellent choice of oil for high temperature cooking). Polyunsaturated oils do have a rightful place in our healthy world, and oils like flaxseed, walnut, and sunflower oil should be consumed for their many health benefits. Eat them cold in dressings with salad or over cold cereals and always store your bottles in the fridge.

The post The truth about fats appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

The changes in seasons can have a profound effect not only on our social life, but also on our health, energy and mood.  A healthy body can handle these changes with ease, but some people are more sensitive and so are susceptible to falling ill at the change of season.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is it said that our organs can be sensitive in certain seasons so if they are having a hard time we can get symptoms related to what those organs “rule”.

Preparing your body with specific herbs and making food choices based on what is in season can help prepare you for the changes and feel great all year round.

Eating seasonally

Eating seasonally no longer comes as second nature to us.  Somewhere in us is programmed the urge to reach for foods which heal and nourish us… but this urge has been dulled.  Most foods are now available all year round due to the speed and ease in which food can be shipped from overseas.  Food has been moved around the world for many years, however now that transport has become faster and easier it is possible to move perishable food great distances before it spoils.  It is now cheaper to produce food overseas where labour costs are lower, such as in African and Asian nations and ship it than it is to produce it locally.  However, the large distances that food travels has a price: pollution.   Another issue is that food is picked too early and artificially ripened with chemicals.  This means that the nutrients that develop during the ripening process are not present in our food, so we are getting less out of it.  Not only does this mean we are leaving a bigger carbon footprint, but the quality of the food is affected and this can have an impact on our health.

For the health of both yourself and our environment, try to always eat local produce that’s in season.

How our body changes in the seasons and how we can eat to support this

Healthy Summer

Most people’s priority during summer is keeping cool.  Our natural method of regulating our body heat is sweating, and we can help to maintain this mechanism by eating pungent foods (e.g. coriander, ginger, garlic, wasabi).

Aim to drink at least 2 litres of clean filtered water each day, and enjoy lots of fruit.

Summer is also one of the most popular times to lose weight as you become more aware of your body (more skin tends to be revealed) and your metabolism increases as it gets hotter. Exercise is a great way to lose weight, but ensure that for every hour that you exercise you have another litre of water. Consult your naturopath for a professional weight loss program.

In general, the daily diet should contain more vegetables and fruit at this time which will stimulate the appetite and help provide fluids. Warm and cooked foods ensure the digestive system work more effectively; too many greasy, raw and frozen foods can damage the digestive system and lead to a poor appetite, diarrhoea or stomach upset.

As summer progresses try to eat more raw foods, and keep your meals quite light.

Summary:

• Consult your naturopath for a weight loss program if desired
• Drink at least 2L water each day (and 1L additional for every hour of exercise)
• Eat plenty of fruit of vegetables
• Eat pungent foods to help regulate the sweating mechanism

Autumn

Preparing for the dryness of winter and supporting stomach and lung function is our aim for autumn.  Improving the immune system and ensuring that the body has a sufficient store of body fluid for winter is important in preventing infections and coping with the dry weather.  As the lungs and colon are more active in this season people can experience coughs or breathing difficulties, or diarrhoea and/or constipation.  The lungs and colon are eliminatory organs, and help us to ‘let go’ both physically and emotionally, so it may happen that unresolved emotions will pop up during this time.

The mucous membranes in the stomach, intestines, lung, mouth, throat and sinuses are one of our first lines of defence – improving the integrity of these and the good bacteria that resides within helps us to reduce our chances of getting an infection in the winter months.  If your skin is dry during this time, chances are your lungs are dry too.

Sour foods (eg pineapple and lemon) have astringent properties and this helps prevent bodily fluid loss.

Eat lots of red and yellow vegetables during autumn to get plenty of immune boosting nutrients.  Continue to eat pungent foods.  There are also several herbal medicines that can increase your immunity by boosting white cell count and will improve your ability to fight infections.  If you’re susceptible to getting colds and ‘flu at the change of season, consult your naturopath now to prepare.

Summary

• Drink plenty of water
• Enjoy sour foods to prevent fluid loss
• Take herbs to tone stomach and lung function
  • E.g. Mullein, Lemon balm, Licorice, Meadowsweet
• Take immune boosting herbs and nutrients
  • E.g. Echinacea, Zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Probiotics, SB.

Winter

During winter, our bodies tend to slow down their processes.  We need to focus on building up our energy and reserves for spring.  The most important organ to replenish is the adrenal glands, which help us cope with stress.  Commonly, people experiencing anxiety, cold limbs, palpitations and fatigue are showing signs of adrenal weakness.  Our urinary system is sensitive during winter as well, and according to TCM principles these organs look after our ears, bones, hair and lower back.

The best foods to eat in winter are those with a bitter flavour, are naturally salty (e.g. miso, sardines, soy sauce and barley) and high protein foods.  Dark foods such as black beans and seaweed nourish and strengthen the kidneys.  Nutrient dense foods are important as well, as the body’s appetite increases in winter yet our metabolism slows down – we are storing more from our food.

According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, you should avoid high calorie foods during winter as this can cause excessive heat to accumulate in the lungs, leading to problems like sore throats, bronchitis and skin problems.

Cook your meals for longer over a lower heat, using more water and a little more quality salt and oil.  Enjoy hearty meals like soups and stews, and use cooking techniques like roasting rather than stir-frying.

Summary:

• Balance the nervous system and rebuild the adrenal glands with herbs
  • E.g. Licorice, rehmannia, chamomile, oats, passionflower
• Energising herbs help to eradicate chronic disease and improve metabolism during winter
• Eat nutrient rich but low calorie foods
• Ensure you obtain protein with each meal
• Eat bitter foods

Spring

Spring is all about new life.  Spring is also one of the best times to support and repair our liver function as this organ tends to become more sensitive now. Most people subconsciously cut down on their fatty food and alcohol intake in Spring.

The liver is important for detoxifying all that we eat and come in contact with.  It is also our ‘furnance’ – it burns fat for energy.  According to the TCM principles the liver stores blood and is connected to our eyes, nails and ligaments.  Supporting the liver with herbal medicine can help to reduce the severity of spring time allergies and other conditions that occur.  The emotion associated with the liver is anger and frustration and these can surface more at this time.  Getting outside and having fun helps us to deal with these emotions.

Start to reduce salty and heavy foods and introduce more sour foods such as chicken, lemon and tomatoes along with sweet and pungent foods such as honey, dates, ginger and onions.  These flavours are more nourishing to liver function and by supporting our liver with food and also with herbs, we help our body to eliminate any old disease and increase our energy and metabolism.  Try to eat more greens, particularly those that are fast growing.

 Summary

• Support liver function with herbs
  • E.g. Dandelion root, St Mary’s Thistle, Schisandra, Globe Artichoke
• Reduce heavy food foods
• Increase sour, sweet and pungent foods
• Increase green leafy vegetables

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