The Life Sutra

The Food of Happiness

Navigation

Search Results for: government guidelines

Government Nutrition Guidelines; Exposing the Hidden Agenda

March 6, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

processed food

I wrote most of this blog when I completed my nutrition exams because I wanted to vent my frustration that nutritional guidelines had not been updated in decades, despite modern research not backing up this dogma.  More frightening to me is that this is now being taught to our children in schools so will influence how they eat and more worryingly possibly start them on a diet path as children.

Q.  Is it a coincidence that the same decade that propaganda advertised low-fat and counting calories, became the very same decade that obesity and associated illnesses were spotlighted?  I want you to challenge everything that you’ve been taught/marketed previously, while I dispel some of the floored science behind the current Government manifesto for healthy eating.  I want to present some of the most up-to-date research that will hopefully influence you to make changes.  If you don’t need further convincing, maybe this will just give you a little bit more ammunition to answer the sceptics, of which there are still far too many.

The guidelines were put in place in the late 70s following the NACNE report and then added to in 1992 by a manifesto – Health of the Nation.

Low Fat  (Government Manifesto – reduce total fat consumed by 35% by 2005 to reduce the incidence of heart disease and obesity)

When making this recommendation total fat consumed was at about 47%, the average now is about 35% and yet cardio vascular disease (CVD), obesity and type 2 diabetes is still on the rise (but apparently this is because our levels of saturated fat consumed are too high but I’ll come onto that shortly).

If you remember one thing from this blog please take this away.. FAT IS NOT THE ENEMY!

Fat is an essential nutrient to our body, it provides essential fat soluble vitamins, aids digestion, assists nerve function and aids the hormones that regulate everything from metabolism to circulation.  Half our cell membranes are made up of fat, we store it for fuel and it provides a very efficient fuel (9kcal per 1g) when compared with carbohydrates (3.75 Kcal per 1g) or protein (4Kcal per 1g).  It also makes food taste more palatable which is why you crave fats when following low-fat diets, for any of you following low-fat diets I’m sure you’ll agree, low-fat is pretty tasteless!  Most of us are living proof that low-fat diets do not work for  long-term weight loss but more importantly studies show they do not reduce your risk of CVD.

What we need to get our heads round is not that fat is bad but that we determine which are the healthy, nourishing fats and which are the fats that actually harm our body.  If we don’t differentiate and just reduce all fats (like the Government suggests) we are actually depriving ourselves of some of the most powerful and beneficial nutrients on the planet.

By now I’m sure most of you have heard about the health benefits of omega-3 essential fats that can only be supplied by what we eat and are readily available in oily fish (sardines, salmon, rainbow trout, herring etc).  What is not so commonly known is that these fats are also available in grass-fed meat.  The commercial meat (not including some organic) we purchase from supermarkets is now from origin to supplier brought to us in the cheapest way possible, corners are cut and most are fed on cereal (grains I’ll come onto in another blog!) and therefore have no resemblance nutritionally to the superior meat which our ancestors ate, which would have been wild animals grazing on grass.  If you’re not partial to eating fish, consider adding some grass-fed meat or some organic eggs (from grass-grazing chickens).  Omega-3s play a vital role in improving blood pressure, supporting healthy cholesterol, reducing inflammation, preventing arthritis, stopping autoimmune disease and improving cognitive function (which is why you may have heard how they are commonly recommended to people suffering with Alzheimer’s or ADHD).  The science, a long list of studies that show the reduction of various diseases by increasing your intake of omega-3.

Omega-6 is also an essential fatty acid but to be effective must be kept proportional to omega-3 intake, an efficient ratio would be 1:1, in the UK however the ratio is currently 1 omega-3 to anywhere between 20-30 omega-6.  This imbalance causes a whole host of problematic health issues including inflammation and the precursors for virtually all metabolic diseases.  Where do we get omega-6 from?  Pretty much everywhere but it is most readily available in refined oils, margarine and processed foods.  Knowing this, you start to comprehend how easy it is to tip the delicate balance but also how a few simple changes to what you eat can have such a positive impact on your health.

