Today you face the worst possible future for earths health.

"But it's out of my control" you might say.

You might even think that coal mining, deforestation and carbon emissions from transport are to blame... and yes, you are correct, these are big contributors to climate change, however they are not the only contributors.

YOUR FOOD CHOICES MATTER

You as an individual can actually make a big difference in helping to sustain the earth. Here's six ways to make better food choices for the earths health.

1. REDUCE YOUR MEAT AND DAIRY INTAKE

It costs a significant amount of resources (water, calories, fuel, pesticides, etc.) to produce meat (particularly red meat) and dairy foods. In comparison, it costs a lot less resources and has a much smaller carbon footprint to produce plant-based proteins like legumes (peas, beans and lentils).

2. CHOOSE LOCAL AND IN-SEASON FOODS

When you buy locally grown food you will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the transportation costs of food. Transportation costs of food is known as "food miles" and some foods have much greater miles on them than others. If you buy a locally grown apple it may have travelled less than 5 miles to get from its tree to your mouth. However, some apples travel all the way from Europe to Australia, resulting in a significant amount of fuel and therefore carbon emissions to get to your home. This further applies to buying in-season fruits and vegetables, because buying out-of-seasons means they have travelled from a lot further away.

3. CHOOSE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FOODS

When you can, aim to buy foods from suppliers that use less pesticides and less fertilisers in their production practices. As you are aware, pesticides and fertilisers have negative impacts on the environment. Organic fruits and vegetables are your best choices.

4. GROW YOUR OWN

By growing your own fruits and vegetables you will eliminate food miles, eliminate the need for plastic wrapping and eliminate the potential need for refrigeration. All in turn reducing unnecessary impacts on the earth.

5. PREVENT FOOD WASTE

Australians on average waste 20% of the food they purchase. This accounts to each household wasting over $1000 of food each year. This food is wasted because people often cook too much food, don't know what to do with leftovers, don't check the cupboard or fridge before going food shopping, buy takeaways instead of using the food they have at home and overall don't plan meals and snacks well.

Food waste results in significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is produced from rotting food. Methane is 25 times more potent than car exhaust fumes.

Food waste also means you are wasting water, fuel and resources used to get the food from the farm to your plate. To reduce your food waste, make a shopping list, plan your meals and snacks and get creative with your leftovers. Only buy what you need.

6. REDUCE PACKAGING, ESPECIALLY SINGLE-USE PLASTICS

Start by always taking your own shopping bags (green bags) or box when food shopping. Next, aim to choose foods that don't come in packaging, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Also make sure not to put each single fruit or vegetable in plastic bags, just let them be free. Also, don't choose pre-packaged leafy greens, tomatoes, apples etc. This is just unnecessary wrapping for convenience, plus they are more expensive when pre-packaged. Jars, cans and cardboard are all better options than plastic packaging, so try to purchase products (if you have to) that come packaged in these options. Wash jars out, instead of discarding, and then use these as containers for future foods/ left-over meals.Further to this, avoid plastic glad wrap and instead use bees wax wraps, jars or aluminium foil. Another no-brainer is to always use your own coffee cup (e.g. keep cup) when getting a take-away coffee. At the minimum, avoid take-away coffee lids.

Most people who work rely on driving to get there. Not only is driving bad for the environment, it significantly increases your chances for injuries as well as contributes to poorer health behaviours.

Several studies have shown that long car commutes perpetuates conditions that compromise health, including increased commute stress (e.g. traffic congestion) as well as the indirect effect of replacing time that could be devoted to healthier behaviours, such as increased time for physical activity, food preparation, spending time with family and friends, and sleep. Furthermore, driving-related sitting adds to sedentary behaviour, which has also been linked to increased risk for chronic disease. One study even found that each hour spent in the car was associated with a 6% increase in the odds for obesity.

Up until recently, researchers didn't really know if their was a dose-response effect from driving on poorer health (i.e. the more driving, the poorer health would be) and so...

THEY ASKED THE QUESTION…

Is longer driving time associated with worse health behaviours and outcomes?

THE STUDY…

They conducted a cross-sectional study, that incorporated 37,570 middle-and-older-aged adults living in New South Wales, Australia. They asked every one of these people “About how many hours in each 24 hour day do you usually spend driving?”.

The researchers also assessed the following health behaviours:

And the following health outcomes:

From here, the researchers examined the associations of driving time with each of the above health behaviours and outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics.

THE RESULTS

The researchers found that longer driving time was associated with higher odds for smoking, obesity, insufficient physical activity, short sleep and worse physical and mental health. The associations consistently showed a dose-response pattern, meaning the longer time spent driving was associated with worse health behaviours and outcomes.

Driving for more than 2 hours per day had the strongest and most consistent associations with majority of poorer health outcomes.

THE CONCLUSION

Driving is a potential risk factor for a cluster of poorer health behaviours and outcomes.

Plant-based diets are simple yet significantly more beneficial than other diets. Beyond typical diet methods of (just) restricting processed foods, plant-based diets highlight a strong focus on the increased consumption of a mixed variety of wholesome plant-based foods.

DIET:

Refers to an individuals food choices, values and patterns, including physical, mental and environmental circumstances connected to these eating habits.

Plant-based diets are characterised by an eating style that comprises wholefoods, of which are mostly plants. In respect to health, the evidence conveys that a diet comprising 90% or more plants results in significant health benefits such as living better and longer.

THE 90%+ PLANT-BASED DIET

Wholefoods | all

Plant-based | 90-100%

Vegetables | large variety

Whole grains | high fibre and variety

Legumes | mixed variety

Fruits | coloured variety

Healthy plant fats | unrefined

To further elaborate, the term plant-based is used to describe a diet that focuses on real, unprocessed plant foods including vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices.

Animal foods such as meats, seafood, chicken, eggs and dairy, are kept to a minimal or completely excluded.

Highly processed foods such as white sugars, bleached flours and highly-refined oils found in most packaged foods are to be avoided.

PLANT-BASED DIETS ARE NOT THE SAME AS VEGAN DIETS

Different to vegan diets, which avoid all animal-based foods and their related products, plant-based diets further exclude processed foods and highlight the consumption of a mixed variety of wholefoods. Compared to vegan diets, plant based eating can allow small amounts of animal foods (~up to 10%) within the diet but predominantly focuses on plant wholefoods.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

Up until recent years, you could really only find one or two different types of soy milk stocked in your local supermarket. These days, plant-based milks almost have their own aisle, with countless new types coming out every few months. And sure they may be dairy free, but are they actually even good for you? Read on to find my professional thoughts on plant-based milks...

1) In your opinion, what should people be aware of if they decide to go dairy free?

First of all people need to figure out why they are going dairy free. If it’s because of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), for example, the individual may need to investigate further intolerances, such as high FODMAP foods. Next it’s important to consider the nutrients you’re going to be missing out on by going dairy free, and in turn ensure that these are replaced with other nutritious substitutes. Naturally most plant milk alternatives (e.g. coconut, oat, almond) are low in calcium. It is therefore essential to choose the calcium-fortified versions of these alternatives. In regard to yoghurt, it is one of the best naturally occurring probiotic foods out there, and so, if it’s going to be avoided with the rest of dairy, make sure to include probiotic rich alternatives like sauerkraut, kimchi and tempeh.

Here's a list of calcium rich plant-foods.

2) What are your thoughts on the nutritional value of the following cow's milk alternatives?Macadamia milk

This creamy nut milk has a higher percentage of healthy fats compared to most other plant milks. Unlike soy milk, its protein content is very low, and unless fortified, it doesn’t contain much calcium.

Almond milk

Unlike it’s pre-processed nuts, almond milk is low in calcium, protein and fibre, and although it’s low in calories, it can really only boast nutritional benefits if it has been calcium fortified.

Soy milk

Soy milk has a protein, calcium and calorie content similar to cow's milk. It is available in full-fat and low-fat versions. It also offers a creamy texture similar to cows milk.

Oat milk

Oats contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that can contribute to improved cholesterol levels and improve heart health. Unless fortified, oat milks are very low in calcium. Unlike some of the other plant-milks, oat milk is often a good alternative for those with a number of food allergies.

Rice milk

Rice milk is rich in carbohydrates, containing more than 3 teaspoons of sugar per serve. It has a high glycemic index, is very low in protein and contains only small amounts of fats. Unless fortified, it contains little calcium and is basically a carbohydrate rich liquid.

Coconut milk

Coconut milk is high in saturated fats, the type that increase your unhealthy cholesterol. Compared to other plant milk alternatives, it falls short on the recommendation list.

Pea milk

Most pea milks are rich in calcium and protein, as well as have a lot less sugar than other plant milks (e.g. rice and almond milks). Again, this milk alternative is really only a good source of calcium if it has been fortified.

In summary...

If you're choosing a plant-based milk, ensure that it has been fortified with calcium. Look for a brand that contains at least 100mg of calcium per 100ml. Of the different plant-based milks out their, soy milk rates the best nutritionally, followed by oat and pea.

Microbiota-Accessible-Carbohydrates, or MACs, are particular types of carbohydrates that resist digestion, end up in your large intestine and do all sorts of good for your gut bacteria.

While most nutrients are absorbed in your small intestine, MACs are unable to be digested, nor absorbed, and in turn, end up travelling to your colon.

Your colon is inhabited by trillions of bacteria, which are known as your gut microbiota.

Although you (your body) cannot digest MACs, the bacteria living inside your gut can. They do this via producing specialised enzymes that break the MACs down. This is essential, because MACs represent the major energy source for your colonic bacteria.

Basically, MACs are fermentable fibres and indigestible short chain carbohydrates. They are often referred to as prebiotics.

Note: not all fibres are fermentable, just particular types.

MACs are found in garlic, onion, legumes, green bananas, cooked and cooled potatoes, wheat bread and barley... to name a few.

When MACs reach your colon they are fermented by your bacteria. This fermentation results in the production of short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate and butyrate. SCFAs are the primary fuel for your gut cells (colonocytes).

GUT BACTERIA

Not only are your gut bacteria important for digesting MACs, but they also play numerous roles in your immune function, metabolism, gut health (e.g. structural health), mental health and nutrient production. Your gut bacteria also likely play a role in preventing non-communicable diseases, such as allergies, cancers, inflammatory conditions and autoimmune conditions.

FOOD PROCESSING AND DISEASE

Since the early 1900s, many countries, mostly Western, have experienced the invasion of processed foods. Over time, these processed foods have snow-balled into dominating most westerners food choices.

Food processing refers to the action of performing mechanical and/or chemical operations on raw food in order to change or preserve it. On the most part, this involves refining wholefoods (removing fibre and nutrients) and adding unhealthful ingredients (sodium, sugar, fats and additives).

One of the most unfortunate aspects of food processing is the removal of fibre, which includes the removal of MACs.

Western diets today are characterised by processed foods that are low in MACs. Think white foods and sugar-added packaged not-so-goods.

In recent decades, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases, including allergies, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, have dramatically risen, unsurprisingly in line with increased unhealthful behaviours. This includes the unhealthful drastic drop in the consumption of MACs.

DIETARY FIBRE

The recommended daily intake for dietary fibre (inclusive of MACs) is 30 grams per day. The average Western consumes less than half (<15grams) of this requirement. In contrast, people in traditional societies consume up to 50-120 grams of MACs per day.

Those who consume a high intake of MACs tend to have a much more diverse gut microbiota.

This means they have significantly higher numbers of gut bacteria, as well as greater diversity in bacteria species types.

A diverse gut microbiota is associated with overall better health, while a low diversity has been associated with numerous diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma.

The composition and function of your gut microbiota are highly dependent on the availability of MACs.

Because of food processing, the MAC content in Western diets has significantly decreased.

IMPROVE YOUR GUT MICROBIOTA

Overall, to improve your gut microbiota health, aim to meet your dietary fibre requirements by consuming a variety of (unprocessed) plant-based wholefoods that are high in MACs. All plant foods do contain fibre, however some are a bit richer than others.

The key is to eat a large variety of plant foods.

PLANT FOODS THAT CONTAIN >5 GRAMS OF FIBRE PER SERVE

Amaranth, barley, quinoa, teff, buckwheatAlmonds, nut butterHemp seeds, pepitas, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, chia seedsLima beans, adzuki beans, black beans, lentils, kidney beans, mung beansCollard greens, cauliflower, brussel sproutsRaspberries, blackberries, pear, guava, persimmionsEdamameAvocadoPrunes, figs, datesOat bran, wheat bran, all-bran

NOTE: If you do not normally eat much fibre, aim to increase your fibre intake slowly and ensure to drink plenty of water.

1. Edamame (1cup)

Rich in protein, high in fibre and low in calories.

2. Soy yoghurt (1/2 cup) with a handful mixed nuts & seeds

A good source of calcium and healthy fats.

3. Chia pudding cup: Chia seeds (2Tbs), sliced kiwifruit, blueberries & almond milk (soak for 2hrs and top with soy yoghurt)

Rich in alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3), vitamin C, antioxidants and calcium.

4. Wholegrain crackers (4) with avocado & tahini

Low G.I and a good source of prebiotics.

5. Slice of sprouted bread (1) toasted with hummus and sliced tomato

High in fibre, and contains the antioxidant lycopene.

6. Smoothie: 300ml calcium fortified oat/soy milk + 1 frozen banana / cup berries

A rich source of calcium and vitamin C.

7. Carrot sticks with hummus (2Tbs)

Cheap, tasty and high in beta-carotene.

8. Apple slices with almond butter

A good source of fibre and healthy fats.

9. Fruit salad (1cup) with soy yoghurt (2Tbs)

A good source of vitamin C.

10. Plain popcorn (2cups) with nutritional yeast sprinkled on top

Tasty, low in calorie, high in fibre and a good source of B vitamins.

11. Trail mix (handful)

A rich energy source to keep you going.

12. Dates (3) stuffed with walnuts

A great combo of healthy fats, fibre and energy.

13. Baked broccoli florrets with tahini/vegenaise

A good source of prebiotic fibres for your gut health.

14. Olives (10)

High in monunsaturated fats and antioxidants.

1. Eat a high fibre, low G.I breakfast

This can help with weight loss and reduce high cholesterol levels. Try porridge with chopped banana, chia seeds and soy milk, wholegrain toast with avocado and baked beans or a green smoothie (oat milk, banana, berries and quinoa flakes).

2. Avoid/limit saturated fats

These are the types of fats that increase your risk for cardiovascular disease via increasing your bad cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in full cream milk, cheese, cream, butter, sausages, chops, rissoles, chicken skin, bakery goods and deep fried foods.

3. Choose healthy fats instead (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated)

Healthy fats support heart health, reduce cholesterol levels and deliver anti-inflammatory properties. They are found in olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado, olives and oily fish like salmon and sardines. Try using avocado instead of butter, olive oil as a salad dressing, snack on nuts, add flax and chia seeds to smoothies, and eat oily fish a few times per week.

4. Go meat free on Monday’s (or even better... most days)

This is a great way to reduce the saturated fat in your diet, as well as increase your vegetable and fibre intake; all of which support a healthy heart. Instead of meat, chicken, pork or fish on Monday’s, aim to have beans, tofu or nuts in your meal instead. For example, try bean burritos, chickpea curries, tofu stir-frys or simply baked beans and greens on wholegrain toast.

5. Snack on nuts each day

A small handful of unsalted nuts each day has been shown to reduce your risk for heart disease. If you find nuts a bit hard to chew, aim for an unsalted peanutbutter or almond butter on wholegrain biscuits (e.g. ryvitas), grainy toast or sliced apple.

6. Eat more legumes

Legumes are super high in fibre, low in fat and full of protein, plus they are cheap as. Aim to have at least 3 serves of legumes each week. Some different legumes include chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, 4bean mix and baked beans. The easiest way to eat them is by buying canned legumes and adding them to your meals. For example, add chickpeas to your curries, kidney beans to your mexican dishes, 4 bean mix to salads and lentils to stir-fries.

Within the general population, vegetarians often have higher or similar total dietary iron intakes than non-vegetarians. The catch is... they are getting most of their iron in the non-haem form and unfortunately, this type doesn't absorb as well.

DIETARY IRON COMES IN 2 DIFFERENT FORMS...

1. Haem iron:This type is found only in animal foods (e.g. meat, chicken, fish), and is absorbed more efficiently than non-haem iron. 


2. Non-haem iron: This type is found in plant foods, as well as animal foods. Non-haem iron is not absorbed as 
well as haem iron. 


To reiterate, because vegetarians get most of their iron from plant-foods, majority of their iron comes in the non-haem form. And because non-haem iron does not absorb as well, vegetarians actually need to consume a whole lot more of it.

Dietary guidelines have set vegetarians recommended daily intake (RDI) for iron to be 1.8 times higher than that for non-vegetarians. Meaning, vegetarians need to be consuming 80% more (non-haem) iron than omnivores. This can get a little tricky, and unless meals and snacks are planned well it can be hard to meet. This in turn can put vegetarians at risk of iron deficiency.

IRON DEFICIENCY...

Iron deficiency affects about 25% of the population, making it the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. Those at risk of iron-deficiency include:

Pregnant womenFemale endurance athletes

AND SO, DOES THIS MEAN AN IRON SUPPLEMENT IS REQUIRED FOR ALL VEGETARIANS?

For most the answer is NO - When an individuals iron levels are within the normal healthy range, and a variety of plant-foods that achieve (the extra non-haem) iron requirements are consumed... iron supplements are not required.

For some, YES – If iron levels are low and/or extra iron requirements are not being met, an iron supplement will likely be indicated. This is best assessed by your practitioner (Dietitian or GP).

EXTRA CONSIDERATIONS

Enhancers

For those on a vegetarian, vegan or plant-based diet, aim to consume your iron rich plant foods with vitamin C rich plant foods. For example, consume legumes or tofu with tomatoes, capsicum or greens. Combining vitamin C and non-haem iron can enhance the irons absorption by more than six fold. Further to this, you can also increase non-haem irons absorption by consuming citrus fruits with your meals. This is due to their citric acid content. Try squeezing lemon juice over your plant-based meals.

