Do you drink wine (habitually) to relax

Do you have one or two glasses of wine while cooking the night’s meal. No intention of getting drunk, just sipping and cooking (or worse still, sipping while working)?

Whilst one to two glasses could be achieving a more relaxed head state, psychologically helping you make the transition from work mode to home mode – you do need to be aware of the following:

- Having mindless wine is giving yourself extra sugar and maybe leading to hormone imbalances, such as elevated testosterone.

So what other ways can one achieve the equivalent of 1-2 (or several) glasses of wine without the negative side effects of sugar consumption? These are a few ideas that I have put together…

1. Exercise every morning (rain, hail, shine – just do it)

2. Put yourself through a relaxation audio (20 mins investment in the morning before getting out of bed, or sitting under a tree, listening to an iphone)

3. watch a movie – funny, short skits are perfect

4. Mentally digest your day on the way HOME from work, put items into mental folders and see yourself putting it into your mental filing cabinet, until you chose to revisit them.

5. Have a end and start points that signal changing roles. For example, pulling down the garage door means no more work, putting on slippers means relaxation mode, putting on nightie = no more cleaning etc.

6, Eat so many good and healthy things that you become selfish about sacrificing any goodness for bad

7. Make sure you drink LOADS of water in the afternoon so you are not confusing thirst for water as thirst for alcohol.

8. Have a protein/carb snack at 4pm to tie you over nicely until dinner time (this will help your blood sugar drop and crave wine).

Gluten Free snack

Gluten free snack

Ingred:

Corn chips (try to get organic and chemical free)

Mexican beans

Mince

salsa (home made is delicious if you can)

Mozarella cheese

Place the bean mix on the base of a baking dish. Place corn chips on top, cover with cheese. Melt in an oven on 180 for 15 mins. Add mince (left over spag bog is fine) and serve with salsa. Kids love this dish.

Today Show

I will appearing on The Today Show, Channel 9, on Tuesday 19th October 2010 to discuss my book Beauty and the Beast Within.

Watch for the 8am interview with Lisa Wilkinson

Great Skin Tips

These are the things I do to keep my skin, and body feeling as good on the outside as it does on the inside….

1. I use a soft toothbrush in the shower to brush my face and neck, promoting circulation and keeping my lymphatics open

2. I use olive oil on my face 2-3 times a week as my moisturiser and pure  Rose hip oil as my nightly moisturiser

3. I find the best supplements are:

- folic acid and iron these stop blemishes or chloasma

- progesterone in the form of chaste tree which gives your skin elasticity and a glow

- St Mary’s which flushes your liver from impurities and keeps pimples, ezcema etc at bay

- CoQ10 if I go in the sun to act as anti-oxidant

- omega 3s for wrinkles. When I see more lines, I hit the omega 3s very hard. Just for a few days – it makes the world of difference

4. I drink lots of water 2-4 litres a day (depending on exercise, heat etc..)

my 3 secrets for a flat tummy

Well – flattish

1. Eat exciting salads, vegetables and meats. Forget the grains – they are over-rated and lead to total body inflammation, which leads to metabolic diseases such as poly ovary syndrome, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. The best thing for these people to is drop the overt carbs and focus on eating vegetables and (sparing) fruit, meats, nuts and seeds.

2. Move – move and walk every where and every opportunity. The thing that strikes me most about Europe, is there fanaticism with food and exercising. They walk everywhere. So let’s learn from them; suck in rear, pull in tummy and imagine your head being drawn up like a puppet string.

3. Laugh. Laughing and deep breathing use all the muscles of the tummy. Give them a daily work out by finding something funny to laugh at. And if you can’t find something- make it up.

Are women becoming men?

High testosterone levels are becoming common among women.

84% of women feel they have a hormone imbalance, and 3 out of 10 women have a condition called poly cystic ovary syndrome.

Unfortunately many women probably have elevated levels of testosterone and are either walking out on their partner, can’t find mister Right, or their doctor has started them on anti-depressants.

Testosterone plays a very important role in women. It contributes to:

- energy levels

- muscle development

- sex drive

- makes us feel good

- strengthen bones

- protects against heart disease

And when we (women) don’t produce enough, we feel low in all of the above.

BUT when we make too much testosterone, women feel and experience the following:

- anger and irritability (including road rage and probably school yard bullying)

- obesity

- poly cystic ovary syndrome

- infertility

- unwanted facial and body hair

- deep or gravelly voice

- facial acne or pimples on the back or chest

- muscular stance, square jaw line and very “tom-boyish”

Women can end up looking like this if they don’t stop, reassess and try reversing some contributing factors. Unfortunately for many women, this is a true reality.

 

Hormone balance

this is a short you tube clip explaining happy hormone balance in women.

84% of women feel they have a hormone imbalance! Are you one of them?

Women make a few sex hormones, but the 3 main ones will be discussed here.

 

 

The best way to check your hormone levels is via a saliva test. Blood tests will give you inaccurate results.

Oestrogen should be under 10. Ideally 3-6

Progesterone should be 800 but more importantly in a ratio of 200:1 of oestrogen

Testosterone should be between 80-100.

