If you're a geek... get in the kitchen!

I mean no disrespect to all those hackers, programmers, engineers, gamers, techies, and nerds collectively known as "geeks", for the sake of writing the word geek just makes things easier - I even married one!

I grew up in the kitchen helping my mother cook.  We were very close, and it was time I had to myself with her as neither of my siblings wanted to be involved in food preparation.  It also had the added benefit of not having to do the washing up afterwards!  In our house, if you helped cook the meal, your "compensation" was not having to wash up.  That time spent in the kitchen with my mother gave me a love and understanding of food which led me to become a Clinical Nutritionist, and dedicate my life to improving people's health through food.

To my husband's credit, he has recently begun to venture into the kitchen and not just to route out a Diet Coke or packet of biscuits.  He can now cook 2 recipes; paella and pasta with tomato sauce - we're getting somewhere!

Geeks are portrayed, in general, as fairly unhealthy beings.  They spend endless hours everyday (and most of the night) in front of a computer screen surviving on Red Bull, popcorn and pizza.  General opinion would have us mere mortals believe that a geek wouldn't know how to find the kitchen let alone cook in it.  But what if I told you cooking "has the same types of hard constraints that code, hardware, and most science disciplines do?" (Jeff Potter).

Geeks are extremely intelligent, creative people, so why not apply that creativity and intelligence to improving health through a balanced, healthy eating regime?

In 2010, Jeff Potter published his book "Cooking for Geeks".  Which leads any self-deserving geek into the kitchen to discover a whole new world which isn't as terrifying or boring as it may seem to someone who doesn't cook.

To the non geek (like me), this book is both surprising and interesting and looks a lot like a user manual for a piece of hardware!  Jeff Potter presents the art of cooking from a Geek mindset, with chapters such as; Hello Kitchen! (calibrating your instruments, kitchen organizing...), Choosing your Inputs: Flavors and Ingredients (different tastes and combinations), Time and Temperature, Cooking's Primary Variables, Playing with Chemicals and Fun with Hardware.

It is also packed full of interesting tasty recipes, practical tips on how to do things and different types of measurements (explained in geekspeak) and it even tells you how to cook a whole salmon in the dishwasher!  Yes, you heard me correctly, in the dishwasher!  It is all presented from a very scientific point of view, explaining different cooking methods and how to choose your ingredients, the different seasonal foods and lots of interesting interviews with fellow geeks such as Adam Savage.  It will teach you to cook for one or to cook for others and the different cuts of meat - absolutely everything someone who has never cooked before needs to know.  So there really is no excuse to not spice up your life and become healthier through Cooking for Geeks.

The Skillet-Fried Potatoes sound delicious not to mention the Mean Chocolate Chip Cookie!  I shall leave you to discover the rest!

So here is my challenge.  I challenge all of you geeks out there to get in the kitchen - then send me your favorite recipes.

You can find out more on:

www.cookingforgeeks.com

Or follow on Twitter @cookingforgeeks using #c4g for general discussion

One of the book's suggestions is @cookbook Maureen Evans posts recipes on Twitter.

5 ways to help your skin get through the winter.

Winter is here - at least for most of us in the northern hemisphere.  Summer is but a memory.  Let's face it, summer does us all good.  A healthy glow to the skin and plenty of Vitamin D provided by the sun.  We all know how important it is to protect our skin from the sun, but it also needs protecting during the cold winter months.  Lots of people say that beauty is only skin deep but if you try looking after the inside it will show on the outside.

The perils of winter for our skin are the cold weather, lack of direct sunlight and dehydration produced by central heating.  Eating the right foods can help protect your skin from all these things.

