Your BRAIN and Carbs

Yes, bet you didn't know this one...

It's true I have been going on a lot lately about low-carb diets.  But it is a very hot topic at the moment and from what I see on a day-to-day basis with my clients just seems to back up the theory that refined and non-refined carbs are just not a good idea for human consumption - at least not on an everyday basis.

The Basics.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye grains.  Wheat is the most common form of gluten in our diets; bread, pasta, pizza, etc..

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder, this means the immune system reacts to gluten as if it were a threat which leads to the villi, the finger-like structures that line the small intestine responsible for the absorption of nutrients, to be destroyed.  This means that the nutrients will not be absorbed properly which can lead to malnutrition, and other serious health consequences which include permanent damage to the intestinal tract.

Some of the symptoms of  celiac disease are;

• Chronic Diarrhea and/or constipation
• Pale, horrible-smelling stools
• Bloated abdomen and gas
• Stomach pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Failure to thrive in children
• Delayed puberty in adolescents
• Weight loss
• Dental enamel defects
• Short stature
• Irritability and mood swings
• Fatigue
• Anemia
• Depression and anxiety
• Headaches
• Joint pain
• Infertility and frequent miscarriages
• Tingling in the hands and the feet
• Osteoporosis

As recently as 2015 in the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, it was finally announced that Intolerance to Gluten without being Celiac DOES exist.

Symptoms of non-celiac gluten sensitivity are:

• Brain for or mental fatigue
• Physical fatigue
• Abdominal pain, bloating and gas
• Frequent headaches.  

However, according to Dr. David Perlmutter, an American neurologist, has a lot more to say about the real effect of gluten on our brains - and not just those who have Celiac disease, or are intolerant to gluten, but the population in general.

According to Dr. Perlmutter, carbs... even the healthy ones such as whole grains not only cause all of the symptoms listed above, but also cause; dementia, ADHD, anxiety, chronic headaches, depression, Alzheimer's, Tourrette's syndrome, and dystonia, among others...

To me this is shocking.  He has worked with many patients who had been unable to find and answer to their many medical problems until they removed gluten from their diets.  I highly recommend his book Grain Brain if you would like more in depth information on the subject.  If I try and do it here, I'm afraid this post will go on forever..

However, what I found even more shocking recently, is just how gluten infested our lives really are.  Most people who have celiac disease or are gluten intolerant or just want to live a gluten-free lifestyle, buy gluten-free bread, pasta, cookies, etc..  But did you know, gluten can also be found in:

• Shampoos
• Cosmetics, lipsticks and lip balm
• Play-doh
• Some medications
• Some vitamins and supplements
• Stamps and envelopes that you have to humidify or lick to stick them on or closed

And, there is a LONG list of words that are generally used on the ingredient section of products that are "other" names for gluten, such as:

• Dextrin
• Acena Sativa Cyclodextrin
• Fermented grain extract
• Hydrolyzed malt extract
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
• Hydrolyzed soy protein
• Maltodextrin
• Secale cereale
• Tocopherol/Vitamin E
• Yeast extract
• Modified food starch
• Brown rice syrup
• Caramel coloring - frequently made from barley
• Triticum aestivum
• Triticum vulgaire
• Hordeum vulgar

And I'm afraid the list just goes on...

You see, it isn't easy to be gluten free.


I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Low carb dangers

Low carb diets are all the rage at the moment... even though they have been used for weight loss for centuries... literally.

Cutting out entire food groups such as carbohydrates from your diet is believed by many to be "very dangerous".  In the case of carbohydrates being removed from the diet, the "danger" is in the supposed lack of fiber that remains in the diet.

Now obviously if you have Celiac Disease then you need to avoid gluten at all costs.  But there are many other carbs that don't have gluten in them and many people are removing carbs to try and lose weight, which works... but you need to be careful and replace the fiber with other foods to make sure your gut works properly.