If your hormones are outside these levels, chances are you will feel “out of balance”.

Oestrogen (estrogen) imbalance in Women

 

Oestrogen (estrogen in Australia) is made by the woman’s ovaries and adrenals. It is also made by adipose tissue (fat cells).

There are 3 types of oestrogen.

Oestrone (E1) increases after menopause and accounts for 10-20% of oestrogen levels.

Oestradiol (E2) readily converts to E1, and is the most potent of the 3 oestrogens and is mainly produced by the ovaries.When the levels of E2 drop during menopause – flushes and night sweats can occur.

Oestriol (E3) is produced mainly throughout pregnancy. A topical cream derivative is used in post menopausal ladies for vaginal shrinkage (and painful intercourse) and urinary incontinence.

Normal oestrogen levels are responsible for the following:

- development of secondary sexual characteristics (eg breasts, widening of the hips, pubic hair).

- promotes the growth of the endometrial lining and breast tissue

- is necessary for development of longer bones

- improves memory

- increases fat stores

- protects against heart disease

- can be of assistance during menopause

Excessive Oestrogen  is also called Oestrogen Dominance.

In this very common hormone imbalance, women will feel some (not necessarily all) of the following:

- mood swings (including anxiety and depression)

- cellulite and fat

- headaches and migraines

- heavy or longer periods

- endometriosis or fibroids

- breast , ovarian and endometrial cancers

- pimples

- irritability, low energy and insomnia

The best way to check is to have a saliva hormone test. You can order these from the www.byebyebridget.com site or from your health care (make sure they specialist in hormone treatments and do saliva tests).

This weeks meals

As I continually say to people, health is not an accident, it is a conscious decision.

Decide to be healthy every morning of every day.

So, to that end, I put a bit of effort into wholesome meals, loads of organic vegetables and home cooked meals.

This week we are having:

Sun: tacos (Sunday night treat)

Mon: Lasagna

Tues: Chicken cheese burgers

Wed: lasagna left overs

Thurs: lamb and lentil curry

Fri: beef roll

Sat: chicken, avocado and tomato pasta

email me for the recipes: sam@healthqueen.com.au

How right is Just Right?

This is a direct cut and paste from the Just Right food panel.

 

Good source of B1, B2 and niacin

Good source of iron

Good source of folate

High in fibre

Goodness of wholegrains

High in carbohydrate

Low in fat

Low in salt

No artificial flavours

PROTEIN 8.8 %

FAT, TOTAL 1.6 %

CARBOHYDRATE 71.2 %

Wholegrain cereals (63%)(whole wheat, rolled oats),  sultanas (17%), sugar, triticale (6%), dried apricot piece (3.5%)(dried apricot [preservative (220)], fructose, maltodextrin, humectant [glycerol], thickener [1422], soy flour, hydrogenated vegetable oil, vegetable gum [466], natural flavour, colour [apocarotene], food acid [citric acid], wheat flour), barley malt extract, salt, honey (0.1%), mineral (iron), vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, folate, thiamin).
Contains gluten containing cereals, soy, and sulphites.
May contain traces of peanuts and/or tree nuts

Health Queen Comment

They claim that the cereal is high in carbohydrate – too right it is. 70% sugar! So if you have 1 cup , 3/4 is sugar

It does have at least 3 chemicals and natural flavour, colour (the apocarotene can cause behaviour changes) and other flavour enhancers.

So is Just Right, perfect for you and your kids. Think again. You are much better off having pure oats (porridge, your own museli), free range eggs, puffed rice .

Health Queen on Sunrise

The Health Queen with her client, Debbie Nolan, appeared on Sunrise today discuss women in work and hormone changes that are occurring.
Women are increasing their testosterone levels - possibly as an adaptive change, possibly due to stress, but it is making women feel unsettled.
It is very challenging for women to go from the work environment to home and change hats very quickly.
Exercise, awareness, healthy eating and being clear about what makes you happy are great ways to stay on top of this potential threat to every working female . The issue is discussed more in Sam's book, Beauty and the Beast Within.

What hormone is driving your body today?

Females produce many sex hormones and understanding the role of each one is something not taught in schools, and yet is something inherently related to us if we are female.

This article is an overview of the female sex hormones.

Hormones are like our boy’s internal courier network. They carry a message or prompt an action from one gland to another gland or organ. For example, the pituitary gland secretes a hormone called Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which travels in the blood stream to the thyroid to stimulate metabolism.

Hormone imbalances are occurring en masse and not many traditional doctors (GPs) are trained in the management of these health problems. You are more likely to get answers, direction and results from a “holistic GP” with a hormone specialty or a naturopath.

Hormones are very important in your overall health. When they are out of balance or under produced you may feel low in energy, have poor sleep, have period issues, menopause problems, fertility issues, headaches, sore breasts, bloated stomach and bladder infections to name only a few!

Not only do they affect your physical self, they can also influence your mood, happiness, anger and irritability which in turn affects your relationships and direction in life.

