Growing Healthy Babies....Naturally pt.1

Currently, I am in the process of getting my body baby-ready. Hold the party poppers. We are not actively trying to conceive just yet and nor will we be trying until around mid-2013. Organised much?? You may think that this is an absurd amount of time to “prepare” for pregnancy. You may feel that preparing at all is unnecessary. I beg to differ. In a big way. The way I see it, failing to prepare your body for pregnancy is like failing to prepare a nursery for the baby to come home to –you just wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) do it.  Or, as my dad always told me:

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”

Thanks Daddyo! So wise! He also taught me how to fish, but that’s beside the point. Or is it……??


Traditional cultures, such as the beautiful Maasai of Tanzania ensured women were consuming an optimal diet to nourish their body at least 6 months prior to conception. 

The Maasai are extremely resilient, not to mention stunning (and can jump like you wouldn’t believe), and still to this day give birth to healthy babies….in the “wild”….not in a hospital….not booking an elective caesarean the moment they find out they are pregnant. This point is relevant, I swear, as when we talk about preparing our bodies for pregnancy and birth, it’s not just about nutrition. 


My interest in this area is both personal, as I mentioned above, and professional. All too often I encounter couples who experience difficulties in falling pregnant. It’s heart-breaking. Interesting facts on fertility:

• One in six couples is infertile, with an equal likelihood that the issue lies with either sex  (That’s right, this info does not just apply to women. I’m pretty sure you are all aware of how babies are formed and the chances are slim, so you had better hope you have been priming those swimmers for the big race, fellas)
• Fertility problems strike one in three women over 35

So what’s this got to do with nutrition? Surely what we put in our mouths can’t play a role in these statistics. Again, I beg to differ. While I recognise that there are many causes of infertility, including genetics, environment, age etc, diet and physical activity are the easiest factors for us to manipulate, thereby giving us the best chance possible in any given circumstance. At the very least, it will improve your health, and that’s not such a bad thing is it?

OK, getting back to it. So with all of my recent interest in improving fertility, when my friend Soulla Chamberlain mentioned she would be holding a workshop “Growing Healthy Babies Naturally”, I jumped at the opportunity! The first of this 2 part series was last Saturday and provided a wealth of information that I would like to give you an overview on here. 

Also, before you get all “what would she know about babies??” which you could probably say about me as I am yet to be a mother, Soulla is the proud mother of 2 gorgeous children, whom she raises wholly on a nutrient-dense traditional wholefoods diet. No, they are not deprived children, far from it in fact. You can read more about what they eat over on her blog. But for now, just be happy with the knowledge that Soulla speaks from the perspective of both a nutrition expert and a mother. 

The 2 hour session covered a lot of extremely valuable information, which I will not cover completely here. This will be more of a checklist of “Things you really should do to make the healthiest baby possible”. I encourage you to check out the book/website recommendations if you would like to learn more. So, let’s get to it:

Things you really should do to make the healthiest baby possible

1. Buy a slow-cooker

Kidding. I’m kidding! But if you want to make healthy, delicious, time-saving meals, then you really should get one. However, if you are happy slaving away for hours or if you don’t really give a crap, then carry on as you were.

1. The real #1 – eat nutrient dense foods

Why? 

Consider for a moment that you are making a cake (grain-free, of course). You are really excited about this cake and you want it to be the best tasting, best looking cake in the world. So obviously, you need the best ingredients possible – none of this shake and bake crap – you want the good stuff. You also need a pretty good oven in order for it to be cooked to perfection.

Can you see where I’m going with this? 

Now….substitute “baby” for “cake” and “womb” for oven”. Yeah, I’ll admit I’m not the most creative with analogies, but hopefully you get the point. Your baby is 100% made from the nutrients your body supplies to it (by way of the nutrients you ingest, through foods). You are growing a human. This is no sponge cake. This is one of those crazy dessert challenges they put on Masterchef. This is the “snow egg” at Quay:

Now THAT is a masterpiece! And I can tell you, it is the business! Taste sensation! (not very “paleo” though - don't eat it when pregnant!)

So to put it simply, if you are eating good quality, nutrient dense foods then that is what your baby’s structures will be made out of. If you are eating poor quality foods, then same deal applies. What you eat before and during pregnancy determines your child’s long-term health, so best we get it right, don’t you think?

When we look at traditional societies, such as the Maasai of Africa, in the lead up to conception, the women will consume secret fertility foods – foods that are known to be rich sources of vitamins and minerals for optimal health, both for the mother and the baby. These foods are all real, unprocessed foods found in nature and included all, or some of the following:

• Liver from grass-fed animals – if there is one fertility super-food, it would be this. Liver is crucial for reproductive health, being a rich source of iron (consider a mother’s blood volume doubles in pregnancy), folate (especially important for proper development and prevention of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida), vitamin B12 (for central nervous system and red blood cell development), vitamin A (eyesight and prevention of birth defects). Whip up a tasty pate and enjoy with vegetable crudités each week. 
• Wild-caught oily fish – such as salmon and tuna, which are the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. These long chain fatty acids are absolutely essential to the brain development of the foetus and may also play a role in the prevention of behavioural disorders and post-natal depression. Low levels of omega 3 are also implicated with male infertility. Also, don’t be fooled into thinking that consuming flaxseed oil will be enough to get you through. Flaxseed oil is an omega 3 fatty acid which can be converted in the body to the longer chain EPA and DHA, however our capacity to do so is limited, and I would strongly advise consuming pre-formed EPA and DHA in the form of oily fish. 

**Unfortunately in Australia, most of our salmon is farmed, which leaves it pretty devoid of all omega 3 (not to mention the other issues with it). If you are in Sydney, the only source I know of is The Canadian Way. It is expensive, but so delicious!! Otherwise, perhaps consider a fish oil supplement, such as the Green Pasture’s Fermented Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Blend., which is also rich in vitamins A and D. Please do not buy a cheap fish oil from the supermarket – it will potentially do you more harm than good.

