Diet

Reverse the Scales this Autumn

Rescu Team — Mon, 21 May 2012 11:11:55 GMT

Six secrets to ensure your clothes are the only extra layers you wear this season!

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin

Super Foods for Super Health

Rescu Team — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 14:14:06 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin www.nutritionaledge.com.au

These days a typical diet is loaded over-processed, unnatural foods of convenience, which are often nutritionally inadequate.

Enter the ‘Super Green Foods’: Super foods is the term used to describe foods that are so packed with nutrients that they help fight disease, encourage weight loss, increase energy levels and – generally – make you feel brilliant. So, what are they and where can we get them?

Get Red Carpet Ready with Zoe Bingley-Pullin's 5 Day Alkalise Plan

Rescu Team — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:13:05 GMT

With all those gorgeous, lean actresses on the red carpet, it is little wonder Red Carpet Season is always inspiration for crash dieting! Nutrition expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin shares with RESCU the 5 Day Alkalise Plan, a surefire way to lose weight ahead of a big event without compromising our health!

Expert Advice on Snacking the Healthy Way

Rescu Team — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 13:13:40 GMT

At RESCU we just love to snack and we know many of you like a quick bite on the run, but what’s the healthy way to do it? Amanda Clark, dietitian and author of The 2012 Australian Healthy Snack Bible, gives us some tips for healthy eating and portion control - It’s time to ditch the Maltesers for the muesli!

Fast Food And Eating Out: What Is The Best Choice?

Rescu Team — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:15:30 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert

As a rule, most fast foods are not healthy choices. Portions tend to be over-generous, even more so with the trend to ‘another 20% free’ offers and ‘jumbo’ sizes for very little extra money. It’s generally high in fat and calories and is excessively salty. These two factors alone make fast food a fat-inducing way of eating. The whole atmosphere in fast food restaurants is geared towards eating FAST, eating in you car or eating while you walk. It promotes over eating, too much food too quickly and you are unable to digest your food correctly – a real trap for anyone with a weight problem. Remember foods that are deep-fried will be using fats that are high in saturated fats or trans-fatty acids, try to at least choose fats-food that use canola oils for deep-frying. Here are the best choices if you’re out and about and the only choice is fast food:

5-Day Alkalise Cleanse Plan

Rescu Team — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:18:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Feeling heavy, bloated and sluggish after having a little too much festive season fun? This alkalise cleanse plan will have you feeling fresh and fabulous in just five days! Following this daily diet plan will feed your body with the nutrients needed to cleanse, detoxify and repair.

5-Day Alkalise Cleanse:

Sugar: The Crystal Killer You Eat Everyday

Rescu Team — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 0:00:08 GMT

Did you know that the average Australian consumes more than 24 teaspoons of sugar everyday? And not just from the sugar bowl... This addictive additive is hidden in many common foods and drinks. Raw cane sugar is a crystal killer; causing diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease, whilst diets high in sugar are linked to the cause of Alzheimer's disease, osteoporosis, immune dysfunction, imbalance of digestive flora, yeast infections, depression, various skin conditions and ADD. Many Australians could be eating and drinking themselves to an early grave just by adding this killer sweetener to their meals…

Healthy Christmas 2011

Rescu Team — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 14:14:20 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert

www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Everyone wants to enjoy Christmas but not the 5 kilos that are gained in the process... Here is a delicious healthy Christmas lunch and some tips, which are guilt-free:

Five Ways to Beat Carb Cravings by Nutrition Expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin

Super User — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 13:13:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

There is nothing worse than that feeling of the 3pm sugar craving taking hold and often fighting the temptation can literally be impossible. The obvious solution to curbing the carbohydrate craving is to eat a balanced diet, which consists of a little complex carbohydrates, protein and omegas fats in each meal.
Although sometimes even when you are eating a balanced diet you can still feel the carbo craving blues.
Here are five tips to arm yourself with and beat the carbo cravings before they hit:

Eat Complex Carbohydrates Instead of Simple Carbohydrates.
Simple carbohydrates are converted very quickly into glucose and will have the effect of triggering your blood sugar levels to rise and fall suddenly causing craving for more sugar. Complex carbohydrates on the other hand are converted slowly into glucose so they have the effect of keeping your blood sugar levels balanced and the advantage of making you feel full. This can be as simple as changing your white bread to multigrain

Stay Hydrated
So often we consume food when we are thirsty. By keeping to body hydrated, drinking 2L of water a day will help stop you reaching for that unnecessary snack. You can even add a fibre supplement such as Psyllium husks this will have the effect of making you feel full and it also helps with the digestion of food.

Take Supplements
There are a lot of good supplements on the market that are helpful with curbing carbo cravings but the downfall is most of them need to be taken before eating. The two that are particularly good are Chromium and L-glutamine. Chromium is an essential Micromineral it regulates the body’s Blood Sugar levels. Chromium supplementation decreases Blood Sugar in people with high Blood Sugar levels and raises Blood Sugar in people with low Blood Sugar levels. Amino acid l-glutamine is renowned for its ability to curd sweet cravings.