The common female sex hormones include; Estrogens (there are a few types), Progesterone

Testosterone, Dhea –S, Prolactin, Luteinising Hormone (LH), and Follicular Stimulating Hormone (FSH). And stress hormones include; Cortisol and Melatonin.

Estrogens (spelt oestrogen in the USA)

These are a group of hormones including Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2) and Estriol (E3). These are made by the ovaries (in pre-menopausal women) and fat tissue by conversion of DHEA-S and testosterone. Hence why over weight ladies have higher than normal Oestrogen levels which in turn STOPs them losing weight. Men also make estrogen, but in much smaller doses made in the testes. Imbalances can lead to fibroids, endometriosis, breast cancers, heavy periods, migraines, fat gain, bloating and depression.

Progesterone (P4)

Progesterone is a very important hormone and for various reasons ladies in Australia seem to have low levels. Rarely is it elevated and ideally it is in a ratio of oestrogen 1:50 (during days 1-14) and 1:200 (during days 14-28) in fertile ladies.

Imbalances can lead to heavy periods, miscarriages, dry skin and low mood.

Testosterone (TT)

Ladies produce testosterone in the ovaries and in the adrenal glands. Men make most of their TT in their testes and produce 10-20 times more than ladies throughout their lives. Imbalances can lead to anger, irritability, acne, body and facial hair, PCOS and infertility.

DHEA-S

DHEA -S is a precursor for estrogen and testosterone (in other words it gives birth to these hormones) during its metabolization process in the body. It isn’t as strong as testosterone but very important with anti-ageing and disease protection. Imbalances can lead to low energy levels.

Sam Beau Patrick likes to get a base line for many ladies and this is a straight forward saliva test (you spit into a small test tube) and costs $140. The results take approximately 2 weeks for the results return. You can order these through the www.byebyebridget.com website. Sam has a book called Beauty and the Beast Within also available from the www.byebyebridget.com site.

Obesity must be the biggest killer in the world

AS I sit aghast watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, I applaud the inspirational approach Jamie takes to making change. Well Done!

It also makes me sad though- I feel we are watching forward waiting for a tsunami to hit (such as a HIV endemic, or an anthrax outbreak from a terrorist attack), while a mud slide is coming from behind about to wipe us out.

Obesity is affecting 50% of Australians.

Statistically it has poorer out-comes than breast cancer (from when I last looked anyway)!

If you look at statistics of Australian cohorts:          

                 

figures	obesity	breast cancer
incidences	1 in 2 people (50%)	only 1 in 9
recovery rates	10-15%	80%
cross over with other diseases	Multiple System failure – eg diabetes, heart disease, stroke risk. Terribly high association with obesity.	low. Usually singular disease state
public fear state and attitude	?? too complacent	Terrified

 

How have we allowed this modern and SO PREVENTABLE disease to evolve right beneath our commercially driven eyes? Maybe it is time to reassess who helps obese people in the country now. Maybe the message is wrong, may the professionals “hired to do the job” by the government – ie the general practitioner or dietician are failing to achieve their mandate. Maybe its time to give naturopaths some empowerment. Most of our obesity issue is half what we eat, but also the horrific stressful states we spend our lives trapped in. Life really isn’t so important that we have to get stressed about running late to the hair dresser but we do. So obesity needs to be treated with food in mind, but also the driving factors surrounding people’s perceived lack of time to cook, shop organically etc. and helping people make change in that area of their life, takes trust , inspiration and time. Not 3 minute medicine I am afraid.

Let a whollistic professional give it a go. Empower a few other trained and highly skilled practitioners to have a go. Naturopaths and nutritionist with tertiary education definitely should be medicare recognised.

Go Jamie Go! You are doing great things.

Eating Cat food – I don’t think so….

until you read this.

I have always place sardines and deep sea fish in that category of “cat food – if I have to, I will force myself to eat it”…

Until I read the food panel.

Sardines are one of the best sources of omega 3s (those magnificent essential fatty acids that are anti-ageing and anti-wrinkles)!!!

In fact consuming one tin of sardines is like having 2-4 PRACTITIONER omega 3 pills! If you have over the counter fish oils this may equate to 10-12 pills – do your own comparison.

Here is a break down of the food panel:

	per serving	per 100g
energy	634j	576 KJ
protein	14.6g	13.3g
fat total	9.2 g	8.4g
- omega 3 fats	1640mg	1500mg
------- EPA	644mg	595mg
--------DHA	1000mg	910mg
carbs	2.5g	2.3g

The warnings are the sodium content – a little high at 653 per tin, but calcium is 200mg +.

This is a John West Panel of sardines in tomato sauce – the only way I can consume the slippery suckers. But so worth it.

I know there are moral issues about Dolphins and John West, but to be honest, I don’t know of any reputable, big sea fisherman – let me know if you do and we will all jump ship (so as to speak).

Eating deep sea fish does have the risk of consuming too much mercury (as deep sea fish eat all the other fish along the way,so accumulate the most junk and heavy metals – technically deep sea fish are at the bottom of  the food chain), so in line with the USA FDA – pregnant women are advised not to consume deep sea fish and to get their omega 3 from elsewhere.

