Sue Hardman

Nourish + Rejuvenate

anti-inflammatory

Hummus so much more than a dip

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Do you plan or consider what you’re going to eat for the day?  Do you ever consider the role of functional foods? These are foods that have a beneficial nutritional role – whether it be to provide your body with essential nutrients, balance hormones or to help your liver with the detoxification process.  Of course, if food doesn’t look or taste good then you’ll struggle to find me eating it – it’s best when all 3 are delivered.

Hummus is a creamy Middle Eastern dip that I’d class as a superfood with all it’s health benefits and I hope it will be a staple in your home after reading this.

Why eat hummus?

The classic hummus recipes contains 6 ingredients: chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, and tahini.Hummus contains the following nutrients: Protein, Fiber, Healthy Fat, Carbs, Vitamins – A, C, Vitamin B6, Folate and Minerals – Iron, Zinc, Calcium, Phosphorus and Manganese

The benefits of each ingredient:

  • Chickpeas are protein, fibre-rich legumes, a natural source of phytoestrogen, (which isn’t actually estrogen but does a good job of standing in for it) and a great choice if you’re looking to reduce your meat consumption. They’ll keep you feeling fuller for longer because of that combination of fiber and protein.

    Many Mediterranean nations experience great health, low heart disease and greater longevity. This may be due to the high fibre content – like chickpeas. Studies show that having just one daily serving (about 3/4 cup cooked) of beans of any kind can help to decrease chances of a heart attack and to help balance “bad” LDL cholesterol.

    Chickpeas have also been shown to have protective properties against cancer, while the fiber helps to keep waste moving out of the body quickly.

    It helps to balance blood sugar levels and decreases the chance of developing diabetes or insulin resistance.

    Diets rich in beans have been shown to help protect heart health partially due to their low score on the glycemic index. A high-fibre diet that includes legumes can help lower blood cholesterol levels, among other benefits, such as lowering heart disease risk, type 2 diabetes risk, and aiding in weight loss.

  • Tahini or sesame seeds contain lignin’s another natural source of phytoestrogens, loaded with fibre, and they’re also a great source of minerals.Sesame seeds are considered one of the ultimate reproductive foods in Ayurveda.as they enhance egg and sperm quality and quantity.
  • Olive oil is not cooked, and will therefore not be oxidised and hydrogenated.  Olive oil has been found to reduce inflammation in your body. Regularly consuming olive oil has been correlated with improving blood pressure levels, glucose metabolism, and reducing harmful cholesterol.
  • Raw garlic has a whole host of benefits including flavonoids, oligosaccharides, selenium, high levels of sulfur, and more. Garlic has been proven to help reduce your risk factors associated with heart disease, cancers and it acts as an anti-fungal, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-viral.
  • Lemon juice is alkalising and helps reduce acidity common in most modern diets, it also helps to increase your immunity, boost digestion, and to help keep blood sugar levels stable.
  • Sea salt best from a good quality source i.e. Himalayan sea salt which contains 60 trace minerals that have numerous health benefits:

Hummus is an anti-inflammatory food:

  • Extracts from garlic have been shown to reduce inflammation and help fight wrinkles and aging.
  • Chick Peas reduce inflammation, blood clots and inflammation markers.
  • Olive oil and sesame seeds reduce inflammation and provide important antioxidants, both which play a part in maintaining heart health by keeping the structure of arteries and cell walls healthy. The role of inflamm-ageing in a previous post you can read it here.

    Classic Hummus Recipe


1 cup chickpeas (rinse and drain well)
+ 1/3 cup Tahini
+ 2 tablespoons olive oil
+ 2 tablespoons lemon juice
+ 1 clove garlic
+salt to tastePlace all ingredients in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.

I’ve found to get the best consistency that you need to add more liquid – you can either add a tablespoon of water at a time, I prefer to add more olive oil.

Be sure to make your Hummus with good quality extra virgin olive oil.