If you suffer from dry and eczema-prone skin, you will benefit from eating oily fish on a more regular basis.  Salmon, Trout, Sardines, Swordfish, Whitebait, Fresh Tuna - not canned, Anchovies, Eels, Kippers, Mackerel and Carp, to name a few, are full of essential fatty acids Omega-6 and Omega-3.  Omega-3 is especially good for us and helps the skin by reducing water loss.  These essential fatty acids also have anti-inflammatory properties so you will be less prone to sore skin from eczema outbreaks.  Omega-3 has a whole host of health benefits:

1. Reduction of LDL ("Bad" cholesterol) levels in the blood.
2. Alleviates inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.
3. Reduces high blood pressure.
4. Prevents blood clot formation which, in turn, reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.
5. Prevents heart and circulatory problems.
6. Promotes healthy development of the brain and eyes.
7. Reduces the risk of thrombosis.
8. Helps people suffering from gout.
9. Clears cholesterol from the arteries, widening the artery walls and increasing elasticity.
10. Helps to increase HDL ("Good" cholesterol) which protects the heart.
11. Reduces the rist of developing Dementia, Alzheimer's and depression and helps depression sufferers to overcome their depression.
12. Oily fish during pregnancy helps foetal development although pregnant women should limit intake to 2 portions of oily fish per week.
13. Improves brain function.

Do you need any more reasons to increase your intake of oily fish?  Try eating oily fish at least 3 times a week.

Chapped skin from cold windy weather needs a boost in B-vitamins.  These B-vitamins deliver nutrients and regulate skin cell turnover.  Foods rich in these vitamins are brown rice and dark green vegetables, especially broccoli and kale.  Add these to your lunch and dinner everyday and you will see the benefits.

Has your skin lost its summer glow?  Does your skin look tired and dull when you look in the mirror?  We all know that vitamin E is the top anti-aging vitamin that especially helps the skin - it's in all those expensive skin creams we use on a daily basis.  But the best way to benefit from vitamin E is to eat it.  All fruits and vegetables that are orange and yellow in colour (red and yellow peppers, sweet potato, carrots and mangos) are rich in carotenoids - these are antioxidants that the body converts to vitamin E which, in turn, nourishes the layers of skin under the surface.  Two portions a day will give the best results.

Anthocynidin is a pigment that has been found to strengthen collagen fibres which, in turn, produces a much healthier, firmer and more radiant skin.  So you should eat more blueberries, blackberries, black grapes and even a glass of red wine.  Red wine also contains resveratrol which is thought to contain anticancer, anti-aging, and anti-inflammatory properties, it is also thought to reduce blood glucose levels and have cardiovascular benefits.

Vitamin D is a big problem especially in winter when the days are shorter and getting your daily dose of direct sunlight can be extremely difficult.  Lack of vitamin D can produce low energy levels, tiredness which is directly reflected in our skin.  We only manage to obtain 10% of vitamin D needed from our diet, so it is extremely important to eat the right foods.  Oily fish is the best source of vitamin D but egg yolks, liver and wild mushrooms are also an essential source of this vitamin.  So eating one of these ingredients everyday is very important.

Is your skin pale and brittle?  An antioxidant mineral called Selenium has been proven to improve elasticity and reduce sun damage.  You can find Selenium in turkey, lean beef, chicken and eggs but is especially concentrated in Brazil Nuts.  The concentration in Brazil Nuts (if you are not allergic) is so high that you will only need 1-2 nuts a day.

Are you suffering from spots?  Here our old enemy sugar comes into play.  We should all know by now that sugar does us no good what so ever.  Most people attribute sugar to weight gain, but it also stimulates the sebaceous glands under the skin which makes your skin break out.  Sugar also stimulates production of the male hormone androgen, which can cause acne in women.  It has also been shown that sugar speeds up collagen damage so it is best to avoid sugar all together - for what ever reason.

I hope that this post will help you to protect your skin through the winter.

Danger! Your Sedentary Lifestyle Could Kill You!

Our society has changed - some would say it has advanced for the better and in many ways it has.  New technologies, on the whole, are helping us with day to day chores and making them much quicker and easier.  Computers facilitate office work, machines diagnose illnesses in record time and there are machines that even carry out operations in hospitals, smart phones keep us working for an extra 2 hours a day as we are constantly connected.  None of this is negative except for the impact it is having on our health.

As little as 40 years ago (which isn't long in the great scheme of things), people were far more physically active than they are today.  Cars were a luxury, dishwashers and washing machines were not in every household, lawnmowers had to be pushed up and down the garden and people walked, cycled and took public transport when they did the shopping or going to work or school.  Children played outside everyday until it was dark.