So if it has been a few years since you have snacked on some sardines – give them a whirl. Yes they are a little oily – that is the idea. Spread them on ryvitas, rice cakes, or a good quality bread. Enjoy!

Why EFA Balance is Critical to Your Health

 

This first part is from Dr Mercola – wonderful newsletters if you are interested in natural foods, medicines etc..

“..Essential fatty acids (EFAs) include both omega-3 fats (high in the vital compounds EPA and DHA) and omega-6 fats. EFAs cannot be manufactured in your body but are beneficial to normal health and metabolism.* Therefore, EFAs must be obtained through your diet.

Although some omega-6 fats are good for your health, the balance of omega-6s to omega-3s is crucial.* Unfortunately, most people consume an overabundance of omega-6 fats.

Your ancestors embraced a diet with a healthy balance of approximately equal omega-6 and omega-3 fats. But the current Western diet is far too high in omega-6 fats. The average omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is now closer to 20:1, and in some cases even 50:1. This can keep you from optimal health.

Due to this imbalanced ratio, and because you could likely benefit from more omega-3 fats*...” Dr Mercola..

I have seen omega 3 oils do amazing things. I use them personally when I am feeling achy or if I feel too wrinkly. The omega 3 component is essential for the lining of all your bodies’ cells, and hence useful as an anti-ageing strategy.

Food sources for omega 3s include the following:

nuts: macademias, almonds, walnuts, pecan nuts,

seeds: chia, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds

deep sea fish: tuna , salmon, sardines, herrings (don’t eat these if you are pregnant though as these fish are the bottom of the food chain which means they are the end results of other fish being consumed and can end up with very large levels of mercury and other toxic minerals)

Plant oils: olive oil, canola, safflower, avocadoes

I try to eat some omega 3 food sources every day. I urge you to do the same

HQ

The two vital facts that are KEY to your health

This is from Dr Mercola…..

I'm sure you've heard by now about two fats in omega-3 oils that are crucial to your health -- DHA and EPA*. These compounds are not only essential to maintaining your health -- scientific research indicates that they may also promote heart health and provide immune system and mood support.*

Now in a perfect world, you would be able to get all the omega-3s you need by eating fish. Unfortunately, studies show that eating fish can potentially expose you to a high degree of contamination with industrial pollutants and toxins like mercury, PCBs, heavy metals and radioactive poisons.

In fact, the FDA and EPA have put out health advisories warning against certain fish and shellfish consumption for young children, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, and nursing mothers.

I formerly recommended that you take fish oil to enhance your intake of omega-3 fats. And high-quality fish oils are certainly great products, with many important health benefits.

But there are drawbacks.

Such as...fish oil is weak in antioxidant content. As you increase your intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids by consuming fish oil, you actually increase your need for even more antioxidant protection.

Why? Well, fish oil is very perishable. Antioxidants are necessary to ensure that the fish oil doesn't oxidize and become rancid inside your body. As we just noted, oxidation leads to the formation of those unhealthy free radicals.

So, you need to consume additional antioxidants for your health in general, and for your increased need for antioxidants when using fish oil.

This was a vexing problem for a long time...

Until the introduction of Antarctic Pure Krill Oil (now known as New and Improved Krill Oil) – a marine oil of krill solved the dilemma by uniquely and synergistically combining antioxidants and omega-3s.

Just what are krill anyway?

Krill are small shrimp or prawn-like creatures that feed the world's most mammoth animals -- the great whales. Toothless great whales gulp down huge quantities of krill to provide the energy they need to fuel their massive bulk. A blue whale eats up to 8,000 pounds of krill each day during feeding season.

Tiny krill fuel giant whales...what can
they do for you?

These highly intelligent great whales aren't the only animals that depend on krill for their nutritional needs. So do seals, penguins, sea birds, squid and fish.

The hardy krill harvested from harsh Antarctic waters -- the ones that comprise our New and Improved Krill Oil -- are so important they are considered a "keystone species", an organism upon which many Antarctic predators depend.

These semi-translucent crustaceans congregate in dense masses or swarms that can turn the ocean's surface pink or red.

Together with plankton, krill make up the largest biomass on earth...one of the most easily renewable food resources available, an excellent nutritional source from an environmental perspective.

Krill aren't a new source of nutrition either. They've been harvested as a food source for both humans and domesticated animals since the 1800s. Possibly even earlier in Japan where they're considered a delicacy.

Dr mercola www.mercola.com

Rising Violence amongst school girls

I have been watching with interest and dismay about the unfolding of young women and increasing violence in school.

I have a 2 main theories and in order they are:

1. Food and drink reactions (MSG, thickeners in yogurts, preservatives in bread, flavours on chips, packet foods etc) are all known to cause neuro-excitory reactions AKA: Behaviour changes and in some people anger and acting out this anger in fights verbally or physically.

2. Hormone changes (my research indicates that rising testosterone levels accounts for aggressive behaviours typical of young men, now witnessed and felt by women) due to socialising, tv, video games, foods and carbohydrates – which pushes natural levels of testosterone up.