Fiber is extremely important to keep your digestive tract working correctly and therefore, keeping YOU healthy.  Fiber also provides a protective effect towards bowel cancer and a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.  There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble.  Examples of soluble fiber are oats, nuts, beans and fruit and insoluble fiber comes in the form of bran, skins of fruit and seeds.

If you are considering adopting a low carb diet, then you need to know that essentially what is left to eat is protein, fat, fruit and vegetables.  It is really really important to eat as many vegetables as you can.

Once you remove carbohydrates from the diet then your gut bacteria start to live off the amino acids that make up proteins, however, this produces other compounds that are considered more toxic than beneficial.  So you really need to look after your gut bacteria.

Eating fermented foods such as Kimchi and sauerkraut are a great help.  These are called prebiotic foods and also include bananas, asparagus, pulses and brown rice, which are highly beneficial to your gut bacteria.

You really need to be eating as much as 10 portions a day of vegetables.  In comparison, you don't need as much protein to reap the benefits protein has to offer.  But with vegetables the more the better as they will basically be your only source of fiber.

Lots of high protein diets are considered dangerous due to the amount of fat and protein and lack of fruit and vegetables.  The Dukan Diet, for example, restricted the dieter to eating just protein every other day and protein with some vegetables the other days.  This, in my opinion, is not enough fiber and is way too much protein.  High protein diets can cause kidney problems IF they are not followed correctly.

I believe there is a happy medium.  Learn to love your vegetables.  I know that many people don't like vegetables, but try new recipes, be creative... they don't all need to be just boiled!   Eat protein for breakfast (with vegetables even if it is just grilled tomatoes), have protein with vegetables for lunch and in the evening, if you are trying to lose weight, then have just vegetables.  Here there is NO LIMIT to the amount of vegetables you can eat.  Some mornings you can have a bowl of fruit, but the whole fruit never as juice.

What are vegetables?

Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, salad greens, tomatoes (yes, it's a fruit but for the sake of sanity we'll include it here), and for the same reason as tomatoes, we'll include avocados here too, leeks, artichokes, asparagus, peppers, Brussel's sprouts, courgettes, endives, cucumber, runner beans, pumpkin, aubergines, mushrooms, celery, chard... etc...

Root vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips, and carrots, etc are basically a no no as they are very high in sugars.

I quite often eat the left over vegetables from dinner the night before for breakfast the next day!  Once you get used to the idea and start reaping the benefits of a low carb diet, then you might just find it easy.

The benefits of a low carb diet go beyond simple weight loss.  Low carb diets also improve brain function, increase levels of HDL or "good" cholesterol and improve the pattern of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, reduce blood sugar and insulin levels (which means major health improvements for people with type 2 diabetes), reduction in blood pressure and they STOP you feeling hungry.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Healthy Snacks

The simple fact that you are "on a diet" is enough to send your brain into overdrive and you suddenly start craving things you probably wouldn't eat or highly calorific foods.  Some people who have never snacked suddenly find the need to be eating constantly.

This is because a sudden change in habits means we are forced outside of our comfort zone and our subconscious decide it wants back into the comfort zone.  Many people find they become quite anxious while on a diet.

So, if you are desperate to lose a few pounds for the summer season, or you KNOW you need to overhaul your diet to be healthier, then here are a few healthy snacking tips you might find tasty, and satisfying without losing control of your diet.

Cottage Cheese:

This a favorite of mine, high in protein and low in calories; just 163 calories per cup with about 70% protein.  Cottage cheese is also a good source of calcium, vitamin B12 and riboflavin (B2).  The high protein content will keep you feeling fuller for longer.  More than a snack, I quite often have a pot of cottage cheese for breakfast.

Olives:

Many mistake this mediterranean staple as being fattening, but it is surprisingly low in calories but also contain oleic acid which is linked to many health benefits such as improved heart health and reduced inflammation in the body.  You can have a few as snack, without having to worry.