• Grass-fed meat, bones and marrow – if you don’t consume oily fish, meat from grass-fed ruminants is the next best thing in terms of omega 3 fatty acids. They also provide an abundance of other nutrients, such as iron, vitamin B12 and B6, to name a few
• Organic egg yolks from pasture-raised chickens (or ducks, for that matter) – Soulla described egg yolks as “nature’s multi-vitamin”, and I would have to agree. These little babies are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and E, and choline. Choline is important for the developing nervous system and is critical in tooth and brain development, and possibly memory and cognitive function later in life. 
• Full-fat, unprocessed dairy from grass-fed cows/goat/sheep – unprocessed butter, cream and even milk from good sources are rich in vitamins A, D and K2 (all important for bone health)

2. Avoid nutrient-poor foods

These are foods that either provide little to no nutritional quality and, in some cases, can even “steal” the nutrition from other foods that are eaten with them, preventing you from reaping the benefits.

• Processed crap – as Soulla so eloquently stated: “If something needs to be advertised, it’s probably not real food”. My general rule is “if it needs an ingredients list, then it is probably not your best bet for nutritional quality”. So what comes under the banner of “processed crap”? Anything with sugar or artificial sweeteners (including agave syrup) – think confectionery, store-bought sauces, soft drinks, fruit juice, tinned fruit and vegetables. Read the label – if sugar is in the top 3 ingredients, don’t buy it. Other processed crap includes takeaway foods, bars of any sort (including most protein bars and “healthy” bars – just eat the real food, people), and most dairy products (yep – they are highly processed and become “dead-food”). 
• Grains and legumes – generally in the paleo/primal community we tend to avoid grains and legumes due to the anti-nutrients contained within them. These include things like phytates/phytic acid, which bind to minerals in the gut and prevent their absorption. A good example of when this might occur is if you consume milk and cereal together. While we may think we are getting a good dose of calcium in our brekkie, the amount we actually absorb is inhibited by the phytates in the cereal grains which wrap up the calcium and cause it to be excreted instead. 
• Grains also apparently cause the uterus to swell and can prolong labour and should therefore be avoided, especially in trimester 3. 
• Another reason to avoid grains is gluten, which is extremely inflammatory on the whole body and can cause many problems, ranging from leaky gut to immune and thyroid problems, which will ultimately have repercussions for your developing baby, and is possibly linked to polycystic ovarian syndrome - a common cause of infertility!
• However, perhaps the best reason to avoid grains and legumes is that they just aren’t as nutritious as other whole food sources (especially those mentioned above). The way I see it, we can only eat so much in one day, so why not make sure we are getting the most bang for our buck?
• Soy – this is a biggy for reproductive health prior to and during pregnancy. Soy contains phytoestrogens which can mimic our own oestrogen (female sex hormone). In a nutshell, soy is damaging to the reproductive health of all involved – mother, father and baby. Consuming soy during pregnancy is more likely to result in genital issues (both function and form), especially for male babies, and could potentially cause early onset puberty for females (I’m talking before the age of 8 – not right!). I could write a whole book on why you shouldn’t have soy EVER, but I won’t because I don’t have space here, and because it has been done fabulously already by Kaayla T Daniel – The Whole Soy Story. Read it!!
• Vegetable oils – these really should go under the “processed crap” heading. Oils such as sunflower, safflower, canola, corn, rice bran and soybean are not, in any way, shape or form, good for our health. They are highly susceptible to damage from heat and light (thanks manufacturers for packaging them in clear plastic and telling us to cook with them!!) which turns them into rancid oils which are extremely detrimental to our health. Instead, cook with coconut oil, lard or tallow and enjoy butter, olive oil, avocado and nut oils cold. And if you are avoiding all of these dodgy foods, don’t worry about cholesterol – it is important for so many functions in the body AND it is the main component of breast milk!

3. Manage stress

Stress causes a myriad of problems, including those related to infertility. My next blog post is going to be on stress, so I won’t elaborate too much here, but what I will say is stress management should definitely be a priority prior to and during pregnancy (and post-birth, if possible??). 

4. Avoid environmental toxins, as much as possible

Unfortunately we are exposed to a huge amount of toxins and it is near impossible to avoid them all. However, you could start with the following:

• Get off the oral contraceptive pill. Yes, it’s a toxin – it’s synthetic hormones being pumped into your body. Learn how to use other methods (such as the symptom-thermal method). If you are planning to have a baby, you should start detoxing from the pill at least 4-6 months prior to conception. I would recommend seeing a naturopath to help you out – Anthia Koullouros from Ovvio Organics in Paddington is amazing. 
• Try not to use plastics – water bottles, plastic containers etc – get them out of your life and use glass/stainless steel instead. 
• Try to use natural skincare products – check out the labels and avoid products with sulphates, parabens, artificial colours, petro-chemicals (propylene glycol) and synthetic fragrances, to name a few. 

5. Try to keep at least 3yrs between babies

Pregnancy and breastfeeding is very taxing on the mother. The baby can and will suck out all of the mother’s nutrient stores, which can take time to be replenished substantially enough to provide for baby #2. If you cannot or will not wait that period of time, then you really need to be quite strict with all of the above-mentioned advice. A great book to read about the importance of child spacing is “Deep Nutrition” by Catherine and Luke Shanahan. 

Phew!! Soulla and her fabulous guest speakers covered more than this, but I think that will do for now, don’t you agree? Especially considering part 2 of the workshop is this weekend so I will have more to blog about next week!

Great books and websites for more info:

• www.chriskresser.com – Chris Kresser is THE guru on all things health, but especially baby-making
• www.ppnf.com – the Price Pottenger Foundation provides great resources on traditional whole-foods for optimal health
• Deep Nutrition by Catherine & Luke Shanahan
• The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel

I hope this information has given you some food for thought and I would love to hear your thoughts/questions! It’s good to be back! x

Winter-warming brekkie: grain-free, dairy-free, delicious and nutritious!