This is an extract from my book about testosterone from page 42.

Testosterone

Testosterone is considered an androgen (male hormone) but it is the basic structure used for estrogen as well. It is made in ladies in her ovaries, adrenals and muscles. Men make it in their testes. Relatively little research has been done over the years into females and the affects of testosterone in their body, but I find it fascinating.

Testosterone (Tt) is responsible for the following:

Libido

Aggression

Muscle mass

Hair distribution

Low Testosterone

Typically our understanding of Tt is that is drops as we age. This is why muscle mass deteriorates with age. Low testosterone levels are often blamed, often incorrectly, for ladies having a low libido during menopause.

Symptoms of low TT include:

Low libido

Dry skin and vagina

Low muscle mass,

Muscle weakness

High testosterone

The issue of high Tt levels in ladies is becoming more common in Modern Women. Studies over the years tend to indicate that aggression, competing and winning elevate Tt levels in men. And obviously with high levels that inspires more aggression and competitiveness. But we are not so sure with females.

When TT levels are high, ladies experience:

Male pattern hair – i.e thinning hair on their scalp and pubic regions, more hair on their face (in particular the chin and upper lip) and hairy arms, hair on the tops of the feet and toes and around their nipples

Acne or pimples on the chin, back or chest areas

More competitive urges

Aggression and rage,

Deep voice

Muscle definition

From what I can understand, the anger from elevated Testosterone is different than the anger experienced with high estrogen. I tend to find ladies with high Testosterone tend to be more outwardly aggressive, angry and vocal. While Estrogen tends to makes ladies more moody, teary and fragile. Once again, this needs to be explored in larger population groups and will be done so on www.byebyebridget.com

Why winning makes us feel good.

Winning, watching our team win, or achieving a set goal in most people, lead to a feeling of elation and increased happiness and self –esteem.

This feeling is due to some hormone changes behind the scenes in response to “the battle” and then “the win”.

Some of the hormone involved include serotonin, adrenaline and nor adrenaline (the 2 stress hormones) and testosterone.

While at the local leagues club last night, I am sure the vague smell of “teenage boys” was due to the awareness of HIGH levels of testosterone in the room. If you have ever been to a footy club on “State of Origin” night , this will need no more explanation. If you haven’t, you may have been to a sporting event where you have seen or even experienced first hand, the feelings of tension during the game and then elation, relief and happiness if your team wins, or the opposite feelings if you and your team loses.

Research by Professor James Dabbs of Georgia State University into testosterone and human social behaviour have made some provocative discoveries. Dabbs and his researchers have found positive correlations between testosterone levels and criminal violence, suicide, aggression, sexuality and sex roles, occupation, personality, emotions, competitiveness, disturbed relationships and more.

One of his studies looked at male testosterone saliva levels before a World Cup soccer match. Mean testosterone levels ROSE (nearly doubled) in the winning team’s spectators, and dropped in the fans of the losing team!

They extrapolated that testosterone levels can rise and fall with success and failure in social encounters.

Women in prisons are found to have higher testosterone levels compared to non-prison females.

Dabbs and his researches found that actors and footy players had higher testosterone levels than religious ministers. I am sure none of this is surprising you and seems quite logical.

So if you feel the thrill of the win, enjoy it. But remember it has been stimulated by a win/lose situation. Win/wins (which aren’t really an outcome in sport), can also lead to similar rewards. In life seek out win/wins. HQ

Are you taking too many pills?

In the past I did audits for doctors. I recall many doctors who had patients taking 25 - 30 different tablets! The last 5 pills were often counteracting side effects of the first 5! Illogic at its best!

This is what her script chart looked like:

But the over-prescribing thing goes both ways.

Today I saw a client and she had been recommended by a fellow naturopath to take 9 different supplements which amounted to 30 tablets per day! 14 in the morning and 16 tablets at night. Too many!

As health care providers, doctors and naturopaths need to be mindful of the following when writing pills/liquids or potions:

1. COST – how much is it costing the patient or the government
2. NEED – does the person really need it, can food, rest or something else achieve the same thing
3. RISK – will it make the person worse , is there a better way to do it
4. COMPLIANCE – will the person be able to stick to the plan. if they are forgetful, lunch time tablets might be over looked, so why write it up!

There are probably other things to consider, these are off the top of my head.

I try to keep supplements to under 6, even when the person is in a health cog mire. Slowly , surely and healthily people can be returned to vibrant wonderful health. Taking 30 tablets will only cost the patient a swag, will burn them out (who can swallow that many tablets) and see them give up.

Ask your health practitioner the following:

Do I need this tablet?

How long will I need it?

Are there other options?

What do I need to be doing different in my lifestyle that will negate the need for this pill?

One more thing to be aware of is self-diagnosis and self prescribed pills. Have you been in the situation when you go into a health food shop , start reading all the little pills and what they are good for only to find that you think you need about 10 things just to wake up the next day? I have – things for better sleep, fat loss, memory, energy, libido – all common things we take pills for. Chat to someone first, preferably a health practitioner (who is trained and can support their recommendations).