Eat Healthy Snacks
Eating a healthy snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon will help stop the carbohydrate craving and the energy lows. Keep fresh fruit, natural yoghurt or raw and unsalted nuts at your office or in your desk draw and when you are feeling like eating that biscuit or chocolate bar grab for one of the better alternatives.

Reward Youself but Not With Food
Many of us use food as our form of emotional support and reward. Unfortunately nine times out of ten the choice of food will be a poor one. Instead of reaching for that coffee and cake when you are feeling down or even when you have achieved something worthy of reward try having a massage or ever buy yourself some beautiful smelling essential oil. This will make you feel guilt free and it is a calories free choice. The other benefits of smelling essential oil is smell in closely related to taste and often this can have the added benefit of stopping the craving. Smell your way to a healthier you!

Excellent Sugar Alternatives

Agave nectar: Agave nectar is made form the agave nectar. It pours like honey and tastes like toffy. It is 25% sweeter that sugar and has a Glycaemic Index of 11 per tbsp.
Stevia: Stevia is originally native to Paraguay, it is a small green plant bearing leaves that have a delicious taste which are 450 times sweeter than sugar. The leaves are remarkably nutritious and contain a variety of healthful vitamins and minerals. Stevia creates an intense effect on the taste buds without raising blood sugar levels and it is calorie free.

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Lose Weight After Giving Birth With Nutrition Expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin's Yummy Mummy Diet

Super User — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 13:13:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Every mummy is trying to get rid of that extra little bit of weight. So what’s the best way to keep motivated?

Don't put yourself down when you eat the wrong food.
Healthy does not mean boring, hard to do or repetitive. Healthy means vitality, freshness and youthful.
Nobody and I truly mean nobody is perfect!!
There are no hidden tricks: rather than fighting against the thought of having to develop these healthy habits, embrace them.
As soon as you realise that eating a great diet and exercising has more benefits than pitfalls it'll make it a lot easer to stick to.

Where to start: The right direction to losing the post-pregnancy bellies.
Liquids: Water really is the essence of life and it will definitely help with weight loss. By eliminating drinks like soft drinks, coffee, tea and alcohol this will massively reduce calories out of your diet. The body requires 2.4L of fluids per day. This can come from water, herbal teas and fresh vegetable juice (not bottled fruit juice because of the high calories). Keep a 1.5L bottle of water on your desk and progressively sip all day.

What to eat: What sort of foods are important when you're aiming for a flat belly?
Eat low GI foods: Carbohydrates can be a dirty word in our health conscious world but what most people don't understand is that you need carbohydrates as they are our energy food. Low GI or slow releasing carbohydrates are what's needed to build and maintain energy levels. These are Burgen 'soy and linseed' bread, cereals, rolled oats, white basmati rice, sweet potato, digestive biscuits, wholemeal spaghetti, cherries, lentils pomegranate juice.

Does it matter HOW you eat when following this diet?
Breakfast and snacks: Always start the day with breakfast. Breakfast needs to be eaten first thing in the morning as this will help to break-the-fast and will initiate your metabolism, increasing calorie burning throughout the day.

How about snacks - do you have to cut them out?
You need to aim to eat a snack mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Frequent small meal spread over the day will help to maintain your metabolism and will stop your blood sugar levels falling. A side effect of not eating breakfast or healthy snacks are cravings and energy lows.

Morning teas: ¼ cup of mixed raw nuts/seeds and low GI dried fruit

Afternoon tea: 1 cup of mixed nuts and dried fruit or 3-4 pieces of fresh fruit

Deserts: Fresh fruit smoothie with berries, ½ a banana, 1 tbsp mixed seeds and ice. Low fat yoghurt with fresh fruit and POM wonderful juice

Where does protein fit?
Protein will fill you up, it’s a slow burning food group and will increase the metabolism.

Breakfast: Light milk or soymilk with breakfast

Lunch: Tuna or chicken

Dinner: Lean fish, chicken or pork

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How To Maintain A Flat Belly: Nutrition Expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin Shares Her Secrets

Super User — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

RESCU's health expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin shares with us the best way to beat the fat belly blues and achieve that flat stomach we all want to have.

Water: Poor elimination of toxins, especially in the lymphatic system, plays a role in the establishment of cellulite and fat. Increasing your water consumption to two to three litres of plain water or herbal teas per day will help reduce the formation of cellulite and speed your metabolism.

Low fibre diet: Consuming a diet low in fibre will slow the body’s ability to rid toxins from the bowl. Fibre can be supplements such as Psyllium husks, chia seeds or natural bran but the best and most effective is to increase your consumption of high fibre foods such as fruit, vegetable, grain and legumes.

Avoid refined carbohydrates and processed foods: Sweet foods, white-flour products such as cakes, cookies and white bread, preserved foods, commercial tomato sauces, bottled salad dressings and sweetened yoghurt should all be avoided. These foods are all processed and contain few vitamins and minerals needed for your daily requirement. The body burns them quickly so they do not satisfy you therefore leading you to overeat. They also have a high content of Trans Fatty Acids that when metabolised create toxins and fatty deposits.