"Modernization" - to give it a name or "progress" has meant that humans in the modern world have become less physically active.  We sit in our cars in endless traffic jams, just to get to our offices where we sit in a chair for 8-9 hours a day looking at a computer screen.  We then get back in our cars to go home before collapsing exhausted on the sofa to watch TV and eat a pre-cooked meal.  Children come home from school and play video games for hours sitting on the sofa.  Don't get me wrong, I am all in favor of computers, dishwashers, washing machines, video games and any modern appliance that makes life easier and more enjoyable.

Everything I have said up until now is nothing we don't already know.  Many people blame new technologies for this newly acquired sedentary lifestyle but the truth is, it's all our own fault.  Your car doesn't stop you from taking exercise, your video game doesn't say "hey you can't go out and play with your friends you have to be inside playing with me!"  The microwave dinner doesn't stop you from eating healthily.  YOU are the only obstacle in your way to better health, and it's a lot easier than you think.

Yes, you will still have to go to the office for 8-9 hours a day or, if you work from home you will still have to complete deadlines and work like you have up until now.  But with a few minor changes you can make a big difference.

But first the bad news... this is so you can understand just what you are letting yourself in for by having a sedentary lifestyle.  Lack of physical activity is one of the leading causes of premature death.  The risk is higher among those who sit still for more than 4 hours a day.  It has been shown to be a risk factor on its own independent of hard exercise and your BMI.  People that sit still for more than 11 hours a day have a 40% higher risk than those that sit still for fewer than 4 hours a day.

Health problems associated with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity are:

1. Anxiety
2. Cardiovascular disease
3. Mortality in elderly men by 30% and double the risk in elderly women
4. Deep vein thrombosis
5. Depression
6. Diabetes
7. Colon cancer
8. High blood pressure
9. Obesity
10. Osteoporosis
11. Lipid disorders
12. Kidney stones

So, what do you need to do to make sure you stay healthy?

Obviously health eating is a necessity.  All those doughnuts, and prefabricated foods in the office vending machine and on the supermarket shelf are extremely dangerous to your health and that includes the TV dinner on the sofa in the evening!  It may seem difficult at first, but once you get into the habit you'll notice the benefits straight away.  Take fresh fruit and/or vegetables to the office for a snack.  This doesn't mean you are limited to an apple or an orange, other fruits such as melon, pineapple, kiwis, mangos, strawberries, carrot sticks, celery, etc can be prepared at home the night before and taken to work with you.  Cook all your meals from scratch using fresh ingredients and eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.  Cut your intake of soft drinks by drinking a glass of water every time you feel like having a soda.  Try and have a healthy lunch - a light salad or bring your lunch from home, it can always be the leftovers from the night before.

While at the office take regular short breaks.  Walk around, or do some stretching exercises at your desk.  If you have to read a report, do it standing up.  Take a walk at lunchtime, even if it's just round the block a couple of times, the fresh air will do you good.

Rethink your schedule.  Could you take public transport to work?  Or walk?  Or cycle?  This will most probably benefit your bank account too!  If you already take public transport to work try getting off the bus or subway one or two stops early and walk the rest of the way.  Joining a gym isn't always the answer - it works for many people but some can't afford it or just don't have the will power to go on a regular basis.  Try and find a sport you love and maybe even get an office team together.

Strangely enough, the more active you are the more energy you'll have, brain function improves and you'll sleep better.  There is nothing better than physical exercise to combat stress.  So forget all those energy drinks you need to get through the day, cut back on caffeinated drinks and you'll reap the benefits.  Green tea has many beneficial properties and is packed full of antioxidants.  Hunger pangs are also one of the first symptoms of dehydration, so before attacking the office vending machine, drink a large glass of water first, if the hunger pangs disappear it was just thirst.

So get active - it is possible

The Fructose Controversy

There is fructose and there is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

The definition in Wikipedia for Fructose says: Fructose or fruit sugar is a simple monosaccharide found in many plants.  It is one of the three dietary monosaccharides, along with glucose and galactose that are absorbed directly into the bloodstream during digestion.  Fructose was discovered by French Chemist Agustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut in 1847.  Pure dry fructose is a very sweet, white, odorless, crystalline solid and is the most water soluble of all the sugars.  From plant sources, fructose is found in honey, tree and vine fruits, flowers, berries, and most root vegetables.  In plants, fructose may be present as the monosaccharide and/or as a molecular component of sucrose, which is a disaccharide.