Adding healthy, healing fats to your diet shouldn’t be complicated if you just stay as natural as possible.  Here is a list to consider:

  • Grass-fed meat
  • Oily fish
  • Avocado
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coconut
  • Seafood
  • Butter

Keep it simple, minimise processed fats and eat plenty of naturally occurring fats that will truly nourish your body.  Food will taste scrummy, you’ll start to feel amazing and you’ll maintain a healthy achievable weight so that you never need diet again.

Saturated Fat (Government Manifesto – Reduce saturated fat to a total of 10% of diet)

This was conceived from a highly flawed study performed in 1958 by Ancel Keys.  Keys correlated the deaths from heart disease to the levels of saturated fat consumed by individuals in 7 countries.  This is the graph released that showed 7 cherry picked countries that would “appear” to show a correlation and you would have come to the same conclusion if you just saw this.

ancelkeysgraph1_thumb.jpg

However, this is the graph plotting the actual results of ALL 22 countries.  As you can see there are countries that consume far higher levels of saturated fat and have lower incidences of heart disease.

ancel-keys-graph2

What this study did not take into account, are the many extenuating circumstances to consider for an individual’s health such as smoking, sugar intake, carbohydrates consumed, stress levels, amount of sleep etc.  I could go on but as the Keys study has been discredited you start to wonder why the Government hasn’t updated its stance on saturated fats.

There are plenty of populations (Masai, Inuit) shown to eat very high levels of saturated fat and have optimum health.  There have also been plenty of studies (350,000 participants in this one) that further discredit the links to heart disease.  Sadly whilst doctors and some nutritionists continue to follow Government recommendations people will continue to be miss-informed.

Fibre (Government Manifesto –  We need to increase our fibre intake from 20g to 30g per day)

Fibre has for years held the biggest miss-conception and mystery, most people know they need it, most are unsure exactly why – Is it good for the heart?  Does it stop constipation?

Fibre is not a nutrient: it supplies absolutely no nutrient value to the body whatsoever, so why are we told to eat more of it?  The problem with the type of fibre consumed today, is that in the main it comes from cereal and whole-grain which are particularly difficult to digest.  Fibre can have some pretty beneficial effects but these are only seen with the fibre consumed comes from vegetable sources.   Whole-grain fibres slow down the digestion process which has a disastrous effect on the body, it interferes with the delicate stomach lining and clogs up the intestines.  No one should want to slow down digestion; it can cause indigestion, heartburn, peptic ulcers, constipation, IBS and Crohn’s disease.. yikes!

Don’t be fooled by the cholesterol studies either, fibre has a similar effect to a low-fat diet on your cholesterol levels.  It would initially appear to lower your LDL  cholesterol, which you might think is good news especially if you are being monitored by your doctor but the reality is it has a much more significant impact on lowering HDL cholesterol.  This then reduces the body’s own natural ability to achieve homeostasis because HDL is required to remove LDL from the blood and thus provide its own natural defence system.  Cholesterol gets a lot of bad press but cholesterol is a normal body process and only becomes a problem linked to heart disease when again the delicate balance of ratios are out of sync.

Lastly, does fibre ease constipation?  Sadly not.  Constipation will occur for most of us at some point in our lives due to the temporary loss of the healthy bacteria in our stomach.  For a while, whole-grain fibres can replace this role and perform the required laxative function, however over time you will require more fibre because it inhibits the healthy bacteria being restored.  As fibre is continuously consumed it bulks up stools, slows digestion and you will then become constipated again and eventually you can incur problems such as hemorrhoids.  What does provide colonic motility? – FAT!!  Now we begin to understand why everyone on a low-fat diet is constipated in the first place.

Studies have recently found that fibre has no bearing on hunger, satiety or body weight so we can conclude that there are no health benefits gained from eating insoluble fibre (whole-grains).  I was astounded to read in one of my textbooks that the Government recommends eating 6 slices of wholemeal bread a day, I hope it’s now apparent why this is exasperating the problem for most people today.

