http://goodfoodeating.org Nutrition & Health Tue, 05 Apr 2016 21:56:58 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.4 The Good Food Eating podcast is here to share evidence based education, motivation, and inspiration about nutrition and diet, anti-inflammatory diet, health info, natural weight loss tips, and healthy lifestyle. Discover how you can create a healthy diet and nutrition plan that works for you so that you can have the health and happiness that you deserve. We cover loads of different topics around nutrition and health and provide up to date information, opinion, and facts on everything you need to know. We often challenge common myths and norms about food and health because we all deserve to know the truth. We talk about various health conditions, inflammation, type 2 diabetes, obesity, losing weight, adrenal fatigue, candida, leaky gut, energy, nutrition fundamentals, and all sorts of things. We also answer your diet, nutrition and lifestyle questions. Join us at http://goodfoodeating.org for more conversations around everything good food! Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. [email protected] [email protected] (Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor.) Good Food Eating.com Focusing on real food nutrition and sharing empowering diet information so you can live a healthy lifestyle and most importantly be happy. http://goodfoodeating.org/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/GFEituneslogo300.jpg http://goodfoodeating.org/category/podcast/ http://goodfoodeating.org/10412/what-is-cortisol-cortisol-and-weight-gain/ http://goodfoodeating.org/10412/what-is-cortisol-cortisol-and-weight-gain/#respond Wed, 15 Apr 2015 07:30:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=10412 http://goodfoodeating.org/10412/what-is-cortisol-cortisol-and-weight-gain/feed/ 0 Often we're trying to achieve goals like weight loss and we wonder why it's not coming off fast enough. Or sometimes we even wonder why we're gaining? Does this sound familiar to you? Well listen to this podcast and find out about cortisol and weight... Often we're trying to achieve goals like weight loss and we wonder why it's not coming off fast enough. Or sometimes we even wonder why we're gaining? Does this sound familiar to you? Well listen to this podcast and find out about cortisol and weight gain. And we'll aslo cover what cortisol actually is as well :) LISTEN READ Hello and welcome back to the GFE podcast. It has been a few weeks since I last did a podcast but I can assure you that I’d never abandon it. In fact I’ve got some exciting things coming up for you. Starting in May 2015 I’ll be sharing some time on the podcast with researchers, authors, and other experts that I know you are going to love hearing from. I’m also really excited because I’ll be speaking to some wonderful people. I’ve got the highly distinguished professor James Herbert coming on to talk about his work with the dietary inflammatory index, which has inspired some of my work with anti-inflammatory diets. I’ve got Dr Rick Kausman, weight loss expert and author with a very interesting twist on weight loss methods, I’ve got Kathy Simpson author of several books on hormones and we’ll be digging into thyroid health, I’ve got professor Andy Sinclair who has done some amazing work and was one of my favorite university lecturers and he’ll be coming on to talk about omega 3 fats, diet, and health. And I’ll also be organizing lots of other people to come on and share their work with us as well. I just think there is nothing quite like hearing directly from some of these amazing researchers and authors so I’m sure that both you and I are going to learn lots of new and wonderful things. I also wanted to mention that I’ve got another project on the go, specifically for people with type 2 diabetes, a new website has just been launched at Type 2 Diabetes Talk.com and a new podcast is going to be live alongside it very soon. Type 2 Diabetes Talk.com is 100% dedicated to all things type 2diabetes, prediabetes, and insulin resistance, and the podcast will be the same. We’ve also lined up some fantastic researchers to come and share some of the facts with us surrounding type 2 diabetes as well. So if you have diabetes please head over to Type 2 Diabetes Talk.com and join the email list for updates. And if you know someone with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, then send them over to Type 2 Diabetes Talk.com to join our email list, because there is lots of stuff in store for the future over there. As for today’s podcast we are going to talk about… What is cortisol and cortisol and weight gain Sometimes I get emails from people saying they have tried everything and they can’t seem to lose weight. My reply to them is often the same; do you have a lot of stress in your life? Quite frequently they’ll respond with an absolute Yes, and therein lies the problem. Sure our food has a lot to do with weight gain or weight loss but so does stress. In our modern world we are all exposed to many different stressors but the impact of that stress does have effects on us. Funny thing is that many people don’t think they are stressed and often people who are affected by stress are the type of people that have a very high stress tolerance. So if you ask them how they rate their stress level on a scale from 1-10, 1 being not affected by stress, 10 being totally stressed out. They will often indicate their stress levels are 2 or 3 but when you get a glimpse of their daily and weekly routines, it’s pretty clear that while their stress tolerance is high, the stress is having an impact in various other ways. Stress does that. It’s a slow invader and sometimes it’s not until we are hit really hard that it actually brings us down. But it can affect other goals we are trying to achieve, for example weight loss. So today we are going to talk about our major stress hormone cortisol. What it is and how it can lead to rapid weight gain or on the other hand difficulty losing weight. And we’ll also chat about a few simple tips you c... Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 20:37 http://goodfoodeating.org/10353/21-days-17-habits/ http://goodfoodeating.org/10353/21-days-17-habits/#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2015 20:35:31 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=10353 http://goodfoodeating.org/10353/21-days-17-habits/feed/ 2 Imagine what your life would be like if you could implement 17 Habits each and every year! Well let's talk about a 21 day cycle and get you started on the road to getting more results! LISTEN - READ - Hey there everyone, Imagine what your life would be like if you could implement 17 Habits each and every year! Well let's talk about a 21 day cycle and get you started on the road to getting more results! LISTEN READ Hey there everyone, how is everything in your world right now? I really do hope you are well and taking good care of yourself.  21 Days, 17 Habits, are you curious to know what this podcast is all about? Well I’m not here to share how you can achieve 17 habits in 21 days but if you want to change your habits and change your life, then listen up because it does involve 21 days and allows you to achieve 17 new positive habits and it also happens to be a totally achievable and practical method you can use to transform your life. Sometimes when I’m sitting in my office or on the balcony having a cup of tea, I’ll be thinking about different ways I can help my clients, readers, and subscribers more. And one day I was sitting there thinking about habits, because let’s face it we all have them and it’s our habits we often need to change when we are trying to get healthier, eat better, do exercise, or whatever our goal may be. We’re really good at making wafty goals, but when it comes to putting them into action, we’re not so great at it. Now we have talked about habits here before and if you’re a regular listener you’ll know that I talk about mindset and habits quite a bit. That is because they are critical to our success, to making our goals and aspirations a reality. So I was sitting there one day contemplating this and I came up with an idea to help my clients more, help you more. Over the years I’ve read many books that highlight that it takes us around 21 days to implement a new habit so if we could focus on just one habit for 21 days, then keep doing that, then bring in another habit, in one year we’d have 17 new habits. I told one of my clients Rebecca about this approach in late December, (if you’re listening to this at a later date we’re at the beginning of March now), so I told Rebecca about this method in late December, she had been struggling to get into any type of routine and really wanted to change some of her habits, and this method really resonated with her. So I saw her about a week ago and she said she was making great progress with using the new 21 day method. So far she had implemented 3 new habits, she was getting up a bit earlier in the morning and going for a walk, she was drinking her daily water intake, and she was doing some stretching at night. I was so excited that she had used the method and it was working for her. But she said she wanted a better way to track it over time, so I said I’d create a chart that she could hang up somewhere to keep a log of it over the year. I’ve given her that now and she is going to track it. GFE members also get a copy and we’ve been discussing it <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/gfe-forum/" target="_blank">inside the GFE forum</a>. It’s so great to see people putting it into practice. So that’s the whole story that inspired me to share this podcast and this method with you. Because if it works for Rebecca, it might just work for you too. So let’s dig in and share how you can use the method. First I want you to reflect on some of the habits you’ve been thinking about changing, some of the habits you’ve been trying to change, where you’re at right now, and how tired you are of going around in circles. I know it’s easy to want to make the changes but 1 month passes, 1 year passes, and still no changes. We’re already in the 3rd month of 2015 now, so think about how you’re doing with your goals so far this year. Is it really good? Or is it not as you expected? Do you roll your eyes at the end of the day and think, well that was a dismal failure, AGAIN! Next I want you to future pace a little. If you could obtain 17 simple new habits in one year, imagine how different your life would look. Well if we start now at the beginning of March you can obtain 14 new habits th... Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 15:36 http://goodfoodeating.org/9489/motivation-to-keep-going/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9489/motivation-to-keep-going/#respond Mon, 02 Mar 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9489 http://goodfoodeating.org/9489/motivation-to-keep-going/feed/ 0 In this podcast we cover: - How to find motivation when you want fast results Why am I gaining weight Supplements to assist dieting Where to nutrition info And some great motivational quotes - LISTEN READ Question 1 In this podcast we cover: How to find motivation when you want fast results Why am I gaining weight Supplements to assist dieting Where to nutrition info And some great motivational quotes LISTEN READ Question 1 Why is my body so sensitive to foods (meaning gain soooo easily). I'm mainly Paleo. Ok there could be a few reasons for this. I don’t have any other backgorund or health information here so I’ll just shoot a few things off that you could explore in this situation. Firstly, it’s interesting when it comes to diets, for example, lots of people think all of their problems will be solved if they follow a paleo diet but often this isn’t the