The great thing about hummus is that you can make a number of different varieties depending on what you like – add roasted red pepper
or cooked beetroot, pesto, avocado or cooked zucchini.

It can then be used in sandwiches, smoothing over chicken or fish, and even baked potatoes but I think its best for eating raw vegetables like carrot, cucumber or celery.

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Prevent osteoporosis and increase bone density

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Stop osteoporosis and strengthen your bones as you age – the 6 Do’s and Don’ts

This blog was inspired by my grandmother.

After my grandfather died my granny lived for many years on her own with her dog for company, doing everything for herself, well into her late 80’s. She really cherished her independence until the day she slipped and broke her hip, her life was never the same again. She had osteoporosis.

She was moved to an old age home so she could be taken care of. Her hip never really fully recovered and she struggled to walk properly again. She was kind of happy and cared for, but she’d lost her independence and she had to stay in the home for the rest of her life. Not an uncommon story, but I wanted to dedicate my article to her and to you, so you have essential knowledge about keeping your bones strong and healthy as you age.

When it comes to the health of your bones from the age of 35 your bone mass declines. Adopting the right strategies to prevent low bone density or osteoporosis needs to start before you get a diagnosis. In the article I’ve given you a few essentials to consider, that will help keep you strong and stable as you age.

Strong Bones – 6 Do’s and Don’ts!



The health of your bones is instrumental to your health and longevity. Bone formation peaks between the ages of 20 and 30. After the age of 35 you begin to lose bone mass unless you take action to prevent it!

We all seem to have it in our heads that we only need calcium to build healthy, strong bones. However there’s far more to the story to giving you fracture free strong bones, both now and down the road. There are other essentials components for better calcium absorption and stronger bones.

1. Physical activity – your bone is a dynamic living tissue that gets stronger when stressed and weaker when not used. So the best way to improve your bone mass is with weight-bearing exercise, strength training and improving your coordination and balance (with yoga or Tai Chi).

Weight-bearing exercise includes walking, running, dancing and stair climbing. Strength trainer-718x581ctraining (lights weights or using your own body weight) has been found to prevent falls—the most common cause of hip and wrist fractures— when you get older. Swimming and cycling are less effective for maintaining strong bones because they are not weight-bearing.

Try to get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity daily, including weight-bearing exercise, strength training (at least twice a week), and activities that improve balance to help prevent falls.

2. Calcium – You need 1,000 mg under the age of 50 and 1,200 mg over the age of 50.

700mg a day = eat a handful of almonds, an orange or a serving of broccoli. Other good sources include sardines and sesame seeds.

3. Key nutrients or co-factors are necessary to support the absorption of Calcium into your bones.

a) Vitamin D – is essential.  If you’ve not had much sunlight exposure you might be deficient. You can also get it from foods such as oily fish and egg yolks. About 400IU/day

b) The support of probiotics. A recent research study found women 48 and older who took a probiotic supplement for at least eight weeks improved their bone density by 36%, compared to those who didn’t take a probiotic.

c) Omega 3 – found in flax, oily fish and chia seeds increases the absorption of calcium plus omega 3 is anti-inflammatory. To much inflammation stimulates the bone dissolving cells (osteoclasts).

d) Vitamin K – is a fat-soluble vitamin found in broccoli, cauliflower and green leafy veg. It’s needed to make a protein that’s essential for your bone formation. A study found that those who consumed moderate or high amounts of vitamin K from vegetables had a 30% lower risk of hip fractures than women consuming little or none. Only 100-150mg per day is needed, 500mg of kale gives you your daily portion.

e) Magnesium intake regulates calcium absorption into the bones and approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in your bone. Calcium and magnesium work together like 2 sides of a coin. If you consume a 1,000 mg of calcium per day, then you need at least 500-800 mg of magnesium.

4. Mediterranean diet – latest research shows your skeleton needs a wide range of nutrients to stay young, several studies have found that higher intakes of fruits and vegetables, particularly those rich in potassium, are associated with lower risk of fractures.

