2 minute noodles and Gravox maybe causing you a sleepless night

For a long time I have been skeptical about labelling - no artifically added preservatives, colours and chemical labels can be VERY misleading!

A friend of mine has problems sleeping so I have just gone through their pantry. The 2 minute noodles, the Red Nong Shim and Gravox could all be leading to his insomnia.

Interestingly MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a form of salt. It occurs naturally and can also be added to foods. AS with most salts, it augments the flavours of the food, hence known or referred to as "flavouring".

If you see this on packaging your alarm bells should ring. The food you are about to eat, has been ENHANCED. Naturally or otherwise doesn't matter. You are training your taste buds to become accustomed to food that needs enhancing otherwise you will think it is "Bland".

When you read the ingredients beware of the wording :

natural flavour

hydrolysed vegetable protein (HVP) is naturally very high in glutamates and is a stimulant to the brain

and 621, 627, 631 and 635

MSG (621) can lead to anaphylaxis (your throat swells and breathing is restricted - I once looked after a 12 year old asthmatic who died after eating Chinese take away - which was high in MSG). It can leads to headaches, insomnia, fuzzy thinking, dry mouth, nausea to name a few. And it is a salt so can raise your blood pressure.

Return to using garden picked herbs or sea salt for some flavour enhancement if you like it. Avoid gravies, noodles and their "flavour loaded" sachets.

Train yourself and your family to love natural foods - unadulterated with sauces!

Simple foods often taste the best!

Salt levels are high in stock cubes

As a practitioner, I continually learn new things from books, experience in the clinic, seminars and from you, my clients and friends.
The statistics and biochemical impact of table salt, sodium chloride is frightening. And yet as a society we say "It's ok food manufactorers. Keep using high levels of salt because i like the salt hit and will keep buying your foods. Surely if it wasn't safe a government-run health watch dog would say something. And surely you guys have a community conscience."

Unfortunately - don't think the above will eventuate.

SALT (look for sodium levels on the food panel).
Your daily consumption should be under 2000mg per day. Some Australians and Americans average 6000mg per day. Most MacDonald's burger meals contain all your sodium needs for one day. Exceed this amount and the following can take place:

• Fluid retention (you can gain as much as 2-3kg per day if you exceed your daily salt intake)
• increased cellulite due to fluid retention
• raised blood pressure
• swelling in your fingers and feet

What we all need to start saying is "can you please starting using less salt to help me with my taste adaption. I also would be grateful to you by not sending EVERYONE else's Blood pressure (and the associated heart and renal disease) through the roof as we all will financially and emotionally end up paying for it!"

Read labels carefully. Watch stock cubes, soy sauce, packet soups, packet sauces, gravy, bread, canned foods, cheeses and biscuits/crackers.

If you are making soups - use a whole chicken carcus or bacon bones. Put in a deep saucepan and cover wtih water. Boil for 30 mins, then simmer for 1 hour. You can use ginger, onion and parsley in the chicken stock (drain the fagments), then add vegies and creamed corn. Bacon bones are full of flavour on their own!

I was looking up salt contents of foods with a client the other day and am alarmed (although not suprised) at some of the salt levels in foods.

Chemicals in Kids foods is driving me NUTS

This is pertinent for all parents, people who suffer with anxiety and anyone who cares about the lack of involvement (or jurisdictive powers) our food regulation watch dogs have. No, I;m not trying to enter a political arguement with Uncle Tobys, Nestle, Mac Donalds or any other reverred child food provider, but i am very disappointed that they continue to feed our kids rubbish (including dangerous chemicals) and still advertise that they are responsible food makers.

Point in case: Le Snak cheddar Cheese with crispbread

35 Ingredients.
The following chemicals: 471, 304, 306, 339, 452, 234, 306, 307, 500, 503
It's meant to be cheese and a biscuit.
Kids (and adults for that matter) do not have receptor sites in the gut (this area of medicine is called nutri-genomics) and all these chemicals (preservatives, additives, colours - whatever, natural or not) cause stimulation of our immune system in the gut wall.
With time this heightened inflammation is the unsticking of what otherwise was a healthy body.
In 20 years time in our kids, we will see an unbelieveable rise in inflammatory conditions and diseases we don't even have names for at this point.

Put 4-5 plain rice crackers, organic corn chips with some real cheese in a lunch box for your kids. Look after them and your health.
Being a mum of 3, I know the food thing is a massive challenge - but BE STRONG.

Health Queen

Queensland Up-date on Swine Flu

As the prevalence of Swine-Flu-affected-persons increases in Queensland , over 50, as of this report (Tuesday 9th June 2009), I thought it pertinent to give you an up-date on what natural measures you can do to avert this virus. I am not going to call it a deadly virus – even though people have died from it – it generally runs the course of a normal “flu”.

In May and June of every year, there is an increase in croup, colds, flus and chest infections. The more aggressive the virus or bacteria (or virulent – this means the virus or bacteria can survive for a long time and is easily transmitted), – the more severe the symptoms experienced. IF your immune system is compromised (ie you are over worked and stressed, you are a child or an elderly person), the more likely the chances of developing complications from these nasty microscopic things.