I must stipulate that we are discussing certain insoluble fibres (think whole-grain and cereals), this is where there Government promotes we should increase our fibre intake i.e. further purchasing big food products with supplemented fibre.  The reality is that if we are to obtain the benefits of fibre we need to be eating fermentable and probiotic fibre, available in fruit and vegetables, these have an essential role in restoring gut flora and healthy bacteria.

Salt (Government manifesto – Reduce salt intake by 25%)

There has been a lot of conflicting evidence about salt over the years but the reality is that a little bit of salt is not going to do you any harm.  To illustrate this, in Japan, where mortality rates from cardiovascular disease are much lower than here the salt intake is significantly higher than the UK.

Our paleolithic ancestors certainly wouldn’t have added salt but interestingly we may not need to demonize salt either.  Sodium chloride is also an essential nutrient used to balance fluids within your body and a healthy kidney has been shown to be able to preserve homeostasis of sodium levels in varying ranges consumed. The link between salt and high blood pressure is also flawed (Dahl), the premise on which it was based was evidence shown as hypertension in rats who were given 50x the average salt intake.  Studies since have not found the same correlation and what became more significant was BMI and alcohol consumption, no surprise there!

I think it is worth differentiating between salts,  sea salt for example has a trace mineral content such as magnesium, calcium and potassium.  Table salt contains no minerals and often has anti-caking agents added to it to keep it as a powder so you really want to avoid table salt where possible.  Unfortunately, most salt that is added to prepared foods is table salt, so preparing your own meals and adding sea salt is the healthiest way to add salt to your diet.

Sugar (Government manifesto – Sugar should not make up more than 11% of the total energy, not including fruit and vegetable sugars)

The average British individual consumes 34 teaspoons of sugar a day (most of it hidden).  It’s highly addictive and food manufactures know this, the white stuff has a lot to answer for.  It’s pretty difficult to buy anything off the shelf that doesn’t have sugar added to it’s ingrediants; particularly high in cereals, drinks, cakes, jams and bottled sauces.  Not only does sugar rot our teeth but is the main cause of obesity and all the associated health conditions that being overweight brings.

Food retailers use salt and sugar to instigate “The Bliss Affect” in snack foods.  This is the name used by retailers for the tipping point at which people become highly addicted to the taste, whilst at the same time not providing the satiety you should feel once you have eaten.  This allows consumers to over-indulge on snack foods to dangerous proportions.  It’s all a clever design ploy that the average consumer is not aware of and so they end up excessively treating themselves detrimentally to their health.

I can’t disagree with the Government on this stance but all the ownership appears to be on the consumer and not the industry that has no interest in the health of our nation.  If you mostly eat natural foods than sugar isn’t a big consideration but if like most people you need the convenience of mixing it up with purchased products than hidden sugar is something you should be aware of.

Protein (Government manifesto – Protein levels should stay the same but take more protein from vegetable sources)

Animal meats are constantly being vilified in the media, but contrary to popular belief meat and fish contain the highest quality of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Some of the myths surrounding meat are:

  • Meat contains too much saturated fat and cholesterol – We’ve already covrered these concerns above!
  • Meat Causes heart disease and Type 2 Diabetes – Heart disease became a problem in the 20th century and type 2 diabetes became a concern in the last decade and meat has been eaten for literally millions of years.  The correlation is made when we don’t specify the type of meat so I’ll come onto that shortly.
  • Meat causes cancer – This statement is currently making headlines but again the studies have mostly been linked to processed meat.  Perhaps the only other area of caution is not to burn your meat, overcooked meat has been shown to cause cancer in animals but it’s certainly not a reason to avoid meat altogether.

Processed meats are however another story, full of additives, preservatives, sugar and starches you can understand the link to certain cancers but not all sources of meat should be tarnished with the same brush.  As discussed previously, when possible it’s important to try to obtain grass-fed and organic, it is worth paying the additional price difference for the nutritional superiority of this meat.