The definition in Wikipedia for High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) says:  HFCS - also called glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, glucose/fructose in Canada, Glucose/Fructose syrup in the EU and high-fructose maize syrup in other countries - comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to convert some of its glucose into fructose to produce a desired sweetness.  In the United States, consumer foods and products typically use HFCS as a sweetener.  It has become very common in processed foods and beverages in the US; including breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats,yogurts, soups and condiments.

HFCS consists of 24% water, and the rest sugars.  The most widely used varieties of HFCS are: HFCS 55 (mostly used in soft drinks), approximately 55% fructose and 42% glucose; and HFCS 42 (used in beverages, processed foods, cereals and baked goods), approximately 42% fructose and 53% glucose.  HFCS 90, approximately 90% fructose and 10% glucose, is used in small quantities for speciality applications, but primarily is used to blend with HFCS 42 to make HFCS 55.

Why is there so much HFCS in our diet?  Well, it all comes down to money.  Food manufacturers discovered that they could save money using HFCS instead of sugar - it is cheaper and has a longer shelf life... but that's where the "benefits" stop, and they are only for the manufacturer.

In humans, the consumption of HFCS is responsible for:

1.  Weight gain and obesity.  HFCS increases hunger so you eat more.
2.  Increased risk of developing Type II Diabetes.  Fructose interacts with the carbonated soft drinks to form carbonyls.  Carbonyls are toxic and are linked to diabetes in children.  HFCS promotes a life time risk for diabetes in children 30% risk for boys and 40% risk for girls.
3.  Hypertension and elevated "bad" cholesterol levels (LDL).
4.  HFCS and longterm liver damage - The liver turns HFCS into fat which is stored in the liver creating a condition known as "Fatty Liver".
5. Mercury exposure from HFCS.
6. Creates Insulin resistance which can lead to deadly strokes and heart attacks.
7.  Metabolic Syndrome.

In 1957 HFCS was invented by a pair of researchers named Marshall and Kooi.  Until that invention people had correctly understood that there is no fructose in corn syrup.  Corn syrup contains a different sugar molecule - glucose - which is considerably less sweet than fructose.  Marshall and Kooi developed an enzyme called glucose isomerase that could rearrange the molecular structure of the glucose in corn syrup, and convert it into fructose.  The syrup became sweeter when the glucose was converted to fructose by the enzyme.  HFCS began to be produced on an industrial scale in the 1970s.

According to a USDA report from 1997 in 1970 sucrose (table sugar) accounted for 83% of sweeteners consumed by Americans and by 1997 sucrose accounted for only 43% the rest was HFCS (=56% of sweeteners consumed by Americans).  In another USDA report covering the period of 1970-2003 showed consumption per capita of sucrose versus HFCS in the United States.  The consumption table showed that sucrose consumption fell rapidly while HFCS consumption climbed steadily.  Dr. Alan Gaby (Nutritional Medical Specialist) said:

"The increase in HFCS consumption far exceeds the increase in intake of any other food or food group."

Diabetes is a chronic disease that inflicts nearly 24 million people in the United States and it is understood that approximately 5.7 million Americans remain undiagnosed and on top of that there are and estimated 57 million pre-diabetics.  Here are the projections for the increase in cases of diabetes by country for the year 2030 according to the World Health Organization (WHO) (For more information per country you can visit Diabetes statistics by country:

Country	2000	2030
Brazil	4,553,000	11,305,000
Colombia	883,000	2,425,000
Ecuador	341,000	921,000
Mexico	2,179,000	6,130,000
France	1,710,000	2,645,000
Germany	2,627,000	3,771,000
Italy	4,252,000	5,374,000
Spain	2,717,000	3,752,000
UK & N.I.	1,765,000	2,668,000

As you can see they are quite worrying figures.