case. So one thing you could assess is food intake. Start by <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/1004/weekly-food-diary/">keeping a food diary</a> so you actually know what’s going into your mouth and then you can break it down and see if you’re really eating healthy. Even following a paleo diet I find lots of people eat too many paleofied baked goods, or lots of ‘healthy’ paleo snacks, meaning they are still consuming too much sugar and too many of the wrong types of foods. And often people following paleo eat too much protein and fat and not enough veggies and this doesn’t promote healthy digestion in most cases. So first I’d just start by evaluating your own daily and weekly food intake because it may just be that you think you are eating well but really you’re not. And often when I look at people’s food diaries this tends to be the case and offers the simplest solution. Just change what you’re eating and tweak things so you stop gaining and start losing. Secondly, could it be <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/6758/insulin-and-insulin-resistance/">insulin resistance</a>? If you have insulin resistance it can cause excess weight gain. You can <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/8624/blood-test-for-insulin-resistance/">get tested for insulin resistance</a> with your doctor. What about stress? How are your stress levels? If you have a lot of stress, the high cortisol can cause more weight gain, particularly the storage of belly fat. When you look at stress think about your sleep patterns too, if you don’t sleep well this causes more stress and therefore weight gain. So essentially what we are talking about here is there could be some kind of hormonal imbalance going on. So think about that as a possible contributor. Also there could be food sensitivities. Go back to your food diary and just think about how you are digesting things, or maybe there is something you are eating a lot of that could be causing a sensitivity. If that’s the case there may be more inflammation and poor digestion and this could contribute to weight gain. In this case you’d be thinking about you gut health, <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/8842/best-rated-probiotics/">taking a probiotic</a>, thinking about what foods you are eating and what could be changed. As you can see it’s not always straightforward but perhaps that will give you some areas to explore. And really it is just a matter of trying to work through these things starting at the simplest thing, which is what exactly am I eating. Question 2 What supplements to take to assist in dieting? This is a really wide open question but I’m going to have to assume it means a weight loss diet. So you’d probably be looking for supplements that can either help make things easier, or help <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/1700/how-to-boost-weight-loss/">boost weight loss</a>. To assist in getting started and managing <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/5826/sugar-cravings/">sugar cravings</a> and blood sugar control you could try a supplement called gymnema syvestre. I’ve found that works really well. The proposed mechanism behind it’s effectiveness is it tricks your body into mimicing glucose molecules, blocking the cell receptors in the intestine so you won’t uptake sugar. As a result it helps dulls down your senses to sugar so you don’t fee... Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 21:07 http://goodfoodeating.org/9470/are-potatoes-healthy-plus-top-4-healthy-ways-to-eat-potatoes/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9470/are-potatoes-healthy-plus-top-4-healthy-ways-to-eat-potatoes/#respond Thu, 19 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9470 http://goodfoodeating.org/9470/are-potatoes-healthy-plus-top-4-healthy-ways-to-eat-potatoes/feed/ 0 Have you ever wonder whether potatoes are healthy? Or maybe questioned what the healthiet ways to eat potatoes are? Well let's dig into the topic together and answer these questions. LISTEN - READ Do you love potatoes? I bet the answer is Yes. Have you ever wonder whether potatoes are healthy? Or maybe questioned what the healthiet ways to eat potatoes are? Well let's dig into the topic together and answer these questions. LISTEN READ Do you love potatoes? I bet the answer is Yes. So do I and I bet we’d be hard up to find anyone who doesn’t like potatoes. They have been eaten across the world and have been a staple source of sustenance for many years and in many cultures. They are a cheap affordable vegetable, they are filling, and they taste great. But are potatoes healthy? Well that’s what we are going to explore together today. In many ways the humble potato has been labeled as an unhealthy choice with questions around its link to obesity, <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/tag/type-2-diabetes/">diabetes</a>, and cardiovascular conditions. The first thing that comes to my mind here without even looking at any of the research around potatoes is the very fact that potatoes have been consumed by many cultures around the world for many centuries and we never had a problem with obesity, diabetes or the rapid rise in cardiovascular problems before. I think people were still consuming the same amount of potatoes way back when, so thinking about this it seems that perhaps the humble potato has been given a bad name. Despite the bad vibes, the humble potato is actually loaded with some great nutritional value. Potato Nutrition Facts Per 100 g they have less energy than some of the other staple carbohydrates foods. For example: white pasta per 100 g provides 158 calories, white rice 130 calories, and the humble potato provides around 94 calories. The potato has got around 2 g of protein, 0.15 g of fat, 21 g carbohydrate, and 2 g dietary fiber. When it comes to vitamins and minerals the humble potato packs quite