The Government recommends we should be substituting meat for processed plant and soy based alternatives (another big food alternative being promoted).  Soy foods became popular in Japan because of the health links shown there however, what is not noted is that the consumption of soy there is predominantly fermented e.g. soy sauce.  90% of soy products here are genetically modified and are contaminated with large pesticide residues and soy is a common allergen for many people.  Soy proteins are added to many products and are heavily processed with aluminium washes and nitrates all of which have been linked to cancer studies.  I would personally avoid soy altogether if you can unless you’re buying fermented soy.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES (GOVERNMENT MANIFESTO 5 A DAY ON THE EATWELL PLATE)

Years ago when I probably followed an “eatwell plate” style of eating I was always consciously aware of the need to try to put more fresh vegetables and fruit in my diet.  When you take bread, cereal, pasta and all the processed carbohydrates out of your diet, you’re left eating what nature supplies, a pretty amazing colourful array of phytonutrients, nutrients with energy supplied by the sun.  When every plate looks like a rainbow of colour you can easily eat 9/10 fresh vegetables without having to think about your 5 a day.  Packed with minerals, vitamins, naturel fibre and living enzymes which when eaten raw can actually reverse the signs of aging!

CONCLUSION

I think we have to establish that the Government guidelines are not working to alleviate the health problems of today.  We are only a few years behind the US where obesity has skyrocketed.  The reality is the Government is heavily influenced by big food companies that are only interested in profit.  We are continuously marketed with “healthy products” by those that have the financial incentive and backing to do so, big food and pharmaceutical companies.  We mustn’t let the Government influence our eating habits or our children’s.  New research is being published  all the time dispelling old myths and showing us how to eat healthily and I will endeavour to research and write about it.  Today, make 1 small change to what you eat and even without looking at the evidence, you’ll start to notice for yourself the difference it makes to your health.

Food of Happiness

Filed Under: Adults, Nutrition, Uncategorized

Easy Creamy Guacamole

March 19, 2017 by admin 15 Comments

guacamole

I’m a big fan of avocado and I really love the buttery texture of guacamole but when you buy it in the shop it always seems to contain wheat, sugar, vegetable oil or if you’re really lucky.. all 3!

Guacamole takes me 5 minutes to make it and then I adore it as a side serving on salad, on scrambled eggs, topped on fish or just dipping crudites into it.

Avocado is full of healthy monounsaturated fat which has been demonised by the low-fat industry for far too long, read here.  It has been a key part of the heart healthy Mediterranean diet for decades and it is one of the most nutritionally dense fruit you can eat.  It is full of B Vitamins – great for sustaining energy levels, high in Vitamin C – boosting your immune system, keeps your skin looking glowing with Vitamin E and it is packed with minerals such as magnesium and potassium to name a few.  Avocados have even been shown to induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cancer cells.

How do you like to eat guacamole?

5.0 from 5 reviews
Save Print
Easy Creamy Guacamole
Author: Vanessa Woozley
Recipe type: Sides
Prep time:  5 mins
Total time:  5 mins
 
Ingredients
  • 1½ avocados
  • 1 large tomato
  • ½ red onion
  • ½ big bunch of coriander leaves (not stalks)
  • 1 drop of doTERRA Cilantro essential oil (optional)
  • juice from half a lemon
  • ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until creamy with a little texture
  2. Transfer to fridge
3.2.2925

 

Filed Under: Recipes, Sides, Uncategorized

Goji and Coconut Energy Balls

December 2, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment

coconut-goji-balls

If you’ve been following my blog you’ll know that I am a big advocate of pure therapeutic- grade essential oils.  I run classes locally and online but if you get the chance to come to one of my classes I nearly always make these…. so after much demand for the recipe I am finally posting it up!  I will be honest, the single 1 drop of cinnamon bark oil* that I use in this recipe transforms the taste.  You can use cinnamon spice but you don’t get the same intensity of flavour.

*Please do not use oils that are not safe for ingestion.

Coconutgojiballs1

While this recipe has no-refined sugar, it does contain quite a few dates so adding cinnamon is a very sensible way to support balancing your blood sugar.  Studies have shown that it cinnamon can lower even fasting blood sugar levels.

Full of healthy saturated fats in the coconut oil and seeds.  Goji berries are one of my favourite berries  cacao nibs which add a lovely nutty texture without actual nuts, therefore they are perfect as lunchbox fillers, an energy food between meals but even as a nibble when hosting a party!