Eat a minimum of 7 servings of a variety of different coloured fruits or vegetables daily. Olive oil can raise your blood levels of osteocalcin a marker of strong bones. The antioxidant Lycopene found in tomato can help reduce fractures.

5. Another reason to eat your vegetables – is your diet acidic or alkaline? Calcium is stored in your skeleton and is used to neutralise acids in the body. 

Dr Susan Lanham-558985_570293236324447_1832435506_nNew, professor at the University of Surrey, completed an analysis of clinical trials of the alkaline diet and its potential benefits. ‘An alkaline diet would be beneficial to all women as it appears to help conserve calcium and benefits muscle, heart and bone function.’ 

Acid forming diets are rich in grains, proteins and diary will leach calcium from your bones, fruit & vegetables are classed as alkaline and reverse this process in your body.

6. What to drink? Try to reduce caffeine as it’s diuretic effects increases the amount of calcium you excrete for several hours after we drink it. 

Research also shows that caffeine may interfere with the absorption of Vitamin D. Since Vitamin D is necessary for the body’s absorption and use of calcium. 

Avoid fizzy drinks, they contain phosphoric acid which interferes with calcium absorption.

The good news for wine lovers – Oregon state University suggest a small glass of wine with dinner may be good for bones, but that’s in moderation of course go – overboard and it has the reverse effect.

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If you’re struggling with any kind of  imbalance, tiredness, low energy, hormonal or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE

 

Herbal Teas – kitchen healing essentials

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FullSizeRender-3Nothing like a good cuppa tea to sort out the problems of the world. My grandmother loved her tea and it was the first thing we’d do when we visited her, I do miss being able to sit down and share a pot of tea with her.

Who meets for a cup of tea these days? It seems we’re all more likely to meet for a coffee. But, a cup of tea is so much more than just about the socialising. I wanted to share with you how ‘just’ a cup of tea could be one of THE most simple ‘healing’ tools that you could have in your kitchen. I know you might say, it’s only a cup of tea!

Research studies and ancient eastern traditions show that herbal teas can have the most positive effect on supporting you with illness, ailments and for ensuring optimum health.

As a herbalist and lover of simple, effective, quick and easy solutions there are some essential herbal teas in my kitchen for when first aid is needed – either to settle a sore or nervous tummy, insomnia, anxiety, cramps, heartaches, the beginnings of a cold or flu, bloating, indigestion and even PMT.

Be sure to stock up on chamomile, rose, peppermint, cinnamon and ginger teas for your home and then you’ll be covered with the basics. Of course you05_05_10_01_12_chamomile-bsp-150x150 need to know which one to use when and you may have be unaware of some of the other things these common herbal teas can be useful for. Chamomile is calming but so much more, peppermint for wind and so much more, ginger for nausea and so much more…..

Fresh grated ginger is one of my personal favourites, it has an amazing taste and is more than a treatment for nausea, which many pregnant women can attest to. It’s one of the foundation herbs used in Ayurvedic and TCM and it’s brilliant for balancing your digestion, great to have before a meal to boost the ‘fire in your tummy’ to help digest your food and get the nutrients you need.  I would say most of us would benefit from drinking warming ginger, daily.

I love having a flask of ginger tea ready to drink at anytime, during the day. Ginger is one of the most researched herbs (along with turmeric) and it has many uses, it’s anti-viral too – so brilliant for colds or flu. Herbalists consider it a universal medicine with multi-healing properties that benefits everybody and all diseases. With ginger think – digestion, lungs and circulation.

Chamomile is most commonly considered a calming tea, but herbalists call it the ‘Mother of the gut’. I found this tea to be particularly useful when ever we have tummy upsets because it works on the nervous system found in your gut or as we like to call it the – ‘second brain’. Think tummy aches from unknown causes, IBS and when someone is nervous about something and have that tight feeling in their tummy. Chamomile excels at treating what is commonly known as a “nervous stomach”, which generally implies digestive upset alongside anxiety, nervous tension.