Insulin resistance is the primary problem with diabetes.  HFCS has been shown to increase insulin resistance which means consumption of HFCS will worsen your diabetes if you already have it or if you are pre-diabetic, it can affect your immune system to the extent that it succumbs to the disease.  However, it is a good idea to keep in mind that some of the major risk factors for diabetes (heredity, obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, high cholesterol and high blood pressure) are in your power to change.  A healthier lifestyle which avoids the consumption of HFCS will lower 3 of those risk factors: obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Another worrying health problem is metabolic syndrome.  This is a condition characterized by disorders of lipoprotein metabolism (high cholesterol and triglycerides), hypertension, and hyperglycemia (abnormally high concentrations of glucose in blood).  This syndrome afflicts more than 50 million Americans.  Metabolic Syndrome is the result of the continual influx of HFCS products, which creates insulin resistance.

In 2007, a study from Yale University of Medicine stated "Insulin-resistant individuals in their study were found to have their carbohydrate energy rerouted to liver fat production.  This process elevated the participants' blood triglycerides by as much as 60%, while lowering their HDL (good) cholesterol by 20%".

So, as this is turning into a very long post, I'd just like to finish up by saying two things:

1.  There is nothing to gain from the consumption of HFCS - nothing at all.
2.  Please do not confuse HFCS with naturally occurring fructose in fruits, vegetables, breads and grains which are not harmful to the body although HIGH fructose fruits, vegetables, breads and grains should be used in moderation.

Know Your Sugars

All the information thrown at us by food manufacturers can be confusing and reading an ingredient list can be down right misleading.  Instead of writing words that mean something to the person buying the product, they use numbers usually beginning with an E that has no meaning to the general public or a name that is impossible to pronounce.  One piece of advice is: If you can't pronounce it or if it has a number in it then DON'T EAT IT!

One of the big dangers in our diet in modern society and especially in the west is sugar.  It may be delicious and appealing but it does us no good at all.  So if you are interested in understanding a bit more about the sugars in our diet then read on...  Dr. Marcola sums it up brilliantly:

1.  Dextrose, fructose and glucose are simple sugars or monosaccharides.  Glucose and dextrose are basically the same, however, the commonly used term for them in ingredient lists is dextrose.  The difference between these three is the way the body metabolizes them.

2. Simple sugars can be combined to form more complex sugars such as disaccharide sucrose, commonly known as table sugar which is half glucose and half fructose.

3. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is 55% fructose and 45% glucose. (I'll get back to this in another post - there is a lot to be said about HFCS).

4.  Sugar alcohols such as xylitol, glycerol, sorbitol, Maltitol, mannitol, and erythritol are not either sugar or alcohol but are used as sweeteners.  For the most part they are incompletely absorbed in the small intestine, therefore providing fewer calories than sugar but can often cause intestinal problems such as bloating, flatulence and diarrhea.

5.  Sucralose (Splenda) is NOT a sugar, it is a chlorinated artificial sweetener similar to aspartame and saccharin, and is damaging to health.

6.  Agave Syrup, this one is confusing as it is promoted as "natural" but is typically highly processed and is usually 80% fructose.   The end product does not resemble the original agave plant in any way, shape or form.

7.  Honey is about 53% fructose but is completely natural in its raw form and contains many health benefits when used in moderation.  Among others it contains as many antioxidants as spinach.

8.  There are natural sweeteners such as Stevia (in the photo) or Lo Han (or Luo Han Guo).  Stevia is derived from the leaf of the South American Stevia plant and Lo Han is derived from a fruit.

It is much better to stick to the the natural sweeteners if you have a sweet tooth.  All artificial sweeteners are harmful to health.  Or you could try kicking the sugar habit and take control of your health.  Watch this space for more information on kicking the sugar habit and HFCS.

Forks over Knives

This week I read an article on food and diet in an English newspaper... it wasn't particularly good but a comment left by another reader did catch my eye.  The comment suggested that we should all watch the film Forks over Knives.  I googled it and found it easily online... and for free!

I then sat riveted for the next 96 minutes.  Two doctors in the USA were advocating the benefits of a vegan diet and the dangers of milk produce.

Now, I have never been in favor of milk produce but I admit I have always been a little judgmental of vegetarian and vegan diets.  It has always worried me that vegetarians and vegans are lacking in certain proteins, vitamins and minerals.

It turns out I was wrong.