Hot Drinks:

Having a hot cup of coffee, tea or even broth, is an easy way to stop hunger pangs.  Warm liquid gives a comforting and full feeling in the stomach which can lead you to feel satiated and relaxed.  Broth or even miso soup are good options with healthy fiber, protein and beneficial plant compounds it isn't just a warm feeling but they are actually a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Fresh Fruit:

If it's something sweet you are craving then fruit is your best option.  Fruit is sweet... especially if it's tropical BUT don't juice it.  Eat the whole fruit.  Fruit has a lot of beneficial fiber that stops the sugar being absorbed too quickly and causing a spike in blood sugar levels.  The fiber means  the sugar is released more slowly over a longer period of time.  It will also give you lots of vitamins!  Tropical fruits are very high in sugar so be careful.

A part from tropical fruit, berries are a better choice if you are trying to lose weight.  Berries are sweet but lower if calories while staying high in fiber, they are also packed full of vitamins and minerals.  They are high in antioxidants and it is thought they have good anti-inflammatory powers.

Dark Chocolate:

Still on the sweet kick?  Many of my clients say they crave just a little something sweet - usually in the evenings before going to bed.  If you are capable of not eating the whole bar, then I suggest an ounce of dark chocolate, preferably at least 70% cocoa.  It may not me as good as your milk chocolate caramel deluxe bar but dark chocolate is a good source of antioxidants and helps reduce your risk of heart disease.  BUT just an ounce or two.

Greek Yogurt:

If you are want something with a really indulgent feel then Greek yogurt is your answer.  Its creamy texture makes it a delicious snack which is also full of protein and contains less sugar than a regular yogurt.  Greek yogurt also has lots of beneficial bacteria to help with your gut health and lots of B vitamins.

Hummus:

Mediterranean delight made from chickpeas, tahini, garlic and olive oil.  More than a snack you can make this into a meal!  Cut up some fresh vegetables; celery, red and yellow peppers and carrots into sticks and dip in the hummus.  This is heart healthy and will also help increase your vegetable intake.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Cheers!

Ok, I don't drink... nothing wrong with that, many people do drink moderately - a nice glass of wine, or two...

Anyway, thing is I often say to people, "Of course you can have a glass of red wine with your lunch," and invariably they answer,

"What about white wine, can I have that?"

So let's talk about wine and the difference between red and white...

Wine is, as we all know, basically fermented grape juice but the difference as to the color depends on whether the grape juice is fermented with or without the seeds and skins.

White wine is made from grapes where the skin and seeds have been removed prior to pressing and fermenting.

Red wine is made from grapes, skins, seeds and stalks, all chucked in together and pressed - or
trampled and them fermented.  It is the pigment in the skin of the grapes that gives red wine its color, and it is also where the antioxidant resveratrol is found which gives red wine a "healthier" label... or does it?

A nutritional comparison of 1 glass of red or white wine would look something like this (depending on the wine):

As you can see, red wine has a very slight edge over white due to its slightly higher vitamin and mineral content (I have listed just a few, wines also contain vitamin B6, manganese, riboflavin, etc..)

Why you should drink red wine:

Resveratrol, found in the skin of grapes, has been heralded as a superfood for its anti-inflammatory

and antioxidant activity.  We still need more testing to be done, but so far it has been found to help with:

Alzheimer's Disease:  Resveratrol seems to stop the formation of beta-amyloid, these are particles that play a key part in plaque formation in the brain that are a present in Alzheimer's Disease.

Cancer prevention:  the jury is still out on this one, but it is thought that resveratrol may help in the prevention and treatment of some cancers.

Anti-aging:  Resveratrol's antioxidant activity activates genes that prevent disease due to aging.

Joint Pain:  Resverarol's protective anti-inflammatory activity means that cartilage is protected and doesn't damage so easily.

HDL:  HDL or good cholesterol because of its heart protective properties is linked to lower rates of heart disease.  It was found that adults who drank 1-2 glasses of red wine daily increased their HDL levels between 11-16% in a four week period compared to those who just drank water or water with a grape extract.  Therefore, it is believed that drinking red wine has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system and has been linked to a 30% lower risk of dying from heart disease.