That aromatic component from Chamomile’s high essential oil content, has a specific relaxing, calming effect on your nervous system and can be helpful for insomnia, cough, bronchitis, cold or fever, gas, gut cramping and mild constipation. .

iStock_heart_of_rosesxSmallRose – heals the heart, balances hormones and is uplifting. It’s a bitter, cooling herb so it can help with headaches and inflammation. Used in combination with other herbs it adds beauty and colour to a blend.

I often recommend rose tea for PMT, periods that are painful, excessive or irregular and if there is an underlying nervousness, sadness or grief the role of rose is nourishing on the nervous system. It has a calming effect on the emotions and as it has an affinity for the heart. It’s often used in times of sadness and grief.

Peppermint – a great pick-me up if you ever need an alternative to coffee. It’s full of aroma that awakens the senses helpful in congestion in the head, use as a hot tea to cause sweating with colds and flu. Useful when there is a lot of mucous. It can lift feelings of emotional ‘heaviness’ and relieves the symptoms of abdominal gas, bloating, muscle spasms and nausea (without vomiting).  Peppermint tea can also be made using fresh herbs from the garden’and it’s one of the easiest herbs to grow.

Researchers from the University’s Department of Psychology have found that drinking peppermint tea improves alertness, while chamomile tea has a calming effect. These findings were presented at the annual British Psychological Society Conference in Nottingham this week (26-28 April 2016).

Cinnamon – useful for poor circulation, colds, flu and a bout of diarrhoea but among this spice’s most impressive health benefits is its ability to cinnamonreduce your sugar cravings. By controlling blood sugar levels you can prevent spikes after meals, normalise your blood sugar levels and improve glucose control.

Cinnamon has more antioxidants than many so-called antioxidant foods, like-for-like. For example, one teaspoon of cinnamon has as much antioxidant capacity as a full cup of pomegranate juice or a half-cup of blueberries. Two of the main types of cinnamon, are Cassia and Ceylon. A better option for taste and health is Ceylon cinnamon (also called Sri Lanka cinnamon or “true cinnamon”).

I recommend that you drink herbal teas because it’s a fantastic and safe way to maintain your health over time. Consistent tea drinking gives your body what it needs in doses that it can handle.

Teas are a really wonderful way to boost your body’s hydration, and because we’re made of 65-80 percent water, the constituents that hot (and cold) water pulls out of the herbs are really absorbable for us. Each herb has a myriad of actions so it isn’t hard to come up with a tasty blend that does a lot of good in your body.

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Glowing Skin Is An Inside Job

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The Essential’s To Having Healthy, Glowing Skin

We’ve all heard the expression “you are what you eat”, and your skin is no exception. Glowing skin isn’t just an outside job.

As a Naturopath, I’ve had first hand experience with acne in my teens and twenties, along with bad skin pigmentation when I was pregnant.

I also believe that we can do a lot to reduce the effects of ageing and actually regenerate our skin. I’ve seen first-hand that your skin is a mirror of your internal health. The right nutrients can make all the difference; especially as we age…they’re essential to glowing skin.

Simple Fact:  Your skin is your largest organ. It’s your protective covering and your first line of defence to fight illness and disease. It is also a passageway to your bloodstream. That being said, what you apply topically on your skin, as well as what you eat, will affect the overall health & appearance of your skin.

So let’s get started from the inside out.

A quote from a well known skin doctor: “Certain foods have powerhouse ingredients that keep skin supple and smooth and help fight age-related damage”, says Nicholas Perricone, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and author of “Ageless Face, Ageless Mind”.

First off, we need to HYDRATE the skin. That means drinking plenty of water. You need at least the recommended 6-8 glasses/day. If you are physically active, live in a warm climate, or feel thirsty, you may need to up your daily intake. Also, as we age, skin tends to become dehydrated a lot more quickly, causing it to wrinkle, so ample hydration is key.