Although I really love my Berries & Coconut Extraordinaire for breakfast, as we head into the depths of winter, the cool and refreshing nature of the recipe that I enjoy in the warmer months just isn’t cutting it. While I would love to do a big fry up every morning with eggs, bacon and tomato (that's right - I said I would have bacon and eggs every day - what are you going to do about it?), waking up at 5am for a 5:50am start doesn't really allow for it.

So, this morning, I decided to adapt, only slightly, the summer recipe to make it more of a winter warmer, and I can confidently say it was delicious! So delicious that by the time I realised I should have taken a photo I had already gobbled everything up! Sorry! And to be honest, it wouldn't really have made for good food porn. So instead, you can have a random photo of my local bay that I took on my walk the other morning, and picture yourself snuggled up inside in your jammies enjoying this tasty brekkie, thankful that you are not outside in this cold, foggy spookiness....

Have you got the picture in your mind? Are you snuggled up and ready to warm your belly with a nutritious meal to start the day? Here you go:

**RECIPE: Winter Berries & Coconut Extraordinaire – serves 1

• 1 tbspn extra virgin coconut oil
• 1-2 handfuls mixed berries (I used a handful each of frozen blueberries and raspberries)
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 1 small handful nuts, chopped
• Full fat coconut milk – I think I used about a cup, but feel free to add more or less (taste as you go and adjust to your liking)
• 1 egg, whisked separately
• 1 tsp raw organic honey (optional)
• 1 small handful coconut flakes (optional)

This will take about 5-10mins to prepare. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add berries and powders, stirring to mix. Then add coconut milk, nuts and egg, stirring frequently. As the mixture gets warm, add honey and coconut flakes, if using. Keep stirring the mixture until it is quite warm-hot*.  Serve and enjoy!

*Note: It is important to ensure the mix is well heated as raw egg whites contain a protein  called avidin, which can bind with biotin (a B vitamin which plays an essential role in many metabolic processes) and prevent our absorption, potentially leading to biotin deficiency (which looks a little like depression, skin rashes and hair loss – not ideal!). Cooking the egg whites will denature this protein and prevent the binding from occurring. If you don’t want to heat the mix that much, just add the egg yolk and leave the white out.

I hope you all enjoy this one! Keep warm and stay healthy!

Do you have any yummy grain-free brekkie recipes on the go for winter? Please share!

Supplements - my thoughts

Supplements are all the rage these days. It seems that unless your pantry is filled with acai berries, spirulina, mutli-vitamins and protein powders, you are a)not as healthy as you could be and b)not as cool as you want to be. Lots of people ask me for my opinion on these often expensive, but seemingly beneficial dietary additions. Do we need them? Are they worth it? Well, to that I say….it depends – who are you? What is going on in your body? What is going on in your life?


If you are consuming a nutrient-dense diet with lots of variety and are relatively stress-free and have no massive health conditions (e.g. cancer) going on, then I would say no, for the most part, you don’t need them. There are certain circumstances however when one may need a little extra boost in the form of a supplement if they do not have access to, or choose not to consume, the actual food, or if the food they are consuming is from sub-optimal sources. 


So, for the purposes of this post, you are free from life-threatening health conditions and your stress and sleep are OK. I will address other circumstances briefly at the end. 


Now, what we are going to do is play a game of “Would you rather….” But instead of “Would you rather go on a date with Johnny or have a quick pash with Billy” (my answer is neither by the way – I’m married, silly), this is going to be more like “Would you rather consume this nourishing food or spend a shite load more on this expensive supplement??”. Can you see where I’m taking this, peeps? 


 1. Would you rather spend $50 on a jar of isolated probiotics in capsule form or $10 on some sauerkraut?


Now I’m not denying that we need probiotics…we definitely do need those bugs in our belly and with today’s lifestyle factors, such as stress, alcohol, dodgy food and medications (both over-the-counter and prescribed), there is an even greater need to get the goods back to balance.  Why? Well, here is a little list, but more and more research is coming along with other reasons why we should cherish these little critters and obtain them from fermented food sources:

• Aid digestion – this is particularly important for anyone who suffers from irritable bowel syndrome or anything similar
• Improve immunity – 80% of our immune system is in our gut!! If our gut is not happy, neither will the rest of our body and this can manifest in a myriad of ways, such as infections, colds and flus, skin rashes….
• Boost your mood – your gut and your brain are intricately linked – if one if out, so is the other, which is why you need to work on getting BOTH healthy in order to experience optimum health. If you think about it, when you are really nervous, you get nervous runs, right? Or is that just me……awkward…..
• Boost your mood factoid #2 – 95% of serotonin is located in the gut – if your bugs aren’t happy, then neither are you!
• Increased amounts of vitamins and minerals in foods, such as biotin, nicotinic acid, riboflavin, thiamine and vitamin B12 (note to vegetarians!!!)

I could go on, but there are more questions in this game.  If your answer to this one - “I would rather some sauerkraut please, as these fermented foods sound much more beneficial than taking a probiotic in a pill”, then good job! You have passed level one (when did this game become a quiz???!). 

For more on fermented foods (what they are, how to make them, why you should care) simply do a Google search, or two excellent resources I would recommend are Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions, and http://www.wildfermentation.com/. I’m actually going to make some Ginger Carrots from Sal’s (I’m going to pretend we’re friends) book this afternoon. Watch this space!

If, however, you are against the idea of sauerkraut and/or other fermented foods, then yes, I would probably recommend taking a good quality probiotic supplement, but remember – whole food will always be better than any of its individual components. 

2. Would you rather take a calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus supplement, along with a joint supplement, a digestive aid, a cold and flu tablet, and wack on some anti-cellulite cream to top it off, OR have some bone broth?