However, this information does not mean you can drink as much as you like with the excuse of how healthy it is!!!  it is important to limit the amount of wine (or any alcohol) you drink, 1 glass a day is enough to reap the benefits.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

20 cookies a day

Would you willing hand over 20 chocolate chip cookies every day to your child and then just let him eat them all?

Well it turns out that that is exactly what most parents are doing unknowingly.  Children eat the equivalent of 20 chocolate chip cookies' worth of sugar every day and the vast majority is hidden sugar.

You know how many teaspoons of sugar you add to coffee or tea because you are the one administering it.  However, there is sugar in almost everything nowadays and to understand just how much sugar we ingest is almost impossible.  So that goes for children too.

Breakfast cereals are packed full of refined carbs and sugar... those are the first two ingredients on the pack.  Lots of parents know the evils of soft drinks, but still think that juice is a healthy option when all it really is is liquid sugar.

Public Health England has published figures that show that 11-18 year olds, on average, consume 73.2g of sugar every day - that's about 18 teaspoons a day.  The NHS guidelines recommend that children over the age of 11 should consume no more than 30g a day, as you can see this means they are doubling that limit every single day.  Four to ten year olds are consuming 53.5g/day (RDA for 4-6 year olds is 19g and RDA for 7-10 year olds is 24g) and 19 to 64 years olds are also well over the 30g maximum per day at 59.9g.

The Obesity Health Alliance also analyzed the figures and said that the food industry needs to take

urgent action and remove sugar from food.

Dr. Modi Mwatsama  of the Obesity Health Alliance said:

"Most parents would never hand over 20 chocolate biscuits a day to their children, but with so much hidden sugar in our food and drink it can often be hard to know just how much children are consuming.

"By reducing the amount of sugar found in everyday products, industry could help make a real difference in improving the health of our children.

"Industry has been successful in the past around reducing salt - let's see the same with sugar."

The British Government has called for the food industry to cut the sugar content in common products such as breakfast cereals, cakes and yogurts by 20% by the year 2020.

However, some have criticized this measure as purely voluntary and there is no obligation for the food companies to comply.

Professor Russel Viner of the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health, said:

"This vast amount of sugar consumption is storing up so much trouble for generations to come as we know obese children are five times more likely to become obese adults making them more likely to develop serious health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, cancer, heart and liver disease, dental issues and associated mental health problems."

The sugar in our children's food is a serious problem that needs to be addressed as soon as possible, and we can't leave it to the food industry to do it.  They need the sugar in their products for longer shelf life, but also to get young customers hooked on their products.  They don't care about their customers, they just care about company profits.

So, what do you care about?  Your child's health and future, or putting money in big corporations pockets?

Start feeding your family fresh food.  There are plenty of fresh foods with naturally occurring sugars in them.  Fruit, but not juice, has sugar and fiber - healthy when the two go together.  It may take a while, but if you persist, they will get used to it in the end and you will make healthy adults of them with good habits.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Diabetes, what not to eat.

Diabetes used to be a very rare disease.  Unfortunately, nowadays, it is all too common.  Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle acquired disease - this means that unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 is the direct result of your lifestyle (eating habits, exercise habits, etc..).  So, I am sure you will understand that if you have given yourself type 2 diabetes through your day to day choices, then you can change those choices and habits and improve your health.

Type 2 diabetes can lead to a whole host of serious diseases such as heart disease, blindness and even limb amputation due to the lack of circulation that causes gangrene.

For me, the scariest thing is that everyday more and more children are being diagnosed with diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is reversible, and in the very least controlable, it is up to you.

So, if you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, if you are pre-diabetic or if there is a history of type 2 diabetes in your family, then you might want to start looking after yourself.