a punch and is one of the highest vegetables in potassium and <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/844/best-magnesium-supplement/">magnesium</a>. It has 544 mg potassium and 27 mg magnesium, it also has 75 g phosphorus, 0.64 mg iron, 0.35 mg zinc, 12.6 mg vitamin c, and 0.21 mg vitamin B-6. And the great thing about potatoes is the vitamins and minerals are absorbed really well. In fact potatoes are so nutrient dense that they have been used to save lives! That’s right. Potatoes have actually prevented complete starvation in many countries and have also been used to sustain malnourished populations. In a study where they were testing if potatoes could sustain and restore malnourished children, researchers discovered that diets providing 50-75% of total energy intake from potatoes could adequately support normal growth in children and maintain normal protein levels in the blood. What the study showed was that the protein level in potatoes was enough to sufficiently support children to grow and it also showed it was enough to maintain body weight in adults as well. Of course this is in third world countries where other food is lacking. Still, this was important research because they discovered that the <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/1390/guide-to-healthy-proteins/">protein quality</a> of potatoes is quite high, as it hosts 4 of the top essential amino acids that provide the most benefits. These are lysine, methionine, threonine, and tryptophan. So although there is only 2 g of protein in 100 g of potato, it is good quality protein. I really found that quite interesting. Potatoes are mainly <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/8436/healthy-carbs-to-eat/">carbohydrate</a>, making up 95% of the vegetable. They contain amylose and amylopectin in a 1:3 ratio. Amylopectin is a branched chain starch and allows a greater digestibility than the amylose and it’s the amylose component in starches that has been associated with a higher glycemic response, meaning it raises your blood sugar faster. Amylose is a resistant starch, meaning it’s unavailable to the body when raw. But when we cook resistant starch it changes it’s structure and increases its solu... Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 18:01 http://goodfoodeating.org/9443/how-do-we-really-eat-better/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9443/how-do-we-really-eat-better/#respond Mon, 16 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9443 http://goodfoodeating.org/9443/how-do-we-really-eat-better/feed/ 0 Most of us have some idea about what is good to eat and what's not. So if that's the case HOW do we go about eating better and is it really possible. Well, listen in and we'll chat about this concept and cover: - Find and access healthy food Most of us have some idea about what is good to eat and what's not. So if that's the case HOW do we go about eating better and is it really possible. Well, listen in and we'll chat about this concept and cover: Find and access healthy food Identifying Healthy Food Affordability Skill power Nurturing and care LISTEN READ Hello it’s Jedha here and welcome back to the GFE Podcast. Here we are for episode 77 and I am so grateful that you hve taken time out of your busy schedule to listen to this podcast. Or maybe you haven’t taken time out of your busy schedule, perhaps you’ve slotted me in your ears while you’re driving, walking, cooking or cleaning. I know I do that with podcasts I listen to because I always love to be learning and listening is a great way to learn, right? I just want to say that if you enjoy listening to the GFE podcast and you are not subscribed to our weekly email newsletter then you really should head over to GFE.com and subscribe, we’ve always got loads of helpful info coming out every week, great nutrition articles and tips, different recipes, info about supplements and all sorts of things. The GFE podcast is just one way we love to share info, but we share lots more so you might like to hear about all of the other great stuff we have to share as well. So please head on over to GFE.com and subscribe to the newsletter. That’s what these weekly podcasts are all about as well, sharing great info to help you feel fantastic. So today we’re digging deep to explore an interesting question: HOW do we really eat better? Many of us know we want to eat better? Many of us try? But wanting and trying don’t necessarily mean it is going to happen. We try, we fail. We start, we stop. Or maybe we just don’t know how to get started, where to get started? I mean, HOW on earth do we really eat better anyway? Is it even possible? It’s an interesting question and the inspiration for this episode cam from an article I was reading called <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140910001809-23027997-how-to-eat-well">‘How to eat well’ by David Katz</a>. WHAT to eat The first part to eating better is knowing WHAT to eat. There is so much confusion about what is and isn’t good for you that many people are still left wondering exactly WHAT is good for them in the first place. There are so much fad diet nonsense and deeply ingrained dogma about food. But even given these things I think we are mostly clear on what is good and wht isn’t. Even if we don’t get it 100% right I’m sure most of us will agree that things like McDonalds fast food or twinkies are not good for us, while eating more fresh veggies and fresh food is good for us. There is a very profitable food industry out there, there is a very profitable weight loss industry out there, and lots of that ‘stuff’ clouds our better judgement. We opt for the quick fix solution, we get blinded by shiny objects, we get sucked into some fast food fix. And as a society this doesn’t do any of us justice because it keeps this debate about what’s good and what’s not going around in circles. Let’s just agree that most