Blog list (11)
Foods for Respiratory Tract Conditions
How to beat that winter cold As we head into the colder months there is always the onset of acute respiratory ailments to afflict some of us - such as colds and flu's. Sickness is a normal part of life - in fact getting sick can let you know that your immune system is well up and running to protect you when you catch such infections. However, for some people, they may find they are more prone to getting sick constantly and take a much longer time to recuperate from such ailments than the average person. This could be a sign that the immune system has become somewhat exhausted and needs a bit of a helping hand. Nothing works to build the immune system like a well-rounded healthy diet and plenty of sunlight, movement and healthy sleep! As for others, they may be battling more chronic problems such as sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, asthma etc which can become an ongoing stress for the person battling such conditions. Here is a list of foods that will help reduce the formation of mucous. This will be helpful in both upper and lower respiratory tract conditions such as allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, asthma, infections, colds and flu’s. Each of these foods' active ingredients can aid in reducing mucous formation and inflammation as well as aiding in various other functions such as digestion. Mucolytic Foods (eat more of these) PineapplePaw PawPapayaTurmericHorseradishGingerCinnamonLemonCayenneChilliOnionApplesBerriesApple Cider VinegarGarlicHoneyFoods to Avoid:All dairySoy productsFried FoodsProcessed FoodsRefined flours/sweetenersEggs Healing Respiratory Tonic Ingredients1 cup freshly squeezed pineapple 1-2 tsp turmeric powder/20-30g fresh turmeric root1-2 tsp ginger powder/2-3 slices fresh ginger1-2 tsp cinnamon powder/1-2 crushed cinnamon bark½ squeezed lemon1 tsp honeyMethodPeel and cut the pineapple – ensure both the stem and fruit is used for maximum health benefitsBlend the pineapple in a blenderAdd 1 cup of blended pineapple and ½ cup of water to saucepanPlace saucepan on stove and stir in either the powders or the fresh ingredientsIf using fresh turmeric/ginger then steep in ½ cup boiling water prior to adding the pineapple and other ingredientsAdd lemon and honey Respiratory tonics are best taken prior to meals or when needed for immediate symptomatic reliefOther recipe ideas:Fresh herbal teas - ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, echinacea, lemon and honey teaAntioxidant filled fruit juices – pineapple, paw paw, papaya, lemon, ginger, apple and berryWarming soups and broths – turmeric, horseradish, ginger, cayenne, onion and garlic
by
Leanne Aster
on 2020-06-06 01:33:51
Posted in
General
Easing Digestion with Soaking: nuts, seeds, grains, legumes
Why Soaking? For those suffering digestive issues, a good idea is to soak your nuts, seeds, legumes and grains in clean filtered water. That way, the enzyme inhibitors which are naturally present in these foods (phytic acid, tannins and goitrogens) can be reduced which enables easier digestion. It also increases the absorption of various minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc and can allow proteins to be more readily available for absorptions, as well as improve the taste of these foods! Dried Legumes Before washing them – spread them out and sift through to check for and remove any small stones, debris or damaged legumes or beans.Rinse thoroughly under water for 1 minutePlace beans into a saucepan with 3 times as much water (ie. 1 cup beans to 3 cups water) then boil for 2 minutes, take the saucepan off the heat, cover with a lid and let it soak for 2 hours (see below for another method)Drain the liquid and rinse thoroughly under water againPlace the beans back in the saucepan and add water so that it is at least 1 inch above the legumesBring the legumes to a boil then reduce to a simmerCooking time will generally take about 1 – 1.5 hours.After the legumes are cooked you can then add salt, pepper, flavouring etc (not during the cooking process)Once cooled down beans can be placed into a container and kept in the fridge to add to meals over the next few days.Note: Another method is to simply soak the beans in water for eight hours or overnight, placing the pan in the refrigerator so beans will not ferment. Before cooking, regardless of method, drain the soaking liquid and rinse the beans with clean water. Whole Grains, nuts & seeds Whole Grains:Most grains can be soaked overnight in a glass or ceramic container with clean warm filtered water to neutralize the enzyme inhibitors and encourage the production of beneficial enzymes. If you eat organic grains such as quinoa, millet, rice or wheat then this process can be done from 12-24 hours. After the grains have soaked – ensure to rinse them thoroughly and then you can cook them in fresh water.Nuts and seeds:For nuts and seeds – they generally contain the same amount of phytic acid as legumes and grains, however as people generally don’t eat as much nuts/seeds in one go – they are often seen as less problematic. Therefore you may only have to rinse and soak raw and unroasted nuts (if possible, organic) in a glass or ceramic container of filtered water for 4-5 hours at room temperature. If you are not consuming in the next day or so, you will need to then dry them thoroughly by placing them directly in the sun, in an oven on low (no more than 50 degree) or in a food dehydrator. Ensure they are thoroughly dry before storing in a sealed container. Use as 2 to 1 ratio for water to seeds/nuts and you can also add a dash of apple cider vinegar to aid the process.