Eat your superfoods! If it’s good for your health, it’s good for your skin too! Some examples:

  • Stress relieving foodOmega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty fish, such as herring, sardines, and salmon. Other sources of omega-3s include flaxseeds & walnuts. Omega-3s are known to decrease inflammation and may reduce the risk of acne and other skin problems.
  • Vitamin C helps produce collagen & prevents cells from damage caused by free radicals. Great sources are oranges, pineapples, tomato, strawberries, & bell peppers.
  • Vitamin E helps limit sun damage & signs of aging. Avocados and Almonds are a terrific source of Vitamin E.
  • Vitamin A revitalises skin by increasing cell production and rebuilds tissue. Eggs and dark leafy greens are good choices.
  • Beta-Carotene is needed for growth & repair of tissue. It is found in abundance in orange foods like carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, and cantaloupe.
  • Other fabulous foods to include to boost your skin health:  dark leafy vegetables, avocados, mushrooms, berries, and, surprise, surprise dark chocolate.

Did you know that your skin is a “breathable” organ? 
Up to 60% of what you apply topically on your skin will be absorbed into your bloodstream, and children absorb even more than that!!!!

Imagine that products you’ve been using for years actually contain harmful ingredients and could damage your health. If so, your first instinct would be to find a healthier alternative, pronto!

Heightened awareness and potential dangers have caused consumers to take a closer look at what they put on their skin and demand safer alternatives.

Many cosmetic companies do NOT list their ingredients, aka toxic chemicals, because they are not required to do so. Several of these toxic chemicals are linked to a host of problems including:  allergies, skin rashes, cancer, headaches, fertility & reproductive issues, birth defects, hormone inhibitors, and more.

Some toxic chemicals that should be avoided:

  • Parabens – often found in many personal care products. parabens are hormone inhibitors & believed to accelerate tumor growth
  • Artificial fragrance & color – may trigger allergies, asthma, and some colors contain lead & harmful dyes
  • Toulene – found in nail polish, hair color products, and some fragrances, this chemical is linked to kidney & liver damage, which may affect fetal growth
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate/Sodium Laureth Sulfate – a foaming agent found in shampoos and body/facial washes, it dries out the skin & is linked to eczema, hair- loss, rashes, and dry and scaly skin. (not to mention the effect on fish that are exposed when it ends the water system)
  • Formaldehyde – used as a preservative, formaldehyde is known by several different names & should be avoided at all costs, as the side effects are numerous
  • PEG’s – found in numerous skin & personal care products, this is anti-freeze and should be used in for your car, not your skin!
  • Paraffin/Mineral Oil/Petrolatum – clogs pores, causing toxic build-up ( favourite in baby oil and found in vaseline!)
  • Phthalates – found in plastics, it is a known hormone disruptor
  • Triclosan – used in anti-bacterial products, it is a pesticide, harmful to the environment, and a suspected carcinogenic
  • Sunscreens –Google some of those ingredients and you will see that they cause possible damage to DNA and many are known carcinogens

*****Of course, there are more, but you get the point. If you wouldn’t EAT it, it doesn’t belong on your SKIN.*****

 

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

HERE

Health and happiness,

Sue

Flax Seeds – Why You Should Use Daily

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A daily dose of Flax Seeds – provide you with Omega 3’s and help to balance your hormones

Why are flax seeds so good for everyone – in particular helping women balance their hormones?

Flax seeds are very high in lignans or phyto-oestrogens and bear a strong resemblance to the female hormone oestrogen in shape, structure, and some functionality. Phyto-eostrogens are plant compounds that have very mild oestrogenic effects that can be used to modulate the influence of the body’s excess oestrogenic hormones on body tissues. Phyto-oestrogens help with hormone imbalance and may help prevent many types of cancer, such as breast, colon and prostate cancer The flax seed plant contains a higher concentration of photo -oestrogen lignans than any other food.

Aside from the lignans flaxseds are loaded with the best source of vegetarian essential fatty acid Omega-3 (or ALA) essential to our health and wellbeing.  More than that, our bodies can’t produce these fatty acids on their own. So you have to get them as part of your diet.