Inhibitors

Phytic acid found in legumes, grains, nuts and bran can reduce the absorption of your plant-based iron. Aim to soak and/or sprout these foods to reduce their phytate levels before consuming.

Polyphenols found in tea, coffee and red wine can also inhibit the absorption of your non-haem iron. Aim to consume these drinks at least 1 hour away from your plant-based meals.

IRON RICH PLANT FOODS

2mg or more Iron per serve

1-2mg of Iron per serve

According to the World Health Organisation, 80% of lifestyle diseases can be prevented via healthy lifestyle changes and behaviours. This includes Heart Disease - Australia’s number one killer.

Apart from regular exercise, good quality sleep, stress management and avoiding body-damaging behaviours (e.g. smoking, binge drinking), diet plays the number one role in preventing and managing heart disease.

Leading on from my last blog postwhich outlined the heart health benefits of eating: a balanced-wholefood-plant-based-diet; moderate amounts of healthy fats; excluding unhealthy fats; and consuming lots of wholegrains; this post will give more detail on particular nutrients and foods...

4. Eat lots of different coloured vegetables and fruits

Not only are vegetables and fruits rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals, that support hearth health, but they also contain game-changing antioxidants and phytochemicals that protect your heart. By game-changing, I am talking about their actions on combating oxidative stress, the process by which free radicals damage cells including DNA.

Atherosclerosis (the major cause of heart disease) is a prominent ‘free radical’ disease. A number of studies have revealed that atherosclerosis may be a result of free radical reactions that involve diet derived fats and oils inducing endothelial (lining of blood vessel) cell injury. This then produces changes in the arterial walls, resulting in damaged blood vessels.

In other words, when there are more free radicals than antioxidants, free radicals can damage blood vessels via oxidative stress, and in turn contribute to heart disease in a significant way.

Antioxidants are molecules that neutralize free radicals, which means they help to prevent oxidative stress.

The principal antioxidants that come from the diet are specific types of vitamins, including: Vitamin E (e.g. avocados, almonds, sunflower seeds, leafy greenss); Vitamin C (e.g. paw paw, citrus, kiwifruit, berries, capsicum, leafy greens); and Beta-carotene (e.g. pumpkins, carrots, sweet potato, parsley, mango).

Therefore, by eating more vegetables and fruits, you will reduce oxidative stress and lower your risk for heart disease.

5. Increase your plant sterols

Plant sterols help to lower your cholesterol levels by blocking cholesterols absorption in the digestive tract. Sterols do this by binding to it, and in turn it's removed when a bowel motion is passed. Plant sterols are found in nuts, seeds, legumes, wholegrains, vegetables, fruits and plant-based oils.

A wholefoods plant-based diet can provide about 500 milligrams (0.5g) of plant sterols per day. For example, vegetables contain between 50 to 370mg of sterols per kilogram (e.g. potatoes 51mg/kg and Brussels sprouts 370mg/kg). Vegetables with the highest sterol content (>300mg/kg) include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and dill. Fruits plant sterol content ranges from 116mg (banana) to 228mg (orange) per kilogram. Avocados contain significant amounts at 752mg per kilogram. Almonds and peanuts also contain considerable amounts at 1348mg and 1176mg per kilogram, respectively.

If your cholesterol levels are high, to get the maximum cholesterol lowering benefit from plant sterols, you will need to consume about 2000mg (2g) per day. This can be achieved by consuming certain foods that have been fortified with plant-sterols.

Studies show that 2-3 grams of plant sterols per day can decrease your LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 10%

6. Meet your fibre requirements

Fibre is the part of plant foods that resists digestion, assists healthy bowel motions and feeds your good gut bacteria. Fibre comes in various forms, including prebiotic fibres, insoluble fibres and soluble fibres. Within the gut, soluble fibres (e.g. mucilage, pectins and gums) attract water and turn into gel-like textures. Soluble fibre helps you to feel full (aids weight management), improves blood glucose levels and lowers cholesterols levels. All of which reduce the risk of heart disease.

Research shows that about 10g of soluble fibre per day can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by up to 5%.

Soluble fibre is found in oats, legumes, psyllium husk, chia seeds, flaxseeds, barley, fruits and vegetables.

You can get more soluble fibre in your diet by:

Adding 1Tbs of chia seeds to your cereal, yoghurt or smoothie Consuming rolled oats in porridge, muesli or a smoothieAdding chickpeas, lentils and/or barley to soups, stir-fries and curriesUsing hummus as a spread in place of butterSnacking on fruit Getting 2cups of salad at lunch and 2 cups of vegetables at dinner

In Australia, heart disease is the leading cause of death, killing more than 40,000 people each year. More than 1 in 6 adults live with the disease, which equates to more than 4 million Australians!

Heart disease is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that affect the heart, including blood vessel diseases (e.g. coronary artery disease); heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias); and heart defects (e.g. congenital heart defects people are born with).

Majority of conditions that fall under the Heart disease umbrella are also referred to as lifestyle diseases, meaning they are caused by poor lifestyles.

According to the World Health Organisation, 80% of lifestyle diseases can be prevented via healthy lifestyle changes and behaviours.

EATING YOURSELF TO HEALTH OR EATING YOURSELF TO DISEASE

What you put in your mouth will account for the primary cause or the primary prevention of heart disease.

And so, if you want to live well, and prevent heart disease or improve your already diseased heart, here's a few tips...

1. Eat a balanced diet, that contains a wide-variety of plant-foods

A balanced diet means you eat from each of the different food groups (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, proteins and calcium foods) and meet your recommended serves. This in turn will help you achieve all of your nutrient requirements (i.e. nutritional adequacy).

Nutritional adequacy supports heart health in numerous ways, including the normal functioning of blood glucose levels, blood pressure, heart rhythm, vascular health and blood cholesterol levels.

When a balanced diet is not followed, and food group recommendations are not met (happens daily for most Australians), your body’s health will be compromised. On top of essential nutrients being missed, which compromises proper body functioning, discretionary foods (i.e. processed foods) displace the healthy whole foods and in turn deliver an excess of sodium, saturated fats, trans fats, sugars and preservatives. These unfavourable nutritional factors are not handled well by the body, and over time damage the cardiovascular system (i.e. heart health); as well as many other body systems.

The more variety of plant-based wholefoods you eat, the better chance you have for preventing and/or managing heart disease.

2. Eat healthy fats, not unhealthy fats

Whenever food is eaten, carbohydrates, proteins and/or fats are consumed. These are called macronutrients, meaning they are nutrients that provide calories (energy). In regard to fats, a healthy diet should contain between 20 to 35% of total calories coming from fats, with most of these coming from the poly-unsaturated (PUFA) and mono-unsaturated (MUFA) types. PUFA and MUFA are found in nuts, seeds, avocado, olives, flaxseed oil, extra virgin olive oil and oily fish (e.g. salmon and sardines). These types of fats support heart health and help to reduce the risk of heart disease development.

In contrast, saturated and trans fats, increase heart disease risk via a number of different mechanisms. For example, they increase LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, which in turn influence atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition characterised by plaque build up in artery walls. Over time, plaque build up hardens and narrows arteries, resulting in a poor supply of oxygen rich blood to the heart and other parts of the body. Atherosclerosis is the main cause of heart disease, and can lead to heart attack, stroke and death. Saturated and trans fats are found in animal foods, including meats, chicken, fish, eggs and dairy. Fatty meats, processed meats, full fat dairy, deep fried foods and pastries are some of the worst options for heart health.

To manage and prevent heart disease, aim to keep your saturated fat intake to less than 10% (ideally less than 7%) of your total daily calorie intake.

To work out how to do this, click here.

3. Eat wholegrains, not refined grains

Wholegrains are grains of any cereal that contain the endosperm, germ and bran. These are original components of the grain that are rich in fibre and nutrients. When a wholegrain is refined, the outer layer (bran) and germ are removed. The germ is the reproductive part of the grain that can germinate to grow into another plant. Both the bran and germ are very nutritious. Wheat germ for example, is rich in vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc, and magnesium, as well as essential fatty acids. Refined grains, such as white bread, white rice and most breakfast cereals, are much lower in fibre and nutrients. These grains have the bran and germ removed, which are really the most nutritious parts of the grain.

A moderate to high consumption of wholegrains has been associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer and type 2 diabetes, with lower all-cause mortality. Furthermore, regular wholegrain consumption lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, which contributes to an overall 26% reduction in coronary heart disease-risk factors. Wholegrain consumption is also inversely related to hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, when compared to refined grains. This means as more wholegrains are consumed in place of refined grains, total risk for heart disease decreases.

Wholegrains include: oats, quinoa, brown/wild rice, rye, barley, wholegrain bread, wholewheat pasta, spelt, millet, triticale, sorghum, amaranth and buckwheat.

Regular consumption of wholegrains, including quinoa, oats, wholegrain bread and brown rice, reduces overall risk of heart heart disease.

Although often thought of as healthy, that smoothie you're drinking might not actually be that good for you, and depending on what you're putting into it, you may of just made a milkshake or glass of liquid fructose (aka fruit sugar). If you're looking to make a nutritious smoothie, below are 6 steps to build a healthy cup of goodness.

STEP 1) PICK YOUR LIQUID

Add about 300ml of...

WaterCoconut waterSoy milk (calcium fortified)Oat milk (calcium fortified)Almond milk (calcium fortified)

STEP 2) ADD YOUR GREENS

Add about 1 cup of...

Baby spinachKaleBeet greens

STEP 3) ADD SOME FRESH OR FROZEN FRUIT

Add about 1 cup of...

Banana (frozen)Berries (e.g.Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)MangoPineapple

STEP 4) ADD SOME HEALTHY FATS

Add 1-2Tbs of...

Chia seedsFlaxseedsHemp seedsAvocadoTahiniNut butter

STEP 5) FORTIFY YOUR SMOOTHIE - ADD SOME EXTRA NUTRITION

Add in one or more of the following...

Dates (1-2) Oats or quinoa flakes (2-4Tbs)Cinnamon/turmeric (1/2tsp)Psyllium husk (1tsp)Spirulina (1tsp)Protein: Hemp/rice+pea/whey powder (1-2Tbs) or 1/2 cup green peas or 1/2 cup greek yoghurtAlmonds/walnuts/brazil nuts/macadamia nuts (1-2Tbs)

STEP 6) - BLEND, SIP, ENJOY

Add...

Ice to make it extra cold

Two out of every 3 adults in Australia are overweight or obese, which means almost 70% of adults in this country are carrying excess body fat. For kids, they do a little better, but better is a morbid word in this context. Statistics from 2014 showed that 1 in 4 (25%) children are overweight or obese, and fearfully, this number is climbing.

Carrying excess body fat is the number one risk factor for type 2 diabetes, with studies showing that ~90% of those who develop the disease are overweight.

DIETARY FATS & INTRA-MYO-CELLULAR LIPIDS

When an excess of dietary fats are consumed, fat cells in the body can get so overfilled that they actually start spewing fat back out into the bloodstream, resulting in elevated blood lipid levels. This excess blood fat can end up in muscle cells, build up, and create toxic breakdown products and free radicals. The build up of fat in muscle cells is referred to as “intramyocellular lipid” excess.

Intramyocellular lipids affect the insulin signalling process, which is the process that allows glucose to move from the blood into your muscle cells. The more fat that builds up in muscle cells, the more resistance there can be on normal insulin signalling. Eventually this can result in a condition called “insulin resistance”.

Insulin resistance is the major cause of type 2 diabetes.

INSULIN RESISTANCE

In short, your blood contains glucose that needs to get from your circulation into your muscle cells, where it can be turned into energy (ATP). For the glucose to get in, insulin is required to open up doors located on your muscle cells; this then allows glucose to glide right into the cell. Insulin basically acts like a key to open up doors on your cells.

An excess of intramyocellular lipids (fat in your muscle cells) can gum up the locks on muscle cell doors, resulting in insulin not being able to open the cell doors effectively. The body then tries to compensate by making more and more insulin. But the insulin just can't do its job properly due to the insulin resistance (gummy doors). Consequently, because glucose can’t get into the cells efficiently, it stays in the blood for longer, builds up (aka. high blood glucose levels) and reaps all sorts of damage to the bodies small blood vessels.

Hence, carrying excess body fat (overweight and obesity) and consuming excess dietary fat, can lead to insulin resistance and in turn cause type 2 diabetes.

Fortunately, research shows that you can lower your insulin resistance via decreasing the amount of fat in your diet.

NOT ALL FAT IS BAD FAT

Whenever you eat food you will consume carbohydrates, proteins and/or fats. Fats come in varying forms, including monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated. Monounsaturated fats, found in avocados, nuts and olives, and polyunsaturated fats, found in flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts, deliver a number of health benefits when consumed, including: improving blood cholesterol levels, reducing inflammation and reducing insulin resistance. On the other hand, saturated fats, found in animal foods (e.g. meat and dairy), can increase cholesterol levels, increase inflammation and increase insulin resistance. Palmitate for example, is one particular type of saturated fat that has been shown to cause insulin resistance.

SATURATED FATS

When saturated fats (SF) build up in muscle cells they can cause both toxic breakdown-products and free radicals to accumulate. This results in increased inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired insulin signalling.

Saturated fats are strongly linked to high blood cholesterol levels, inflammation, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

The Heart Foundation of Australia, Diabetes Australia and The Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand, recommend limiting your SF intake to less than 10% of your total daily calorie intake (best practise is less than 7%). This means that the average (healthy weight) person who consumes about 2000 calories per day should aim to get less than 200 calories from SF. This equates to about 20 grams or less of SF per day.

The major sources of SF in an average Australian’s diet:

CheeseFull fat milk, butter and dairy productsMeats (sausage, bacon, beef, lamb, burgers)Biscuits and pastriesFast foods

EXAMPLE - A DAY ON A PLATE

An average day on a plate for an average Australian can include:

BREAKFAST// 2 slice toast with butter (8g SF) + vegemite or 1 cup cereal with 1 cup full cream milk (5.6g SF) MORNING TEA// Large flat white coffee (8g SF) and a sweet biscuit (2g SF)

LUNCH// Chicken (1.5g SF) and salad sandwich with cheese (6g SF)

AFTERNOON TEA// Fruit and yoghurt (5g SF)

DINNER// Steak (7g) and vegetables

SUPPER// Ice cream (10g SF).

This somewhat healthy looking day results in the intake of greater than 50g of SF.

FOOD SOURCES OF SATURATED FATS

MEATS, CHICKEN & FISH

DAIRY

PLANTS

OTHER

CARBOHYDRATES THAT ESCAPE DIGESTION

Humans can only digest a few different types of carbohydrates via enzyme action. For example, polysaccharides, found in foods like potato and rice, are digested via the action of pancreatic and salivary amylase. And disaccharides, such as sucrose (e.g. table sugar) and lactose (e.g. cows milk) are digested by the brush border enzymes sucrase and lactase, respectively.

In regard to lactose, the ability to digest it varies amongst different people around the world, particularly different cultural groups. In Australia, up to 5% of Caucasians, and 75% of non-Caucasians cannot digest it. This is referred to as lactose intolerance. Furthermore, as people get older their ability to digest lactose often decreases.

Carbohydrates that escape digestion via enzymes, or cannot be digested by enzymes, end up becoming substrates for bacterial fermentation in the lower part of the intestinal tract (aka colon). These types of carbohydrates are referred to as prebiotics and include inulin, fructo-oligosaccharides (fructans, FOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS).

When an individuals diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes, an abundant source of plant polysaccharides (carbohydrates) that contain different types of prebiotics (fermentable fibres) will be provided.

PREBIOTICS

Prebiotics are defined as “selectively fermented ingredients that result in specific changes in the composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host health.”

That is, when you consume prebiotics, your gut microbiota will be altered, and you will reap health benefits.

In summary, prebiotics improve gut health via increasing both the diversity and bacterial numbers of the gut microbiota. By consuming foods rich in both dietary fibre and prebiotics, your gut microbes will grow and metabolise. And just like you, they need to be fed daily.

It is important to note that not all fibres are classified as prebiotics, but majority of prebiotics are classified as fibres.

FERMENTATION

Bacterial fermentation of undigested carbohydrates (prebiotics) results in the production of various end products, particularly the Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs): Acetate, Propionate and Butyrate; and gases, Hydrogen and Carbon dioxide.

Among the SCFAs produced, Butyrate is likely the most important, as this SCFA is the key energy source for both your colonocytes (colon cells) and enterocytes (small intestine cells).

Nearly all of the SCFAs produced (up to 99%) by your microbiota are absorbed in the gut or actually used by your gut microbiota (either the ones producing them or their neighbours). The residual SCFAs, mostly propionate and acetate, will go on to circulate around the body, with some (Acetate) even crossing the blood-brain barrier.

SCFAs deliver a number of benefits, including:

Strengthen the integrity of the gut lining (epithelial cell integrity)Influence lipid metabolismInfluence glucose homeostasisStrengthen immune functionHelp to regulate appetiteMany many more benefits still being discovered...

Consuming a variety of prebiotic fibres (e.g. inulin, fructans, FOS and GOS), as well as resistant starches, is the ideal way to support a diverse gut microbial community.

This is done by eating lots of different plant foods.

If a typical Western diet is consumed, the high intake of animal products and processed carbohydrates will often push out the high fibre wholefoods, resulting in a significantly reduced substrate load for the gut microbiota. As a consequence, a reduction in gut bacteria numbers and diversity will occur. This is a major cause of dysbiosis, which is defined as a dis-balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. Dysbiosis can cause an array of digestive issues, and increase the risk for a number of chronic health conditions, including weight gain and colon cancer.

EAT FOR GUT HEALTH

To improve your gut microbial health, aim to eat a variety of plant-based wholefoods rich in fibre, including prebiotics, on a daily basis.