of us at least have some knowledge about WHAT we should eat. We don’t have to get it perfect but if we are shoveling packaged junk food, candy and crisps into our mouths then we know that is wrong, none of us can really debate that right? So if we know the what, we can stop chasing things and focus our energy where it counts, on the HOW. As David Katz says in his article: HOW requires being able to find, access, identify, afford, care, prepare, and share. There are challenges in every case, but those challenges can be overcome. It’s true, at every point of the journey there are obstacles we face but likewise there is always a solution. So let’s talk about a few of these concepts. Find and access healthy food In most places we are able to find and access at least some fresh produce and if it is our truest desire to have more of it, Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 18:15 http://goodfoodeating.org/9441/turmeric-benefits-and-side-effects/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9441/turmeric-benefits-and-side-effects/#comments Thu, 12 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9441 http://goodfoodeating.org/9441/turmeric-benefits-and-side-effects/feed/ 2 Turmeric has an active component known as curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that helps with loads of things and in this podcast I share some of the benefits, along with answering the question about side effects. - What is turmeric Turmeric has an active component known as curcumin, a powerful antioxidant that helps with loads of things and in this podcast I share some of the benefits, along with answering the question about side effects. What is turmeric Does turmeric work for reducing inflammation What things does turmeric help Tips on using turmeric for cooking What supplements are best to take Are there any side effects from taking turmeric LISTEN // // ]]> <A HREF="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822%2FUS%2Fpalweiloscoa-20%2F8001%2Fb1c8ea54-fb51-46f8-9fe5-4c8877ae2eab&Operation=NoScript">Amazon.com Widgets</A> READ Hello and welcome back to the GFE Podcast. We’ve got a Food Facts podcast. And the food of interest on today’s agenda is Turmeric. Well it is actually a spice and a very interesting one at that. It’s an Indian spice that has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine so that’s already saying something right? If you’ve never heard of Ayurvedic medicine, it’s the ancient medical practice used in India for more than 3000 years. I think traditional medicines used in places like India and China have a long and valid history and many of their practices are based on using herbs, spices, special diets, and natural therapies, which is really interesting. So turmeric is one of those spices that has a very long history of use. Turmeric has also found a very solid footing in modern medicine. Turmeric contains over 300 different components but one of the most beneficial components is called curcumin. It’s this component that has been associated with having various antioxidant, <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/6206/anti-inflammatory-food-index/">anti-inflammatory</a>, anticancer, antiviral, and antibacterial activities. Curcumin is a very powerful antioxidant and affects key signalling molecules in the body. A study I was reading in the Cancer Research Treatment Journal stated that there have been 100 clinical studies on curcumin and over 6000 citations, meaning it’s also mentioned in many other studies as well. So it’s probably one of the nutrients or spices that has been studied much more than many others. So does turmeric work for reducing inflammation? Yes it does. In fact it has been reported to help with ALL kinds of inflammation and in a study by the Cancer Research Foundation?? it is reported as second on an anti-inflammatory index, the first being magnesium. In the studies I’ve looked at turmeric has been reported to help with: <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/5675/what-is-the-cause-of-heart-disease/">heart conditions</a> preventing oxidation aiding respiratory issues aiding liver function or issues – so this could help with diabetes and weight loss improving pancreatic function decreasing the rate of degenerative conditions and improving the symptoms associated with them reducing pain symptoms and reducing cholesterol Back in episode #32 of the GFE Podcast I talked about how fat tissue is a very metabolically active tissue that produces many pro-inflammatory molecules. Amazingly, it has been discovered that turmeric reduces <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/8024/what-does-inflammation-mean/">the inflammatory response</a> in fat tissue and helps promote fatty acid oxidation. What it does is it exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on our immune cells known as macrophages. These are key immune cells that are often responsible to recruit other immune cells and increase the initial inflammatory response that occurs. That means turmeric is great because it’s stopping the macrophage cells from releasing pro-inflammatory molecules and upregulating inflammation. Human studies have also shown that turmeric taken at 1-4 g a day has a positive effect on cholesterol levels, decreasing total triglycerides, lowering LDL, and raising HDL. Research in the area of cholesterol and turmeric is still being undertaken but initial research does look p... Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 12:35 http://goodfoodeating.org/9446/aches-and-pains-is-it-what-im-eating/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9446/aches-and-pains-is-it-what-im-eating/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9446 http://goodfoodeating.org/9446/aches-and-pains-is-it-what-im-eating/feed/ 2 Welcome to this Q&A session where we answer these great questions: - Could your aches and pains be related to what you are eating What to do when gastric bypass fails Can changing your diet make a difference to your health conditions Welcome to this Q&A session where we answer these great questions: Could your aches and pains be related to what you are eating What to do when gastric bypass fails Can changing your diet make a difference to your health conditions How to eliminate simple carbs LISTEN READ Hello and welcome to episode 75 of the GFE Podcast. Today we are covering a variety of questions and topics that have come in. If you have a question you’d like answered on a future Q&A podcast please head over to GFE.com and in the top navigation you will find a section you can <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/podcast-questions/" target="_blank">submit a question</a>. You can either send an email question or leave a voicemail using some swanky software we’ve got there. You can simply press go and record something straight from your computer. I just love technology! We’ve actually had this software available for a while but no one has been brave enough to use it yet, so will you be the first one to leave a voicemail and get featured on the GFE podcast? Well who knows. First up today I’ve got an email I received that had a few interesting things that I thought we should cover. So first let me read the email. Question 1 I am suffering with on-going pain throughout my body (started with my hips, then shoulders, knees, elbows, and now just seems to be my whole body). I spent the fall going to various doctors, physical therapy, and having x-rays, an MRI, and blood work. All did not indicate any problem, which is great, but the pain is worse than ever (this started about a year and a half ago). Since I can’t get any answers “medically,” and all things point to <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/7364/inflammation-101/" target="_blank">some type of inflammatory problem</a>, I decided to look into anti-inflammatory diets (would prefer a more natural remedy anyway). I am really hoping to find something that can help (and am willing to do the work). The daily pain (and lack of sleep because of it) are taking a toll. So that’s a very interesting email right? I know that there are many people who have all of these mysterious symptoms and have been to doctors seeking the answer to their problems, some kind of answer. Because if we have some kind of diagnosis then we can deal with the problem, right? Sure, it certainly does help and it can be incredibly frustrating when there doesn’t seem to be an answer. But often there are things we can do for ourselves to move forward on the right track. Sometimes one of the best things that can happen to us is that we don’t get a “medical” solution. I mean you can look at that in a positive light because it means there is hopefully nothing major wrong. So where that leaves us is seeking more natural solutions and alternatives that are not ‘medical’ and there are plenty of alternatives out there. It also leaves us in a situation where we need to become self empowered and that’s often a really great thing when it comes to our health. Sometimes if you get a diagnosis and get put into a box it can force some people to get lazy. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that a diagnosis isn’t necessary, it certainly can be, but what I’m trying to say is that whether or not you are labeled with a condition or not, it’s still best to get as proactive as you can with your health. Anyway, getting back to this problem of aches and pains throughout the body with no seeming solution. It is very interesting that if you go down the medical channels you will not be looking at things like nutrition, toxicity, detoxification pathways in the body, or any other alternatives. Aches and pains in the body can be related to the food we eat. I know this sounds strange to many people and over the years I’ve had several comments from people saying that what they eat can’t affect their muscles. But oh yes it can. What do you think feeds out muscles and provides nutrients to the muscles to move, Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 22:14 http://goodfoodeating.org/9487/is-erythritol-safe/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9487/is-erythritol-safe/#respond Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9487 http://goodfoodeating.org/9487/is-erythritol-safe/feed/ 0 You've probably heard of erythritol sugar substitute. It's often combined with stevia in some of the more common sugar substitutes but have you ever wondered if erythritol is safe to eat? LISTEN - READ - You've probably heard of erythritol sugar substitute. It's often combined with stevia in some of the more common sugar substitutes but have you ever wondered if erythritol is safe to eat? LISTEN READ Recently I’ve had a few questions about erythritol so I thought it would make a great topic for our Food Facts sessions. I started thinking about all the times I’ve been asked about erythritol and it is quite a few. I think that is because it is in stevia products like truvia, natvia, and other natural sweetener products on the shelf and when people discover it not only contains stevia but erythritol as well they are often asking questions. So what is erythritol exactly? Erythiritol is a hydronated form of carbohydrate used as a replacement for sugar. Chemically erythritol is known as 1,2,3,4-butanetetrol. It’s a natural C4 polyol and is 60-80% of the sweetness of sugar. Erythritol is one of the sugar alcohols, you might have also heard of xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol. Erythiritol is often claimed to be “natural” because it can be found in nature such as in seaweeds, fungi/mushrooms, and fruits like melons, grapes and pears. The erythiritol metabolite can also be found in fermented foods like soy auce and miso, wine, beer, and cheese. It’s only been in our food supply since 1990 and is used to