Flaxseed contains a perfect balance of omega-3’s and omega-6’s which work to form the membranes of every cell in your body and play a vital role in the active tissues of your brain.

Flaxseeds can also improve the quality of your hair, nails, and skin, as well as helping you to lose weight or bulk up, and it lowers cholesterol, blood pressure and prevents arthritis and cancers.

Flax seed also really helps the digestive system creating an ease of bowel movement combatting constipation. One of the great benefits also is the help flaxseed can bring during the menopause.

What else do Flax seeds Help You With?
– Contain complete proteins  (it has all the essential amino acids your body needs)
– High in minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc and B vitamins
– Important role in the metabolism of fat
– Full of both soluble and insoluble fibre (you need both types),
– Flaxseeds contribute to an alkaline pH balance in the body

Research Backs Flax Benefits
Recent research indicates that flaxseed may have the ability to reduce blood pressure, lower level of harmful cholesterol, offer both estrogen-like and anti-estrogenic effects, and is being studied for its ability to protect against cancer.

Follow up studies show that just 2-3 tablespoons of flax daily can help up to 2/3rds of severely depressed women bounce back within eight weeks. Flax, says Udo Erasmus, PhD, has a mood boosting ingredient: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that is essential for the proper function of brain cells, yet up to 85% of women aren’t getting enough of it.

How to store flax seeds
The best way to keep a fresh supply of flaxseeds either ground or whole is to store them in an airtight container in the freezer and use them as you need them.Flax seeds

How to use flax seeds
For both hormone health and general health, it’s a good idea to have 1-2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds a day, preferably added to other foods like breakfast cereals, soups, salads, yoghurt.

Here are some ideas:
1. Add to cereals, oats or porridge, topped with fruit and cinnamon
2. Sprinkle on salads, along with ground/whole pumpkin, sesame and sunflower seeds
3. Add to your soup (add at the very end, so that heat doesn’t destroy the essential fatty acids)
4. Sprinkle on baked peaches, custard, rice pudding or fruit and yoghurt just before serving
5. Add to fruit smoothies or green / vegetable smoothies

If you’re struggling with any kind of hormone imbalance, tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

HERE

Do you know the difference between Good Fat & Bad Fat?

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THE WHAT  and THE WHY – WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FAT

good fat for heart healthFor so many years, health experts have preached that a low fat diet was the way for you to lose weight and be healthier. They proclaimed fats as your enemy, linking them to heart disease and other illnesses.

The food industry jumped on this “theory” and bombarded us with fat-free and low-fat “food” options. A walk down the supermarket aisle will confirm our obsession with fat-free foods.

To ensure that the flavour of foods was not compromised, they added sugar in increasing amounts. So, while our low-fat options exploded, so did obesity rates, as well as other related health issues.

Clearly, low-fat did not deliver the promised results. We now know that healthy fats DO NOT make you fat. In fact, they are one of the three macronutrients, along with carbohydrates and protein, that your body NEEDS to function at optimal levels.

And, truth be told, fats help us stay slim!! The right fats can help you become lean, healthy and vibrant.

THE WHY

So, why do we need fats in our diets, how much is enough, and what kind of fats should we incorporate into a balance eating plan?

Fats provide essential fatty acids (EFA’s) – essential for your body to function and to prevent disease. EFA’s help to build and protect cell membranes from inflammation, produce hormones, absorb vitamins effectively, protect your nerves, and support basic brain function, protect your heart, keep your essential fatty acidskin and hair soft and subtle, lubricate your joints.

Fats deliver vitamins A, D, E, and K to your cells and are also are a great source of energising fuel.

So, you can see that your body really can’t function without them!

THE WHAT

How do you know if you’re getting enough ‘good’ fat?Your body will send you warning signs that you’re potentially deficient these signals could include the following:

  • Dry, itchy, flaky skin
  • Brittle nails
  • Tiny bumps on the back of your arms or on your torso
  • Achy and stiff joints
  • Memory issues
  • Diabetes
  • Weight gain
  • Painful periods or PMT

THE BAD FATS:

Let’s take a closer look at the different types of fats. The standard diet consists mainly of artery-clogging saturated and trans fats.