Avoid crash diets: Crash diets can often be the cause of cellulite in the first place because of the sudden weight loss and then more often weight gain. It is very important that when losing weight you do it progressively and thought health lifestyle changes, not one hit wonders in a box.

Reduce saturated fats: Saturated fats such as animal fat, coconuts, palm oil, hydrogenised fats such as margarine and refined oils should all be avoided. Replace them with Essential Fatty Acids such as avocado, fish and unrefined, cold-pressed oils such as extra virgin olive oil, walnuts oil and flaxseed oil. Essential Fatty Acids will actually help the body to burn excess fat.

Living a lifestyle, which is filled with toxins such coffee, alcohol and smoking, all have a direct result in the formation of cellulite and fat. Although coffee has the effect in some people to increase bowel motions the body’s ability to rid the caffeine can be compromised by all the other toxins we consume. Try Dandelion tea or herbal teas as an alternative.

Remember that an unclean lifestyle can only lead to an unclean body.

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Nutrition Expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin Tells Us Why French Women Don't Get Fat

Super User — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

After living in France on-and-off for two years I became familiar with all of the delicious reasons French women don’t get fat despite their famous love for food and wine. Here are some of my top tips to beat the bulge the French way.

- Don’t heat olive oil beyond 180C otherwise you will convert it into a trans-fatty-acid. Baste the protein (fish, chicken, beef, pork) with a little olive oil, sear the meat on either side and than turn the pan to a low temperature. This will keep the oil stable and keep the meat moist.

- Buy healthy, high protein snacks for the week this will stop you grabbing the last minute unhealthy snack for the vending machine. Nuts, yoghurt, hummus, cottage cheese, tinned fish, boiled eggs, miso soup.

- Make a shopping list on Sunday or Monday morning, and buy the food you will require for your lunches and snacks for the week.

- Drink 2L of liquid per day; this can be in the form of water or herbal teas. Buy a 1.5L bottle of water and keep it at your desk.

- Keep fresh unsalted & raw nuts and seeds in your desk for a great vegetarian protein snack.

- Aim to eat small healthy meals every 3-4 hours, this will maintain an active metabolism and regulate your blood sugar levels.

- Include a good source of meat or vegetarian protein with each meal. 1g of meat protein per kg of body weight e.g. 75kg = 75g of protein.

- Eat a diet high in low GI carbohydrates (whole grain, fruit, vegetables) and low in high GI carbohydrates (white bread, white rice, pasta).

- Exercise in the morning to help kick start your metabolic rate therefore burning more calories throughout the day. Walk or cycle rather than drive when you can to slowly burn calories throughout the day.

- Drink no more than 1 cup of coffee (preferably black) or 2 teas per day.

- Reduce alcohol. 2 glasses of wine or 2 glass beers per day with 3 alcohol-free days.

- And most importantly; take the time to stop and enjoy the food you are eating! This will assist digestion and enjoyment, the French are famous for eating mindfully.

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Nutrition Expert Zoe Bingley-Pullin Exposes The Food Myths

Super User — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Coffee might not be as evil as we think it is. Coffee contains antioxidants called Chlorogenic Acid which are helpful in protecting our cells form aging. Coffee may alleviate asthma by dilating the bronchial tubes, making it easier for asthmatics to breathe. Remember limit your coffee to one per day to get the real health benefits. Excessive consumption of coffee, more than one per day, may increase blood pressure possibly causing hypertension, anxiety, irritability and affect your sleeping patterns. This occurs from the caffeine content found in coffee.

Excessive fruit (more than four pieces per day) can have a detrimental effect on the body and can put on weight as it contains too much fructose (fruit sugar). Fructose is a simple sugar and eaten in high amounts will affect the body’s blood sugar levels and may cause energy highs and lows. Excessive fructose may also aggravate the digestive system and cause bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

Dark chocolate might be the treat worth eating. Dark chocolate helps reduce blood pressure and raise good cholesterol (HDL’s) as cocoa contains antioxidants called polyphenols. By eating 50g of pure dark chocolate per day in conjunction with a healthy diet it will reduce your risk of heart disease by up to 39%. I like those odds.

Water is fantastic for almost every function of the body but drinking excessive amounts of water, more than 4L per day, can affect the overall balance of the body. Excessive consumption of water can accelerate the excretion of important vitamins such as folic acid, inositol and vitamin C.

Fat-free products might look like they will help reduce your body-fat but they might increase it. Generally all fat-free products will contain more simple sugars than the full fat version, or they may contain an aspartame which is a synthetic sugar that puts pressure on the liver to metabolise. An example of a fat free product that might look good on the outside but is extremely high in sugar is Nestle Blissful 98% fat-free. It contains 1.2g per 100g of saturated fat but a whopping 15.6g per 100g of sugar.

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Water: How Much Should We Be Drinking

Super User — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

It’s not so much about how much water you should be drinking but how much liquid over the day should you be consuming. Every person is different as some will exercise, some will be taller, shorter, but overall a good amount of liquid to drink for the average person is approximately 2-2.5L per day.