sweeten foods. According to one study I found it’s also “used as a flavor enhancer, formulation aid, humectants, nutritive sweetener, stabilizer and thickener, sequestrant and texturizer”. (1) How Is Erythritol Produced? Since erythritol is now a commonly used sweetener, it gets produced in large amounts using a chemical and fermentation process. Most commonly on a large scale it gets produced using “fermentative processes with pure glucose, sucrose, and glucose from chemically and enzymatically hydrolyzed wheat and corn starches”. (2) It can also be made through particular species of yeast and bacteria used in combo, or made by lactic acid bacteria. The fermented solution is then purified and crystalized into a pure polyol (sugar alcohol). Like I said erythritol is often found in combo with other sweeteners such as stevia. It helps to buff them both out and distribute the sweet flavour more evenly. What about Erythritol in our body? Well according to researchers 90% of erythritol does not get metabolised by the body. It does get absorbed in the small intestine but does not ‘uptake’ into the body but all gets excreted in urine. It does not affect blood glucose or <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/6758/insulin-and-insulin-resistance/">insulin levels</a> so as a result it has been promoted safe for consumption on a <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/7426/type-2-diabetes-diet-food-list/">diabetic diet</a>. Interestingly one study I read has shown that erythritol has a protective effect on diabetic stress to the endothelium. The endothelium is the thin layer of cells that lines all the blood vessels and lymph vessels in the body. These linings get affected in a negative way by diabetes and can contribute to health complications. Erythritol does not influence a person with normal blood sugar in the same way but only influences diabetics and according to this study could provide a slight beneficial effect on health. (1) Studies have been conducted with high doses of erythritol and it appears no toxic affects or side affects have been noted. Is Erythritol Safe To Eat? Well, it is an approved food additive and the logic is that erythritol has been consumed by humans for centuries in the form of fruits and other foods. As far as sugar alcohols go it’s one of the best because it is produced by “natural” means and this makes it one of the better ones to handle for most people as far as digestion goes. Whereas some of the other sugar alcohols cause stomach upsets such as diarrhea, gas, bloating, and cramps. This is because it has a very small molecule size compared to the other ‘tols’ like xylitol. Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 8:11 http://goodfoodeating.org/9128/losing-weight-can-reduce-pain-and-inflammation/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9128/losing-weight-can-reduce-pain-and-inflammation/#respond Thu, 22 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9128 http://goodfoodeating.org/9128/losing-weight-can-reduce-pain-and-inflammation/feed/ 0 Weight loss is not just about vanity; it’s about improving our health and reducing inflammation. Here’s what we’ll cover: - How weight loss can help solve your inflammatory problems How losing weight restores communication between organs and hormone... Weight loss is not just about vanity; it’s about improving our health and reducing inflammation. Here’s what we’ll cover: How weight loss can help solve your inflammatory problems How losing weight restores communication between organs and hormones How losing weight decreases inflammatory molecules How losing weight decreases ‘sick fat’ A simple tip to help boost weight loss and improve health LISTEN READ In today’s podcast we are going to talk about how <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/this-is-not-a-diet">weight loss</a> is an inflammation solution. And I’ll also be sharing one simple tip you can do in the morning to boost your weight loss, improve liver function and help <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/inflammation-101">reduce inflammation</a>, so be sure to stay tuned for that later in the podcast. We’ve talked about fat cells in a previous podcast and the fact of the matter is that fat cells can make us more susceptible to a whole range of conditions as we put on weight. Having more fat cells can affect our health and impact our immune system. That’s right, fat cells are actually very interesting cells in our bodies and right here in this podcast today we’re about to delve into 3 very powerful ways weight loss can reduce inflammation naturally. And it all has to do with our fat cells!! Losing Weight Restores The Communication Between Organs and Hormones Fat cells are VERY metabolically active. Our <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/6182/fat-cells/">fat cells are extremely interesting</a> because they can affect our whole body. We don’t think of them like that because we feel like they just sit there but they are not just dormant things that fill up and just sit there. In fact, fat cells are now recognised as a VERY active endocrine organ. That’s right, your fat cells are like an organ in themselves and secrete various different hormones and chemical signals that help regulate many physiological and pathological processes and maintain balance in the body. Fat cells can talk directly to our liver via the portal vein and they also talk to various other organs via chemical messengers or hormones such as leptin and adiponectin. This process is amazing if the process is functioning properly but as we put on weight, the cross talk becomes interrupted and the messages aren’t clear. This creates all sorts of problems including increased inflammation. So losing weight can restore the communication between organs and hormones that is necessary if we want to feel healthy and alive. Losing Weight Reduces The Production Of