by
Leanne Aster
on 2020-06-05 05:53:02
Posted in
General
Our bodies are our gardens; our wills are our gardeners
"Our bodies are our gardens - our wills are our gardeners" - William Shakespeare I have never been a very natural or gifted gardener – I keep trying though. At this stage I have many pot plants inside my house & outside my house and my long term goal is to grow a beautiful large garden full of flowers, herbs, veges & fruits one day. A common dream for most nutritionists I would think. However, right now I really have to work at it. I don’t know how many pot plants I have left to die or slowly wither away in the past, with short bouts of thorough watering & care amidst the extended times of neglect. It was a common story for me - I would get too busy & stressed with life and completely forget to look after them. Or even worse - I’d see them and think to myself, “later, I’ll definitely water them later”. I’d see a wilting plant and wonder about the state of its soil, is it getting enough sun, too much sun, is it receiving too much wireless radiation, should I move it to another room and so on. And then I’d get sidetracked. Or even worse, I’d purposefully not look at it because I couldn’t stand to see its wilting state.Years ago when we were moving house, I was forced to face the truth of my utter neglect to some of these beautiful plants (thoroughly dead forgotten plants under the house, around the back, knocked over by possums, tripped over by people and so on). I made a promise to myself (and to the new plants I purchased) that I would devote the time, love and care that these plants deserve. Funnily enough, during that time I was also at a low point with my own health and I always had this niggling thought in the back of my mind –that the state of my plants was reflective of the state of my own health. The care I gave to my plants reflected the care I gave to myself. Given my on and off again struggles with gut health and eating habits (even after I became a nutritionist) - I was frustrated that it felt like the same issues kept re-appearing time and time again. I sometimes found myself on a loop that I couldn’t seem to break. Here’s the loop: Things are going well, my health, diet & lifestyle -> I focus on plans/goals to achieve -> Life gets busy -> I get more stressed -> I eat more convenient foods -> I start skipping breakfast -> I drink less water/have more caffeine -> I snack more often -> I get less sun/exercise -> my sleep quality rapidly reduces -> my symptoms start up again and they increase more rapidly until I am forced to break the cycle. Given my years of dealing with very poor gut health in the past, I recognise the signs & symptoms and I now know what I have to do in order to get myself back on track (such as nourishing my body, mind & soul with routines involving healthy wholesome foods, taking time out to do the things I enjoy, spending more time with loved ones, getting daily exercise and bringing everything back to a state of balance). But then……life starts getting busy again, those old thought patterns & habits creep back in and the cycle repeats. I remember saying to my husband one day how the state of my plants seemed to be reflecting the state of my own health. This really isn’t surprising when you think about it, especially given that gardening didn’t exactly come naturally to me (unlike those born with a green thumb). If I don’t have time for my own health & wellness – what chance do my plants have? And to think that some days I couldn’t even bare to look at those plants. It made me think back to my own health during my teens and early twenties and let me tell you - if my body was a garden then it was on a fast route to being a very sad looking garden as I rarely took the time out to look after myself properly. Eating a healthy diet was a chore I often chose to neglect; I barely knew how to cook for myself and I really didn’t have the desire to learn. Like many, I didn’t stop these unhealthy lifestyle habits until chronic illness forced me to. And to this day, I can honestly say I am very grateful for this as it forced me on a new path of discovery, learning and a career I am now extremely passionate about. Today I can look around at my plants and see the improvement that came once I devoted more time & energy to them. My will to look after myself and my plants has definitely improved. They still aren’t perfect, there are still weeks where the neglect can start to be noticed – however what has changed is that I notice these patterns much quicker than I used to. I can break the cycle much faster now (ie. well before the plants are dead) and I can ensure enough time to make sure that they are now getting the right amount of water, soil, nutrients, sunlight, love & care that they require – at least most of the time. And my own health reflects this as well. It’s not 100%, there’s plenty of room for improvement, but compared to what it was many years ago…. I can only smile. I smile because I know that in a few years’ time – it’ll be even better. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll have that beautiful lush garden I’ve come to dream of. - Leanne Aster
by
Leanne Aster
on 2020-06-05 05:41:41
Posted in
General
Everyone's sick! But this is normal...... right?