Here is what you SHOULDN'T eat:

A big problem for people with type 2 diabetes is carb intake.  Carbs severely affect the blood glucose level causing it to spike but the insulin response to the spike doesn't work.  So, if you have high glucose blood levels for sustained periods of time your body's nerves and blood vessels can be damaged which is the beginning of heart disease, kidney disease and other health conditions.  Keeping to a low carb diet is the best way to avoid any more serious health problems.

So, the first things you need to avoid are refined "white" carbs; white bread, pasta, and white rice.  Refined products have had all nutritional benefits removed during the refining process, leaving them with next to no nutritional value, but they will quickly spike your blood sugar levels.  This also goes for gluten-free products that were found to have the biggest effect on blood sugar levels, the rice-based products were the worst.

Another study found that the effect wasn't limited to raised blood sugar levels but also found that brain function was impaired in people with type 2 diabetes.

Fiber is an extremely important part of our diet.  It is the fiber in high sugar foods such as fruit that stop them being dangerous.  The fiber content means that the sugars are released slowly over a longer period of time.  Refined products like bread, pasta, etc, have very little fiber and so the sugars are released quickly.

Eat wholegrain foods whenever you need to have carbs, the less processed the better and high-fiber breads have been shown to reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes, and they also showed reduced levels of cholesterol and blood pressure.

Sugary drinks are another no, as I am sure you can imagine.  They are very high carb as each can of

330ml soda contains 38g of sugar - and what is more it is mainly fructose  that you might remember from last week's post.  Fructose is extremely hard for the body to process and can lead to metabolic changes that facilitate belly fat, high cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

But don't get excited about diet versions, they are just as bad for diabetes as regular soda.  A recent study posted in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which followed 66,118 women over a period of 14 years and kept track of the drinks they consumed.  By the end of the study, both sugar sweetened drinks and diet drinks were linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

It's a much better idea to stick to water, sparkling water or unsweetened drinks.

Breakfast cereals are also right up there in the high carb section.  If you read the ingredients on a packet of commercial cereal  the second ingredient is usually sugar with the first being some kind of refined cereal, usually wheat.  These are highly processed and lacking in nutrients.  And don't be fooled by the supposedly healthy ones either, they also have high amounts of sugar - you'd be surprised as to how much.

Yogurts are generally deemed healthy, and if they are natural yogurts with no added fruit, sugar or flavoring then they generally are.

However, the minute you get into added fruit and flavoring then you are talking about large amounts of added sugar.  Just one 245g serving of fruit-flavored yogurt can contain a huge 47g of sugar - that's almost 81% of its total calories from sugar!

Stick to plain greek yogurt or kefir - your gut bacteria will love you for it too!

Avoid Starbucks and other such places like the plague.  Our brains do not process liquid or solid calories in the same way.  You don't consider a coffee to be food which means you will probably eat more later, putting your weight at risk.  If you are overweight, then this will only give you an even bigger problem.

Although coffee does have certain health benefits, adding milk and flavored syrups just means adding even more sugar - again.  Even the diet versions have enough carbs in them to raise blood sugar levels.  Just one caramel frappuccino from Starbucks (454ml) has 67g of carbs and the diet version as 30g of carbs...  Need I say more?

Stick to plain old black coffee or expresso and if you must, add some heavy cream.

Honey and spice and all things nice...  Some people believe that natural sweeteners such as honey, agave nectar and maple syrup are healthier versions of white sugar.  But in fact they are even worse.  The carb count for white sugar is 12.6g per tablespoon, so you might be surprised to find out that one tablespoon of honey has a carb count to 17g, Agave nectar comes in at 16g per tablespoon and Maple syrup has a carb count of 13g.  So as you can imagine these aren't going to do any good to your blood sugar levels.

While on the subject of "healthier" options, you should stay away from dried fruit too.  Fresh fruit is a good source to vitamins and minerals and when it is dried, the loss of water content means that these nutrients can be found in higher concentrations.  However, the down side is that its sugar content also becomes concentrated.