Dehydration is one the major causes of energy slumps or headaches throughout the day, and to think it is as simple as sipping 2-2.5L of liquids each day! You can drink water, herbal teas, watered down fruit juices or freshly squeezed vegetable juice, milk or even beer!! But overall from a health point of view water is the best choice. Remember you also consume liquids from fresh fruits and vegetables, so make sure you are eating your 5 serving of vegetable and your 2 serving of fruit per day.

Try keeping a bottle of water with you at all times in the car and by your desk, this way it is a visual reminder. To begin with you may find that you will run to the toilet every two seconds - simply work up to the correct amount of water for you.

Beverages to drink

Start each morning by squeezing the juice from half a lemon into hot water. Drinking this helps to stimulate digestive enzymes, which is a great way to begin each day.
Dandelion-root coffee is wonderful for the liver, and since you’ve temporarily kissed you morning latté goodbye, you may as well start to enjoy this unique nutty flavour.
Fresh vegetable juices are good therapy for the liver. Drink one daily made from one, or a blend of, the ‘can eat’ foods mentioned above.
Green tea contains the bioflavournoid called ‘catechin’, which is an antioxidant and very healing for the liver. Drink one to two cups daily.

Healthy herbal teas are a brilliant alternative to caffine and will be part of the your daily consumption of liquids. Why is drinking herbal teas so good for you, you might be asking? When you have to consume 2.5L of liquid each day you can get pretty sick of drinking water. Herbal teas are a fantastic way to increase your hydration without adding extra kilos to your waistline. Herbal teas have a fantastic healing effect on the body.

Here are five fantastic teas to keep you warm over winter:

Rosehip Tea was use in World War II for medical properties because it contains an extremely high amount of Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a fantastic antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-mucosal. A tip is do not boil the tea as this will deplete the high Vitamin C content.

Licorice Root Tea has been used for over 2000 years. Licorice contains glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sugar. Licorice is brilliant to have after meals as a sweet substitute it is also wonderfully soothing on the digestive system.

Ginger Tea is fantastic in helping reduce the nausea. It can be used in everything from morning sickness, PMT to motion sickness. It helps to improve your appetite by producing salivary amylase. Ginger is also a wonderful remedy in helping reduce bad cholesterol. It does this though lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol.

White tea has been drunk for centuries for ceremonial and health reasons. Green tea contains antioxidants called Polyphenols, which help to kill-off free radical damage that can cause early aging. Green tea helps to inhibit dietary fats being absorbed so therefore is excellent for weight loss. Try drinking green tea 30 minutes before eating; it helps to suppress the appetite.

Dandelion Tea is a fantastic alternative to coffee. It has a rich flavour like coffee and bares an amazing resemblance in colour. Dandelion tea is wonderfully stimulating for the liver and has a slightly bitter taste, which helps to also stimulate digestion.

A healthy hydrating diet:

Pre-breakfast: Lemon juice in hot water or fresh vegetable juice
Breakfast: Fruit salad with soy or rice yoghurt and 1 tablespoon of raw nuts and seeds
Snack: Peach and a handful of mixed nuts
Lunch: Organic or free-ranged chicken breast with a mixed salad including lemon juice, olive oil and herbs as a dressing
Snack: A small smoothie made of fruit and soy, rice, oat or almond milk
Dinner: Vegetable, beans and lentil soup
Post-dinner: Herbal tea with fruit and nuts

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How To Improve Your Sleep The Natural Way

Super User — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Sleep is defined as the body’s natural state of unconsciousness. When we are in this unconscious state, the body is repairing itself. The ideal amount of sleep is between six to eight hours each night, but if you are like most people and you get five hours one night and nine the next, you might be doing more harm then you think. When we are asleep the body is enhancing the function of the immune system, it is replenishing hormones such as Testosterone, Melatonin and Human Growth Hormone, and it is giving the body its much-needed rest so that we can be wonderfully active the next day.

Sleep is vital for overall good health and relying on things such as sleeping tablets will do more damage than good. Let’s look at the natural alternative.

Foods that are high in Vitamin B are fantastic to help improve the quality of your night sleep. Foods high in Vitamin B are legumes, peanuts, meat, salmon and eggs to name a few. Vitamin B is proven to help increase sleep because it assists in the production of serotonin and Melatonin, which are the hormones that help the body sleep and also make us feel good.
Magnesium, when consumed just prior to going to bed, improves the quality of your sleep because of its fantastic calming effect on the central nervous system. This is the one supplement that every one of my clients loves taking because it has a brilliant overall improvement to their sleep. You can supplement with magnesium (600mg per night) or you can consume food such as almonds, cashews, coca, wholegrain and molasses, which all contain a high amount of magnesium.
We all like to have a drink now and then but too much alcohol can have a serious effect on the quality of your nights sleep. Although alcohol induces sleep for the first few hours, the last half of the sleep cycle is interrupted and becomes shallower after excessive alcohol consumption. So limiting your alcohol cannot only reduce the calories, it can also increase your sleep.
If you consume coffee, even up to two hours before going to sleep, you will dramatically increase the time required to "fall asleep" and decrease the period of “Slow Wave” or what we know as “deep sleep”. This is due to the caffeine content in the coffee and its stimulating effect on the body. Try having chamomile tea before sleeping, it is very calming and contains no caffeine.
Exercise really is so important for keeping our body healthy and feeling fantastic. Regular exercise (three times per week) helps to increases the quality of sleep, it helps you fall asleep faster and it will also help reduce the amount of times you wake in the middle of the night. When we exercise, we release hormones such as serotonin, which is helpful in inducing sleep. So overall exercise is a key component to helping you have a greats night sleep.