If you’re interested in learning more about pure essential oils, then contact me to join one of my online classes or drop me an email.

 

 

 

 

Save Print
Goji and Coconut Energy Balls
Author: Vanessa Woozley
Prep time:  10 mins
Total time:  10 mins
Serves: 16-20
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup of coconut flakes
  • ½ cup of pumpkin seeds
  • 8 dates
  • 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil
  • ½ cup of goji berries
  • 2 tablespoons cacao nibs
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or 1 drop of doTERRA cinnamon oil (never more than 1!)
Instructions
  1. Add all ingredients into a food processor apart from half of the goji berries and the cacao nibs, blend until the consistency of fine gravel, this may take several minutes depending on the power of the blender
  2. Add the rest of the goji berries and cacao nibs and pulse in to give the energy balls a little texture
  3. Roll the mixture into ping pong size balls or smaller for children and add to the fridge for the coconut oil to harden
  4. Enjoy as a great energy boost when needed or gift to a friend
3.2.2925

 

Filed Under: Adults, Children, Dessert, Nutrition, Uncategorized

Easy Coronation chicken

July 14, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

 

coronationchicken

This is what I make with my leftover roast chicken, alternatively you can use some chicken thighs which have the nutritious darker meat.  Many people opt for the chicken breast thinking they are going for the lower fat healthier option but did you know that the brown muscle meat contains large quantities of iron, zinc and B vitamins used for cell metabolism and are therefore key to sustaining energy levels.  The muscle meat also contains higher amounts of saturated fat which have been vindicated from health risks so you can enjoy the inexpensive tastier cuts of meat.

I love coronation chicken, hands down it is one my favorite salad side dishes, it’s also perfect for a crispy jacket potato too – simple healthy whole-food nutrition.

 

Save Print
Coronation chicken
Author: Vanessa Woozley
 
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken thighs
  • ½ a cup of homemade mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon of medium curry powder
  • ¼ cup of walnuts
  • ¼ cup of raisons
Instructions
  1. Poach the thicken thighs in simmering water for 18-20 minutes with the lid on.
  2. Flake the chicken away from the bones
  3. Mix the other ingredients in a bowl and taste, adjust curry powder according to your liking or add more mayonnaise to make it milder
  4. Coat the chicken with the sauce and serve
  5. Delicious over salad or jacket potato
3.2.2925

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

8 Real-Food Alternatives for a Healthy and Delicious Christmas!

December 18, 2014 by admin 2 Comments

Christmas-dinner

Over the last few weeks, I’ve spoken to many people who have said to me, “I can’t even think about being healthy when it’s Christmas, I’ll wait till January”  To everyone who feels like this I want to reassure you that being healthy is not about deprivation or dieting, just a commitment to eat real-food today and every day.  With this in mind, here are my whole-food healthy Christmas tips.

1.  Make your own gravy with meat juices or even use bone broth as a stock 

Essential amino acids that can only to be obtained from the diet are often lost in the cooking juices of meat so the best way to ensure maximum nutrients is to reserve the meat juices to make a delicious real food gravy.   Bone broth has also been used by many to heal health conditions, food intolerances, to improve appearance of the skin and enhance joint health.

2.  Add some grass-fed butter (such as Kerrygold) to your vegetables 

Abundant in fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, grass-fed butter also provides Omega 3s and the short chain fatty acids can even boost your metabolism.

3.  Homemade Cranberry sauce made with fresh cranberries, raw honey and freshly squeezed orange

Cranberrries are second only to blueberries in their antioxidant power but are depleted when you add sugar so keep it homemade and as close to nature as possible for a truly healthy accompaniment to your turkey.

4.  Cook the potatoes in goose fat for a crispy roastie

Saturated fats are healthy, history has shown that the incidences of heart disease have steadily increased with the decline of butter and animal fats for more science check here.

5.  Put your cheese board on some cucumber slices instead of crackers

Cucumbers are 95% water but also full of anti-inflammatory properties important for brain health as well as abundant in B vitamins which can help ease feelings of stress and anxiety.