Good luck, HQ

Dips, crackers and cheese

I love dips but lately I fond that supermarket dips are losing quality over shelf life.

What dip makers are using

- thickeners (415 which is a natural occurring algae, but can act like MSG in some people )

- acid regulators (330)

- sulphurs (202 - 220 often used to preserve plant sources but can cause asthma and chesty reactions in some)

- colours (100 - 160b - colours are disasterous because they are BIG offender for making kids going crazy and bringing on anxiety in adults)

My fav recipes are:

Homous

1. Drain a can of chickpeas

2. put into a blender with some garlic (if you like garlic)

3. add a dallop of Tahini

4. squeeze a lemon

5. toss in some rock salt

6. blend

Beetroot dip

1. Boil up some whole beetroots (chop the stems off but leave in big chunks to boil - the water will go purple but that's ok)

2. blend with some tahini or yogurt

3. you can add bread crumbs or rice crumbs if you like a thicker consistency

4. mint tastes great blended in too

Grandma's oyster dip

1. a soften packet of philly cheese

2. one tin of smoked oysters

3. mash the 2 together - leave a little chunky.

bon Appetite! HQ

Vit D and sun exposure is normal!

Vitamin D is normally made on the surface of you skin by activation by the sun and UV rays! It is vital for hormone, bone and immune HEALTH.

Failure to get adequate sun light on your skin can lead to Vitamin D deficiency. That's right, people are not getting enough sunlight!

I have posted results from a study done in Australia in 2007 and it shows that up to 97% of Australians may be deficient in Vitamin D.

high risk people are people in nursing homes, office workers and hyper vigilent "sun-avoiders"

How to manage:

Sun exposure is normal and necessary

20 mins minimum a day is important for Vit D stimulation (synthesis)

Walk in the middle of the day 10-2pm when sun exposure is at its highest.

Unless you are an African negro (*ironically they have a high incidence of melanomas) or are red hair, fair skinned and have a family history of skin cancers - get out amongst it!

Link to the graph showing the results of the Australian study looking into Vit D deficiency

http://www.healthqueen.com.au/wysiwyg/addons/docs/files/Vitd.pdf

Australians are the most allergenic in the World! Why?

Allergies are nearly unheard of in under developed countries.

Ok, why are allergies experienced in such large incidences in Australia (and other “developed countries”)?

What are common allergens (things that cause allergies)

And what things can you try to get rid of them?

Allergies are reactions to items in our surroundings that trigger-off our inflammatory response. The component of the item that we react to is called an allergen.

Typical items include pollens, seeds, food, pesticides, herbicides, chemicals, preservatives, toxic fumes and dust, dust mites, dog hair, animal bites (eg spider bites), other rodent and animal matter.

The initial reaction is an immune reaction. In fact the management and study of allergies falls under the care of an “immunologist.”

The body’s surface (skin, mucous membranes of the mouth, throat, lung and gut, bladder, vagina) can respond to contact or exposure to certain allergens and can all suffer from a reaction.

Typical reactions are due to the release of mast cells and a subsequent rise in eosinophils ( a type of white blood cell), these lead to mucous production, swollen, itchy and constricted membranes. If this occurs in your lungs, you may experience a wheeze as the air travels back through tightened openings (or airways ) and is commonly known as asthma.

You can have allergies to all sorts of things – some really common ones are food chemicals, wheat, milk and dairy, grass seeds, dust mite and pet dander (hair).

There are a few ways to get rid of the allergies:

Acute management

When things have just happened and are REALLY severe and quick in onset – you could be suffering an anaphylaxic reaction (the mucous membranes in your throat enlarge, so that breathing is an issue, or your tongue swells, or you come out in an all over body rash) then you need to get emergency help (either go to hospital or call an ambulance). Some people have had a few dramatic Reactions and will carry an Epi pen (epinephrine) with them.

Medium term management

There are some extremely good natural products available via a naturopath or homeopath for reactions not as severe as above.

Medical options include anti-histamine (stop histamine being released which causes the mucous and swelling reactions. Adrenaline is reserved for severe cases but used frequently in hospitals, steroids can help (not the gym/muscle building ones).

Longer term approach to decreasing allergies

Natural medicines offer more options compared to conventional medicine.

Mainstream medicine grapples a little and tends to go down the avoid-if-you-know-what-causes is and if you goof it up, take an anti-histamine.

Natural medicines including decreasing the body’s over-amplified immune reaction either by retraining, decreasing TH2-cells or decreasing allergens and seem to offer the best overall result. Building a person’s immunity is key in managing allergies. This can be done via probiotics, zinc, a range of herbs and diet elimination. Ask a naturopath or nutritionist for guidance.

Women feel love – not words

When I talk with women I find that they can feel depressed but not often. Most women have sad feelings instead.

Intrusive and repeatitive sad thoughts centred around love.

Usually they have the following feelings:

“I don’t feel that I show love “

“ I am not worthy of love”

or “I am not loveable”

Mostly feelings of guilt or low self esteem.