Prebiotic rich foods include legumes, certain vegetables, fruits, grains and nuts.

LEGUMES

ChickpeasLentilsKidney beans, baked beans & soybeans

VEGETABLES

Garlic, onion, leek, shallots & spring onionAsparagus, beetroot & fennel bulbGreen peas, snow peas & sweetcornSavoy cabbageJerusalem artichokes

FRUIT

Nectarines, white peaches Persimmon, tamarillo Watermelon Grapefruit, pomegranate Dried fruit (eg. figs, dates)

GRAINS

BarleyRye bread, Rye crackersPasta, couscousWheat bran, wheat breadOats

NUTS

CashewsPistachios

Your gut bacteria, also referred to as your gut microbiota, are one of the most densely populated microbial communities on earth. Within your gut right now, there are literally trillions of bacteria, and amongst them, hundreds of different groups (bacterial species). These gut microbiota provide immune, protective and metabolic functions that are crucial for good health.

GUT BACTERIA INFLUENCERS

The diversity and amounts of bacteria living within your gut are influenced by genetics, age, disease, stress, exercise, living conditions, medications, and most importantly diet; particularly, fibre and prebiotics.

DIET AND GUT HEALTH

The composition of your diet, your habitual dietary intake and any acute dietary changes you make, all impact on the microbial communities within your gut. For example, a significant change in your macronutrient (carbs, fats and protein) and fibre intake can rapidly induce changes in your gut microbial communities. This has been demonstrated in as little as 24 hours in humans switching between a plant-based diet rich in fibre (>30g/day) to a meat-based diet that contained no fibre.

Unfortunately, typical Western diets contain high amounts of animal protein, fat, sugar and starch, and low amounts of fibre. The average person in Australia consumes less than 50% of their fibre requirements on any given day. This is a big burden on health because low fibre intake is associated with a reduction in gut microbial diversity, a depletion in the number of gut bacteria and a subsequent increased risk for numerous chronic diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

Fortunately however, various studies have demonstrated that an increase in both dietary fibre and whole grain intake results in a subsequent increase in gut microbiota diversity and gut bacterial numbers, as well as a reduced risk for chronic diseases and mortality. These improvements in gut health can be seen very soon after making improvements in the diet.

DIETARY FIBRE

Dietary fibres are solely found in plant foods and when consumed, they are not digested nor are they absorbed, but in turn end up in the large intestine (aka colon). It is here in the large intestine where majority of gut microbiota live, and when specific fibres arrive, they are subject to bacterial fermentation. These specific fermentable fibre are known as “Prebiotics”.

Dietary fibres are found in grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

It is important to note that not all fibres are the same, due to variable chemical compositions, as well as physiochemical properties. For example, bananas contain fructans and resistant starch, and apples contain fructose and sorbitol, all different types of fibres, with different effects within the gut. These fibres have different lengths and structures, causing them to act and be acted on in varying ways.

PHYSIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF FIBRES

Physiochemical characteristics of fibres include solubility, viscosity and fermentability.

Solubility refers to how easily the fibre dissolves in water. Soluble fibres, found in oats and fruits for example, dissolve well in water and break down into gel-like substances; this assists smooth bowel motions. In contrast, insoluble fibres, found in the skins and husks of vegetables and grains, do not dissolve easily in water, but they do bulk stools and hasten gut transit time. This means they increase the speed by which your food is converted to stools and then passed.

Viscosity refers to fibres that thicken when mixed with fluids. This is a common attribute of soluble fibres. Fermentability refers to fibres that are digested by gut bacteria, causing by-products such as gases and short-chain-fatty-acids (SCFAs) to be released.

Different foods contain different amounts of fibre, as well as specific types of fibres. It is important to consume a variety of fibre types, as well as adequate to high amounts of fibre daily.

Now without getting too specific and worrisome on knowing the exact right amount of each different type of fibre to consume, it is much easier and more practical to approach eating for good gut health in the following manner…

A plant-based diet that contains a variety of wholefoods will provide many different types of dietary fibres, thereby supporting greater diversity in gut microbiota composition, in turn improving overall gut health.

In a nut shell, eat a variety of plant foods.

Part 2 of this blog will outline prebiotics, including their endless benefits on gut health, as well as where and how to eat them.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic health condition that affects both physical and mental health. Research estimates that up to 1 in 5 people suffer from this condition, however this number may be higher.

WHAT IS IBS?

IBS is a digestive disorder that is characterised by chronic, relapsing abdominal discomfort, abdominal bloating and altered bowel habits. Between IBS sufferers, symptoms often vary and can include a combination of diarrhoea, constipation, excess flatulence, abdominal cramping and constant bloating.

IBS is classified as a functional disorder, meaning the above-mentioned symptoms occur in the absence of other structural or biochemical abnormalities.

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF IBS?

Unfortunately the cause of IBS is unknown, however we know that it is likely multi-factorial, meaning a number of factors contribute to the condition. Some of these include, an altered gut-brain connection, a hypersensitive bowel, inflammation and alterations in the gut microbiota.

DIAGNOSIS OF IBS

IBS cannot be diagnosed by a simple test, rather it will be diagnosed based on a collection of re-occurring gastrointestinal symptoms. Before assessing for IBS however, more sinister gastrointestinal conditions will be first ruled out, including Coeliac Disease, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Colon cancer and infections. This is why it's always important to check in with your doctor, before self-diagnosing.

The Rome IV Criteria

The Rome IV Criteria is a diagnostic method used to assess for IBS, as well as classify the sub-type of IBS an individual has. The criteria is as follows:

If a person has experienced…

Recurrent abdominal pain on average once per week for 3-6 months, plus 2 or more of the below issues,

Then an IBS diagnosis will be made.

Further to this, the IBS sub-type will be classified as either:

IBS-C (constipation predominant)IBS-D (diarrhoea predominant)IBS-M (mixed)

TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF IBS

There is currently no cure for IBS, however specific therapeutic diets, stress management, good quality sleep, plus exercise can significantly help in managing symptoms. One such therapeutic diet is the low FODMAP diet.

The low FODMAP diet is a specific eating plan that has proven to relieve symptoms in more than 75% of people suffering from IBS.

THE LOW FODMAP DIET

The word FODMAP is an acronym that stands for Fermentable Oligiosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. These are all specific types of carbohydrates that resist digestion, end up in the large intestine, and are rapidly fermented by bacteria. When FODMAPs are fermented, gases are produced that can trigger IBS symptoms. Further to this, FODMAPs can have an osmotic effect in the gut, meaning they can draw water into the digestive tract resulting in further symptoms, such as loose stools.

The low FODMAP diet is currently the best treatment for IBS management.

The low FODMAP diet consists of THREE phases:

Extra considerations for the low FODMAP diet

Is it highly recommended that you work with a qualified Dietitian (APD) who specialises in gut health and the low FODMAP diet. This is because of the complexity of the diet and challenge phase, as well as nutritional requirements that can be altered during the diet. Particular nutritional requirements that can become compromised include fibre, prebiotics, calcium and iron, as well as overall nutritional quality.

Numerous studies have shown that diets high in meats and processed foods result in increased gut inflammation as well as significantly disrupt the health of the gut microbiota. Typically, these types of diets are also low in plant foods... those that are high in fibre and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Further to this, diets high in processed foods often contain a very limited variety of foods, impacting on nutrient adequacy.

Ultimately, all of these above factors affect the amounts and diversity of good gut bacteria species, meaning they compromise the gut microbiota.

A COMPROMISED GUT MICROBIOTA

A compromised gut microbiota can promote obesity, numerous digestive conditions, including constipation, abdominal discomfort, diverticular disease, irritable bowel syndrome and colorectal cancer, as well as many other chronic health diseases.

PLANT-BASED WHOLEFOODS

In contrast to diets high in animal products and processed foods, an eating pattern that incorporates mostly plant-based wholefoods favours good gut health, particularly via its way of enriching gut microbiota diversity. This is paramount because your gut microbiota health is essential for your whole body to function properly.

When you have good gut health, your microbiota carry out a number of very important roles within your digestive tract. These include:

Assisting with food digestionSynthesising certain vitamins and short chain fatty acidsProviding numerous immune functions, including fighting off pathogens (e.g. when gastroenteritis hits), reducing inflammation and stimulating the body’s internal immune system to switch on.

The more varied your diet is in plant-based wholefoods, the more fibre, phytonutrients, prebiotics and probiotics you will receive... all of which support the growth and functioning of a

healthy gut microbiota.

PREBIOTICS

Prebiotics are a special type of fibre that resist digestion, end up in your large intestine and feed your gut bacteria. Essentially they fuel your gut bacteria, allow them to thrive and in turn perform their numerous beneficial functions. When your gut bacteria digest prebiotics fermentation occurs and a very beneficial fatty acid called butyrate is produced. Butyrate fuels your colon cells and enhances your digestive system.

PROBIOTICS

Probiotics are live micro-organisms, such as bacteria and yeast, which, when consumed in adequate amounts, confer health benefits on the host (i.e. the person consuming them). Benefits can include:

Reduction of potentially pathogenic (harmful) gut microorganismsReduction of gastro-intestinal discomfortStrengthening of the immune systemImprovement of the skin’s functionImproved bowel-movement regularityDecreased body pathogensReduced flatulence (farting) and bloatingProtection from oxidative damageMaintenance of gut microflora during antibiotic treatment

A VARIED PLANT-BASED DIET

A varied plant-based diet improves gut health via:

Delivering a rich supply of fibre, prebiotics, probiotics, vitamins, polyphenols and anti-inflammatory foods that promote digestive health.Fuelling the growth of good gut bacteria, including increased bacterial specie diversity.Increasing the structural and functional capacity of the digestive system through providing the right mix of nutrients that support gut integrity and maintain gut muscle strength.Preventing the development and progression of digestive conditions and chronic conditions.Limiting/excluding gastric irritants, including alcohol, refined sugars, preservatives and animal foods that can negatively alter the composition of good and bad gut bacteria.

A LIST OF SPECIFIC PLANT FOODS FOR GOOD GUT HEALTH...

PROBIOTIC FOODS

SauerkrautKimchiKombucha teaTempehMiso

PREBIOTIC FOODS

LegumesOnionGarlicLeekGreen bananasArtichokeCabbageAsparagusOatsCashewsPistachiosBeetrootBarleyWheat

In Australia, at this point in time, you will find that: 2 in 3 adults are overweight or obese; 1 in 4 children are overweight or obese; nearly 300 people will develop diabetes today and every coming day; and one person will die from cardiovascular disease every 12 minutes, which is more than 40,000 people dying from this disease every year.

Obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease are resulting in people living shorter lives, and evidently, diet is the predominant risk factor behind the development and progression of these conditions. In particular, standard Western diets high in refined carbohydrates, sugars, animal foods, sodium and unhealthy fats are to blame.

PLANT-BASED

Plant-based diets have been associated with increased life expectancy. This is likely related to their incredible nutrient profile, comprising rich amounts of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants, as well as minimal amounts of saturated fats, sugars and sodium. Also, the low energy density of plant-based foods often results in calorie deficit. This is significant, because more and more research is showing that a low-calorie lifestyle could prolong health into old age and possibly even extend life. Mechanisms behind this are not fully understood yet, but likely involve alterations in energy metabolism, oxidative damage, insulin sensitivity, inflammation and functional changes.

BLUE ZONES

Further to this, studies have shown that specific geographical locations around the world, whose populations follow plant-based diets, have higher proportions of centenarians (people living past 100 years old) as well as people living past the age of 90. These locations are referred to as the Blue zones, and include Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Loma Linda (California), Ikaria (Greece) and the Nicoya Penisula (Costa Rica).

A meta-analysis performed on 154 dietary surveys from these five Blue Zones found that 95% of 100 year olds ate plant-based diets, including plenty of beans and whole grains.

MORE RESEARCH

Numerous other studies have found that those consuming generous amounts of vegetables receive a rich supply of vitamin C and polyphenols, which are both potent antioxidants. These nutrients reduce oxidative damage and dampen inflammation in the body, in turn reducing disease risk.

It is well known that plant-based foods are rich in fibre and potassium; both of these assist in protecting cardiovascular health. This is seen in Elderly people from the Blue Zones, who have impressively young and clean arteries, low cholesterol, low homocysteine levels and low blood free radical levels, compared to the average Westerner. All of these factors promote a healthy cardiovascular system, reduce the affects of ageing and increase life expectancy.

Another major study, known as The Nurses Health Study, evaluated the relation between dietary patterns and all-cause mortality (death) among 72,113 women. The study found that those following a predominantly plant-based diet (high intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains) compared to a typical Western diet (high intakes of red meat, processed meat, refined grains, chips and sweets) had a 17% lower risk of total mortality. Which means a 17% lower risk of dying early.

CONCLUSION

Over and over again it has been concluded that dietary patterns associated with longevity emphasise a high intake of fruits and vegetables and a low intake of saturated fat, meats, refined grains, sweets and full fat dairy. All of these nutritional factors characterise a plant-based diet.

Therefore, eating mostly plants is likely to add years to your life and life to your years.

Inflammation is the underlying mechanism that initiates and exacerbates majority of disease, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, autoimmune conditions, allergies, inflammatory bowel disease, mental health conditions and many more. Chronic inflammation also impedes recovery and can increase the risk for further injuries.

What is inflammation?

When you cut or injury yourself, you will experience pain, redness, heat and swelling. These are all signs and symptoms of inflammation. Basically your body’s immune system is responding to an irritation. Many different immune cells can be involved and when switched on (react to an irritation), they release various substances known as inflammatory mediators. Some of these include the hormones histamine and bradykinin, which act to cause your blood vessels to dilate, allowing for more blood flow to the injured site. This is why the area gets red and feels hot. Extra blood flow results in more immune cells being carried to the injured tissue, where they help with the healing process. Histamine and bradykinin also irritate nerves, which is why you feel pain. Pain can be useful because it generally makes you protect the affected part of your body (e.g. twisted ankle... limping).

Furthermore, different immune cells leak out into the affected tissue, which causes more fluid to follow, resulting in swelling.

In summary, inflammation is a function of our immune system and is a response to cellular injury, characterised by:

increased blood flowblood vessel dilationimmune cell (leukocyte) infiltrationproduction of chemical mediators that help to remove toxins and repair damaged tissue

Inflammation is your friend, but can also be your enemy…

Inflammation is an essential part of your immune system, defending your body against foreign invaders, as well as helping with healing, however... when inflammation is chronic (long-lasting), it can result in ongoing damage to your bodies cells, tissues, organs and whole body systems.

Chronic low-grade inflammation is a pathological feature of a number of chronic conditions, including metabolic syndrome (obesity, high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, low healthy cholesterol levels and insulin resistance), fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It is also likely behind a number of other diseases before and after they develop, including obesity and cancer.

Gut health and inflammation

Your gastrointestinal tract contains trillions of bacteria cells, which outnumber your body cells by a factor of 10 to 1, and contain approximately 150 times as many genes as your genome (all the genes in your body). These gut bacteria are referred to as the microbiota and they influence your health in a number of significant ways. For example, they play a big role in your immune function via promoting the development and maintenance of your gut mucosal immune system, which in turn protects you against invading pathogens (bad bugs). Your microbiota also maintain your gastrointestinal tract barrier integrity; this is the thin lining that separates your digestive tract and your internal body.

Ongoing research is continuously showing that gut microbiota health (richness and gene expression diversity) is significantly altered as we get older, as well as with weight gain.

The more excess body fat you carry, the more you can compromise your gut microbiota's health.

Further to this, a number of studies have demonstrated that a high-fat-low-fibre diet is strongly associated with increased gut permeability, endotoxaemia and adipose tissue inflammation. In lay-mans terms this means that if you eat lots of fatty processed foods, and little plant-based wholefoods, your gut lining can become more permeable (aka leaky). This way of eating also results in the growth of undesirable bacteria (e.g. Proteobacteria: E.Coli) and the generation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS); a potent inflammatory stimulant and endotoxin. Increased LPS production combined with increased permeability of the gut lining, results in more LPS moving (leaking) through the gut wall and into the body's circulation, ultimately triggering low-grade systemic inflammation.

Food and Inflammation

We confidently know that inflammation is behind every illness and every disease. We also know that inflammation can cause chronic pain, slow our healing and recovery, as well as make us more vulnerable to injury and illness. Further to this, inflammation can influence us to gain weight more easy and likely makes losing weight much harder.

What you eat can be the difference between promoting inflammation (pro-inflammatory), or reducing/preventing excess inflammation (anti-inflammatory). To manage disease, recovery or prevent illness, below are some general tips to follow for anti-inflammatory eating:

Eat a plant-based wholefoods dietEat lots of high fibre foodsEat foods rich in polyphenolsLimit/avoid processed foodsLimit/avoid unhealthy fats (saturated, trans and oxidized fats)

FOODS THAT INFLAME... avoid

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pastriesFried foodsSoft drink and other sugar-sweetened beveragesRed meat (burgers, steaks)Processed meat (hot dogs, sausages, deli meats)Refined oils (margarines, some vegetable oils)

FOODS THAT COMBAT INFLAMMATION... eat more of

TomatoesExtra Virgin Olive oilNuts, such as almonds, macadamias and walnutsFatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and sardinesFruits, particularly blueberries, cherries, strawberries and oranges

A plant-based diet will significantly help to prevent, manage and potentially reverse a number of chronic health conditions, including Obesity, Cardiovascular disease, High blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes.

Many early deaths caused by the above mentioned chronic diseases are preventable and nutrition-related. The most crucial dietary risks for the above mentioned chronic diseases are typical Western diets that are low in fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and high in processed meats, sodium, refined carbohydrates, trans fats and saturated fats. These nutritional characteristics, or lack of, support the development of chronic disease, as well as significantly impact on their progression, as well as general well-being.