Not just in this film, but in others such as Hungry for Change or Food Matters it has been proven that none of us (as in the general public) really know how to eat correctly or the dangers of our modern diet.  The amount of chemical compounds we are ingesting is frightening (chemical sweeteners and "E" additives) not to mention Monosodium Glutamate which makes food "taste better" are seriously damaging our health.  Monosodium Glutamate is used to fatten mice in lab tests on obesity.  Yes, they actually need to fatten the mouse first as mice are not usually obese.  Refined foods where all the goodness has been extracted in the refining process and bleaches used to whiten foods are unfortunately, on our daily menu.  Fast food is quicker and easier to obtain than shopping, preparing and cooking a meal from scratch.

Anyway, I could rattle on for hours about additives and "E" numbers which contribute to, among many other things, hyperactivity in children, and don't even get me started on aspartame which can cause cancer.

Forks over Knives, gives a clear picture into the effect food has on our bodies, especially where heart disease is concerned and how a simple change in our diet could ward off horrendous diseases such as this and cancer.  In some cases a change in diet has even meant a reversal in heart disease and in others the disappearance of Type II Diabetes and the opportunity to become so healthy you can even stop taking medicines!

The truth of the matter is, we need to change the way we eat and for a better understanding of this I urge you all to watch Forks over Knives... you can click here to watch the movie: Forks over Knives

I would also really love to hear your feedback on this, as I find it extremely interesting.

Food Intolerances

Food intolerances are not to be confused with food allergies. 

Food allergies are an adverse immune response to a food protein and are different from other adverse responses such as food intolerance, pharmacological reactions and toxin-mediated responses.  Food allergies occur when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a protein as a threat, the proteins that are resistant to digestion are tagged by the Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and considered harmful by the immune system which triggers an allergic reaction believing it is under attack.  Allergic reactions to food can range from mild to severe and symptoms include dermatitis, gastrointestinal and respiratory distress and can even become life-threatening anaphylactic responses such as biphasic anaphylaxis and vasodilation, which must receive immediate emergency intervention.  Frequent foods associated with allergies are nuts, shellfish, fish, peanuts, soya, milk, gluten and eggs. 

Food intolerances or non-allergic hypersensitivity to food is a term used for varied physiological responses associated with a particular food, or compound found in a range of foods.

Food intolerances can be classified according to their mechanism.  Some intolerances can result from the absence of a specific chemical or enzyme needed to digest a food substance as in lactose intolerance, the enzyme lactase is missing and therefore the lactose in milk can not be digested by the body.  Another example is hereditary fructose intolerance.

Non-IgE mediated food hypersensitivity (food intolerance) is more chronic, less acute, less obvious in its symptoms, and quite often far more difficult to diagnose than a food allergy.  Food intolerance can be difficult to diagnose as the body’s response to the offending food is often a slow response which takes place over a prolonged period of time.  Lots of people do not even realize that food is causing their health problems; gases, headaches, diarrhea, constipation, sluggishness, a constant feeling of being tired, problematic digestions that seem to go on all day, stomach ache, obesity, etc.. A lot of these complaints are put down to stress, working long hours, not sleeping enough or a lack of exercise. 

If food intolerances go untreated, overtime they can produce more serious illnesses such as IBS and diverticulitis.  However, the good news is that they are very easy to treat.  There are now many clinics that do intolerance tests but don’t be fooled by apparently easy tests.  The only way to truly identify a food intolerance is through a specific blood test done at a respectable clinic that ensures it is a food intolerance test.

Treatment consists quite simply of removing the foods which have tested positive for intolerance for a certain period of time, and tailoring a diet which is specific for each person – no two people are the same so no one diet works for everyone.  After the set period of time, the foods can be slowly reintroduced one at a time.  Some people won’t have a problem reintroducing foods, others may find there are one or more that they can not reintroduce as they effect their health straight away.

Once the foods that have tested positive for intolerance are removed, and together with the taylor-made diet, several positive things happen; people experience an improvement in their general health straight away, gases disappear as does sluggishness and constant tiredness, they sleep better at night and have more energy during the day and headaches disappear or become less frequent and there is also the added benefit that they lose weight easily.  These are all positive experiences that better people’s general health and wellbeing.