When I feel like this I say to myself “I am loved, loving and lovable , I am happy and healthy, I am safe and secure, I am.”

Sam BP

Multivitamins linked to breast cancer

In recent weeks the media have been discussing the link between taking a multivitamin and breast cancer. While I am shocked, like everyone, the study needs putting in context.

Firstly and foremost. There are many stronger studies proving illness as a consequence of taking something, so don’t be pressured to stop taking your multi-vitamin by someone who is not recently trained in biochemistry and qualified in natural medicine. It’s not their place.

Designs of studies.

The design of a study is very important when interpreting the results.

1. PROOF : I have given an examples where there is a direct causative link that is proven to occur by doing  X. EG: When x = smoking…

If you smoke cigarettes you will end up with lung changes. OR one can say smoking = lung changes.

2. PROVEN RISK FACTORs: Other studies prove a risk factor, For example:

If you don’t breast feed, don’t have children, drink cows milk, and wear under-wires in your bras, you have a higher risk of developing breast cancer (ref H. Lawson – Preventing Breast Cancer).

Another example:

Elevated cholesterol has been shown to increase your likelihood of having a heart attack. But people still have heart attacks with normal cholesterol levels. So there is a proven association but you can not say : ^ cholesterol = heart attack.

3. ASSOCIATIONS are noted in studies incidentally. That means the study was not designed to prove a particular point or may have been looking at a totally different aspect and an association in another area was noted in the results. For example:

People who took a multivitamin appeared to have an increase risk of breast cancer. This was merely an observation.

I will discuss this multi and breast cancer study more in the next blog… HQ

Can you gain 1 kg over the day?

I have many clients who report gaining 1-3 kg on the scales, over one single day!

This massive gain in weight, can only be water! You don't eat that much food in a day and things don't just become "heavier" inside you. It's just water retention.

One major cause of this water retention is NaCl (or plain old table salt) and take aways (and restaurants) are one place you will find ALOT of salt being used.

So, today I read the ingredients of Subways rolls and wraps, in what I thought were "OK" take away alternative.

I have posted the break downs on the website, but basically a meatball 6" sub is 1550 mg of sodium. The RDI for sodium is <2000mg per day!

So what maybe marketed as healthy and low fat, and what we may think is " zone friendly" , is actually not very healthy in another very important contributor to health issues, Western Diets are very high in sodium, which leads to hypertension and kidney failure.

It might be useful to have a sodium-rating so people can at least become educated to the sodium levels of foods. This way if they need to watch for fluid retention as it may precipate Heart Failure, or renal failure, people can make an educated decision.

Hang-overs - what works

Hang-overs, like the sun seems to follow night,especially after a BIG night!

Of course the Health Queen doesn't recommend drinking in excess. I do however have some results that I have gathered after several years of valuable research - not all personal mind.

Ethanol is the active component in fermented drinks (which includes wines, spirits and any other drink where fruit or honey has been distilled and fermented) that can cause euphoria and happiness initially and then leads to a plummet in positive effects, resulting in a headache, nausea, diarrhoea, depression, disturbed sleep and a few other "blah" symptoms.

Ethanol and other additives/chemicals in alcoholic drinks, can cause diuresis (excessive urinating), and dehydration, a lack of Vitamin B (esp B6) , and headaches (probably from the dehydration), vomiting appears to be a direct result of irritation to the stomach (esp common if you don't eat and drink).

Other symptoms such as dizziness, light headedness and excessive salivating mouth are probably due to low blood sugar.

As I mentioned true, double blind placebo controlled studies are slim. However, there appears to be some credence in the following:

- B6

- Electrolyte drinks (while you are drinking alcohol and the next day)

- Some salt on foods

- Sleep (:-)

- Liver herb tablets (no, behave, I am not advocating drinking - it is merely something I might consider)

- Berrocca (To replace the Vitamins that you lose with excessive alcohol)

- Hair of the Dog - doesn't show any HARD core evidence to say it should work, but I have employed the strategy in the past and found it pretty good!

- Oxygen works well.

My favourite (once again I am not advocating that any one drinks, nor drink alcohol in excess however if you should try this...) is sleep... a swim in the ocean, a smoothie, another swim and then another sleep in a dark air-conditioned room , then a yummy meat dish - pig knuckle, roast or Mexican. Salty and vegies being a key ingredient. Lemonade or that terrible stuff called COKE if you are desperate.

Also no kids helps a hang-over go quicker.

Panadol, nurofen - they assist in the first instance but natural hang-over remedies, such as homeopathic sprays, herbals and Magnesium supplements may be just as (if not more) effective.