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." - Jiddu Krishnamurti In 2015 the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released their latest data on the leading causes of death and disability - and it was chronic diseases which were at the top of the list. The top chronic diseases on the list (which had up to 20 leading causes listed) included ischaemic heart disease, dementia, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and many more (1). Back in 2011, chronic disease accounted for over 90% of all deaths with the majority of those people suffering more than one chronic illness. In fact, 20% of deaths have been associated with five or more chronic diseases. (2)These statistics are scary and given the last ten years of data collected by the ABS – they are not likely to change anytime soon especially with certain diseases on the rise such as dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease), diabetes and heart failure.Chronic disease is also the number one predominant challenge to global health – with non-communicable conditions nearly accounting for two-thirds of deaths, worldwide (3). And the majority of these diseases are highly diet related – which is where nutritional medicine is powerful as a preventative measure against chronic illness. Other risk factors along with poor diet include smoking, physical inactivity, high alcohol intake, uncontrolled high blood pressure and high cholesterol (3). Dietary risks linked with chronic illness include poor intake of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fibre and a high intake of processed or highly refined foods (high in sodium, sugar, trans fats etc). (3) In a recent online survey in New South Wales, only 10% were found to be eating the minimum recommended intake of daily fruit and vegetables (5 servings) and 57% were eating the recommended two servings of fruit/day (5). The knowledge on how much daily vegetable servings, and what actually constitutes a serving (it doesn't mean eating 5 vegetables) which should be consumed was extremely poor. This is concerning as studies have shown that those people who eat at least seven servings of fruit and vegetables each day have the lowest risk of death from chronic disease – especially with higher vegetable intake as it offers greater protection than fruit. (6) So if you aren’t already doing so, get in there and eat your vegies – especially those leafy greens! Australia is also facing a rapidly ageing population which will increase chronic disease rates, as people aged over 65 have much higher rates of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and high blood pressure (2). By 2044, it has been projected that a quarter of all Australians will be over the age of 65 – DOUBLE what it is now. (4) The burden of chronic disease will impact on public health and health-care systems with an increased need for management of these diseases, health care costs and reduced life expectancy (as well as quality of life to the person inflicted with chronic disease as well as the family members directly impacted) (2). The World Health Organization has predicted that up to 80% of the most common chronic diseases (heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke) and over a third of all cancers could be prevented – primarily from improving diet, increasing exercise, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake (2).In order to reduce the risk factors which have been linked with chronic disease, interventions are required at both a population level as well as an individual level. Nutritional medicine works to address these risk factors at an individual level to either a) prevent disease from occurring or b) aid in the management of these diseases. It is by acknowledging some of the early risk factors – such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure – and their relation to poor dietary and lifestyle factors which will work in preventing chronic disease, death and disability in later years. For example, rather than going on blood pressure medication for high blood pressure - which addresses the symptom - nutritional medicine will look at addressing the underlying cause/s (poor diet, no exercise, stress) of why there is high blood pressure to begin with. Given that high blood pressure is an early risk factor for heart disease (one of the leading causes of death), it will be much more beneficial long term to address these dietary and lifestyle factors earlier on, as, unfortunately, we are headed for a very sick and heavily populated elderly generation in the following decades. Rather than be a part of the majority headed for multiple chronic disease infliction's or disabilities in combination with the dangers of poly-pharmacy (a major global healthcare crisis), I would urge readers to look at these common risk factors and address the necessary changes needed to live their life with health and abundance as the alternative option. So to finish this article, I leave you with one of my favourite quotes:“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti
by
Leanne Aster
on 2020-06-05 05:31:28
Posted in
General
The Microbiome Link: SIBO - Part One