6.  Make a homemade dessert with raw honey instead of refined sugar such as this easy chocolate avocado pudding

Raw honey has been shown to be full of antioxidants and can even lower fasting blood sugar.  It also has antibacterial properties that in recent studies have shown to be as effective as antibiotics for certain bacteria.

7.  Have a couple of squares of rich 75%+ dark chocolate

Dark chocolate (note, this is not the same for milk chocolate) contains anti-inflammatory properties shown to be particularly significant in studies looking at heart health. It is also renowned for its antioxidant polyphenols that inhibit free radicals.

8.  Graze on some raw macadamia nuts 

These nuts are packed with Omega 3s and 85% healthy monounsaturated fats as well as being are extremely satisfying.

 

Most of all enjoy a decadent, delicious Christmas with loved ones because you don’t have to wait till January to be healthy!

Happy Christmas everyone

Vanessa x

Filed Under: Uncategorized

A love story with food and its power to heal

April 1, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

I was asked by my friends this past weekend what led me on my journey with food and my interest in nutrition and I started to ponder about where it began and how eating evolved for me.  It’s difficult to pinpoint the start because if you’ve read my about me page, it’s been a slow, gradual adaptation but I wanted to share my highlights and my significant discovery about the power of food.

My family has always been what you would probably call foodies, we like to cook and we REALLY like to eat!  I have a Granny still going strong at 101 years old and I reckon you can pretty much put that down to old-school very healthy nutrition.  It has been passed down the generations and I’m lucky I’ve been brought up on home-cooked food and butter!  However, like everyone my generation, in my teens I was convinced I needed to be on a constant diet and that low-fat was the way forward, this was my downfall.  I subsequently picked up some bad habits that I’ve since had to work hard to undo.

In my 20s, I started reading nutrition books and one of the first books I read was ‘Fats that Heal and Fats that Kill’, my fascination began and these books made me start to question everything..

The Power of Food

A few years ago, I was teaching a lot of Zumba classes about 14 a week and I began to really struggle with energy levels, particularly on the day when I had 4 classes.  I refused to let me body get the better of me and stubbornly knew there would be a way to fuel this level of exercise, I just hadn’t found it yet.. Professional athletes train all day so what was their secret?  I started to increase my carbohydrates, because we all “know” bread is a perfect reserve of stored energy, right?  I ate more wholemeal, organic toast with butter and Marmite.  The problem was this had the opposite effect, the more toast or pasta I ate the more tired I became, not only was I starting to feel exhausted all the time but I was getting this brain fog in the afternoon.  I was teaching in schools and finding no amount of caffeine would help lift the fatigue.  I started my research again came upon Paleo, this was just the start of a life-changing journey.

I’ve always been pro-natural alternatives, believing we are meant to eat the way the earth supplies our food so something clicked into place when I read paleo books.  If you’ve not come across paleo before it is embedded with ancestral ways of eating i.e. trying to replicate the diet of our ancestors millions of years ago, eating from the land.  There is a strong ethic in organic and sustainable farming but most significantly it is about removing processed food of all kind.

I started to realise the power of food within a month of taking wheat out of my diet, my life transformed and I have never looked back.  I felt healthier, happier, I was sleeping a solid 9 hours, my complexion improved and I had all the endless energy I needed.

Twice I tried to eat wheat in the 6 months following, at first I was a little embarrassed to tell people I didn’t eat wheat, I didn’t want to be one of “those” people with their special diet but both times I suffered with extreme stomach cramps through the night for about a week following.  I know I am gluten intolerant but this didn’t become apparent until it was removed from my diet, although it is my strong suspicion that we all are in some form or another (more on this to follow..)  There was more…I realised I had gone from being ill with colds and flu probably 4x a year to not at all and it wasn’t just me, apart from chicken pox, Scarlett also has not been ill in at least 2 years.  My hayfever and allergic reactions to animals that moult (that started when I was 5 years old) also disappeared.

I started reading all the nutrition books I could find on ancestral health and studying current scientific papers and I realised that everything we have been taught about nutrition has been based on flawed science, see here.