Seriously folks, bone broth is the cheapest super-food on the planet! Not only is it an excellent source of calcium, which most people I know are concerned about, and other minerals, it is rich in gelatin, which helps to heal the gut and treat intestinal disorders such as Chron’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Other benefits of bone broth include:

• Improving joint health – reducing inflammation and symptoms of arthritis
• Minimise cellulite – the collagen in the broth helps to reinforce the collagen layers in our body, thus preventing the occurrence of Mr Orange Peel. 
• Like fermented foods, broth can improve immunity and help to prevent or shorten colds and flus. 
• Glycine, an amino acid in broth, helps to aid in muscle recovery, and improve digestion by increasing stomach acid secretion, which is required for the proper breakdown and hence absorption of foods
• Gelatin can also improve skin and nails, aid sleep, and help reduce sugar cravings
• It is so so very cheap, even when using the best quality bones. I think each batch I make costs me around $5, and that makes about 4L. What?!!?

This kind of sums up how I feel about bone broth….just substitute “bird” for “broth”…( know it doesn’t rhyme, but whatever – just enjoy it already!)

Oh how I love Family Guy.

Anywho - I have started having bone broth daily and I’m absolutely loving it! I have it first thing in the morning or in the afternoon if I am feeling a little peckish before dinner, in fact I am having a mug right now! If you don’t want to drink it straight-up, use it to add to soups and stews instead of crappy store-bought stocks which have lots of added nasties and are devoid of all benefits. 

By now you are probably thinking I’m a bit of a weirdo, but trust me on this friends, these foods are the goods. 

Now, if you said “I would rather bone broth” then good for you! Here is a recipe

**Recipe – Nourishing-oh-so-good-superfood-your-grandma-was-right-bone broth

First of all, you need yourself a slow-cooker. Seriously, how many times do I need to say this? It will revolutionise your life! OK – got it? Good. Now in your slow cooker (the bigger the better – ours is 6.5L and digital), add the following:

• ½-1kg bones from organic, grass fed animals (I think beef tastes best, but all are good)
• 2 organic celery stalks, chopped
• 2 organic carrots, chopped
• 6 small cloves organic garlic, smashed (this is important to do BEFORE chopping to release the beneficial phytochemical (P.S: “Phyto” = “plant”. You’re welcome 
• 1 organic onion, chopped
• Sprigs of fresh herbs – rosemary, thyme and sage work well but I’m sure you could add in whatever you like
• Kelp or other sea vegetable for trace minerals that are hard to otherwise find, such as iodine (very important for thyroid health and foetal development)
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• ¼ cup organic apple cider vinegar (this is essential for drawing the minerals out of the bones)
• Filtered water – enough to cover everything.

Instructions: throw everything in the pot. Cover. Cook on low for around 20hrs. Allow to cool and then strain off the liquid (including the fat) into glass storage containers. Refrigerate. A really good broth will go like jelly, however I have thus far only managed to do this with beef bones, so if you find the secret to the others, then let me know (I have heard chicken feet work wonders….hmm). 

3. Would you rather an expensive synthetic multi-vitamin or a teeny bit of yummy pate?

Firstly, a word on multi-vitamins: I’m not a doctor, so you don’t have to take my advice if you don’t want to, but I would generally not recommend taking a multi-vitamin. In fact, I believe they can be potentially dangerous and/or useless. If your urine is bright yellow after taking a multi-vitamin, chances are you are not absorbing half of the vitamins in that supplement. That’s some expensive pee! Also, most multi-vitamins have multiple vitamins….ha! I know, I know very obvious. However, the multiple vitamins that are in these little pills often compete with each other for absorption. For example, zinc, copper, calcium and iron all compete with each other, meaning you will probably end up with either none at all (once again – expensive excrement) or you may potentially cause a deficiency, although deficiencies are more likely when you take supplements in isolations, such as zinc. When it comes to iron, taking it in supplement form can be quite dangerous. Our bodies generally have a mechanism to take up just the right amount of iron as we need it, both from animal and plant sources. If our iron stores are full from animal sources of iron (haem iron, which is readily absorbed), then we will not absorb the iron from plants (non-haem iron). An exception to this rule is those with the genetic condition known as haemachromatosis. The problem with supplements is they can override this block and be readily absorbed and can potentially cause iron overload, which can be incredibly damaging, and even fatal!! 

But what about if you are iron-deficient? Well, the answer to that my friends is liver (check out this story from my friend Roni)! Liver is an excellent source of iron, along with many other important nutrients which are often lacking in our diets, including:

• Fat-soluble vitamins A and D
• Essential fatty acids
• Choline – for an excellent explanation of why you need this baby, check out this post by Chris Kresser
• Rich source of anti-oxidants
• Vitamin B12
• Selenium
• Folate
• Tryptophan – an amino acid which acts as a precursor to serotonin (happy chemicals!)

This list is not exhaustive. Liver is a serious super-food that you should start incorporating into your diet, especially if you are trying to conceive. I have started enjoying chicken liver pate with vegetable crudités. Sadly I have been sworn to secrecy on the recipe as my friend Soulla, who concocted it, plans to have it in her recipe book in the future. However, check out http://www.chowstalker.com/offal/  for some fantastic ideas on ways to add some liver to your diet. 

Note: liver is a very concentrated super-food that does not need to be eaten every day. 85-100g per week is plenty. 

4. Would you rather spend $50 on Acai berry powder or spend it on something worth-while?

I realise I am not going to be making any friends in the supplement industry from this post. Oh well. Someone needs to say it. 

Do we need anti-oxidants? Yes. Yes we do. We need anti-oxidants to protect us from damaging molecules called “free-radicals” which can cause oxidation in the body (hence the term “anti-oxidants”). These free-radicals, if left to their own agenda, can cause damage to lipids (fats) in cell membranes, DNA and proteins. 

Where do free-radicals come from? Everywhere – our body produces them, we eat, drink and breathe them, we absorb them. Holy crap! Give me some of that Acai berry!!

Stop. Breathe. Listen. 