An example of this is grapes vs raisin...  One cup of grapes contains 27g of carbs of which 1g is fiber.  Now, one cup of raisins contains 115g of carbs, of which 5g are fiber.  So, if you do have diabetes then stick to low sugar fruits such as berries, small apples, etc., are good for you as their fiber content helps with a slower rate of absorption of the sugars.

Don't even think about juice.  Fruit juice is deemed healthy, but in fact all it is is fruit flavored sugar water.  When you make juice you remove all the fiber from the fruit, and if you remember it is the fiber that makes fruit healthy.  So eat the whole orange - fiber and all!

Potatoes in any form are high in carbs, but especially when fried.  Frying any foods has been shown to produce high amounts of AGEs and aldehydes, toxic compounds that promote inflammation and increase your risk of disease.  A better option is sweet potatoes but keep them to a limited amount.

So, remember which foods to stay away from and you will be helping yourself to stay healthy or get healthier - it's in your hands!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Fructose, friend or foe?

Fructose, otherwise known as the sugar found in fruit, it's in honey and is sweeter than sucrose.  It is used in many foodstuffs and in medicine, mainly in a solution form as an intravenous "nutrient".

Lots of people believe that fructose is "healthier" because... well... it's from fruit and fruit is healthy, right?

Well yes, fruit is healthy when you eat the WHOLE fruit with all that healthy fiber, then the fructose does not have a negative effect on your body.

But, take the fructose out of the fruit and it turns into something different and far more dangerous - think High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

But first, let's take a look at the differences between the 3 main sugars in our lives:

GLUCOSE:

Glucose is the most important monosaccharide and the body's preferred sugar.  Glucose is also called blood sugar as it circulates in the blood and relies on the enzymes glucokinase and hexokinase to initiate metabolism.  The body processes most carbohydrates into glucose for immediate use or to be stored in the muscles or liver as glycogen for later use.

When elevated blood levels of glucose are detected, insulin is secreted facilitating the entry of glucose into cells.

FRUCTOSE:

As stated above, fructose is found naturally in fruits and vegetables, but it is also added to many foodstuffs including soda and fruit-flavored drinks.  However, it has a different metabolic pathway from other sugars, and is NOT the preferred energy source for brain and muscles.

Fructose is only metabolized in the liver and needs fructokinase to initiate metabolism.  Fructose is also more lipogenic - fat producing, compared to glucose.  It also does not induce the secretion of insulin or stimulate the production of leptin - a key hormone for regulating energy intake and expenditure.  This suggests that fructose behaves more like fat in the body than like other carbohydrates.

SUCROSE:

Also known as table sugar, fruits and vegetables also naturally contain sucrose.  When sucrose is
consumed the enzymes beta-fructosidase separates the sucrose into glucose and fructose.  Once separated, they each follow their particular metabolic pathways.  However, although they are ingested at the same time, the body prefers to use the glucose as its main energy source, and if it doesn't need the energy provided by the fructose, then it will convert it into fat stimulated by the insulin secreted in response to the glucose.

Glucose is essential for life.  Our bodies produce it and every living cell contains it.

Fructose, on the other hand, is NOT essential for life, the body doesn't produce it and throughout history, has only ever consumed it in its natural fruit form - until, that is, they started adding it to food...

So, how can fructose harm you?

Well, having a diet high in fructose can cause problems to your health such as; increased levels of uric acid which in turn leads to gout and high blood pressure.  It can also cause fatty liver which can lead to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Insulin resistance which can lead to type 2 diabetes is another issue and fructose does not affect satiety in the same way that glucose does, leading to eating more than is necessary.  Scientists at the university of Barcelona have found that fructose contributes to raising the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

They carried out studies on rats using two types of simple sugars.  The group of rats given fructose water put on more weight than those given glucose water.  Their results were published in the American Journal of Physiology Heart and Circulatory Physiology, stating that the fructose rats suffered more damaging effects on their metabolism and vascular system, fatty liver and an increased risk of obesity.

This means you need to read the labels on the food you buy... in fact, if it has a label, don't buy it!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com