Plant-based wholefoods

On the contrary, a wholefoods plant-based diet is low in the above mentioned harmful nutritional factors, as well as rich in health promoting fibre, potassium, magnesium, folate, Vitamin C, polpyphenols and numerous other beneficial nutrients, including antioxidants; all of which support optimal health, as well as protect against the development of chronic health conditions.

Plant-based diets are associated with:

Lowering overall mortality (death)Lowering Ischaemic Heart Disease mortalityReducing medication needsSupporting sustainable weight managementReducing the incidence and severity of health risk conditionsReducing the incidence and severity of obesity Reversing obesityReducing inflammatory markersReducing high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia)Reducing high blood pressure (hypertension)Reducing high blood cholesterol/triglyceride levels (hyperlipidaemia)Reversing advanced cardiovascular diseaseReversing/reducing the severity of type 2 diabetes

These above benefits are likely due to the consistent consumption of health promoting compounds found in plant foods, as well as the exclusion/reduction of exposure to harmful components found in both processed foods and excess animal products.

Some of the harmful components found in typical Western diets (processed foods and excess animal products) include:

Saturated fatsHaem ironN-glycolneuramic acid (Neu5Gc)Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbonsHeterocyclic aminesAdvanced glycation end productsSaltsSugarsRefined oilsHigh calorie density

These constituents contribute to inflammation, oxidation and carcinogenesis, promoting both weight gain and disease development.

In comparison, plant foods support health.

For example, plants contain two very essential nutrients, fibre and phytonutrients. Fibre is found in various forms (e.g. soluble, insoluble & prebiotics) in all plant foods, and delivers numerous protective mechanisms for the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system and immune system. Phytonutrients are a class of thousands of different compounds, including carotenoids, flavonoids and glucosinolates. Phytonutrients work synergistically to reduce inflammation and oxidation, which in turn protects the body from disease initiation and progression.

Eating a wholefoods plant-based diet is your best bet for chronic disease prevention, as well as overall health and well-being. Plus it's the biggest thing you can personally do to protect the earths health, and slow climate change.

You are actually more than you.

You literally have trillions of guests living on you and in you, and most of them should be benefiting your health. By guests I mean microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, archaea and viruses. Of these, we seem to know the most about bacteria, particularly where they live and how they influence your gut health.

It has been estimated that there are about 100 trillion bacteria in your body, with hundreds of different species residing in your gut. Some say theres up to 2kg worth of bacteria found in your large intestine alone.

These gut bacteria, also known as the gut microbiota, deliver us a number of benefits, including:

Assist with further food digestionProduce certain vitamins and fatty acids (that are essential for health)Defend against invading pathogensPlay a major role in our immune functionReduce our risk from chronic disease (including obesity)As well as many many other functions

Your gut is unique

Each individual person has a unique gut microbiota profile, meaning they have varying types and amounts of certain bacteria, plus their certain bacteria act in different ways.

Basically for you, your gut microbiota is unique, just like your fingerprint.

No two fingerprints are the same, nor are two gut microbiotas.

There are a number of factors that influence our gut microbiota variations, and these variations are pre-dominantly founded early in life, particularly during and after birth. This is a significant point, which should not be skimmed over.

During pregnancy, your mothers health played a major role in how your gut microbiota was going to develop, and from the point of birth until about the age of 2 or 3, your gut microbiota was basically set. In other words, after the age of 2 or 3, your gut microbiota foundations have been ingrained, and in essence, it can't really be changed all too much.

Some of the factors that influence the variations in each individuals gut microbiota include:

Gestational age (pre-term birth or full-term birth)Mode of delivery (vaginal delivery or C-section)Types of feeding (breast-fed or formula fed)Weaning period (cessation of breastfeeding and introduction to solids)Environmental factors (e.g. antibiotic use, pet-ownership, outdoor exposure, siblings)

Later on in adult life, other factors can also influence the variations in our gut microbiota, but not as much. These include:

Body mass index (healthy weight verse underweight or overweight)Diet (e.g. fibre content, prebiotics, probiotics, high fat, high protein, nutrient adequacy, hydration)Exercise and physical activityDietary patternsEnvironmental factors (e.g. antibiotic use, pet-ownership, outdoor exposure, human contact)

The variations between our unique gut microbiota profiles are considered physiological, meaning they can either fmpact on our health and influence the onset of illness and disease.

If you would like more detailed information on this, please send me a message.

Worldwide, agriculture accounts for more than 70% of water usage, and it's in the highest category for energy-use. Each year, about 2.3 million tonnes of pesticides is used for agriculture, and more than 180 million tonnes of fertiliser is used. In relation to land use, more than 30% of the earths (ice-free) land surface is taken up to produce food, of which about 70% is used for livestock production.

This outrageously high use of the earths resources is already well over capacity, burdening our planet, contributing largely to climate change, and of biggest concern, is getting worse. The world population is set to grow by a few billion people by 2050, with each extra person putting stress on increased food production and therefore extra use of the earths resources.

It has been estimated that about 2 billion people worldwide live primarily on a meat-based diet and about 4 billion people worldwide live primarily on a plant-based diet. In the United States alone, the average person eats around 125kg of meat per year. In relation, the energy costs to produce this amount of meat is substantial.

It takes about 4 calories of fossil fuels to produce just 1 calorie of chicken protein. For cows milk, it takes 10 calories, and of most significance, it takes 57 and 40 calories, to produce just 1 calorie of lamb and beef protein, respectively. This means these animals need to consume excessively high amounts of calories to produce very small amounts of protein calories in return. For example, to produce 1kg of animal protein, the animal needs to consume about 6kg of plant protein.

On average, to produce 1 calorie of:

Animal protein - it takes 25 calories of fossil fuel energyGrain protein - it takes 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy (10 times less)

Looking at these numbers, you can see that animal/meats require significantly more resources, including land, water, fuel, fertiliser and pesticides, than that plant foods. Furthermore, to raise livestock, excessive amounts of manure is produced along the way. Manure is a major contributor to green-house gas emissions.

Significantly, the worldwide production of meat tripled to over 600 billion pounds from 1971 to 2010. At this rate, production is predicted to double by 2050. That’s 1.2 trillion pounds of meat per year, which ultimately will require excess land use, extreme amounts of water, fuel, pesticides and fertilisers, resulting in detrimental impacts to the earth.

A recent study...

On the 1st of June 2018, a very large study was published on the environmental affects of food. The study analysed the environmental impacts of over 38,000 farms from around the world and found that limiting or avoiding meat and dairy foods from one’s diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by more than 70%. Further to this, the study showed that if everyone stopped eating meat and dairy foods, global farmland could be reduced by up to 75%.

Conclusion

If you limit or avoid the consumption of animal products, this delivers far better environmental benefits than cutting your use of electricity, taking fewer flights overseas, or even buying and driving an electric car.

To put these actions into numbers, it has been calculated that if everyone in the United States of America ate a vegetarian diet, it would be the equivalent of taking more than 46 million cars off the road. Imagine if the whole world did this!

Eat for health, eat for earth, eat more plants.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Hippocrates, father of medicine, 431B.C

Cultures around the world have been reporting on the healing properties of food for millennia. Although often feasible, these benefits have not been backed up by solid scientific evidence pretty much until the last few decades.

With the invention of nutrition science, clinical research has finally been able to show, understand and conclude how individual foods deliver their numerous beneficial health effects. Through observing specific nutrient(s) and phytochemical pathways, researchers have been able to unwrap and analyse the properties of individual foods and in turn, show how their proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fibres, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals therapeutically act on the human body. In other words, how food enhances health, or degrades it.

POOR DIET = NUTRIENT EXCESSES & DEFICIENCIES

We know that nutrient deficiencies and excesses from a poor diet are linked to majority of health conditions today. For example:

HIGH intakes of:

Calories is linked to obesitySodium is linked to high blood pressureRefined starches is linked to fatty liverAlcohol is linked to fatty liverSaturated fats is linked to heart diseaseSugars is linked to high blood glucose levels (i.e. diabetes)Processed carbohydrates is linked to gut issues

LOW intakes of:

Iron cause anemiaIodine cause thyroid issuesVitamin B12 impairs brain functionCalcium impairs bone healthVitamin A causes eye damageMagnesium affects energy levelsFibre causes digestive issuesFolate causes growth problemsZinc impairs appetiteHealthy fats cause skin conditions

NUTRIGENOMICS

Nutrigenomics is a fairly new science that looks at the interaction of nutrition and genes; specifically how nutrition impacts on the prevention and treatment of disease. Basically it is the scientific study of analysing how certain nutrients and dietary patterns affect the expression of certain genes in our bodies, particularly those genes related to health conditions and diseases. Numerous studies have demonstrated that macronutrients (e.g. fatty acids and proteins), micronutrients (e.g. vitamins) and naturally occurring phytochemicals (e.g. flavonoids, carotenoids, coumarins, and phytosterols), as well as long chain fatty acids (e.g. EPA and DHA) regulate gene expression in numerous ways. For example, the phytonutrients Genistein (found in fava beans and soy foods) and Resveratrol (found in red grapes and wine) are ligands (molecule binders) for transcription factors (involved in DNA replication), and thus directly alter the expression of genes. Which means they affect the switching on of certain genes that perform particular functions in your body.

PHYTONUTRIENTS

Phytonutrients refers to a class of compounds produced by plants. It has been estimated that there are up to 4000 different phytonutrients out there, with each coming from different plant sources and having different proposed beneficial effects on the body. Phytonutrients are found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. By eating a variety of plant-based foods, specifically a variety of colors, you will provide your body with a variety of beneficial compounds, including vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. The following are particular types of phytonutrients and their proposed benefits:

Now that's food medicine.

Be proactive and not reactive.

Eat more plants.

Recently I was interviewed by TEN DAILY on the topic of returning to exercise after having a cold or flu. Here is a short transcript from the interview...

How do we know when we’re ready to return to exercise after a minor illness such as a cold or flu?

The key is to really listen to your body and be mindful about how it feels before getting back into exercise.Hard exercise puts your body under stress and if you’re unwell, your body is already under stress trying to fight off the infection. Heavy exercise can therefore compromise your immune system if it’s still fighting the infection, and your cold or flu can get worse and last for longer.There is no set rule for when to return to exercise after a cold or flu, so listening to your body is the best approach. One method that can be applied is to consider whether your symptoms are above your neck (e.g. runny nose and watery eyes) or below your neck (e.g. cough, congested, fever, GI symptoms or muscle aches). In general, if your symptoms are above your neck and you feel okay, it’s likely your fine to do some light to moderate exercise, however if your symptoms are below your neck, give exercising a miss and let your body rest and recover.As you start to feel better, ease back into your workouts and build up the intensity and duration over a number of workouts and days.

How should we go about getting back into it – slowly, lighter weights, less intensity?

If you’ve been unwell for a long period of time, it’s smart to ease back into your workouts very slowly. Basically the longer you have been unwell, the longer you should take to ease back into your specific exercises.Start with light to moderate intensity exercises like walking, cycling, swimming, Tai Chi and yoga, for shorter periods of time (~10-30mins). Again, listen to your body during and after each work out. If you’re feeling good, aim to slowly increase the duration of time and intensity each day.High intensity exercises like heavy strength training, HIIT, endurance training and team sports should be avoided when getting back into it after a bout of the flu or common cold.

What are some signs that we’ve gone back to exercise too soon? Is it dangerous?

Getting back into exercise too soon after being unwell can reduce your immune response and potentially worsen and lengthen your illness.When you’re unwell, your heart rate is generally higher than normal, due to dehydration and/or fever. Exercising at a high intensity can push your heart rate even higher, which can increase your risk for feeling light headed and fainting. It can also even induce an irregular heart rhythm.Some signs to look out for include, shortness of breath, higher than normal resting heart rate, the light headed feeling, and general low energy.

Eating a plant-based diet does not just mean avoiding animal products and processed foods. It's overarching aim is to get you to increase the nutrient density of your diet, via consuming a variety of delicious wholefoods.

Majority of the benefits from following a plant-based diet actually comes from what you end up eating more of, not so much what you end up excluding. And although this is a very healthy way of eating, it needs to planned well to ensure that you get all of your nutrient needs.

Below are some major tips to help you meet key nutrient needs on a plant-base diet...

TIP 1. – GET YOUR PROTEIN

You actually get more protein from plants than you think.

Although most plants contain some protein, there are particular types that contain richer amounts. Also, a lot of protein rich plant foods also contain good amounts of iron and zinc! Aim to include one or more of these at each of your main meals:

Legumes – beans, lentils, peas (e.g. chickpeas, borlotti beans, black beans, kidney beans)Soy foods – tofu, tempeh, edamame, and/or soy milkNuts – whole nuts and/or nut butters (e.g. peanut, almond, macadamia)Seeds – whole seeds (e.g. pepitas, chia seeds and flaxseeds) and seed pastes (e.g. tahini)

Example meal & snack ideas

Add a cup of canned chickpeas to: curries, salads, stir-fryAdd nuts & seeds to: salads, breakfast cereals, stir-fries, smoothiesAdd tofu or tempeh to: curries, stir-fries, nourish bowls, burgers, rice paper rollsSnack on: dry biscuits with almond butter, nuts hummus & carrots, edamameSip on: smoothies with tahini, chia seeds and soy milk

TIP 2. – YOU STILL NEED CALCIUM, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DRINK COWS MILK

Cows get their calcium from plants and so can you.

Calcium is essential for more than just strong bones and teeth; it plays a role in nerve signalling, muscle contraction and relaxation, and keeping a normal heartbeat.

If you’re avoiding dairy foods and/or following a plant-based diet, it is imperative that you consume the following calcium rich foods:

Unhulled tahiniCalcium set tofuGreens: spinach, broccoli, bok choy and collard greensAlmonds and brazil nutsChia and sesame seedsTofu and tempeh

Example meal & snack ideas

Add tofu to salads, curries and nourish bowlsAdd greens such as kale, broccoli and spinach to you salads or strir-fryAdd fortified plant milks to your cereal, coffee, or smoothiesAdd baby spinach, tahini, banana and fortified plant milk to make a calcium rich smoothieSnack on almonds

TIP 3. – ADDING VITAMIN C RICH FOODS WILL HELP YOU ABSORB MORE IRON

Certain plant foods contain good amounts of iron, however it comes in a form known as ‘non-heam’ iron. This type of iron is not absorbed as well as the type you get from animal foods (haem-iron).

But here’s the good news...

If you eat something that is rich in vitamin C alongside your plant based iron food, it will enhance the absorption of the non-haem iron, by up to 6 fold.

That’s up to 6 times more non-haem iron being absorbed… just by adding Vitamin C foods to your meal.

On average, most people do consume vitamin C rich foods with their meals.

An easy way to get your vitamin C is by eating bright coloured fruits and vegetables.

For example, combine the following with your iron rich plant foods:

Tempeh (contains non-haem iron) + red capsicum (vitamin C)Chickpeas (contain non-haem iron) + parsley & tomato (vitamin C)Quinoa (contains non-haem iron) + green leafy vegetables (vitamin C)Lemon (vitamin C) - squirt it over your plant-based meal

Recently I was interviewed by Evolve Organics on the topic of gut health, here is a short transcript from the interview...

What is one common mistake people generally make when it comes to gut health?

More is better.

Often when people first learn about the fantastic benefits of good gut health, they can sometimes find themselves over doing it with supplements and fermented foods. If you don’t have any digestive issues it is unlikely you need a probiotic supplement. Furthermore, you don’t need to drink copious amounts of kombucha or eat a bowl of sauerkraut each day to optimise your gut health.

Keeping it nice and simple can likely be the best place to start. Eat more plants and consume small amounts of fermented foods each day.

If you have intolerances, seek professional advise from an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) who specialises in this area.

In my judgement, prebiotics are much more important than probiotics. Prebiotics are the parts of plant foods that promote the activity and growth of good bacteria in your gut. You can get plenty of prebiotics by eating a variety of plant-based wholefoods.

For a list of prebiotic foods, check out one of my earlier blogs here.

The gut can be responsible for a variety of different health problems, is that right? What are some of the common health issues that can actually be resolved by first healing the gut?

Poor eating and unhealthy lifestyle habits can result in poor gut health, and in turn, poor gut health can be responsible for a number of health problems including: abdominal discomfort, constipation, diarrhoea, low energy, poor immune function, sugar cravings, skin rashes, low mood, nutritional inadequacies, and so on.

Long term poor gut health can also potentially set you up for certain diseases like chronic constipation, diverticular disease and colorectal cancer.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder that affects around 1 in 5 Australians. Although IBS does not have a known cure, symptoms can be significantly improved and managed via eliminating certain triggers, such as fermentable carbohydrate foods (aka FODMAPs).

Gastro-oesophagel-reflux-disease (GORD), commonly referred to as reflux or heartburn, occurs when acid from the stomach leaks into the oesophagus (food pipe). This can cause a severe burning sensation, and if not managed over time can result in ulcers, strictures and may even cause pre-cancerous cells. By eliminating trigger foods like alcohol, spicy foods, caffeine and fatty foods, you may be able to ameliorate or significantly reduce the severity of your reflux.

Coeliac Disease is a condition caused by an abnormal immune response to gluten; a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. If someone with coeliac disease consumes gluten, the villi in their small intestine are damaged, inflamed and flattened. This results in a number of symptoms and affects the absorption of certain nutrients. By following a strict gluten-free diet, the villi in the intestinal tract will heal, symptoms will likely dissipate and nutrient absorption will return to normal.

What are a few of your all time favourite foods you would recommend for good gut health?

I will start by saying, just eat more plant foods... those that are high in fibre including wholegrains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, are particularly essential for good gut health, gut bacteria health and overall body health.

Here are five foods that I would recommend to the general population:

The term plant-based is a word used to describe a diet that focuses on real, unprocessed plant foods, including vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fruits, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices, as well as small amounts of plant oils (e.g. extra virgin olive oil).

Animal foods, including meats, seafood, chicken, eggs and dairy, are kept to a minimal or completely excluded.

Highly processed foods, such as white sugars, white/refined flours and highly-refined oils are also completely excluded.