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Protein: What Is It And How Much Do We Need?

Super User — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

What is protein?
Proteins are complex molecules which consist of 50 or more amino acids.

Protein is essential for every structure and function of every living cell in the body, they are literally the building blocks for our entire body and if we get too much or too little, we will literally, internally crumble.

When proteins are consumed, our digestive system breaks them down into amino acids. There are 22 naturally occurring amino acids that are divided into two groups, essential and non-essential.

The eight essential amino acids can’t be made by our bodies so must be obtained through our diets. Many foods, such as animal products, contain all the eight essential amino acids but not all vegetable protein contains these amino acids. Therefore it becomes necessary if you are vegetarian or have a diet that contains little animal proteins, that you combine certain foods such as grains, nuts and legumes together to ensure that all the eight essential amino acids are present within the diet.

Where can you get protein in your diet?
Good sources of protein are all animal products including dairy and eggs, although you have to take into consideration that eating all your protein form animal sources will also increase your saturated fat consumption. Therefore, try including some vegetable protein into your diet. Grains such as Quinoa and Amaranth are one of the only vegetable proteins that contain all the essential amino acids, so in theory it can be used in replacement for animal protein. Other fantastic vegetable protein can be found in nuts and seeds, legumes such as lentil, chickpeas, all beans and all soy products. So be imaginative!!!

How much protein do you need in your diet?
The recommended daily allowance, RDA, of protein is between 0.8 to 1 grams per kilogram of body weight, i.e. if you weigh 85 kilograms you will need to consume between 68 to 85 grams of protein per day. Your protein intake should be between 15 to 20% of your total calorie intake.

Athletes such as runners needs to increase there total protein in requirement to 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight, so looking at our 85 kg male, he would need between 102 to 119 grams of protein per day.

If you are doing Isotonic exercise such as weight lifting, your requirement will increase even more in order to stimulate muscle growth, RDA is between 1.7 to 2.2 grams per kg of body weight. So our 85 kg male would need between 144.5 to 187 grams of protein per day.

Many people believe that is it important to achieve your daily intake through the five to six small meals eaten over the day, but even if you have one meal that is high in protein, it can give your body it’s RDA.

Is supplementing necessary?
Considering what we eat in the average Western diet, it is very easy to see how we can be consuming way too much protein. When we start adding additional protein supplements, this really increases our overall consumption.

Excessive consumption of protein can be caused by the intake of supplements such as shakes, powders or bars, and can literally cause the body to excrete vital mineral and vitamins such as calcium, magnesium and Vitamin A.

When you look at the average protein supplement, you will notice that often not only are you getting protein but you are consuming a large amount of sugar. In fact, some protein bars can contain more carbohydrates than they do protein, so make sure you know what you’re taking.

The time to be adding more protein into your diet is with fractures or broken bones, in order to simulate muscle growth and support the body, and when you are pregnant, otherwise stick to the RDA and you will feel great. Remember that excessive protein does not burn cleanly and can lead to increased toxicity in the body if is not utilised.

An easy way to boost your daily protein intake is to make a fantastic smoothie with milk, nuts and seeds and fresh fruit.

How do we digest protein?
Some proteins such as animal protein can be hard for the body to digest because it contains very little fibre. Excessive protein can put a real strain on the digestive system and kidneys causing digestive problems such as colon cancer and kidney stones.

If you don’t have a healthy digestive system, your body will excrete the additional protein you are consuming. Foods that help increase absorption and digestion of protein are Psyllium husks because of it fibre content, pineapple because of its bromelain content and pawpaw because of its papin content.

For more info about Zoe's practice, go to www.nutritionaledge.com.au

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Expert Advice On Weight Loss and Alcohol

Super User — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:14:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Before wondering if it's really necessary to cut out alcohol or reduce your intake when trying to lose weight, find out what alcohol does to the body.

Alcohol and the effects on the brain and body:

There is good and bad news when we talk about alcohol and its effects on the body. Now I know you are saying ‘stop’, I only want to hear the good news, but to really make an informed decision you need to know all the facts.

For the sake of your sanity, I will start with the good news.

Alcohol should be drunk moderately, with no more than 10 units of alcohol per week (1 unit equals 100ml of wine, 30ml of sprits, and 1 middy).

Red wine, for example, contains healthy protective phytochemicals that may reduce the risk of heart disease, (this may explain why French people, who have been eating a diet high in fat for years, have one of the lowest rating risks of heart disease in the world.)