Inflammatory Molecules When fat cells increase in number and size, our immunity is altered and our fat tissue starts producing and secreting various chemical messengers and cytokines that mediate the crosstalk between our fat tissue and various metabolic organs like the liver, muscles, pancreas, and the central nervous system too. But increasing fat cells mediate a negative cross talk and one of the driving factors for this is that most chemical messengers in our fat cells are pro-inflammatory and contribute to low-grade systemic inflammation. Fat cells produce lots of inflammatory molecules and our metabolic and immune systems are intricately connected, and so we have fat cells that are an active organ that produce and secrete various chemical messengers that interrupt the balance and function of the body. That means losing weight can reverse this process from occurring. Most importantly, losing weight decreases the production of inflammatory molecules. Getting Rid Of Fat, Gets Rid Of Sick Fat We have a couple of different sorts of fat, we have subcutaneous fat and this is the fat on our buttocks and thighs and is ultimately for energy storage. It’s the kind of fat we use for energy later if we need it. But we also have visceral fat. Visceral fat is fat that gets stored around the mid section, around all our organs. It’s the fat we all know as ‘belly fat’, Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 15:07 http://goodfoodeating.org/9125/list-of-inflammatory-diseases/ http://goodfoodeating.org/9125/list-of-inflammatory-diseases/#respond Thu, 15 Jan 2015 10:00:00 +0000 http://goodfoodeating.org/?p=9125 http://goodfoodeating.org/9125/list-of-inflammatory-diseases/feed/ 0 This podcast provides a list of inflammatory diseases and breaks down how inflammation is involved in these conditions. Here’s what we’ll cover: - A brief explanation of what inflammatory cytokines are A brief explanation of what inflammation is This podcast provides a list of inflammatory diseases and breaks down how inflammation is involved in these conditions. Here’s what we’ll cover: A brief explanation of what inflammatory cytokines are A brief explanation of what inflammation is A list of inflammatory diseases and how inflammation is involved with them Why diet is so important to reduce inflammation Info about our new Anti-Inflammatory Start Up Program LISTEN <a href="http://goodfoodeating.org/anti-inflammatory-start-up/"></a> TRANSCRIPT Conditions associated with inflammation include: Cardiovascular disease/ heart disease Dementia Osteoporosis Type 2 diabetes Atherosclerosis Alziemers disease Asthma Fatigue and chronic fatigue Fibromyalgia Obesity Depression Insulin resistance Rheumatoid arthrits Cancer Crohn’s Stroke Obesity Thyroid issus Celiac (gluten intolerance) Diverticulitis Inflammatory bowel Autoimmune dysfunction or disease Digestive issues and dysfunction And many more things Inflammation is a serious issue and the reason why is because it compromises the function of our immune system, which is why it can contribute to the development of many conditions. Research into inflammation still continues and I believe we are only beginning to uncover just how much inflammation really does contribute to ill health. When looking at scientific literature there are studies linking many conditions to increased systemic inflammation, the kind of inflammation that occurs in the body’s cells. We can’t necessarily see it but it’s happening all the same. So recently I found this <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/03/07/inflammation-triggers-disease-symptoms.aspx" target="_blank">great table on the Mercola website</a> that provides a short explanation of how inflammation is associated with many different conditions. So today I am going to share that information with you so you can get a better idea on how inflammation is affecting the development or symptoms of many conditions. I wanted to do this because it really gives us a much clearer picture and all too often people still think of arthritis when I mention inflammation but it is so much more than that. Before we dig into each condition I just need to talk about inflammatory cytokines because I’ll be mentioning them quite a bit so it’s important that you understand what they are. Cytokines are cell signalling molecules that act as communicators in the immune system. There are both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines but today when I mention them we are talking about the inflammatory cytokines. Examples of common pro-inflammatory cytokines include interleukin-1 and interleukin-6, and another one called tumor neucrosis alpha. These cytokines are released by cells in the body and they also have specific effects on the interactions and communications that occurs between cells. Cytokines sometimes act on the cells that release them but they can also impact distant cells. The thing is when these pro-inflammatory cytokines get stimulated, they up regulate inflammation, meaning they increase it. This makes sense because inflammation is a natural response of the body trying to protect itself. Think about getting a cut or wound, how your immune system sends blood, heat, swelling, and extra resources to that area in order to heal it. There is always a balancing act occurring inside our body’s cells as far as inflammation goes because when things such as our diet, stress, our environment or our lifestyle stimulate an immune response, inflammatory cytokines can be called into action. These cytokines perform different roles but essentially they provide the signals between immune cells that coordinate the inflammatory response. So we all have them but as a result of ongoing stimulus from say a bad diet, the amount of cytokines being produced increases and systemic inflammation in our body increases too. So I hope that makes sense. Jedha Dening: Nutritionist & Health Counselor. clean 16:46