Plant-based diets are rich in fibre, water and antioxidants, all of which promote healthy digestion through a number of physiological processes.

Digestive muscle contractions are critical for the digestive process known as peristalsis. This is the bodily function that crushes your food into smaller amounts and pushes it through the various sections of your digestive tract, allowing for proper digestion, as well as efficient stool transit.

BY CONSUMING A PLANT-BASED DIET that includes a variety of plant-based wholefoods, you will not only be obtaining rich amounts of fibre, water, antioxidants and magnesium, all of which support optimal digestion, but you will also be limiting/avoiding animal and processed foods that can hinder digestion and increase the risk of digestive conditions.

EAT MORE PLANTS.

Body Mass Index, or BMI, is a measure used to approximate the amount of body fat you have. This measure can help to predict your health status, risk for developing chronic disease, as well as lifespan.

To workout your BMI, you will need to know your height in metres and your weight in kilograms.

Calculating your BMI

BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)2

For example, for a person who weighs 75kg and is 1.8m high:

BMI = 75 / (1.8 x 1.8)

BMI = 23.1

What does your BMI mean?

BMIClassification

< 18.5 Underweight

18.5 – 24.9 Healthy weight range

25 – 29.9 Overweight

> 30 Obese

But what does this mean?

BMI is an approximate measure of your total body fat and although your waist circumference is a better predictor for health risks at an individual level, BMI provides good health guidance at a population level.

In general, an increase in BMI is caused by an increase in body fat, which in turn increases the risk for poor health and certain conditions. For example, being overweight increases your risk for Cardiovascular disease, Osteoarthritis and Type 2 Diabetes, and being Obese increases the risk for these conditions even more.

Exceptions to the BMI rule

If you contain a lot of muscle mass, are very tall or very short, have particular disabilities, or are from certain ethnic groups, then the BMI tool for estimating fat mass is not super accurate. Which means its classification system (e.g. underweight, healthy, overweight) will not be suitable for people from these groups.

For example, a lot of body builders are classified as overweight, however body builders have very little body fat. Hence the BMI tool for this group is not valid.

BMI... a very useful tool

Despite the few mentioned exceptions, BMI is a very useful tool for predicting health status, as well as health risks. Majority of people in the overweight BMI range are at increased risk, or suffer from, more health problems than those in the healthy BMI range. This risk is even more so significant for those who are Obese.

Although BMI is a useful tool…

I have always believed that your health behaviors are more important than your BMI range. If you eat well (mostly plant-based wholefoods), exercise daily, get good quality sleep, manage your stress and get some sun each day, these behaviours are working strongly in your health's favour.

1. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule

Going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time each day sets your body’s internal clock to expect sleep at a certain time every night, as well as wake up at a certain time. This can help you to fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer and wake up more rested.

2. Get some sun everyday

Regular sun exposure is key to regulating your daily sleep patterns. Aim for at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day, ideally in the morning time. Best practise is to wake up at sunrise, get some sun and aim to go to bed a few hours after sunset.

3. Develop a relaxing bedtime routine

A relaxing bedtime routine, such as light reading, listening to music or meditating, right before going to bed is a recommended practise for conducing better sleep. As opposed to stimulating activities such as working, studying or watching television.

4. Limit your screen time

Phones, ipads, computers and televisions all emit blue light, a type of light that promotes wakefulness, even more so than natural light. Aim to avoid screens for at least 1-2 hours prior to going to bed and instead practise your relaxing bedtime routine.

5. Avoid caffeine after 2pm (or for 8 hours prior to going to bed)

Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, energy/soft drinks and chocolate. Caffeine wakes us up and increases our mental alertness by blocking adenosine hormones binding to receptors in the brain. Generally high levels of adenosine result in sleepiness.

Caffeine is a stimulant and takes up to 8 hours to get out of our systems. If you normally go to bed at 10pm, aim to have your last coffee before 2pm, as well as be mindful to avoid foods/drinks containing caffeine at night-time.

6. Avoid alcohol (or at least excess alcohol)

Although alcohol is a depressant that can help you fall asleep faster, it generally leads to poorer quality sleep later on in the night. This is because it disrupts circadian rhythms, blocks deep and REM sleep (the restorative type of sleep), as well as acts as a diuretic, causing you to get up more during the night to go pee.

7. Sleep hygiene

Light plays a major role in regulating your circadian rhythms. Aim to keep your room as dark as possible. Also aim to keep your bedroom free of screens and unnatural sounds (e.g. clocks or buzzing chargers). Another major factor for restful sleep is bedroom temperature. Ideally aim for a bedroom temperature between 16 to 20 degrees celsius

As for your bed, it’s something you are going to spend a lot of your life in, and therefore its very worthwhile investing in a good comfortable bed, as well as comfortable sheets and pillows.

8. Exercise

Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. Doing your exercise outside will also help to expose you to more natural light, as well as provide you with more Vitamin D. Those who exercise daily, tend to sleep better at night.

9. Nutrients and supplements

One such nutrient that may assist sleep is magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that has over 300 chemical functions within the body. One of its roles involves activating your parasympathetic nervous system, the system involved in relaxing and calming your body. It also regulates melatonin, the major hormone involved in your sleep-wake cycle. Magnesium has even been found to result in better quality sleep, not just assisting in falling asleep. Furthermore, studies show that insufficient magnesium intake is linked to sleep problems.

Foods rich in magnesium include seeds, nuts, legumes and leafy greens.

A magnesium supplement may be useful for some people, however before taking any supplement, it is advised to consult with your Dietitian or Doctor.

“Sleep is the best meditation.” – Dalai Lama

We spend more than a 1/3 of our life sleeping, and just like food, water and oxygen, it is essential for good health. Sleep helps to restore ourselves physically, as well as organise mental things (e.g. memories) in our brain. Basically it's required for our body and mind to function normally and therefore without it, we cannot function optimally. Sleep also helps to keep our immune systems strong, our hearts healthy, allows us to grow and heal, helps to control appetite and weight, as well as plays a major role in our attention, memory and learning.

The benefits of good sleep

During sleep your body sorts and stores information from the day, which is particularly important for consolidating long term memories for later use. Your body also releases a number of different hormones, including growth hormone, which helps your body to repair and grow. Cortisol, referred to as the stress hormone, decreases during the first few hours of sleep then increases to peak just after we wake up; this helps to get us perky for the day, as well as stimulates our appetite. Sleep also gives our sympathetic nervous system (SNS) a rest, which is your ‘fight and flight’ response that is active during the day, over stimulating your SNS can lead to burn out, which is another reason why sleep is so important. Beyond sleep allowing our body to repair and function properly, it also enhances our brains capacity, including it’s ability to comprehend, remember, judge and experience joy and satisfaction. Thus sleep is an essential part of life, as well as a keystone habit for healthy behaviours. Good sleep rolls into healthy habits across the day. Below you will find some tips for better sleep.

Sleep deprivation

Lack of sleep can cause fatigue, poor memory and poor concentration, mood disturbances, poor judgement and poor physical coordination. It has also been linked to weight gain, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even premature death. Further to this, sleep deprivation is linked to higher risk taking, reduced productivity and poorer lifestyle habits, such as unhealthy eating and inadequate exercise.

Your body clock

Your body has an internal clock that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. This clock is dependent on the amount of light that you are exposed to daily, particularly sun light. After sun-set, your brain releases hormones (particularly melatonin) that make you tired, however in the morning, when you're exposed to light, these hormones are suppressed, and different chemicals are released from the brain to keep you awake.

Before electricity people slept around 10 hours per night; they basically slept between sunset and sunrise. However today, sleep deprivation is very common, with the average adult sleeping for (maybe) six to seven hours each night. Mobile phones, the internet, television, netflix, being a parent, shift work, travelling, illness, medications and poor sleep habits are major culprits taxing our sleep. And so, if you're not getting enough sleep, or not sleeping well, here's what you can do...

Eating a variety of plant-based foods rich in particular vitamins, minerals and other specific compounds is a very effective way to help improve skin conditions as well as improve general skin health; including its look and feel. When considering skin health, it is important to understand that skin grows from the inside out, which means that it requires the right nutrition going in for proper growth, structure, protection and immunity.

Typical modern day diets

Typical modern day diets, defined by large intake of high G.I (glycemic index) carbohydrate foods (e.g. refined grains and cereals), high intakes of meats, and inadequate intakes of fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, have been associated with numerous skin conditions, including acne, psoriasis and dermatitis herpetiformis. This way of eating has also been associated with premature ageing of the skin, as well as poorer skin health in general.

Acne & pimples

Acne and pimples, caused by inflammation of the skin follicles, is an undesirable skin condition that is negatively influenced by consuming high G.I foods, for example refined breads, cereals, biscuits, juices and sugar sweetened drinks. When these types of foods are consumed they cause an increase in the release of Insulin and IGF-1; hormones that stimulate oily secretion (sebum) production, stimulate adrenal androgen synthesis, and increase the bioavailability of androgens; all of which influence acne. Hence, the more high G.I foods that are consumed the worse skin conditions, like acne, can get.

However studies show that altering the diet to include low GI carbohydrate foods and high amounts of plant foods (e.g. wholegrains, fruits, vegetables and legumes) can improve acne, reduces sebaceous glands and decreases inflammation... overall improving skin health.

Ageing skin

Skin ageing is characterised by the skin losing its elasticity and in turn sagging. These unfortunate processes are related to changes in the skins collagen and elastic fibres, which themselves are impacted by diet. In particular, the consumption of processed carbohydrates and sugars can accelerate the signs of ageing skin, as they promote cross-linking of collagen fibres. This cross-linking occurs through a process known as glycation, which is accelerated by a high consumption of refined carbohydrate foods. A high intake of refined carbohydrates (e.g. white breads, biscuits, sugary cereals, soft drink) causes blood glucose to elevate to high levels, and in turn increases the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). An increased accumulation of AGEs can lead to reduced elasticity of the skin, and therefore influence skin to sag and age quicker.

However, on an empowering note, consuming unrefined low G.I plant-based foods (e.g. vegetables, fruits, wholegrains and legumes) reduces glycation and the production of AGEs, which slows the ageing of skin, as well as improves its integrity. Further to this, research has found a number of specific plant foods that may inhibit the production of AGEs; these include, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and garlic.

Healthy eating, healthy skin

It is clear that typical modern day diets negatively influence skin health, both in the short and long term. However in comparison, plant-based diets, characterised by low G.I carbohydrate foods, healthy plant fats, and an abundance of micronutrients, antioxidants, phytochemicals and hydrating plant foods, support and improve the integrity and health of skin.

3 nutrients that are particularly important for skin health

Vitamin A, or retinol, is one of the most highly recognised nutrients for skin health. It influences the skins physiology by promoting epidermal differentiation, inhibiting sebaceous gland activity, suppressing the formation of androgens, and modulating dermal growth factors. These are all essential for good skin health. It also promotes cell turnover in the skin, which is important for preventing the progression of acne. If you do not get enough vitamin A in your diet your skin will become rough, dry and scaly.

Plant foods rich in Vitamin A include, dark green (spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce), yellow (squash, mango), orange (carrots, sweet potato, pumpkin, apricot,) and red (capsicum) vegetables and fruits.

Zinc is an essential mineral that assists with the proper structure of the proteins and cell membranes of the skin. It also participates in basal cell mitosis and differentiation (the production of new skin cells). Furthermore, zinc improves wound healing and protects the skin against ultra violet radiation. It is also known to influence the work of Vitmain A, by increasing its absorption, transportation around the body, as well as its utilisation. Hence zinc and vitamin A work closely together for good skin health. Zinc deficiency can result in dry skin, stretch marks, acne, eczema and poor wound healing.

Zinc rich plant foods include legumes, soy foods, green peas, mushrooms, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and nutritional yeast.

Vitamin C is found at high levels in both the outer layer (epidermis) and inner layer (dermis) of the skin. It has been known for quite some time to play a very important part in skin health, particularly via its crucial role in the body’s natural collagen synthesis. Collagen is required for the skins structural stability. On top of this, Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant, which helps to combat oxidative damage, reduces inflammation, as well as speeds up wound healing. Adequate vitamin C intake can also help to repair and prevent dry skin. A number of studies have also shown that diets high in Vitamin C are associated with less wrinkling and overall, better skin appearance. In contrast, diets low in Vitamin C, such as those low in fruit and vegetables, lead to poorer skin health. You may have heard of Scurvy? It’s a disease caused by a deficiency of Vitamin C, and it first manifests as rough, dry skin. Hence, this vitamin is integral for good skin health.

Vitamin C rich plant foods include plums, capsicum, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, brussels sprouts, coriander, basil, parsley, berries, kiwifruit and citrus fruits.

Often in the healthy eating world, we can get caught up focusing on single nutrients. For example, over the years the media have spewed out over-hyped claims on eating low fat, eating high protein, completely quitting sugar and even avoiding carbs. This notion is called reductionism, which refers to the practice of analysing and describing a complex phenomenon (nutrition) in terms of its simple or fundamental constituents (e.g. a single nutrient such as protein, fat or carbs).

We know that this practise of reductionism will not result in the optimal diet, nor will it result in optimal health.

In the past we have experienced the “low-fat” message, which sent consumers down a rabbit hole of focusing on low fat this, 99% fat-free that, resulting in an increased consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars, as well as a low intake of all fats, including the healthy ones. However because of nutrition science we know that not all fats are bad and that moderate amounts of the unsaturated types are actually really good for us. That is the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated types of fats, found in nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado and fish.

We then saw a mass push for avoiding all sugars, including the natural ones. Now this is a good idea on the most part (bar the natural ones), however because of nutrition science we know that the increased intake of whole fruits (natural sugars) is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease, as well as the delivery of an abundance of nutrients like vitamin C and fibre. Again showing that we cannot generalise healthy eating to just one single nutrient, nor can we condemn one single nutrient as the root of all nutrition evil.

At the moment, we are seeing lots of media and food marketing on “high-protein” foods. Yet again, singling out a particular nutrient to promote particular foods as healthy (or "the best"). Yes... protein is important, however a chocolate bar can be “high in protein”, but may also contain a bazilion unheard of ingredients, as well as no fibre. And so does its high protein status make it healthy? Not in my opinion.

The crux of this story is that no single nutrient will result in you feeling your best, nor will it fix all of your problems. Be wary of your food environment and what it is trying to sell you, wether it’s high in nutrient X or free of nutrient Y, the practise of focusing on single nutrients will not get you to a healthy you.

Instead…

Focus on a variety of good quality whole foods.

Eat mostly plants daily.

Enjoy your food.

Magnesium (Mg2+) may be one of the most underrated nutrients out there. This mineral plays such a significant role in literally hundreds of processes in your body, including energy production and hormone regulation... and crazy enough, a lot of people don't even come close to meeting their daily requirements. Below is a simple overview of this very, very essential nutrient.

Functions in your body

Magnesium plays a role in over 300 chemical reactions in your body. Some of these include:

protein formationmuscle movementsnervous system regulationenergy productionDNA synthesisblood glucose controlblood pressure controlhormone regulationmanagement of calcium stores (bone health)

Those at risk of low levels

Those eating a highly processed dietThose on a gluten free dietThose with diabetes / insulin resistanceThose with chronic diarrhoeaThose with malabsorptionThose with vitamin D deficiencyThose who sweat a lotThose with high stressThose who are pregnantThose who drink excess alcoholThose on certain medications, including: some antibiotics, reflux/antacid meds, hypertensive drugs, and laxatives

Symptoms of low levels

Muscle crampsPoor sleepFatigueLow mood / depressionNauseaPoor appetiteHeadaches and migrainesHigh blood pressureHeart arrhythmiaLow bone mineral density

Recommended requirements

Women = 310 - 320mg per day

Men = 410 - 420mg per day

Foods sources

seeds

pumpkin seeds = 150mg per 30gsunflower seeds = 100mg per 30gflaxseeds = 110mg per 30g

nuts

almonds = 80mg per 30gcashews = 75mg per 30gbrazil nuts = 105mg per 30g

legumes

black beans = 120mg per cupkidney beans = 70mg per cuplentils = 70mg per cup

grains

oats = 60mg per 30gbrown rice = 85mg per cupquinoa = 120mg per cupwholemeal spaghetti = 45mg per cupwholemeal bread = 50mg per 2 slices

other

tempeh = 80mg per 100gtofu = 50mg per 100gdark chocolate = 65mg per 30g

1. EDAMAME (1/2 cup)

Edamame are a whole immature soy-beans, that contain rich amounts of protein (~10g/serve) and fibre (~10g/serve), both of which keep you full for longer, as well as promote digestive health.

2. BLUEBERRIES (1 cup)

A sweet, nutritious, low calorie snack, that deliver one of the richest amounts of antioxidants out of any fruit or vegetable.

3. ALMONDS (small handful)

These nuts are rich in protein, fibre, healthy fats and vitamin E, as well as contain good amounts of calcium and magnesium. On top of providing high amounts of antioxidants and protecting your heart health, these nuts have been shown to help with weight loss.

4. EGGS (2 boiled)

Two boiled eggs will provide you with ~10g of protein and negligible carbs. Studies show that those who snack on high protein foods in the morning are less likely to experience those overpowering sugar cravings in the afternoon.

5. CARROT STICKS AND HUMMUS (2Tbs)

On top of this snack being delicious and low in calories, it contains good amounts of protein, vitamin A and fibre. Furthermore, it will help to promote the growth of your good gut bacteria, via prebiotics found in the hummus (garlic and chickpeas).

6. PLAIN POPCORN (2cups) WITH NUTRITIONAL YEAST

When butter or sugar isn’t added, popcorn is actually a very low calorie, nutritious snack. Sprinkled with some nutritional yeast flakes, you will find this will create a delicious nutty/cheesy flavour, that is packed full of B Vitamins (required for energy production).