Healing Scarlett

Portrait 167aThis was probably the biggest milestone on my journey, although Scarlett has eaten Paleo with me these last 2 years, I weaned her on wholemeal pitta and houmous (before I knew differently) and when she wasn’t with me, she would eat like most regular toddlers – sandwiches, cakes and sweets at parties.  From a young age she developed eczema, I didn’t think too much of it as most of my family have suffered with childhood eczema.  On the advise of the Doctor, I put steroid creams on her a couple of times but after a few days of relief the eczema would always return.  Alarm bells started ringing when she started experiencing allergies to food, I noticed after she ate a tomato her face would flare up in a red rash all over her face, she was developing what I have since learned to be auto-immunity, due to gluten sensitivity and a subsequent leaky gut.  I have lots more to tell you about this journey, its been my biggest learning curve and we still have a way to go but 6 months of bone broth and probiotics (made from food) we are probably 90% there with curing her eczema.

Healing Aggie

AggieIf you think my dog, Aggie got off scott-free, think again, even she got the Vanessa healing treatment.  I was spending a fortune on natural dog food and in a bid to save some money, I introduced her to the delights of pedigree chum, (a grain containing dog food).  Within 6 months she developed this incessant scratching so I took her to the Vet £40 later I was told, nope, absolutely nothing wrong with her.  My friend who is a dog hydrotherapist suggested a raw dog food diet and something twigged, if I could heal Scarlett’s eczema why not Aggie’s so with her raw food she was given bone broth and fermented vegetables.  I’m happy to say the results were much quicker, within a month no scratching and even the dog groomer recently commented on how lovely her coat is, one happy dog again.

Probiotics

I have so much to share with you about these exciting, life-changing foods.   Having been around for centuries and particularly used in traditional cultures, natural probiotics are now making waves in nutrition circles.  Nutritional Science is now at an exciting time because for the last 100 years we can now determine what food can cure.

We’re also lucky enough to live in a generation where we can now expect to live past 100 years old but I also think we should expect to be in good health for those years, without symptoms and without age holding us back from being physically active as well as looking young too.  There has been a big shift in people looking at holistic, natural, homeopathic cures and what I’ve learnt on my journey is that you shouldnt underestimate the power of food, it is literally your most powerful medicine so you should be mindful of what you eat.

It’s been on a slow gradual journey on what many now term clean-eating. I am fussy with what I eat but with very good reason, I know how certain foods used to make me feel and I’m not willing to go back there. It makes me smile when people enquire as to what strange food I’m eating now because I’m wondering whether I do actually eat that strangely or has eating fast, processed, junk food just become so engrained in society it is now accepted as the norm?

I hope this blog has interested you and maybe there has been something here that you can relate to as well.  You can probably gather, I have lots more information to share so I hope you’ll continue to read them as my journey with food continues.  My next blog will be on wheat because this food group has a big impact for everyone..

Filed Under: Adults, Children, Nutrition, Uncategorized

Vanessa Woozley

Recent Posts

  • Fluffy Buckwheat Breakfast Pancakes
  • Chocolate, Raspberry, Orange Raw Cheesecake – vegan, paleo, no sugar
  • Cacao, Raspberry and Wild Orange Smoothie
  • Blackberry Chia Jam – refined sugar free!
  • 10 Easy Ways to Reduce the Toxic Chemicals in Your Home

Recent Comments

  • Edwardo Tabora on 10 Reasons Why Healthy Eating Gives You so Much More than Weight Loss
  • Hannah Healy on Cacao, Raspberry and Wild Orange Smoothie
  • Darryl Edwards on Cacao, Raspberry and Wild Orange Smoothie
  • Katja on Cacao, Raspberry and Wild Orange Smoothie
  • ChihYu on Cacao, Raspberry and Wild Orange Smoothie

Archives

  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • May 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • September 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • December 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014

Categories

  • Adults
  • Breakfast
  • Chicken
  • Children
  • Chocolate
  • Dessert
  • Dips
  • Lifestyle
  • Main Courses
  • Nutrition
  • Probiotics
  • Recipes
  • Salads
  • Sides
  • Soups
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2022 · Foodie Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in