Thankfully, our bodies have their own anti-oxidant system. Yes, that’s right, our body, when healthy, is perfectly equipped with a fully-functioning anti-oxidant system, which is quite capable of halting the oxidation process. So, not only do we not need to consume extra anti-oxidants, supplementing can actually cause more harm than good. There is evidence to suggest that if we consume too many anti-oxidants in supplement form, not only can they potentially become pro-oxidants in the body (bad. Very bad), but they can cause the body to stop/slow down the production of its own anti-oxidants (again – bad. Very bad). Same goes for vitamin C. 

I will say, though, there are certain circumstances when one might need to consume more anti-oxidants, such as cancer. I am not at all in a position to suggest this as a treatment however, but if you are suffering from such a condition, or you know someone who is, I suggest you head over to http://www.thewellnesswarrior.com.au/ and read about how Jess is using The Gerson Therapy to heal her body of cancer without chemotherapy. Full on, but nothing short of amazing. 

So, by now you are probably thinking I’m some weird hippy chick, but to be completely honest with you, I am not currently taking any vitamin/mineral/anti-oxidant supplement and I have never felt better! Not to mention I am saving money for a fabulous 2 month adventure at the end of the year! So, take what you will from this post – if nothing else, I hope I have enlightened you on the benefits of eating a variety of traditional whole foods. While I do have more to say on this topic, including supplements I do recommend, I’ll save it for next time. 

And to finish off with a laugh (and a bit of a piss-take), I give you The Bondi Hipsters (it’s relevant…maybe): 

Training for the time poor – a guest post

Yes, I am officially a slacker when it comes to regular blogging. I apologise! Uni is kicking my butt big time. Hopefully I can get a couple out over the next few weeks. But for now, my favourite partner in crime, Aaron, has kindly agreed to write a guest post for me! My very first guest post! Woo hoo! So, without further adieu, please welcome (drumroll) Aaron Callaghan – fellow nerd/husband/personal trainer extraordinaire (in that order???). 


(Side note: I will put my own 2 cents worth in here and there in red – cos’ that’s what wives do, right?)


OK you’ve made some changes to your diet and your energy levels are rising. Hey, you haven’t felt this good in years. Maybe it’s time to start moving again? That would be great but there is no time because of work, study, kids etc.


Here are five tips to accelerate your results in minimal time:
1. The body regards training as a stress. If we get the volume and intensity right the body adapts and increases its capacity to do work. If we get it wrong the body stops improving, gets injured or you get sick. As a general rule for longevity, wellness and vitality - less is more. If your training is well structured it should take you less than an hour a week to get the results you’re after. (Seriously folks – you read right – 1hr per week, not day)


2. To boost your metabolism, perform high intensity intervals once or twice a week. Choose any exercise which uses the large muscles in your body (no, not your guns). For example - squats, bike, sprints, burpees, battling ropes. For best results make the hard hard and the easy easy (jogging is neither). Work intervals between 30-60s with a 1:1, 1:2 or even a 1:3 work to rest ratio (i.e. work for 20s and rest for 60s) have been shown to be very effective for fat loss and increasing work capacity.


3. When in the gym perform paired sets to get a great anabolic effect (this means growth – but not necessarily in a “Madonna-arms” kind of way…unless that’s what you are after…). Here is a basic example template: 

• A1 Lower body 2-4 sets x 8-12 reps (e.g. squats)
• A2 Upper body push 2-4 sets x 8-12  (push up)
• B1 Lower Body 2-4 x 8-12 (lunge)
• B2 Upper Body pull 2-4 sets x 8-12 (row). 
• Keep rest periods under 60s 

4. If you can’t get to the gym, perform a bodyweight circuit at home or at the park. Again we look to keep intensity high but the overall duration short (under 15mins). Perform a light warm up and then perform 2-4 rounds of this bodyweight blast:

• 10 squats then 10 push ups, 9 squats then 9 push ups …..1 squat then 1 push up. Rest for 2mins then complete 2 or 3 more sets. (this is a lot harder than is sounds!!)

5. If you’re going to lift weights make sure you work within a rep range of 6-12 reps (i.e. only lift it 6-12 times). Once you have the technique perfect, a general guide with regards to intensity is to leave a couple of reps in the hole e.g. if you’re doing 8 reps select a weight that if you really needed to you could do 10 reps. This ensures that you’re working with enough intensity to boost metabolism but not over reaching and teaching the body and brain how to fail.


So as a quick summary less is more when it comes to vitality, wellness and looking better naked (woot woot – sorry, couldn’t help myself). Listen to your body  - when energy levels are high, you can push a little harder, but if energy levels are low, back it off.....and instead do something more like this: 

Any further questions please contact me at aaron@primal-fitness.com.au or jump on our site  at www.primal-fitness.com.au for plenty of ideas for your training.

Now get off that treadmill and start getting more done in less time so you can go and enjoy life!!

Saturated fat – will I get fat and die?

Just thought I’d start you off with a random advert from back in the good ol’ days. Now onto the post (it’s related, I promise): 


Other than giving up bread, I have noticed what makes people squirm is the idea of consuming more fat. “But I’ll get heart disease!” they say, or “Fat will make me fat!” To this I respond with a swift “No” and “no”. But I understand the fear. After all, it has been jammed into us for at least the last 30 years that we should cut down on our intake of fat, especially the “devil fat” (saturated), and increase our intake of “healthy whole-grains”. This, we were told, would be our solution to the heart disease and obesity epidemic that was sweeping the world. Turns out things didn’t go quite to plan! Not only are we fatter, but we also have higher rates of heart disease (not to mention diabetes, atherosclerosis, and autoimmune conditions, to name a few). But WHY? Are people just inherently lazy and not following the government guidelines? Should we be exercising more and eating less? While there are a number of factors that play a role in these conditions, I would like to entertain the idea that perhaps we got it wrong. Perhaps fat isn’t the foe and is, in fact, our friend. So here goes….