7. LOW FAT NATURAL YOGHURT (1/2cup) WITH CHOPPED STRAWBERRIES

This sexy snack is rich in calcium, protein and vitamin C. It makes a great dessert option, or easy go to afternoon tea. Combining yoghurt and berries will help you towards meeting both your daily calcium and fruit needs.

8. DATES (2) WITH STUFFED WALNUTS

After you remove the pip, dates are perfect for stuffing with nuts. This nutty-date combination will deliver you both a sweet and savoury hit, as well as carbohydrates (for energy) and omega-3s to help with inflammation. This may be one of your best pre-workout snacks.

9. BAKED BROCCOLI FLORRETS (1cup) WITH TZATZIKI DIP

Broccoli is super low in calories, crunchy to bite, and compliments well with tzatziki dip. Known for its antioxidant profile, broccoli is rich in vitamin C and Sulforaphane, both which help to prevent chronic disease.

10. DARK CHOCOLATE (2 squares)

When dark chocolate contains 70% or more cocoa, it can actually provide some nutritional benefits, particularly due to its antioxidant actions. And so, enjoy a piece or 2 each day, but remember more is not always better.

Evidence shows that THE LOW FODMAP diet can significantly improve symptoms in more than 3 out of 4 (75%) people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

The LOW FODMAP diet can help those suffering from the following digestive symptoms:

BloatingAbdominal pain/discomfortFlatulenceAltered bowel habits - diarrhoea and/or constipation

And it may help those with IBS related systemic symptoms, including:

RefluxLow energyLow moodAnxiety Poor sleep

First... seek medical advise

This is to ensure that you have relevant tests and/or examinations performed before self-diagnosing and self-treating. Relevant examinations may include stool tests, blood tests, an abdominal ultrasound, breath tests, or scopes.

More than just gut issues...

Although it feels that most of your symptoms are concentrated in your gut (e.g. bloating, cramping, discomfort, bowel issues), it is very common to also suffer from mental strains, such as anxiety, a lowered mood, brain fog and/or social discomfort.

The gut-mind connection

Your gastrointestinal (G.I) system contains millions of nerves that branch from your gut, all the way up to your brain. Further to this, your gut produces neurotransmitters that send signals along that gut-brain highway, as well as containing buckets of bacteria that do all sorts of things that impact on your brain.

We call all this “The Gut-Mind Connection”.

And remarkably, it has been linked to alterations in mood, anxiety, depression, memory, food cravings, eating behaviours and ultimately life choices.

An IBS diagnosis

IBS (aka Irritable Bowel Syndrome) is a condition that will be diagnosed after excluding certain diseases (e.g. IBD and Coeliac Disease), as well as when a certain number of digestive symptoms fit into a particular IBS criteria; formally known as the Rome IV Diagnostic criteria.

Rome IV Criteria for diagnosis of IBS

If you suffer from recurrent abdominal pain, on average, at least one day per week over the last three months, as well have two or more of the below symptoms that are associated with your abdominal pain, then an IBS diagnosis may be made.

Associated symptoms:

Abdominal pain related to defecation (pooing)

Types of IBS

IBS-C = Constipation predominantIBS-D = Diarrhoea predominantIBS-M = Mixed bowel habits

The cause of IBS

The cause of IBS is still unknown, however it is believed that the entire gut-brain axis is affected. It is also known that there is a higher risk for IBS post infection (e.g. gastro) and after antibiotic use.

Psychological factors such as anxiety and depression likely play a role in the severity of IBS symptoms, as well as its persistence. This may be evident during stressful times (e.g. work/job/exam pressure).

IBS is a functional GI disorder

IBS is categorised as a functional GI (gastrointestinal) disorder, which is a disorder of gut-brain interaction. Functional GI disorders are classified by GI symptoms related to any combination of the following:

Motility disturbance – issues with the movement of food and waste through the GI tract.Visceral hypersensitivity – heightened experience of pain in the organs, particularly in the gut.Altered mucosal function – the gut wall (mucosa) is altered.Altered immune function – the guts immune system is altered.Altered gut microbiota – the amount and/or types of gut bacteria may be compromised.Altered CNS function – changes in how the brain communicates back and forth with the gut.

A LOW FODMAP diet can help those with IBS... but what are FODMAPs?

FODMAPs are certain types of carbohydrates that are found in a variety of foods. They are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and reach the large intestine where they are fermented by gut bacteria. This results in gas production. Furthermore, they have an osmotic effect, meaning they suck water into the bowel.

The word FODMAP is an acronym

How do FODMAPs affect people with IBS?

1. OSMOTIC EFFECT

= FODMAPs are small in size, which influences their effect to draw fluid into the gut (osmosis). This can result in an increased amount of fluid in the intestinal tract.

2. POORLY ABSORBED

= FODMAPs are poorly absorbed in the small intestine, causing them to end up in the large intestine. Here they are fermented by gut bacteria, resulting in gas production. This can lead to:wind, bloating, abdominal pain, and abdominal discomfort.

3. A diet with high FODMAP foods --> LARGE INTESTINAL GAS + INCREASED WATER DELIVERY

= this can alter gut motility, which may contribute to: diarrhoea and/or constipation

A word of advise...

There are lots of low FODMAP lists that you can find on the internet, however these are often inaccurate, and may set you up for failure. For best results, work with a Dietitian that specialises in IBS and the low FODMAP diet.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, with 99% of it stored in the bones and teeth, and around 1% circulating in the blood and tissues. On top of its role in skeletal health, calcium is required for a number of essential functions in your body, including:

the regulation of muscles contracting and relaxingthe regulation of heart functioninvolvement in blood clottinginvolvement in the transmission of nerve signals

Cow's milk, a rich source of calcium

This is why cows milk is rich in calcium... Plants obtain calcium from the ground, and cows eat loads of grass over the day, every day. The calcium from the consumed grass in turn ends up in the cow and its milk, which is why cows milk and related dairy products are so rich in calcium (e.g. 300mg per cup).

Therefore if you consume calcium rich dairy foods, it can be easier to meet your calcium needs.

But you can still meet your calcium needs without consuming dairy...

Whether you avoid dairy because of digestive issues, ethical reasons, or something else, it's important to understand what you might be missing out on, as well as where to seek alternative sources of essential nutrients such as calcium.

Plant-based milks

There are now a lot of plant-based milk alternatives on the market, such as soy, oat, almond, rice, pea coconut and macadamia milks. Although these plant milks offer unique nutrient profiles, majority are low in calcium. You must remember this!

Macadamia milk - This creamy nut milk has a higher percentage of healthy fats compared to most other plant milks. Unlike soymilk, its protein content is very low, and unless fortified, it doesn’t contain much calcium.

Almond milk - Unlike it’s pre-processed nuts, almond milk is low in calcium, protein and fibre, and although it’s low in calories, it can really only boast nutritional benefits if it has been fortified.

Oat milk - Oats contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that can contribute to improved cholesterol levels and improve heart health. Unless fortified, oat milks are very low in calcium. Unlike some of the other plant-milks, this milk is often a good alternative for those with a number of food allergies.

Coconut milk - Is high in saturated fats, the type that increase your unhealthy cholesterol. Compared to other plant milk alternatives, it falls short on the recommendation list.

Pea milk - Most pea milks are rich in calcium and protein, as well as have a lot less sugar than other plant milks (e.g. rice and almond milks). Again, this milk alternative is really only a good source of calcium if it has been fortified.

In a nut-shell...

Most alternative plant milks are very low in calcium. However, you can purchase those that have been fortified with calcium (meaning, the mineral has been added in). If fortified, a lot of these alternative plant milks will provide similar amounts of calcium to that of cows milk.

Calcium needs

Men

>19 yrs old, need 1000mg calcium each day>70yrs old, need 1300mg calcium each day

Women

19-50yrs old, need 1000mg calcium each day> 50 yrs old, need 1300mg calcium each day

Calcium absorption

On top of considering the amount of calcium you need to meet your daily requirements, it's also important to understand that their are a number of factors that affect the absorption of your calcium, as well as note that you can only absorb about 500mg of calcium at any one time. And absorption decreases with age.

Helpers for calcium absorption

Vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption through its role in the active calcium transporters in your gut. If you don’t get enough Vitamin D, your calcium absorption can be compromised. Vitamin D is noted as the ‘sun and seafood’ vitamin, which means you get most of it from the sun, as well obtain good amounts from seafood. In regard to plant-based sources, vitamin D can be obtained from certain mushrooms, as well some products that have been fortified with this important nutrient, including soy-products, plant-milks, plant-spreads (e.g. nuttelex).

Inhibitors of calcium absorption

Phytates, compounds found in nuts, seeds, wholegrains and bran, can reduce calcium absorption to a minor extent. This can be reduced by soaking, sprouting, leavening and fermenting the above mentioned foods.

Oxalates, another compound found in leafy greens, nuts, seeds, cocoa and fruits, may also somewhat inhibit calcium absorption.

Other factors that affect your calcium levels

A high-salt dietExcess coffee and tea intake (greater than 6 cups per day)Excess alcohol consumptionExcess soft drink / soda consumptionExcess dietary proteinNot getting enough exerciseNot getting enough sun exposureSmoking

Good sources of calcium

Dairy

Lite milk, yoghurt (& cheese)1 cup milk = ~300mg calcium

Plant milks

Soy milk and other plant based milks (fortified with calcium)1 cup = ~300mg calcium

Green leafy vegetables

e.g. broccoli, cabbage, spinach, collard greens, herbs like parsley.

1 cup spinach = ~100mg calcium1 cup broccoli = ~45mg calcium

Nuts & seeds

e.g. almonds, brazil nuts, sesame seeds

Small handful almonds = ~40mg calcium

Other foods

Soy foods – tempeh & tofu (100g) = 100-300mgBaked Beans (3/4cup) = 100mgSalmon/sardines canned with bones (75g) = 200-300mg

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining calcium concentrations in your blood. It does this by enhancing the small intestines ability to absorb dietary calcium. And in relation to calcium, it is therefore very important for bone health.

Further to this, Vitamin D is likely involved in maintaining the immune system, as well as plays a role in both skin health and muscle strength.

When you do not consume enough calcium from your diet, the active form of vitamin D (calcitriol) works with parathyroid hormone to turn on cells (osteoclasts) that mobilise calcium stores from your bones.

Overtime, if you continuously do not get enough calcium and/or Vitamin D, your bones will weaken.

Vitamin D deficiency...

Vitamin D deficiency results in inadequate mineralisation (bone formation), as well as demineralistation (bone loss) of the skeleton. This can lead to bowed legs and knocked knees in children, formally labelled as rickets. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis (weak bones) and increased risk of fractures.

Theres more than one type of Vitamin D...

Vitamin D comes in two forms:

(1) Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol), which is produced by the action of sunlight on your skin, and

(2) Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol), which is found in a limited range of foods.

Diet alone is pretty much impossible to obtain your Vitamin D needs, but if sunlight exposure is adequate, all your vitamin D needs can likely be met.

Foods sources of Vitamin D

As mentioned above, Vitamin D is found in very few foods, including some fortified foods (e.g. margarines, soy milks), eggs, fatty fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel, and mushrooms exposed to ultraviolet light. But to mention it again, it is pretty much impossible to obtain your Vitamin D needs from foods alone.

Getting enough Vitamin D

The sun...

Ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun is the best natural source of vitamin D. In terms of safe sun exposure, this is dependent on the time of year, where you live, as well as your natural skin type. To help your body make enough vitamin D, get active outdoors every day and apply appropriate sun safety recommendations.

Greater sun exposure time is required for those with darker skin and for those living in more southerly latitudes (i.e. further away from equator).

Supplementation...

If adequate sun exposure is not possible, a supplement is advisable. To prevent vitamin D deficiency in people who do not achieve adequate sun exposure, the following is recommended:

< 70 years old = At least 600 IU of Vitamin D per day> 70 years old = A least 800 IU of Vitamin D per dayVitamin D deficiency / high risk deficiency = higher doses (e.g. 1000 – 2000 IU per day).

Speak to your Dietitian, Doctor or Pharmacist for advise regarding Vitamin D supplements.

What are omega-3 fats?

Omega 3 fats are also known as “essential fatty acids”, because they are necessary in our diet.

The body cannot make them!

These fats are important for brain function (cognition and memory), anti-inflammatory responses, blood clotting, immune function and many other body processes. Particular omega-3 fats (DHA) are also major components of the grey matter of the brain, as well as the retina of the eye and the sperm of the gonads.

Omega-3 fats may also help in managing skin conditions (e.g. eczema), rheumatoid arthritis and mental health conditions, particularly depression and anxiety.

Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency...

If you do not get enough omega-3s, your skin will become rough, dry and scaly. Omega 3 deficiency can also result in low energy, poor memory, heart problems, mood swings, depression and poor circulation.

The different types of Omega-3s...

Omega-3 fats are found in their shorter forms as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and are used as an energy source by the body. They can also be converted within the body to the longer form omega-3 fats, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and then docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

ALA is readily found in a variety of plant-based forms (see below) and therefore potentially may help to cover total omega-3 needs. BUT the conversion process of ALA to EPA and DHA can be inefficient, and therefore most people will require a direct source of the longer chain forms (EPA and DHA), potentially in a supplemental form.

The three types of omega-3 fats:

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) – found mainly in fish.DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) – found mainly in fish and seafood.ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) – found in a range of particular plant foods (and animal foods).

Plant-based Omega-3s...

ALA can be found in flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, walnuts and wheat germ, as well as their respective oils.

EPA and DHA can be found in the supplemental form "algae oil". This is a direct plant source of both EPA and DHA and therefore a good option for those following a plant-based diet. In addition, algae oil may be an even better option than oily fish because it does not contain the contaminants that fish can contain (e.g. heavy metals like mercury).

EPA and DHA are the main omega-3 fatty acids your body requires to function properly. ALA is still important, but not as important as the others, and it’s easier to get in a well-balanced plant-based diet. If you’re not eating fish or seafood, it is likely impossible to get your EPA and DHA needs.

Steps to meet your omega-3 needs if you're avoiding fish

Step 1 - Make sure you eat a variety of plant foods that contain ALA.

These include flaxseeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, green leafy vegetables, soy beans and soy products, walnuts, wheat germ, and their respective oils.

Step 2 – Take an Omega-3 supplement (~300mg EPA+DHA/day).

Omnivore = Aim for an algae oil or fish oil supplement.

Vegan/Vego = Aim for an algae oil supplement. It’s a direct plant source of EPA and DHA.

Plant-based omega-3 supplements

Although those following a plant-based diet (e.g. vegan/vegetarian) can obtain ALA from their diet, the conversion rate to EPA and DHA is poor, and therefore an algae-based DHA+EPA supplement is recommended. All plant-based (vegan/vegetarian) EPA+DHA supplements are derived from algae instead of krill or fish.

Algae are marine organisms that photosynthesise, as in make energy from sunlight. Algae are rich in chlorophyll, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) as well as other important minerals, such as iodine.

1. Berries

Berries are very nutrient dense, low in calories and can be added to many different meals or snacked on across the day.All berries contain moderate to rich amounts of Vitamin C, a nutrient involved in the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body, including your blood vessels. Vitamin C is also one of the famous antioxidants that blocks the toxic affects of free radicals; molecules that have been linked to heart disease.Berries contain modest amounts of potassium, a mineral that can reduce blood pressure with increased intake.On top of their vitamin and mineral status, berries further contain special plant chemicals called anthocyanins. It’s these compounds that give berries their rich purple and red colours, and interestingly, they function as another antioxidant. Numerous studies have found that a high consumption of anthocyanins is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, potentially because of their affects on reducing blood pressure, reducing arterial stiffness and decreasing inflammation.Researchers have ranked blueberries as the number one for antioxidant activity, amongst all fruits and vegetables.Aim to include ½ cup to 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries daily. You can do this by adding them to your morning smoothie, breakfast cereal, yoghurt or simply by snacking on them whole.

2. Fish that are high in omega-3

Oily fish, such as sardines, salmon, mackerel and herring are rich sources of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), both types of essential omega-3 fatty acids. Essential meaning the body is incapable of making them.Omega-3s are important for heart health as they slow the build-up of fatty material on the inner walls of blood vessels (known as atherosclerosis). They also prevent platelets in the blood from sticking together, which reduces the risk of blood clots. Further to this, they decrease blood triglyceride levels, a type of fat that influences heart disease. They also reduce LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol, and increase HDL (healthy) cholesterol levels. To top it all off, they help to reduce high blood pressure. Omega-3s are therefore clearly a must for heart health.In addition to their omega-3s, fish also contain rich amounts of protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins.For primary and secondary prevention of heart disease, it is recommended to aim for 2 to 4 serves of oily fish per week. Fresh or frozen fish are best, however canned are also good sources. Include some fish with some baked or steamed veggies, or have some at lunch on a salad wrap, or with a tossed quinoa salad.Although one of the healthiest foods out there, fish can be a source of mercury. Mercury is toxic to us in high levels and so it is therefore recommended that some particular groups of people (e.g. pregnant women) limit/avoid the intake of fish that are highest in mercury (e.g. flake and billfish).If you don't like fish, an omega-3 supplement is recommended.

3. Nuts such as almonds and walnuts

Nuts are rich in unsaturated fats, particularly the monounsaturated kind, contain good amounts of protein and fibre, as well as the micronutrients vitamin E, thiamin, niacin, B6, folate, magnesium and selenium.Research shows that those who eat nuts regularly are less likely to have heart attacks or die from heart disease than those who rarely eat them.The unsaturated fats found in nuts helps to lower LDL (unhealthy) cholesterol and increase HDL (healthy) cholesterol, both of which contribute to better heart health.The fibre in nuts also acts to lower cholesterol via reducing it’s absorption in the digestive tract.Nuts are also rich in arginine, an amino acid required to make nitric oxide; a compound that acts to relax blood vessels and ease blood blow.In relation to particular types of nuts, almonds have the highest vitamin E content. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that may assist in preventing plaque build up in arteries.Almonds also contain beta-sitosterol, a plant sterol that can block the absorption of cholesterol entering into the body.Walnuts are one of the few plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids; particularly, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Studies show that a higher intake of ALA is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.Brazil nuts are a rich source of selenium, another antioxidant involved in blocking the action of free radicals and therefore reducing oxidative stress. Oxidative stress has been linked to heart disease.Almonds and brazil nuts are also good sources of magnesium, a mineral involved in numerous functions linked to heart health including blood pressure control and normal heart rhythms.To obtain the heart health benefits of nuts, aim for 30-50g (small handful) of unsalted nuts each day. In terms of which nuts to choose, aim for mixed nuts, or alternate your nut choices second daily.

