If you haven’t tried it you should. This is one cool little seed, unlike other vegetarian proteins quinoa contains all 8 essential amino acids making it a complete protein! It is also rich in calcium, iron, vitamin E, vitamin B’s and is a great source of fiber.

It’s very easy to prepare much like rice and can be used in a wide variety of dishes.

If you haven’t tried it you should, its one of my favourites. Look for idea’s in the recipe section!

Smoothies are a quick and easy way to get part of your 7 a day! Just blend up your favourite fruits and for added nutrition you can include LSA, avocado, yoghurt or flaxseed oil!

Look in the recipe section for ideas!

The truth is we need fat in our diet. Fats are essential for our optimal health; it reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, allergies, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, eczema, depression, fatigue, infections, hormonal problems, helps with balancing blood sugar levels, aids weight loss and many more functions in your body. It is best to consume no more than 20% of your total calories in the form of fat.

So why the term “essential” fats or EFA’s when we are being told to avoid fats? Well our body needs these EFA’s to function and is unable to produce them itself; they are termed as Omega’s 3 LNA (alpha-linolenic acid) & 6 or GLA (gamma linolenic acid).
The good – Omega 3’s (LNA) can be found in oily fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, marine algae, eggs, also avocado, flaxseed, hemp, pumpkin seed and walnut oils.

Omega 6’s (GLA) are found in oils of sunflower, safflower, corn, sesame, pumpkin seed, olive, evening primrose and borage. Also some meat, dairy products, eggs and squid contain omega 6.

Optimal choice would be to vary the above mentioned, just don’t go frying your fish to death – roasting or poach instead.

However there are exceptions to every rule and this is where the good go bad – If your using a mass-produced oil like sunflower to cook with and it’s being used in high heat situations like frying and grilling your not doing yourself any favours. The oils cannot handle the heat of cooking which destroy vital nutrients and making them prone to oxidising free radicals.

The best oil options to cook with are Olive oil at a medium heat, a little bit of butter, coconut butter/oil. They can handle the heat much better than most mass-produced oils. A better cooking option however is steam frying adding cold pressed oil once you’ve completed cooking. Never cook with cold pressed oil, you will destroy any benefits and be wasting your money.

Meat and dairy products like cheese contain saturated fat so as long as the are kept to a very minimum they’re ok, its when people eat them in excess that they will start to cause trouble to your waist line and internal functions. Always choose lean meats. Try using nut butters, hummus, cottage cheese or even a little cold pressed oil instead of butter or margarine.

The ugly – Hydrogenated and Trans-fats these occur when vegetable oils have been refined and processed. The best example of this maybe sitting in many of your fridges – margarines. Even though they are made with vegetable oil, the process of hydrogenation to turn the liquid oil into a solid fat tips them into the ugly pile. Technically they still are a polyunsaturated fat however the body cannot make use of it. Adding to the ugliness is that it then blocks the body’s ability to use healthy polyunsaturated oils. So if the label reads ‘hydrogenated polyunsaturated oils’ give them a wide berth.

Processed foods like pre made meals, pastries, baked goods, cakes, biscuits, ice-cream, chocolate, sweets, potato chips, corn snacks etc will more than likely contain these bad fats.

So why should you avoid them?  Well let’s look at what they have been linked to; heart diseases, cancer, weight gain, diabetes, skin issues, hormonal imbalances and the list continues to grow.  Read the label and eat fats that heal not kill.

Click here for latest recipe – Salmon & Herbed Bulghur Wheat

Curbing those bad munchie attacks!

Do you find yourself reaching for the coffee pot mid morning? Or perhaps a sweet treat half way through the afternoon? Perhaps your body is trying to tell you something, are you listening?

Do you find yourself losing concentration throughout the day, get a little irritably when you’ve gone for more than four hours without something to eat, maybe you hit the mid afternoon and  feel like you need a little nap? These can all be signs that your blood sugar levels are out of balance. This can be a serious issue if left untreated, leading to such health issues as Type 2 Diabetes.

Instead of reaching for the high processed foods that are loaded with sugars and fat which will cause imbalance to your blood sugar levels even more, try something healthier that will help balance these hormones (check out love your liver section).  Here are some suggestions for you to try;

Hot water and lemon – instead of caffeine, it will help the liver to process toxins not overload it!

Nuts and seeds – in their raw form they are a great source of essential fats which will help to balance your hormones

Fruit in the morning – even though a simple carbohydrate they are great source of vitamins and minerals.

Rice cakes with hummus or cottage cheese

Vegetable sticks; carrots, celery, capsicum or cucumber with a fresh pesto

Fresh Vegetable juice and excellent way to pack in the nutrients

If you are concerned about your blood sugar levels make an appointment today and I can put together a plan for you to help re-balance them naturally.