Often I am frustrated by the nutritional guidelines mentioned above. I believe these guidelines to be misguiding because:



a) I know many people (myself included) who have experienced fantastic results in doing the exact opposite of these suggestions, without dying, and 
b) I have learnt from some fantastic researchers around the world, such as Robb Wolf, Chris Kresser, Chris Masterjohn, Mark Sisson and Denise Minger, reasons why we should ignore these guidelines and go with a more traditional approach


What I haven’t done is look at the scientific evidence myself, and I mean really decipher the data presented in the studies that are used to provide evidence for “the guidelines”. Until this weekend. Yep, that’s right folks, my Easter weekend was awesome! My latest assignment involves researching The French Paradox – why French people have a high intake of saturated fat yet have one of the lowest rates of heart disease. To cut a long story short, heart disease is not caused by saturated fat intake, and prevention of heart disease involves many, many factors. To name a few:

• Drink more red wine – tick! (Although apparently the French have higher rates of liver disease. Hmmm)
• Eat lots of fresh vegies and fruit and cook them slowly and gently to preserve the anti-oxidants
• Eat foods rich in folate and B12 (e.g. pate from pastured-animals)  
• Avoid vegetable oils such as soybean, canola, corn, sunflower, safflower
• Enjoy rich, full-fat foods from whole, natural sources
• Eat mindfully!! 

But I digress. Back to the fat issue. 

What I found was insufficient evidence to support the recommendation of “decrease your intake of fat”. In fact, one document by the NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council) that goes through the evidence for the guidelines actually warns against the dangers of an extremely low fat diet (1)! Shame this info isn’t expressed in the media! I don’t know about you, but the message I hear is “if you cut out all fat from your diet, you will be one healthy chicken (or cucumber??!)”

WARNING – SCIENCE TALK – READ ONLY IF FEELING MOTIVATED TO GEEK OUT:

And if you can’t be arsed reading, here is a video which gets the basic idea across:

There are two keys studies which are often cited as “evidence” for minimising your intake of saturated fat:

1) The Seven Countries Study by Ancel Keys (2) 

Keys is often vilified as the man behind all this saturated fat hoo-haa. Why? Because he “studied” 11,000 people from 7 different countries and found that the more saturated fat one consumed, the greater their risk of heart disease. And he went on to present a little graph that looks something like this one on the left:

*Thanks to the fabulous Chris Masterjohn from The Daily Lipid for this beauty!

Convincing, right? Sure – until you realise what is wrong with the data. First, and probably the most widely acknowledged problem, is that Keys actually studied 22 countries and when all the data are plotted in a similar fashion, the pretty graph looks like the one we see on the right (above). France, with all their fatty goodness, occupies position 8 – quite high on the fat intake but one of the lowest rates of death from heart disease! Tsk tsk Mr Keys!

Aside from this, the diet information obtained to plot his graph was collected via weighed food records (where you weigh everything you eat over several days). While these are the best way to obtain information on dietary intake, they still have many inherent limitations. Keys himself acknowledges that there are “extreme limitations of dietary estimates for individuals”. Of greater concern, however, is perhaps the fact that “the estimates of the average diets of each cohort were based on 80-150 seven-day dietary surveys”. That works out at between 1,200 - 2,250 individuals for whom we have data for. And this was supposed to be representative of THE WHOLE WORLD!! What the….??? And finally, what we all need to remember, and what Keys kindly states towards the end of his paper is that “relationships shown here….are not claimed to be necessarily causal”, meaning we cannot say that fat causes heart disease just by showing an association between the two! Chris Kresser actually provided a nice analogy on correlations which goes something like this (para-phrasing):

‘In the past few years, the popularity of Facebook has increased, while the debt crisis in Greece has worsened. Does that mean the popularity of Facebook caused the Greek financial crises? Or vice versa?’ I rest my case.

2) The Nurse’s Health Study, by Hu et al (3)

This one aimed to show the relationship between different types of saturated fats (they come in different lengths) and heart disease. What did they find? Nothing significant!! Here is their summary table:

Now this probably means nothing to you. But trust me, in terms if saturated fat, after adjustment for confounding variables (other factors that can influence risk of heart disease), there is no significant relationship with risk of heart disease.

 And if you don’t trust me, take a look at the numbers in parentheses. These are upper and lower limits of statistical analysis. If the number 1 is within this range, then the results are not significant. For example 1.19 (0.98, 1.46) is not a significant result as the value 1.00 lies between 0.98 and 1.46. Get it? Don’t really care? OK, let’s move on then. Now what do you think the authors’ conclusion, following on from these insignificant results, was……

“Our results support recommendations to substitute poultry and fish and low-fat dairy products for red meat and high-fat dairy products to reduce the risk of CHD”

FAAAAARRRKKK!!! So you see – this is the kind of dodgy science that our recommendations are based on!! Frustrating right?

OK, enough science-talk, let’s get back to the goodness of fat! Here are just some of the important roles fat plays in the body:

• They keep our cell membranes in-tact, allowing things in that are supposed to be there but keeping out those that are not, which is extremely important for proper cell functioning
• They are important for healthy bones – for calcium to be effectively utilised  in bones, at least 50% of dietary fats should be saturated
• They protect the liver from alcohol and other toxins
• They are needed to allow us to properly utilise the essential fatty acids, such as those obtained from oily fish and grass-fed meat
• They have anti-microbial properties and protect us from bad bacteria in the gut
• They enhance our immune system
• They are required in order to absorb key vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, D, E and K, which our diets these days are often lacking in (any guesses why?!)

Alright, so we have established that fat is good, right? But which ones are the good fats and the bad fats? This definitely needs to be discussed, as the bad can be very bad. Here are the fats you should avoid at all cost:

• trans fats. This is science-code for “mutated fat”. These can be naturally occurring, as in red meat, but it is the processed ones you need to be wary of. They are found in margarine, biscuits, cakes, potato chips…..you get the gist. If you see “partially hydrogenated” anywhere – throw it as far away as possible.
• Vegetable oils such as soybean, sunflower, corn, canola, safflower. These are all extracted at high heat and pressure, which leaves them damaged and damaging. They should never be used, and especially never heated. 