Fact: to get the most out of your body, you have to put the best in. These are some of the top bets to fuel up on before – and after – your running workout.

1. Bananas

“Bananas are filled with a serve of carbohydrates to fuel your morning run, plus packed with potassium to help prevent muscle cramps.”

2. Berry and oat smoothie

“Berries provide you with a rich source of antioxidants (Vitamin C) to aid recovery, while oats and milk give you a valuable hit of low-GI carbs for longer lasting fuel. Add a scoop of 100% WPI or Pea+Rice protein for extra amino acids and energy.”

3. Low fat Greek yoghurt with muesli and pumpkin seeds

“Greek yoghurt is a top source of protein for muscle repair as well as calcium to help prevent stress fractures. Pumpkin seeds are rich in magnesium, essential for energy production.”

4. Wholegrain toast with baked beans

“This mix will provide you with a dose of carbohydrates for energy recovery, as well as a plant based source of protein for muscle repair.”

5. Salmon with sweet potato and asparagus

“A delicious post-training dinner, it’s filled with anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats, protein for muscle recovery, low-GI carbs for glycogen restoration and Vitamin A for immune function.

low-GI carbs for glycogen restoration and Vitamin A for immune function.

What is reflux?

Also known as heartburn, reflux is a condition that is caused by a back-up of stomach acid into the oesophagus.

When stomach acid comes into contact with the walls of your oesophagus if can cause a burning feeling, and over time degrade the wall lining.

How to stop/reduce your reflux...

1. Aim for a healthy weight

If you are carrying extra weight this can place stress on your digestive tract, influencing your reflux. A few tips on methods to help with weight loss include:

- Keeping a food diary- Aiming for at least 2 serves of vegetables at each meal- Avoiding sugar sweetened drinks, and choosing water or tea- Exercising for 30 minutes daily- Eating off a smaller plate- Aiming for at least 2 vegetarian meals per week- Choosing wholegrains like quinoa, grainy bread, brown rice and wholegrain/pulse pasta

2. Avoid foods that trigger reflux

This is a list of foods that are well known to trigger reflux.

ChocolateHigh fat & greasy foodsCarbonated/ fizzy drinks Peppermint and spearmintTomato based sauces

3. Limit these foods

These foods can trigger reflux in some people.

Spicy foodsCitrus fruitsOnions & some high FODMAP foodsCoffeeCaffeineExcess protein foodsTomatoes

Keep a food-symptom diary

Not everyone with reflux responds to the above listed (avoid/limit) foods. You are best to keep your own food-symptom diary and make note of when you’re reflux symptoms are exacerbated.

4. Follow these good food behaviours

a) Meal size

- Avoid large meals (greater than 2 cups of food at once)

b) Aim to include small meals across the day

- For example, a small breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea & dinner meal

- Avoid just eating 3 large main meals

c) Eat your meal slowly

d) Chew your food really well

e) Eat your meal sitting down at a table

f) Try not to drink too much while you are eating; small sips are best

g) Avoid talking and eating at the same time

h) Avoid eating within 2 hours of lying down or going to bed

5. A general guide to meal planning to prevent reflux

Keep it low in fat, especially unhealthy fats Include small amounts of lean protein Include more plant-based foods, such as vegetables and legumes

6. Lifestyle tips that can help with your reflux

Exercise: Include low to moderate exercise dailyStress management: Do not eat when you are stressed and have some strategies in place for when you do get stressed (e.g. meditation, yoga, swimming, a funny movie, music, etc.)Avoid smoking

8. These tips may also help

Herbal non-caffeinated teas such as camomile may be helpfulLiquorice may helpSkim/low fat and/or almond milk can be helpfulDrink at least 2 litres of water each dayWear loose clothing

9. Medications

A note on antacid medications (e.g. nexium). These can be useful in the short-term, however can cause further consequences if used for long periods. Make sure you discuss your reflux treatment plans with with your doctor.

Will it give me man boobs? Asked so many guys...

Will it mess with my hormones? Asked so many ladies...

Let me dispel some of the soy myths with some solid nutrition evidence.

What is soy?

The word ‘soy’ refers to foods derived from soybeans, including tofu, tempeh, soymilk, edamame, miso, natto, tamari, soy sauce and soy nuts. Soybeans are similar to other legumes, like chickpeas, black beans and lentils, however contain their own unique nutritional properties.

Soy beans are...

high in proteinhigh in fibrelow in saturated fatcholesterol freea source of antioxidantshigh in phytoestrogens

Soy confusing...

There's one particular nutrient property that has given ‘soy’ its ambiguous health morality and has created a long history of bipolar soy confusion for consumers. This one factor has made the word ‘soy’ a connotation, leading people to believe that it's either “good" or "bad" or "maybe just not even worth the time"... but fortunately a boatload of scientific studies keep proving the benefits of soy.

Isoflavones... the suspect property

They call the particular soy suspect properties "phytonutrients", and the ones you find in soy foods are specifically labelled as ‘ISOFLAVONES’.

Isoflavones act as phytoestrogens due to their structural similarity to estradiol, the main oestrogen in men and women. This means they can mimic (to an extent) the activities of this hormone by binding to oestrogen receptors in the body. This affect is quite weak, but still as an affect. For example, they can block the binding of more potent oestrogens in the body, potentially playing a role in preventing hormone-related cancers like breast and prostate cancer.

Interestingly, the rates of breast and prostate cancers are lower among Asians, compared to people living in Western countries (like Australia), and this could be related to the significantly different consumption of Isoflavones in Asian diets, ~30my/day (15–47 mg/day), verse Western diets, less than 1mg/day (0.15–1.7 mg/day). One reason for this big difference is that Asian diets include more soy foods.

Isoflavone content of some soy foods (per 100g serve)...

Soy bean = 23 - 128mgSoy milk = 15 - 30mgTempe = 87mgTofu = 8 -67mgMiso = 25-89mgMiso soup = 1.5mgEdamame = 18mgSoy protein = 91 - 200mg

More soy benefits...

Further to their anti-cancer potentials, Isoflavones possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory affects. For example, Isfolavones are known to directly scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body. ROS are destructive chemicals that are produced during normal oxygen metabolism; that is, they are produced when your body makes energy (ATP) out of the food you eat. ROS are also made during physiological processes that are stimulated by exogenous factors, such as when your immune system is fighting bad bugs (known as phagocytosis). A build up of ROS in your body is bad because they promote inflammation, as well as damage your cells and tissues.

In summary, Isoflavones deliver anti-inflammatory benefits and get rid of some bad chemicals (ROS) made in your body.

Even more soy benefits...

protection against heart diseaselower total and LDL cholesterollowered blood pressureimprovements to blood vessels (greater elasticity of artery walls)reduced risk of osteoporosis

So is soy good or bad for you?...

Soy is good for you in the right amounts and forms.

How much soy should I eat/drink?

To get the above mentioned benefits, aim to consume about 30 to 50mg of Isoflavones each day. For example, one cup of soy milk or 100g serve of tempe or half a cup of cooked soy beans.

Pushing, straining or feeling like you've not completed evacuated your bowels, can be quite an uncomfortable sensation that dampens both your physical and mental state. Although a common issue, affecting up to 1 in 5 adults, constipation should not be displaced to the bottom of your to do list.

Healthy bowel motions vary between individuals, with some people passing a stool daily, and others passing a stool once every three days. Basically if you fit into the range of going three times a day to three times per week, this is considered normal. On top of this, the consistency of your stool matters, and this can be measured on a shit graph known as the Bristol stool chart. Ideally, we should all be aiming for a type 4 Bristol, defined as smooth and soft (like a sausage).

Constipation… It’s hard to describe

Constipation is characterised by the passing of hard, dry stools that may be infrequent and often difficult to pass. In relation to the Bristol stool chart, constipation is defined as a type 1 (nuts) to type 3 (cracked sausage) Bristol.

Symptoms of constipation include:

opening your bowels less often than usualhard, dry stoolspainful bowel motionsstraining to pass a motionsitting on the toilet for a longer than average period of timefeeling like you have not fully emptied your bowelsabdominal bloating/distensionabdominal cramps

See your doctor…

If you believe you are constipated, it’s strongly recommended that you see your doctor for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Note - self treating with laxatives can potentially cause more harm.

Causes of constipation

There are a number of factors that can cause and/or contribute to constipation, including certain medications, illness, lack of exercise, change in routine, pregnancy, insufficient water and a lack of fibre. I will focus on the latter.

Dietary Fibre

Dietary fibre is defined as plant parts (carbohydrate polymers) that are incapable of being digested in the small intestine, ending up in the colon. Fibre can be further classified into three categories:

1. Soluble Fibre – Attracts water and turns into gel, which softens stools and aids in passing a motion.

Found in: fruit and vegetable flesh, oats, barley, legumes, soy products, and psyllium husk. Some have prebiotic actions.

2. Insoluble fibre – Adds bulk to stools, assisting in laxation.

Found in: brown rice, wheat bran, whole grains, flaxseeds, root vegetables (carrots, parsley, horseradish), vegetables with edible stems (cabbage, broccoli), apples, peaches, brazil nuts, green beans and peas.

3. Resistant starch – Prebiotic actions in the large intestine.

Found in: legumes, sorghum, millet, unripe bananas, raw oats, cashews, barley products, and cooked then cooled potatoes, rice and pasta.

Consuming both adequate amounts of fibre, as well as a combination of different fibres daily, may assist in helping with more regular bowel motions. It is important that fibre is increased slowly in the diet, and that plenty of water is consumed alongside it’s increased intake. A Dietitian can assist you with balancing the right amounts of fibre to consume.

Prebiotics

Prebiotics are components of plant foods that resist digestion, and are selectively fermented, altering the composition and/or activity of the gut microflora, resulting in both health and well-being benefits on the host.

The fermentation of prebiotics in the gut results in a number of benefits, including:

Increased numbers and diversity of gut bacteriaIncreased biomass and water content of the stools, improving bowel habitsIncreased transit time of stool waste (i.e. allows waste to be removed more efficiently before it can cause possible harm in the bowel).

Prebiotic rich foods include: onions, garlic, legumes, asparagus, artichoke, wheat, rye, green bananas, oats and stone fruits.

Prunes

There are a number of mechanisms by which prunes likely assist bowel motions. For starters they have a high fibre content (6g fibre/100g serve), which is made up of a combination of both insoluble and soluble fibres.

Their insoluble fibres lead to increased stool water and bulk, causing extra gut secretions as well as peristalsis (movement of the stool through the GI tract).

Their soluble fibres have a prebiotic effect, which means colonic microbiota ferment them, leading to proliferation of bacterial populations, short chain fatty acid production, and a consequent increase in stool weight.

Furthermore, prunes contain a type of sugar alcohol called sorbitol (14.7g sorbitol/ 100g serve). Sorbtiol can act as an osmotic agent (pulls water into the GI tract) resulting in a laxative effect in some individuals. In turn assisting with easier bowel motions.

It has been estimated that about 2 billion people worldwide live primarily on a meat-based diet and about 4 billion people worldwide live primarily on a plant-based diet. Statistics from the USA show that the average person eats around 124kg of meat each year, that's about 350g of meat per day (~3 x the weight of your iphone).

It takes ~6kg of plant protein to feed the livestock (i.e. the cow, the sheep, etc.) to produce 1kg of meat protein.

Food costs energy and energy costs food

Looking at energy costs for animal protein production, it takes:

~ 4 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of chicken protein~ 10 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of milk protein~ 40 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of beef protein~ 57 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of lamb protein

When considering the average of all animal foods, it takes ~25 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of animal protein. This means these animals need to consume excessively high amounts of calories to produce small amounts of protein calories in return.

Notably, if these animals were fed solely on a good-quality pasture, the energy inputs required would be halved.

Looking at energy costs for grain (e.g. wheat, oats) production, it takes:

~ 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce 1 calorie of grain protein

Compared to animal protein production, t

Food costs water

When accounting for water use, it takes 100 times more water to produce 1kg of animal protein than it does to produce 1kg of grain protein.

It takes ~100,000 to 200,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef.

Looking at these numbers, you can see that a meat-based diet requires significantly more fossil fuel energy and water, than that of a plant-based diet.

A very large study with very large findings...

On the 1st of June 2018, a very large study was published on the environmental affects of food. The study analysed the environmental impacts of over 38,000 farms from around the world, and found that limiting or avoiding meat and dairy foods from one’s diet could reduce an individual’s carbon footprint by over 70%. Further to this, the study showed that if everyone stopped eating meat and dairy foods, global farmland could be reduced by up to 75%.

If you limit (or avoid) the consumption of animal foods, this delivers far better environmental benefits than cutting your use of electricity, taking fewer flights overseas, getting solar panels or even buying and driving an electric car.

Your food choices affect more than you...

When choosing the foods you eat, it is essential to consider the impacts that your food choices have on the environment. Beyond just reducing food packaging, recycling properly, or even going plastic free, we need to understand that there are substantial environmental costs associated with particular types of foods. This is based on the way the food(s) are produced, as well as processed.

Producing meat and dairy foods requires very large amounts of fossil fuel energy and water, as well as large amounts of feeds, fertilizers and pesticides. These types of foods also generate significant amounts of greenhouse gases, toxic manure and wastewater.

Food trends...

Significantly, between 1971 and 2010, the worldwide production of meat tripled to over 270 billion kilograms. At this rate, production is predicted to double by 2050. That’s 540 billion kilograms of meat per year, which ultimately will require extreme amounts of water, fossil fuel energy, land, pesticides and fertilizers, resulting in significant impacts on the earth.

It has been estimated that if Western dietary trends continue, by 2050 they will be a major contributor to an estimated 80% increase in global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions from food production and land clearing.

No... you don't have to go Vegan...

Although going Vegan may be one of the best ways you can eat for the earth, you do not have to take this extreme approach. However, by simply reducing your intake of meat and dairy, you will be serving the earth a great deal of good service, setting it up to be a much better place for future generations.

Tips to eat for a healthier earth

You could start by trialling meat-free Monday's; instead base your meal around legumes or tofu. Choose two nights per week to eat vegetarian; e.g. chickpea curry or tofu stir-fry.Halve your meat portions.Include fortified plant-milks (e.g. soy, oat, almond).

Not only will this benefit the earth, but it will also benefit your health in a number of significant ways.

You… yourself… will eat around 800 to 1000 kilograms of food this year, and more than 50,000 kilograms of food over the course of your lifetime.

That’ a lot of chewing, swallowing, digesting, absorbing, fermenting and toilet time.

It therefore makes good sense to look after your gut health.

“Good health starts in the gut” because…

It is here that your inner body first meets the external world.It is here that your microflora flourish.It is here that your immune system dominates.It is here that all your required nutrients are digested, extracted and absorbed; after proper digestion that is.And it is here that foreign materials and wastes are eliminated from your body.

"Contrary to popular belief, you are more than what you eat… you are what you digest, absorb, ferment and cultivate in that gut of yours."

Enterocytes and Colonocytes… some of the most important cells in your body

Also known as your gut cells or intestinal absorptive cells, enterocytes are a special type of columnar cell (tall and narrow in shape) that are found in your intestinal tract. They contain tiny little protrusions called villi, which project out into the space inside your gut, increasing your guts surface area. This larger surface area enhances your capacity to harvest much more nutrition from the foods you eat.

Digestive enzymes & immunity

In the small intestine enterocytes produce and secrete digestive enzymes, which in turn help to break down carbohydrates and proteins into their smaller forms, making them available for absorption.

On top of their digestion functions, your enterocytes play a major role in your immunity, providing protection against foreign materials and pathogenic invaders.

Major functions of the enterocytes include:

Absorption of digested carbohydrates – glucose, galactose and fructoseAbsorption of digested proteins - peptides and amino acidsAbsorption of digested fats - fatty acidsAbsorption of minerals – e.g. iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc, sodium and copperAbsorption of vitamins – e.g. vitamin C, B vitamins and vitamin DAbsorption of waterReabsorption of bile saltsImmune function

Your colon

Your colon (large intestine) cells are called 'Colonocytes', and these guys help you absorb water, as well as electrolytes. They too are involved in your immune system.

Eating for your gut cells

Like you or me, gut cells need fuel to do their work. This is where prebiotics come into the picture.

Prebiotics are fermentable fibres that resist digestion, end up in your large intestine, and are fermented by your rich colony of gut bacteria. As a result of their fermentation, gases (e.g. CO2 and methane) are produced, as well as substances called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). One such SCFA is called ‘Butyrate’ and it is this key player that delivers a number of significant benefits to your gut health.

"Butyrate… basically a superfood to your gut cells."

Noted as the most critical factor in good colon health, this guy plays a number of roles in your gut health. For starters, it is the primary source of fuel for your colonocytes, which means it provides the energy for your colon cells do their work, for them to grow, and for them to differentiate to carry out their particular functions. Butyrate also exhibits strong ant-inflammatory properties and on top of all this, it is very likely involved in the protection against colon cancer.

Prebiotics

Defined as components of foods that resist digestion, are selectively fermented, alter the composition and/or activity of your microflora (gut bacteria), and as a result confer both health and well-being benefits on the host.

Prebiotics include: Oligofructose (fructans or FOS); Inulin; Galacto-oligosaccharides (Galactans or GOS); Lactulose; and breast milk oligosaccharides.