Red wines are also a good source of dietary iron, a mineral that helps prevent anemia and the later effects of fatigue. Beer has a few nutritional merits, such as a significant amount of B-12, a vitamin important for vegetarians. So overall red wine, white wine and beer in small amounts get a tick of approval.

Now here comes the bad news. Alcohol is a highly addictive substance and is the most abused drug in Australia. Prolonged consumption can lead to cellular changes in the liver, heart, brain, and muscles and result in cirrhosis, pancreatitis, irregular heartbeats, stroke, and malnutrition. Even moderate drinkers have a higher risk of oral cancer, and women who drink may have a higher risk of breast cancer. Lets look a little bit further at the effects of alcohol on the body.

Amino Acids are the building blocks for brain chemistry. An imbalance of these essential acids will affect your neurotransmitters, causing seemingly uncontrollable cravings for alcohol, drugs or food.

Alcohol use reduces the body’s ability to produce Neurotransmitters such as D-phenylalanine (endorphins), L-Tyrosine (Dopamine), L-tryptophan (serotonin) and L-Glutamine (GABA), causing the brain chemistry to change, which can cause deficiencies that spur these cravings. For example, if we have a deficiency in L-tryptophan, which is involved in the manufacture of serotonin in the brain, it can cause problems with your sleep patterns, will alter you mood and can increase cravings for sweets.

Chromium a natural trace element, promotes the passage of natural tryptophan from the diet through the blood/brain barrier into the brain, thereby achieving decreased cravings.

Alcohol can cause depression and irritability.

When you drink alcohol the body is unable to absorb fats especially Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids help decrease the alcohol related feeling of depression and anxiety and are closely linked to levels of serotonin in the brain. Omega-3 fatty acids EPA helps reduce anxiety and stress related behaviours.

Alcohol will severely deplete the levels of B-vitamins in your body. This can contribute to mood swings and even depression. Make a point of taking a B-complex supplement the night before and eat a breakfast rich in vitamin B such as porridge.

All alcoholic drinks have an effect on the body’s blood sugar levels (BSL) causing them to rise very quickly and then fall. This will have an effect on your energy level and will strip the brain of its main energy source, sugar, causing a change in mood, for example an aggressive drunk.

Supplements: B-complex, Chromium and Omega-3 are the most effective supplements to help cure and prevent the side effects that alcohol can cause.

So the bottom line for people who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle and lose weight? It’s harder to feel full when alcohol becomes a part of your diet because alcohol stimulates the appetite. If you are trying to keep your body a lean, mean, fighting machine, then reducing and having at least three alcohol free nights is the way to go.

Lets drink to that … with water of course.

Tips to help you cut back:

1. Drink a litre of water before you go out, to ward off dehydration. Dehydration is responsible for many hangover symptoms, including headaches; lethargy and the horrible feeling of the midnight dry mouth.

2. Mix sprits with tomato juice and eat protein-rich nuts to slow the absorption of alcohol. Aim to eat unroasted and unsalted nuts.

3. Avoid fizzy mixers as the carbon dioxide can speed up alcohol absorption.

4. Avoid mixing drinks and stick to either red or white wine.

5. If you have symptoms such as headaches, blocked nose or red checks when you drink, you may have intolerance.

6. Take Milk Thistle herbal capsules daily, starting one month before the party season, to support your liver and reduce alcohol damage.

7. Eating bitter food such as lemon and lime help increase liver enzymes therefore making the body more resilient.

Recovery Diet

Next time you wake up in the morning craving fat and feeling extremely lethargic, make a fantastic breakfast with Burgen soy and linseed bread, two poached eggs, avocado and grilled tomato. Sprinkle with sea salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

This will give the body its required Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3’s) and a massive boost of vitamin B for energy. It’s a winner!!

For more information on Zoe’s nutrition practice, go to www.nutritionaledge.com.au/index.html

More By Zoe Bingley-Pullin...

1. Boost Your Mood With Food
2. Five Ways To Eat Carbs And Lose Weight
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Boost Your Mood With Food

Super User — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 13:13:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, Nutrition Expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

There is nothing worse than sitting at work or home feeling like you would rather be safe and secure in bed. Well, your diet might hold the key to that much needed mood enhancer.

Five fabulous feel good foods and facts.

1. Essential Fatty Acids or EFA’s have been proven to help increase energy levels, deeper sleep, improved sense of physical and psychological wellbeing (mood), more relaxed feelings and improved ability to deal with stressful situations.
EFA’s affect the nervous system and help the body to increase a feeling of calmness.
You can either supplement with a fish oil capsules approximately two per day or increase your consumption of fish, nuts, and seed, avocado and flaxseeds oil. Eat your way to calmer you.

2. Selenium is a very high antioxidant with the added benefits in helping the body decrease anxiety and increase mood.
Try supplementing with 100mcg of Selenium for a 5 week period and you will notice a definitely notice an increases in your mood.
Brazil Nuts are the best known food source of Selenium but if you’re not a nut fan try increasing your consumption of barely, full-grain bread, mushroom, chicken, tuna, garlic or tomatoes.