WHAT IS SIBO SIBO (short for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is exactly that - an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. So what exactly does that mean? Well, we all have a microbiome – a large clump of bacteria, fungus, virus etc – with the majority residing in our colon. This microbiome is very large and plays a huge role in our health – and not only within the digestive tract. To put it in perspective, it is thought that our bodies house ten times the amount of bacterial cells to human cells. That’s a lot of bacteria! And more than that, we know our bacteria can cross-talk with other important things in our body (such as hormones, neurotransmitters etc) which can affect certain things in the body such as metabolism, the nervous system and the immune system. How does SIBO fit in to all this?Most of your bacteria are found in the large intestine with a very small amount which resides in the small intestine. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth is exactly as it sounds – an imbalance or overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine which can lead to various issues, depending on what type of bacteria it is! We all have a small amount of bacteria which naturally resides in our small intestine – even healthy people. An overgrowth or imbalance in the types of bacteria (especially displaced bacteria from the colon) can lead to various symptoms and long term issues for people. This is due to the bacteria fermenting certain foods which would normally be fermented in the large intestine. Carbohydrate fermentation in the small intestine is often the most common, (although in some people the type of bacteria present can cause issues with fats – it all comes to down to the type of bacteria). If people are having issues with carbohydrates – a common treatment is to go on a low-FODMAP diet, as this removes a lot of these particular foods which ferment and cause the symptoms. However, a long term FODMAP diet is not a great solution – as it cuts out a large portion of a person’s diet which may cause nutritional deficiencies and never actually deals with the underlying problem – the overgrowth of bacteria.What are the symptoms?The most common symptoms include bloating (one of the most common things I hear in clinic is people telling me they wake up with a flat tummy, but by the end of the day they feel pregnant), gas, abdominal pain, diarrhea and/or constipation. Some people get other symptoms such as nausea, reflux, skin rashes and fatigue. SIBO is often concomitant with a large number of other disease states – such as coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, fatty liver disease, endometriosis etc. SIBO is, however, a relatively new condition recognised by the medical community and is therefore still often overlooked or remains undiagnosed. In some studies – more than 50% of IBS sufferers were found to have SIBO (some studies found up to 78%!). So for those suffering IBS – there’s more than a 50% chance that SIBO may be involved. What are some of the common causes of SIBO?There are various causes of SIBO – and often you will find it is a range of causes as opposed to one specific cause. Common causes can include dysbiosis of the microbiome (a significant imbalance of “bad” bacteria vs “good” bacteria), high antibiotic use in the past (especially broad-spectrum antibiotics), certain medications (such as proton pump inhibitors), digestive deficiencies (such as low stomach acid, low digestive enzymes/bile – all often associated with “sluggish” digestion), a weakened ileocecal valve (the valve between the small intestine and the large) which allows the transference of bacteria to travel backwards into the small intestine. How is it diagnosed?Unfortunately there is no perfect test to diagnose SIBO, as they all have limitations. You can get a breath test done (lactulose and/or glucose) which measures 2 specific gases on the breath – hydrogen & methane (which are by-products of fermentation by certain bacteria). It doesn’t pick up all SIBO and often results have to be determined in regards to varying factors (speed of digestion, onset of symptoms and many more). However, it is relatively cheap and easy to do (you do the breath test at home and send it off to be analysed) and if you have a practitioner who understands SIBO and is experienced in treating it, it can be extremely useful. The second option includes endoscopy and culture testing which is more invasive (and often more expensive). In my clinic, I tend to use the breath test and, if combined with the microbiome testing (which can give some idea of the types of bacteria that may be causing SIBO – but cannot be used to diagnose SIBO alone) – I find this works well for most clients to get an accurate picture of the type of SIBO and how to treat it. Treatment?In some cases, specific antibiotics work well to treat SIBO. This would be prescribed by a GP or gastroenterologist. However, in other cases the SIBO can be caused due to an over-abundance of antibiotics in the past and not all bacteria will respond to antibiotics. Therefore, a much more comprehensive plan is required (using diet, supplements etc) to treat the underlying causes of SIBO. Either way – whether using antibiotics or natural approaches – a key aspect of treatment involves improving the state of the microbiome, treating nutritional deficiencies and working on overall function of the digestive tract through various dietary, lifestyle and supplemental ways. There is no one diet which fits all, as not every person is dealing with the exact same type of SIBO.References:Compare, D et al 2011, ‘Effects of long-term PPI treatment on producing bowel symptoms and SIBO’, European Journal of Clinical Investigation, vol. 41, no. 4, pp. 380-386, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21128930 Ghoshal, U C et al 2017, ‘Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Bridge between Functional Organic Dichotomy,’ Gut and Liver, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 196-208, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5347643/Grace, E et al, HN 2013, ‘Review article: small intestinal bacterial overgrowth – prevalence, clinical features, current and developing diagnostic tests, and treatment’, Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, no. 7, pp. 674-688, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23957651 Hadar, N et al 2015, ‘Microbial endocrinology: the interplay between the microbiota and the endocrine system,’ FEMS Microbiology Reviews, vol. 39, no. 4, pp.509-521, https://academic.oup.com/femsre/article/39/4/509/2467625
by
Leanne Aster
on 2020-06-05 04:51:46
Posted in
General