Why? Because they taste so good and are widely available in our food supply.

Fats (saturated and trans fats), together with salt and sugars, enhance the flavors of foods and keep you coming back for more.

Most of us have heard about the bad saturated fats. Usually solid at room temperature, found in animal products such as meat and diary.

Most processed foods on supermarket shelves are made with poor-quality omega-6 fats from refined, processed vegetable oils. They’re abundant, very cheap, taste good and improve texture.

Trans fats are unsaturated fats that have been altered though the process of hydrogenation to extend their shelf life. These should be avoided at all costs, as they are associated with heart disease, insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes (think: packaged cookies, pastries, muffins, and cakes).

THE GOOD FATS

Healthy unsaturated fats play a huge role in your overall health and well-being.

They are either polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats and are considered good fats because they help lower your cholesterol levels, which can reduce the risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Polyunsaturated fats:
Provide you with essential fatty acids (EFA’s), essential meaning we must get them from our diet as our body does not manufacture them. These fatty acids keep your brain functioning well and aid in the healthy growth and development of your body.These “good” fats also help your body produce prostaglandins otherwise known as the hormones that cool off inflammation.

Omega-3 EFA’s, found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and sardines, as well as flaxseeds, chia seeds, avocado and walnuts, are central to reducing inflammation and heart disease.

It’s always best to get your omega-3s from food, but supplement if you need to.

Most people get too many omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils and margarine.

Monounsaturated fats:
Found in peanut butter, nuts, olive oil, sesame oil, and avocado. olive is a good fat

Exception to the rule – coconut oil, can be metabolised by the body faster than others, hence they are rarely stored as fat. Read more about that here.

For good health and a balanced diet

It is important to get fats from both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated sources.

The more omega-3 fats you eat, the easier your body can cool off, which means less inflammation- the root of nearly every chronic disease, especially those impacting the brain and the heart.

Your brain is completely dependent on these high-quality fats. In fact, it is made up of 60 percent fat. High-quality fat boosts cognition, happiness, learning and memory.

In contrast, studies link a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and even violence.
Your heart will also thank you for eating more omega-3s, which help lower levels of bad fats (triglycerides) and raise levels of good fats (HDL). Omega-3 fats make blood more slippery, reducing the likelihood of artery disease.

And remember, the next time you are in the supermarket and spot a fat-free or low-fat label on a food item, take that as a red flag and your cue to run as fast as you can to the fresh produce section!   

A few things you should consider when selecting your fat sources:

  • Buy small amounts of fats in non-plastic containers. Oil that sits in large bottles shelves for months begins to degrade over time due to the constant exposure to heat, light, and oxygen.Additionally, avoid oils and fats in plastic containers at all costs, since the plastic leaches into oil or fat – a toxic mix!
  • Change it up: it’s important not to get stuck in a fat rut! To ensure you’re reaping all the health benefits that different kinds of fats provide.In my kitchen, I have several oils to choose from: coconut oil, ghee, sesame oil, walnut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, and flaxseed oil, to name a few. I try to vary my use throughout the week.I also like to get fat-rich sources from foods like avocados, nuts, wild trout or salmon, flaxseed meal, walnuts, or chia seeds, some of which are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3s.

 

If you’re struggling with tiredness, low energy or wanting to lose your excess weight, and any kind of hormone imbalance. I’ve  put together a FREE guide for you, so you can start to learn how and why specific foods, and drinks, can help you have more energy and lose weight naturally. 

You’ll find it is easy to add these ingredients into your diet on a daily basis – get your downloadable guide here

In fact, at the end, I’m going to share one simple recipe you can make in under five minutes that incorporates all of these foods.

5foods-loss-weight

Get your copy of the FREE guide:
5 Foods that will help boost Your Energy Levels and Lose Weight Naturally.

 

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