And then the good fats:

• Tropical oils, such as red palm oil, coconut oil, coconut milk: Coconut oil is especially rich in lauric acid, which is the fat found in abundance in breast milk. Anyone going to argue that breast milk isn’t the bee’s knees? Nope, didn’t think so. This little baby is rich in anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties, just to name a few benefits. This is my staple fat and I probably consume up to 2tbspn of it per day! Because it is quite saturated, it is safe to use at high temperatures, so use it in your cooking to give your meat a nice “I feel like I’m in Thailand” flavour. 
• Butter. Yep. Your Grandma knew it, and so did her Grandma, and her Grandma. Unfortunately we have pushed this traditional wisdom aside and instead opted for the “I’m very similar to plastic” margarine. Butter, like coconut oil, has many anti-microbial, anti-tumour, and immune-system supporting properties. It is also rich in conjugated linoleic acid which has been shown to prevent weight gain and encourage muscle growth. Always opt for organic brands from New Zealand, as their cows are all pasture-raised, which is especially important for ensuring high levels of vitamin A, D, E and K in the final product (go Kiwi’s!!). Butter is also OK to cook with.
• Animal fat, such as beef tallow, lard, chicken fat: if from organic and humanely-raised sources, these fats are perfect for cooking with at high temperatures. Cue more random adverts for lard:

Brilliant. Just Brilliant. Now where was I?? Oh - the good fats - they just keep on coming:

• Olive oil: rich in anti-oxidants and extremely healthy to use on salads. This one is best kept for cold, low heat use, as it is more fragile and susceptible to damage than the others. Always buy cold-pressed, extra-virgin olive oil in dark glass bottles and keep in a cool place (not the fridge – I made this mistake once). 
• Flaxseed oil: rich in omega-3 fatty acids, important for reducing inflammation in the body. Keep this one in the fridge in a dark glass bottle, use sparingly on salads, and NEVER heat. 
• Natural occurring fats, such as avocado, nuts (use sparingly), whole unprocessed milk and cream, eggs

So this is all good and well, but what would a typical day of eating look like, incorporating these fats. Well, I can only speak for myself, as there are a myriad of ways you could work these into your diet, but this is what average day looks like (with some more bullet points, if I may):

• Before breakfast: mug of warm beef broth – contains beef tallow (post on benefits of broth to come)
• Breakfast: Berries and Coconut Extraordinaire (coconut milk and sometimes coconut oil)
• Lunch: If I’m at home I will have 2 poached eggs, cabbage and tomato sautéed in coconut oil and balsamic vinegar, and half an avocado (plus bacon if I’m feeling festive). If I am out and about, I will pack a salad (anything goes), and top it with some tinned wild-caught salmon, a drizzle of olive oil, and half an avocado. 
• Snack (if needed): mug of beef broth or a dandelion tea made with coconut milk
• Dinner: Chicken curry made with yellow curry powder (no sugar), chicken thighs, onion, garlic and coconut cream; served with steamed vegetables that may be topped with butter and/or ghee.

You will notice that I only have three meals. I am able to do this quite comfortably without getting “hangry” (hungry + angry) due to the fat in my meals being quite satiating, as opposed to having meals high in carbohydrates, which will cause blood sugar spikes and crashes and the need to eat every 2-3hrs. On that note, if you do increase your fat intake, you will need to simultaneously reduce your carbohydrate intake in order to avoid potential complications. 

Last time I checked, my diet consisted of 70% fat! And just so you can see that my body is not 70% fat (I often float around the 13-15% body fat mark), here is a gratuitous shot of my butt (I’m the one on the right):

Hopefully I have convinced you that no, you will not get fat and die from eating fat. In fact, just the opposite – eating the right fats will make you healthier and hotter! So go forth and get your fat on!

*If you are interested in reading more on the benefits of fat and how to incorporate it into your diet, I can strongly recommend purchasing Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon (4)

References:

1) National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and New Zealand Ministry of Health. 2006; Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand including Recommended Dietary Intakes, Canberra, Australia 

2) Keys, A. et al; 1986; The Diet and 15-year death rate in the seven countries study, in American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 124, No.6, pp.903-915

3) Hu, F.B et al; 1999; Dietary saturated fats and their food sources in relation to the risk of coronary heart disease in women, in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 70, pp. 1001-8

4) Fallon, S. and Enig, M.G; 2001; Nourishing Traditions, New Trends Publishing, Washington, DC

Chocolate Mousse - Too good not to share!!

I am on a mission! All too often, I am met with a resounding “oh your diet must be SO boring”!! To which I say “Au contraire mon ami, au contraire!”  As I enjoy my glass of red wine (I’m only human) on this cool autumn eve, I write this post to enlighten you on the joys of experimentation (with food, for now). Really, if we are being honest here, I’m out to prove a point – that you CAN eat a 100% clean, nourishing diet that still tastes good, nay, amazing! 

Note: Chocolate Mousse tastes better than it looks!!

I, like many people, love chocolate! Unfortunately, most of the chocolate available does not contain much actual chocolate, but just some dregs of chocolate along with a vast array of other damaging ingredients. So while you may be convincing yourself that the chocolate you are eating is good because it contains anti-oxidants and all that jazz, do yourself a favour and check the ingredients label. If it contains any of the following, put it down and walk away:

• Sugar (as sugar, fructose, maltose, dextrose, agave, corn syrup, rice syrup – this baby could seriously have a thesaurus to itself)
• Wheat (or any other gluten-containing grain)
• Soy (including soy lecithin)
• Vegetable oil – these are incredibly damaging to your health! Get them out of your life! Now!!
• Milk solids – the milk used in most products is processed to death. Literally. There is no life in the milk we are sold. Real milk, which contains an abundance of nutrient-providing enzymes and beneficial bacteria is illegal for sale for human consumption. Go figure. 

What to do then?? Make your own and reap the benefits of this super-food!