3. Supplementing with Vitamin B1 has been proven to improve your mood and on the other hand poor mood or mood changes may be as a result of Vitamin B1 deficiency. Taking 50mg per day for two-moths will help to improve you mood and women who took Vitamin b1 for that time reported feeling significantly more clearheaded, composed and energetic.
Thiamine in is foods such as Brewer’s yeast, liver, mackerel, kidneys, beef, all nuts and miso.

4. Mood swings can be a result of sudden change in blood sugar levels which are caused by eating a diet high in sweet foods and refined sugars.
Avoid a diet high in simple carbohydrates sugar as flour, sugar, rice, pasta and white or wholemeal bread. Eat a diet high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, vegetables, legume, grains, nuts and seeds.

5. Exercise has the fantastic effect of increasing serotonin levels. Exercise make you feel more alert, it reduces depression, aggressiveness and feelings of being more energetic. It is said that high-intensity exercise such as running improves mood to a greater extent than low-intensity exercises, but the main point is just exercise and you will feel good.

For more info about Zoe's practice, go to www.nutritionaledge.com.au

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1. Five Ways To Eat Carbs And Lose Weight
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Expert Advice On Gluten-Free Diets And How To Beat Bloating

Super User — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 13:13:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, nutrition expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Bye-bye gluten! Going gluten-free for a while can be beneficial if certain grains constantly cause bloating and discomfort. This can be a sign of gluten intolerance or coeliac disease.

What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats. The component of gluten that causes problems for people with coeliac disease is the prolamine fraction. The prolamine fraction in wheat is called gliadin; in rye, it is called secalin; in barley, it is hordein; and in oats, it is avenin.

The small intestine of a person with coeliac disease is sensitive to gluten, which is the protein component of the grains wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats. Even tiny amounts of gluten can cause harm. When the lining of the small intestine is damaged, nutrients are poorly absorbed. Untreated, this can result in a range of disorders including malnutrition, osteoporosis and infertility. The cause of coeliac disease is unknown, but it is thought there are both genetic and environmental factors involved. There is no cure, but the disease can be managed by lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. A strict gluten free diet allows the microscopic, finger-like projections of the small intestine (villi) to recover and assist in normal absorption of nutrients. Consult with your accredited practising dietitian for a full explanation of the dietary requirements.

Don't self-diagnose
Coeliac disease is diagnosed by endoscopy with small bowel biopsy. During a small bowel endoscopy the small intestine is examined with a slender instrument (endoscope). Small samples of the small intestine (biopsy) are removed for examination under a microscope. It is important for the integrity and accuracy of the biopsy that you don't put yourself on a gluten free diet prior to the procedure. The symptoms of coeliac disease are similar to those of other disorders, but may include:

• Anaemia
• Digestive upsets, such as flatulence and bloating
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pains and cramps
• Weight loss
• Fatigue and generalised malaise.

Foods to avoid
A person with coeliac disease should avoid any foods that contain gluten. It is important to read the labels of all packaged or prepared foods.

Some foods that may contain gluten include:

Meat products - any products prepared with breadcrumbs or batter, most sausages and other processed meats (including smallgoods), thickened soups, meat pies and frozen meals.
Dairy products - malted milk, some flavoured milks, cheese spreads, ice-cream in a cone, many types of custard and many soymilks.
Fruits and vegetables - canned and sauced vegetables, textured vegetable protein (found in some vegetarian products) and fruit-pie filling.
Cereal and baking products - wheat, wheaten or unspecified corn flour, semolina, couscous, wheat bran, barley, oats, porridge, breakfast cereals containing wheat, rye, oats or barley, corn or rice cereals containing malt extract, icing sugar mixtures and baking powder.
Pasta and noodles - spaghetti, pasta, lasagne, gnocchi, hokkein noodles, soba noodles and two-minute noodles.
Bread, cakes and biscuits - all bread, cakes and biscuits prepared with flours that contain gluten. This also includes communion hosts.
Condiments - malt vinegar, many mustards, relishes, pickles, salad dressings, sauces, gravy and yeast extracts.
Snacks - liquorice, some lollies and chocolates, packet savoury snacks, and some flavoured potato and corn chips.
Drinks - cereal coffee substitutes, milk drink powders, beer, stout, ale, Guinness and lager.

Despite the restrictions, a person with coeliac disease can still enjoy a wide and varied diet if they take an open-minded approach. Corn (maize), rice, soy, potato, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, lentils and amaranth are all gluten free. It is important to read the labels of all packaged or prepared foods.

Some gluten free foods that people with coeliac disease can enjoy include:

Meat products - plain meat, fish, chicken, bacon, ham off the bone and meats that are frozen or canned but with no sauce.
Dairy products - eggs, full cream milk, low fat milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, fresh cream, processed or block cheese and some soymilks.
Fruits and vegetables - fresh, canned or frozen but not sauced; fruit juices, nuts and peanut butter.
Cereal and baking products - corn (maize) flour, soya flour, lentil flour, rice (all types), rice flour, rice bran, potato flour, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, breakfast cereals made from corn and rice without malt extract, polenta and psyllium.
Bread, cakes and biscuits - most rice crackers, corn cakes, rice crispbreads, corn tortillas and corn taco shells.
Pasta and noodles - gluten free pasta, rice noodles, bean vermicelli and 100% buckwheat noodles.
Condiments - tomato paste, tahini, jam, honey, maple syrup, cocoa, all kinds of vinegars (except malt), some sauces and some salad dressings.
Snacks - plain chips and corn chips, popcorn and plain chocolate.
Drinks - tea, coffee, mineral water, wine, sports drinks, spirits and liqueurs (check these for gluten-containing ingredients first).