"In my view, including prebiotic rich foods in your diet daily is one of the best things you can do for your gut health."

Some prebiotic rich foods include garlic, onion, legumes, cashews, wheat bran, rye, green bananas, figs, asparagus, beetroot and artichokes.

Psyllium refers to the fibres taken from the plant known as "Plantago ovate".

Fibre - the carbohydrate part of plant foods that does not completely digest, resulting in it passing through our stomachs, small-intestines and eventually ending up in our large intestines.

Psyllium is a type of soluble fibre, which means it is water-soluble and gel forming. It is also poorly fermented, meaning our gut bacteria won't turn it into gas (hence, it shouldn't influence bloating and flatulence).

Psyllium is commonly known by the brand name Metamucil.

Psyllium is commonly used as a bulk laxative, which is an agent that has laxative effects secondary to increasing stool size. Compared to majority of other laxatives (e.g. Senna) it is much more gentler on the bowels.

Psyllium bulks stools by increasing water and gas absorption in the small intestines and colon. This in turn gives stools more size (bulks it), as well as softens and lubricates them.

Psyllium has been proven to increase faecal size and moisture, commonly resulting in softer and easier passed stools. Interestingly, it can help both those experiencing loose stools, as well as those with hard stools!

Therefore, relative to other sources of dietary fibre, psyllium appears to be more effective at forming stools and an added benefit... it is one of the few fibres that does not result in excess gas production, meaning it is often well tolerated in those with an irritable bowel (IBS).

Psyllium can be added to porridge, smoothies or other drinks.

It must be consumed with fluid.

1. Those following a plant-based diet struggle to get enough protein

// MYTH //

A plant-based diet that incorporates a variety of wholefoods, including nuts, seeds, lentils, legumes, peas, soy-products (e.g. tempeh), as well as wholegrains (e.g. quinoa), plus a mix of vegetables, can deliver more than enough of your protein needs (even if you're a body builder!). In addition, these plant-based protein foods are full of many other beneficial nutrients, as well as supply rich amounts of fibre.

// FACT //

Studies in Australia looking at various diets found that majority of Vegetarians easily met recommended dietary intakes (RDIs) for protein. “Most plant foods contain some protein.” The studies found that those consuming omnivore diets (animal foods and plants) commonly ate (eat) much more protein than is required.

2. Plants do not supply complete proteins

// MYTH //

It was once believed that certain plants (e.g. beans and rice) were needed to be combined and eaten together to ensure sufficient essential amino acids needs were met to complete the protein profile, however this has since to be found unnecessary.

// FACT //

Although most plant foods do not contain complete proteins, meaning they are limited by one or more of the essential amino acids to form a complete protein, research shows that if a variety of plant foods (whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, soy products and vegetables) are consumed over the course of a day and energy intake is adequate, then complete protein needs will be comfortably met.

Despite common claims, there are a few plant foods that DO contain complete proteins, including soybeans (tofu, tempeh, edamame), amaranth and quinoa.

3. If you don’t consume dairy you can’t get enough calcium

// MYTH //

Calcium is required for bone health, muscle contraction and nervous transmission. Dairy foods are a rich source of calcium, however they are not the only source of calcium. Almonds, chia seeds, tahini, asian greens, figs, tofu and fortified plant-milks (e.g. oat, soy, rice) all provide good sources of bioavailable calcium. Therefore, if adequate amounts of particular plant foods are consumed across the day, calcium needs can be easily met, without the need for dairy.

// FACT //

Without Vitamin D, our bodies cannot effectively absorb calcium. Furthermore, without adequate vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, magnesium and phosphorous, our bone health will be compromised. In relation, a varied, plant-based diet, can help to cover all of your nutrient needs.

4. All vegan and vegetarian foods are healthy

// MYTH / /

A vegan diet is defined by the exclusion of all foods made from animals, or those that come from animals, including meat, poultry, fish, dairy and honey. Vegetarian diets are comparable, however have flexibility around the inclusion of dairy, honey and fish. Apart from these principles, this is where the guidelines for vegan and vegetarian diets stop. And so... processed foods such as lollies, soft drinks, refined white breads and biscuits, and sugary breakfast cereals can be counted as vegan and vegetarian foods. Therefore, NOT all vegan and vegetarian foods are healthy.

// FACT //

Majority of unprocessed vegan and vegetarian foods are healthy. For example, legumes, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables, are all super nutritious. Furthermore, some vegan and vegetarian processed foods are also healthy, including extra virgin olive oil, tempeh and pulse pastas.

In a nut-shell, the principles of a plant-based diet provides guidance to a very wholesome, liberalised, and nutritionally adequate style of eating.

The key is to eat a variety of real wholefoods.

What is a ketogenic diet and does the 'dirty' keto diet differ?

A Ketogenic diet is defined by a very low carbohydrate intake, less than 10% of total calories, very high fat intake, up to 80% of total calories, and moderate protein intake. This split in macros pushes the body into a state known as ketosis, which means the body uses fat as it’s main source of fuel (through converting fatty acids into ketones). On top of it’s macronutrient guidelines, the regular Keto diet still recommends the consumption of high quality, nutrient rich foods, like nuts, avocados and fish.

The ‘dirty’ Keto diet however, while still following the low carb, high fat, and moderate protein splits, allows for the macros to come from wherever, including processed foods like big mac patties, cream cheeses and any other refined food such as diet Fanta... all as long as it’s low in carbs.

Can it realistically help you lose weight?

Yes, but with consequences. Weight loss will likely result in the short-term, ultimately because of a reduction in total calorie intake, the depletion of muscle and liver glycogen stores and accompanying water, and a reduced appetite. But like all fad diets, majority of people will put the weight back on after some time, as well as risk a bunch of nutrient deficiencies and potentially provoke other health concerns.

What's the main issues with the 'dirty' keto diet?

For starters, it encourages the intake of processed foods that are often high in saturated fats, sodium and carcinogens. These factors increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancers.

The ‘dirty’ diet is also low in fibre and phytonutrients, which significantly impacts your gut microflora, bowel motions (e.g. provokes constipation) and overall gut health.

Furthermore, it can be low in essential nutrients including thiamine, folate, magnesium and potassium, all necessary for your body to function properly.

No one has ever said eating processed foods is good for health, and this dirty diet is no different!

What would you be better off doing as opposed to this diet?

Focus on good quality nutrition, verse quantity (whatever) macros. Eat a variety of wholefoods, eat more plants and eat for good gut health. By focusing on quality, nutrient-rich wholefoods you will receive an abundance of health benefits, including better gut health, reduced risk of chronic disease, as well as likely lose weight and keep it off. Eating this way also helps you to develop a healthier and more mindful relationship with foods.

It's called Vitamin B12 and it's essential for your brain health, DNA synthesis and energy delivery.

You can't get it from plants...

Often labelled as Cobalamin, B12 is the only nutrient that you CANNOT get directly from plants. This is because it's made by tiny microorganisms, bacteria, algae and fungi, but NOT synthesised by plants or animals.

But animal foods like steak and milk contain B12? What's the go?

The reason for this is due to what the animal (e.g. cow) eats. Over the course of an animals day they will consume large numbers of microorganisms along with their food (think grass, hay, etc). These consumed microorganisms in turn end up in their muscles (meat), organs and byproducts (dairy and eggs).

Why is B12 so important?

It’s required for DNA synthesis – the body’s genetic material.

Low B12 levels can cause...

Tiredness & fatigue

Shortness of breath

Nervousness

Diarrhoea

Numbness

Tingling in the toes and fingersConfusion, depression, poor concentration and forgetfulnessWeight loss

Easy bruising and bleeding

A sore mouth and tongue

Rapid heart rate and palpitations

I'm plant-based, Vegetarian and Vegan, so where do I get my B12?

Vitamin B12 is only found naturally in animal foods. So if you eat red meat, chicken, fish, eggs or dairy foods, you are likely getting enough of it.

However, if you avoid animal foods (completely fine to do), this is what you need to do...

1. Fortified foods

You can get plant-based foods that have been fortified with Vitamin B12, for example certain plant-based milks (e.g. soy, rice, oat, almond), meat analogues (e.g. veggie burgers), soy products (e.g. tofu, tempeh), breakfast cereals and nutritional yeasts, are fortified with B12.

2. Supplements

Plant-based nutrition experts recommend a total weekly dose of 2000-2500 micrograms of B12.

This can be broken up into daily doses or split into 2-3 doses of 1000 micrograms per week to enhance B12s absorption.

If you’re worried about supplements, note that Vitamin B12 is water soluble, and toxicity is rare!

3. Don't count on this option

Some people preach that you can get adequate B12 from plant foods, however this is not true. Yes, there may be some natural plant-based sources of this important vitamin, including certain algaes and plants exposed to bacterial action, or those contaminated by insects or soil (e.g. some unwashed organic plant foods), but this is not a reliable B12 source.

You therefore cannot count on this option as an adequate source of your B12 needs.

How much Vitamin B12 do I need a day?

Men = 2.4 micrograms per day

Women = 2.4 micrograms per day

Pregnant = 2.6 micrograms per day

Breastfeeding = 2.8 micrograms per day

Take home message

B12 is very important for brain function, energy levels and DNA synthesis. If you’re eating a plant-based or vegan diet, aim to do one of the following:

Eat plant-based foods fortified with Vitamin B12, two to three times a day. Ensure that the fortified food you’re eating has at least 1 microgram of B12 per serving.Or take a Supplement that contains at least 10 micrograms of B12 daily.Or take a B12 supplement once per week that contains 2000-2500micrograms per supplement.

Planning a trip overseas?

Have you put “prevent travellers diarrhoea” on your itinerary?

What is Travellers Diarrhoea (TD)?

TD is an infection of the digestive tract that is primarily caused by bacteria. While there are many types of pathogenic bacteria out there, majority of TD is caused by Enterotoxigenic E. Coli (ETEC). Other common bacterial causes include Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella species and Shigella species.

Once these bacteria enter your body, they nest, reproduce, and this is when shit gets real!

It typically takes a few days to develop symptoms of TD, and here's what to expect:

Watery bowel motions (diarrhoea)BloatingAbdominal crampingNauseaBowel movement urgencyAnd sometimes fever, vomiting and headaches

Seek immediate medical attention if you have blood in your stools or your motions are extremely painful!

How do you get Travellers Diarrhoea?

According to the Centre for Disease Control, an estimated 10 million international travellers contract some form of TD each year.

That’s somewhere between 20-50% of all travellers!

TD starts after pathogenic bacteria enter your body, often as passengers on ill prepared or mishandled food. They also enter via contaminated water, maybe through drinking it, opening your mouth in the shower or eating salads that cradle it.

Why don’t we get Travellers Diarrhoea in our own country?

Well there are a few reasons for this....

The first is that developed countries like Australia have very strict food safety regulations.

The second is that most developed countries have very clean water supplies. For example, most areas in Australia supply super high standard filtered tap water.

The third reason is where things get quite interesting, particularly in terms of your gut health. When you're in your native country, your body gets use to the common types of bacteria that you come in contact with daily. However when travelling thousands of kilometres from your home, you face an entirely new bacterial community that your body has unlikely never encountered before. And snap... if some of these bad guys hit your gut and grow in large enough numbers, TD will likely result!

This is likely why locals in developing countries don’t experience TD, as well as why we adjust the longer we stay in a particular area.

And so... how do you prevent Travellers Diarrhoea?

Wash your hands well – e.g. Travel with hand sanitizer.Use bottled water – e.g. For drinking, brushing your teeth, etc...Avoid swimming/surfing in suspect water – e.g. Beaches with sewage outlets Take a probiotic

Probiotics that help to prevent Travellers Diarrhoea

Probiotics are living organisms that support our gut health. In relation to travelling, they can strengthen our immune systems, as well as aid in the process of adjusting to the presence of new types of bacteria. One such probiotic strain (there are hundreds) that may assist in preventing TD is Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii).

Saccharomyces boulardii

S. boulardii is a live yeast that falls under the fungus umbrella. Studies show that it can help to prevent and treat digestive infections such as rotaviral diarrhea in children, diarrhea caused by bacterial overgrowth, and diarrhea caused by antibiotic use. Furthermore, S. boulardii has been shown to reduce the incidence of TD.

A meta-analysis of 12 randomised control trials of various probiotics (including S. boulardii) for the prevention of TD found a significant reduction in the risk of TD when probiotics are used.

Probiotics such as S. boulardii may protect you from TD via:

Regulating your intestinal microbial homeostasisPreventing pathogenic bacteria colonising and infecting your mucosa Modulating your immune response And stabilising your gastrointestinal barrier function

Basically, probiotics are like setting up an army in your gut to defend you against foreign invaders whilst you're travelling. They also get your immune system prepped and ready to fight.

For best practise, consult with a Dietitian for Probiotic recommendations before travelling.

Those butterflies in your stomach actually hold some scientific truth.

For a matter of fact, your digestive system contains millions of nerves that branch from your gut, all the way up to your brain. Further to this, your gut produces neurotransmitters that send signals along that gut-brain highway of yours, as well as contains buckets of bacteria that do all sorts of things that impact your thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

They call all this “The Gut-Mind Connection”.

And remarkably, it has been linked to alterations in mood, anxiety, depression, memory, food cravings, eating behaviours and ultimately life choices.

Gut feelings

We’ve all experienced them… Those nervous feelings in our guts before a stressful event, like an exam or job interview. Or maybe even that love feeling.... Does warm and fuzzy resonate?

These gut feelings are real.

There is an actual direct connection between your gut and your mind. A good example of this is experienced when we are scared or fear for our lives. Also known as the ‘fight or flight response’, this is our systems way of prepping us for a quick reaction. Adrenaline is released, our heart rate increases, we get a boost of energy, digestion slows down or stops (the gut) and we react... fight or run.

This ‘fight or flight’ response is regulated through the autonomic nervous system, which is a complex network of nerves that extend from the brain to all the major organs within the body, including the gut.

The body’s 2nd brain

The gut has been dubbed the body’s second brain. It contains over 500 million neurons (nerve cells) and plays a crucial role in both our digestive health and body systems, including our minds.

The guts neurons and neurotransmitters are the same as those found in the brain and spinal cord, sharing similar roles and functions.

All the nerves in the gut are collectively known as the enteric nervous system, and they eventually all link up to form a single larger nerve, called the Vagus nerve, which connects directly to the brain. If the vagus nerve is blocked or damaged it has profound effects on your gut health, including alterations in digestion, appetite and eating behaviours.

When you eat food...

When you eat food, the nerves in your gut are stimulated. This triggers the muscles in the digestive tract to contract and move your food along the digestive train. At the same time neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, are released from the gut to communicate messages back and forth to the brain. These messages affect our appetite and our feelings of fullness, as well as regulate the movement of food along the digestive tract.

We are more than human – The gut bacteria

“One linear centimeter contains more bacteria than all the humans that have ever been born.”

The human gut contains up to 3kg of bacteria. These bacteria are referred to as microflora and outnumber our body cells by 10 to 1. There are literally trillions of them, with hundreds of different species. Lucky enough, most live in harmony with us (like a bird on a cow), providing benefits such as assisting digestion, strengthening immune function, as well as producing some essential nutrients.

If pathogenic (bad) bacteria move in and grow in undesirable numbers, they can damage our health. Think gastro or Bali beli.

Vomiting, diarrhoea, pain, inflammation, toilet marathon, etc.

Now as mentioned earlier, the gut has a bunch of nerves, and some of these protrude out into the lumen (gut space), coming into contact with bacteria. This is one of the reasons we get abdominal pain and suffer other unhappy symptoms when we have a gut bug.

Your gut health affects your thoughts, feelings and choices.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brains pleasure centre, as well as affects our appetite and emotions. Notably, around 50% of our dopamine is produced in the gut, reinforcing the gut-mind link.

Evidence shows that gut bacteria can produce vast amounts of dopamine, influencing appetite, reward, motivation, pleasure and gastrointestinal motility (the movement of food). Further to this, we know that antipsychotic drugs work by antagonising dopamine, which in turn influences mental state. Similarly, anti-nausea drugs also act on dopamine activity, tying the link between dopamine and the gut-mind connection, even tighter.

Serotonin, another crucial neurotransmitter that regulates mood, cognition, memory, sleep, appetite and most importantly food digestion and motility, is also definitively tied to the gut. Virtually all the serotonin produced in the body (~90%) is made in the gut.

Serotonin is a key player in the gut-mind connection with studies conveying a list of evidence to support this link. For example, a deficiency of serotonin is associated with depression, and alterations in serotonin levels are connected to anxiety.

Ever heard of SSRI? They’re one of the most frequently used anti-depressants that work by increasing circulating levels of serotonin. As a result of SSRIs use they commonly cause side effects in the gut, including nausea, altered bowel habits and increased appetite.

Further to this, research has found that certain gut bacteria produce factors that can block or mimic the actions of serotonin, which in turn influences the functions serotonin has on our mood, digestion and appetite. Again, showing how our gut health affects our mind.

Your gut bacteria can influence your mentality

Gut bacteria have been shown to influence mood, sleep, and the way we eat.

They can do this directly, via mimicking the neurotransmitters that are naturally produced by the gut, as well as indirectly, via blocking the actions of some of these neurotransmitters. Some examples:

- Research shows that 50 to 90% of people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) also suffer from anxiety, depression or other mental health conditions.

- Studies have found that by changing gut bacteria activity, food cravings can be reduced.

- Other studies have shown that by increasing gut bacteria diversity, food choices and satiety improved, resulting in improved weight management.

Understandably, there is a lot of scientific truth behind your gut feelings, and as time goes on we will see more and more evidence come out to support the gut-mind connection and it’s influence on our thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

And so, you are more than what you eat, you are what you digest, absorb, ferment and cultivate in that gut of yours.

Here’s what you can do to improve your gut health, which in turn should contribute to better mental health...

Eat a diet rich in plant-based foodsEat a variety of prebiotic and probiotic foodsManage your stress levelsMove your body each dayAnd sleep well