‘Super-food’, you say? Tell me more!! 

Okey dokey! Cue list of benefits of organic cacao (read – “real chocolate”):

• An anti-oxidant content that blows acai, pomegranate, cranberry, blueberry and other hyped-up super-foods out of the water
• Lowers blood pressure and improves circulation
• Improves insulin sensitivity and aids in weight loss
• Healthier arterial function (read – “better cardiovascular health”) and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
• Lowers LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and increases HDL (“good cholesterol”) while reducing the oxidation of LDL (which is one of the real causes of atherosclerosis, rather than just having high levels of LDL)
• Joy. I don’t know about you, but chocolate makes me happy!

Alrighty then, so we have established that chocolate, in its raw, unadulterated form, is really good for you! If, however, you want to get your geek on a little more, Mark Sisson wrote an excellent post (backed by scientific evidence) on the benefits of dark chocolate which you can find here. 

Where to next? The recipe of course! I have made this Chocolate Mousse 3 times in the past week (not all for myself) and it has been extremely well received by all involved, including “real” people (as opposed to “freaks like me”):

The goods (makes around 4 non-greedy serves)

• 1 ripe avocado, mashed (OR the flesh of 1 young coconut)
• ½ cup raw organic cacao powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp vanilla bean powder (not vanilla extract/essence)
• 1/3 tsp stevia
• 1 dessert spoon raw honey
• ½ cup water (OR coconut water from a fresh young coconut, not bottled)
• 1 tbspn coconut oil
• ¼ cup dates (around 4 dates) finely chopped

The process: Throw everything in a food processor and blend until smooth. Place mousse into a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-2hrs. Serve with fresh berries and coconut cream (I actually prefer it without the coconut cream, but Az preferred it with).

Now I’m sure you don’t need any more convincing to eat this, but if you are after some more benefits to shove in the face of your health-conscious friend, here goes:

• Avocado – excellent source of healthy fats; good source of Vitamin B6 (helps make red blood cells and serotonin to keep you happy!); high anti-oxidant and fibre content
• Cinnamon – anti-clotting properties (help prevent stroke); anti-microbial activity (prevent Candida/yeast/fungal infections); improve insulin sensitivity and normalise blood sugar levels; boosts brain function (via the scent)
• Vanilla bean powder – a healthy substitution for sugar; contains traces of minerals including calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron and zinc; anti-cancer properties
• Raw honey – improves blood lipids, lowers inflammation, and has minimal effect on blood glucose levels; anti-bacterial activity; read more here. 
• Coconut oil – this is THE super-food that everyone should be consuming on a daily basis, and no, it will not make you fat. If anything, it will help you lose fat. The benefits are numerous. If you are interested, check out this site. 
• Water – self explanatory

Is there anything negative about cacao? Yes, actually. It has quite a high caffeine content, so if you are sensitive to caffeine (or if you are a small child), maybe this isn’t the treat for you. Also, raw cacao does contain phytic acid, which can bind to minerals and prevent their absorption, so don’t go crazy – have this as a treat 1-3 times per week and ensure the rest of your diet is from whole, natural foods.

So there you go. Now you can wow your friends (if it makes it out of your house) with an insanely tasty AND nutritious dessert. 

Here are just some of the comments I have received thus far in response to this delicacy:

“F#@king amazing!!!”

“Give me the recipe….NOW!!”

“Winner!”

“Do you have to give it to her? Can’t we keep it” (this was my husband’s response when I told him he couldn’t have the 3rd batch I made as I was taking it to my friend in hospital)

Now go forth and spread the joy!

A simply delicious and deliciously simple recipe

Holy moly it has been a busy week. I really should have appreciated my uni holidays more. Apologies for the delay in posting this blog (I was trying to establish some sort of regularity, in case you were wondering). Due to my lack of time to even scratch myself, I have found an ever increasing need for fast, yet delicious recipes. I’m talking 10-30mins all up, friends. So without further ado, I give you (drumroll please)……

Marvelous Mince - Makes 4 serves

• 1tbspn extra-virgin coconut oil
• 500g organic grass-fed beef mince
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1-2tbspn tomato paste (depending on how tomatoey you like your food)
• 2-3 splashes balsamic vinegar
• 1 large carrot, grated
• Bay leaf

Optional extras

• Mushrooms, chopped
• Kale (or silverbeet), washed and chopped
• Zucchini, chopped
• Curry powder (around 1tbspn)
• Herbs and spices (e.g. basil, oregano, rosemary – get creative!)

Instructions

• Heat oil in pan (med-high heat) then sauté onion and garlic until just tender.
• Add in mince and balsamic vinegar. Stir together with onions and garlic until meat is slightly browned.
• Add tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, herbs and spices and carrot. Stir together and turn heat down to medium and allow to simmer. Now is also the time to add in your optional extras and allow to simmer until vegies are cooked to your liking.

I generally just serve this with steamed veg, however you could definitely go all gourmet with your side dishes if you so please.

Not only is this a fabulous, healthy and simple dinner recipe, it also makes a great lunch and even better breakfast (it’s actually better the day after cooking). I love to add some poached eggs and avocado to really score some brownie points! I am yet to come across someone who doesn’t like this meal - even my 2 year old niece helped herself to THREE servings!! She’s such a little trooper. It's also just as good cold, so pack it in your lunch box and you are good to go!

Hopefully you also noticed that I stated to use “organic grass-fed beef”, for reasons which I have previously stipulated. And if you need another reason not to buy shoddy supermarket meat, check this out:

If you are one of those “I read/listen to/watch the news every day and scientists say that red meat is going to kill me”, and if you feel like nerding it up big time, check out this witty, yet objective and informative article posted by Denise Minger over on Mark’s Daily Apple. If you can’t be arsed getting your geek on with that much sciency information, I will summarise for you: red meat will not kill you. Ta da!!

I hope you enjoy the recipe! Feel free to make your own tweaks and changes – I would love to hear what does/doesn’t work! Stay cool peeps.