Food labelling caution
Packaged foods have ingredient labels stamped on the box, package or bottle, but products are not always labelled if they are 'gluten free'. Also, the ingredient label may not list 'gluten' as a component, but it can be present within other ingredients such as thickeners, which could be wheat based.

Effective from December 2002, new Australian food labelling laws will ensure that any ingredient (for example starches, thickeners, maltodextrin etc) derived from gluten-containing grains will need to have the source indicated. Also, processing aids derived from gluten-containing grains used to assist in the manufacture of foods will have to be declared.

Gluten free products
There is an Australian Food Standard for processed foods labelled 'gluten free'. When foods are tested using the prescribed test, there must be 'no detectable gluten'. Currently (June 2001) this test is sensitive to 0.003% (3 parts per million).

Where to get help:
Your doctor
Gastroenterologist
Accredited practising dietitian
Coeliac Society of Victoria Tel. (03) 9808 5566

For more info about Zoe's practice, go to www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Related RESCU coverage:

1. Five Ways To Eat Carbs And Lose Weight
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Five Ways To Eat Carbs And Lose Weight

Super User — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 13:13:00 GMT

By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, nutrition expert
www.nutritionaledge.com.au

Are you afraid of carbohydrates? Do you love the taste of rice and pasta but you are too scared to add it back into your diet? Is having bread a pure indulgence? Don’t you think we have all gone a little too far when it comes to eating carbohydrates? Most people have very little knowledge about how important carbohydrates are in a healthy diet.

Here a five fantastic guilt free ways to have your carbohydrates and eat them too.

1. Only eat complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates such as full grains, nuts and seed, fruit and vegetables, have the advantage of converting into glucose slowly. When you eat simple carbohydrates such as flour, sugar, rice, pasta and most bread, your body converts the carbohydrate into glucose all at once causing your blood sugar levels to raise and fall very quickly. This has the effect of pulling your energy levels down and increasing your craving for more carbohydrates. Try changing your white or wholemeal bread for full grain bread such as Burgen Soy and Linseed bread.

2. Always eat a small amount of protein with your carbohydrates
Eating protein such as dairy, fish, lean chicken and red meat, eggs or vegetarian protein such as legumes and pulses, will slow to release of carbohydrates into the body. Protein has the advantage of burning very slow. Eating carbohydrates and protein in combination it will help slow the release of the whole meal.

3. Try using supplements such as Cogent db, chromium or vitamin B-complex
Cogent db plus is a carbohydrate metaboliser which is a blend of nine natural herbs that work together to help your body burn carbohydrates and unlock energy. The product helps control blood sugar levels and stimulates digestion, allowing you to make the most of the carbohydrates you eat, rather than storing them as fat. Chromium has the advantage of helping balance your blood sugars levels therefore reducing sugar cravings. Vitamin B-complex helps to metabolism carbohydrates faster.

4. Eat carbohydrates when you are exercising and are active
Carbohydrate are the body’s energy food, so it is very important to eat them when you are going to be at your most active so you can burn then. If your body does not burn the excess carbohydrate through activity, you will store them as fat.

5. Use the Glycaemic Index (GI) when trying to choose carbohydrates
The Glycaemic Index scores foods depending on the rate at which they are released. The higher the score the fast the carbohydrates will be released i.e. French baguettes has a GI of 95 as apposed to Burgen Soy & Linseed bread which as a GI of 36. To find out most go to the Glycaemic Index website www.glycemicindex.com/

Cogent db plus is available from your pharmacy. Or you can order the product online by visiting www.cogentdbplus.com or calling (toll free) 1800 994 212.

Learn how to cook healthy meals with Zoe Bingley-Pullin:

About Life Classes in Bondi Junction. Starting time - 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Address: 31-37 Oxford St Bondi Junction

Healthy Lunches 2nd Feb 2011
3 Ways With Fish 6th April 2011
Easy Healthy Entertaining 29th June 201

The classes include three delicious meals, an apron, recipes, a dinner party at the end and lots of great cooking and nutrition tips.
Please call 93897611 or email zoe@nutritionaledge.com.au to book your place. Cost is $100 per class.

For more information on Zoe’s nutrition practice, go to www.nutritionaledge.com.au/index.html

More healthy eating blogs by Zoe Bingley-Pullin:

1. Banish Bloating
2. Eat Your Way To Better Skin
3. The Good Fat Guide
4. The Three Superfoods To Transform Your Health

Get Expert Advice to RESCU your life: Style; Beauty; Wealth; Health; Love; Culture and great competitions.

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