Typical complications and symptoms from chest infections, croup and the flu include the following:
- pneumonia
- prolonged fatigue
- asthma like symptoms (chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheeze, spasm)
- other secondary infections
- pneumothorax (when you end up with a collapsed lung from coughing)
- weight loss (from decreased appetite)

If you are a parent – a prolonged chest infection means lots of worry about your child’s health, sleepless nights , and some one having to stay at home with the child.

If you are a worker (employee) this means you need to take sick leave, or leave without pay and try to recuperate.

If you are an employer, self-employed, or tradie, you will need to find some one to take over your job, or keep working despite feeling very sick and risk getting sicker, or cop a loss of income whilst not working.

If you are a student, you risk getting behind with the curriculum, behind with assignments and definitely no social life!

All in all, a day sick = a day lost.

Let’s talk about preventative strategies.
I suggest with cooking in winter months using the following potent immune boosters:
- garlic
- cayenne
- turmeric - horseradish
- foods high in Vitamin C (don’t over cook them or the Vitamin C is destroyed)
- eating foods high in zinc (nuts and seeds, shell fish)

Other proven strategies for boosting your immune system include taking a probiotic. I have practitioner only brands (very potent) or Inner Health, is OK for an over the counter purchase. (NB yogurts etc.. are very low in friendly bacteria).

Have a look at this youtube clip that I made
http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=lcLK7kNum_w&next=%2Fmy_videos%3Fpi%3D0%26ps%3D20%26sf%3Dadded%26sa%3D0%26sq%3D%26dm%3D2 (or found under byebyebridget1)

On a personal note
I received a letter from my daughter’s school this week which stated:

“.in the event of a confirmed case of Influenza H1N1 (Human Swine Flu) in a student attending your school, the school will be closed for up to seven days.”

This week, on the news, a school in Brisbane closed because a student’s sister (that didn’t attend the school ) was confirmed to have contracted the H1N1 virus. So clearly the education department is not running any chances. Parents this is serious! Isolation, which is the current strategy employed by the health department – then giving Tamiflu Vaccine is called “re-active”. I like to think that we are smarter than that and can be pro-active and pre-cautionary.
Personally I can’t afford (nor want my kids to be vulnerable) to this virus. I am boosting their immune systems.

I suggest getting yourselves and your children onto an immune boosting agent, such as Vitamin C, Echinacea or astragalus.

If you have Glandular Fever in the past, Ross River Virus or are elderly or young, you really should catch up with me so we can put in place a preventative strategy. If I was self-employed or had a job that involved contact with lots of people (ie: service industry, hospitality, travel or airlines) I would also be taking be taking preventative measures.

If you have an appointment with me in the next 3 weeks (ie until 27th June 2009) , I will give you FOR FREE, a proven immune boosting agent. It’s value will be insurmountable! Surely, like me , you can’t afford you or your family to be sick this winter.

I don’t want to become unwell and I don’t want any of my patients becoming unwell.

If you know someone that is currently not a patient and is at risk of catching the flu (ie self employed, run down, stressed, a child or elderly) I will give you 50% off your next to me for your referral.

Can you afford not to stay well this winter? I know I need to be fit and healthy and will definitely be taking an immune booster!

Give me a call if you are worried (0405 669 135 Australia or email sam@sanxing.com.au) or call your local hospital if you think you have Swine Flu.

NB : What I have discussed is my own research and generated for your own information.
There is more information on the QLD health department at :http://www.health.qld.gov.au/swineflu/

Yours in Health, the HEALTH QUEEN

Swine Flu

Hi are you worried about Swine Flu?

I haven't been particulaly worried about Swine flu, but I am concerned about people contracting it and the ramifications on thier work, their kids, our schools, our daily lifestyle!

I have put together a short film on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_edit?ns=1&video_id=lcLK7kNum_w&next=%2Fmy_videos%3Fpi%3D0%26ps%3D20%26sf%3Dadded%26sa%3D0%26sq%3D%26dm%3D2 so you can do every thing you can to avoid getting it.

I am also running a special for Sanxing Patients - if you see me from 10 - 27th June 2009 I will be giving you FOR FREE - an immune boosting agent. Call me on 0405 669 135 to arrange an appoinment.

Take care

Health Queen

6 secrets to a good soup

Bridgets
I love a good soup! The advantages of making soups are enormous:

1. healthy
2. easy to digest
3. warm us up
4. cheap
5. easy to make

I believe soups are some of the most versatile foods to make. I will often recommend soup for when people are detoxing, feeling heavy with the flu, have upset tummies or just want a change from the meat and veg thing.

Here are 6 of my secrets:

1. Buy a good carcus or off-cut of meat instead of stock cubes. I use chicken carcuses (from butcher/chicken shops), shanks, bacon ribs or bones, (I think ribs make the best soup bones) and any other meat boney bit! Cover with water , add an onion and boil for approx 1 hour. Now you have a perfect base for ANY soup.

2. Buy vegies that are in season. Yesterday I bought the freshest, biggest head of celery i have ever seen. Straight into the soup for that one.

3. Use sea salt or celtic sea salt and herbs to enhance natural flavours. Don't use cream. It makes the soup less healthy, fattier and takes away from the yummy vegetable flavours.

4. Leave soup for general consumption to the following day if you can. The flavours are yummier and the soup tends to thicken.

5. Make enough for left overs. There is something sad about coming to the end of a good bowl of soup. Always make extra for the next day.

6. Soups freeze really well and make a great emergency meal.

Enjoy Bridgets,