The most successful remedies include:

- rehydration (esp with electrolyte drinks)

- rest

- salt (to assist in keeping water in your body- obviously not advisable if you have high blood pressure or kidney problems)

A cut and paste job from wiki is...\

"Ineffective or unproven remedies

Recommendations for foods, drinks and activities to relieve hangover symptoms abound. The ancient Romans, on the authority of Pliny the Elder, favoured raw owl's eggs or fried canary.[18] By 1938, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel provided a hangover remedy in the form of a mixture of Coca Cola and milk[19] (Coca-Cola itself having been invented, by some accounts,[20][21] as a hangover remedy). Alcoholic writer Ernest Hemingway relied on tomato juice and beer.[22] Certain mixtures were developed specifically for the purpose. The "Black Velvet" consists of equal parts champagne and flat Guinness Stout,[23] while the "Prairie Oyster" restorative, introduced at the 1878 Paris World Exposition, calls for raw egg yolk mixed with Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. [24] A 1957 survey by a Wayne State University folklorist found widespread belief in the efficacy of heavy fried foods, tomato juice and sexual activity.[25]

Activities said to be restorative include a shower -- alternating very hot and very cold water,[7] exercise,[8] and steambath or sauna (although medical opinion holds this to be very dangerous, as the combination of alcohol and hyperthermia increase the liklihood of dangerous cardiac arrhythmias).[26]"

Life is short, the day following a hang-over is even shorter!

Drink one for one. One alcoholic bev and one water. Eat some decent food and have a vitamin tablet. Always drink in moderation.

Are you eating any Super foods- Chia

How exciting to be able to eat health! The following has been cut and paste from http://www.chialive.com.au. No real reason why I chose this site - except they have a good summary about the seeds

Adding 3 Teaspoons Per Day* To Your Daily Food Intake Is All You Need to Enjoy The Benefits of Chia: (*based on normal Body Mass Index)

Get the highest levels of plant-sourced Omega-3: Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA). ALA is found mostly in seeds, vegetable oils, and leafy green vegetables. It is converted into EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and then into DHA (Docosahexanoic Acid) in your body. Not all people can efficiently convert ALA into EPA and DHA, but ALA by itself provides a host of benefits. (For more information on ALA, click here.)

Multiply antioxidant activity in your body. Powerful antioxidants from chia seeds work against free radicals that damage millions of our cells by the minute. (For more information on chia's antioxidants, click here.)

Provide your food with all-natural, nutritious dietary fibre (some fibre have minimal nutrition and can interfere with mineral absorption in the gut). A natural, high quality fibre can support weight maintenance goals, and could reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and diabetes.

Obtain a plant-based complete protein with an amino-acid score of 115%. (Read about the benefits of chia's amino-acids here.)

Provide your diet with a thermogenic aid which boosts your metabolic rate. A thermogenic aid causes your body to produce more than the normal amount of energy, and so burns more calories. (Read it here.)

Provide your diet with favorable Omega-3 to Omega-6 ratio (3:1). Currently, most foods found in supermarkets today have ratios of 1:15-30 which increases the risk of inflammation. (Read why you should care about this here.)

Have a good amount of functional food in your daily diet.

V is for Victory

The origins of the perverbial two finger salute, or the reverse V is a trade mark of the late Sir Winston Churchill. It represented the Brits defiance in losing during the war. They were saying "we are victors - take that".

V today is now a drink made by the beverage company Frucos. Based in Auckland, Frucos has a 60% in NZ and a 53% in Australia, line share of energy drinks in 2003.

Since then Mother (Coke-amatil) , Red Bull and other competitors have been challenging it's premium position.

The good, the bad and the ugly.

Firstly a definition of energy drinks....

This is a cut and paste from Wiki and it summarises what I would say anyway:

"Generally, energy drinks include methylxanthines (including caffeine), vitamin B and herbs. Other common ingredients are guarana, acai, and taurine, plus various forms of ginseng, maltodextrin, carbonated water, inositol, carnitine, creatine, glucuronolactone and ginkgo biloba. Some contain high levels of sugar, and many brands also offer artificially-sweetened 'diet' versions. The central ingredient in most energy drinks is caffeine, the same stimulant found in coffee or tea, often in the form of guarana or yerba mate." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_drink

The Good with energy drinks:

They give people a "natural high" and can stimulate or arouse senses, liberate glucose (therefore energy) and generally give people a pick up.

The Bad

They contain stimulants (natural or synthetic)! They stimulate your body. Some people are already aroused in a biochemical sense - that is , they are easily excited, suffer anxiety, are low in magnesium, calcium or some other mineral, or have an over active thyroid, or or or .... do you see what I mean. How do you know if you are one of the many people who are already hyper-aroused?

The side effects , if you are sensitve, are quite grabbing.

I remember having a red bull at a breakfast, after a late night, on a conference. By morning tea, I felt like vomiting, was felt light headed and my heart was zipping around. I wasn't sure if it was a hang-over,so I kept quiet and made it home. The following day went to the hospital (as I felt like my heart was still racing).

My heart was still racing and I was in an irregular heart rythym. Stimulants stimulate you. Fast heart rate; high blood pressure; pounding in your head; headache; anxiety; panic; tremour; funny feeling in your arms.... not nice.

The ugly:

The ugly side, is that if you are having an energy drink every day, then you are probably relying on it for stimulation. You may even think of consuming an Energy drink is being "healthy". They can become addictive and your body can become reliant on the adrenal stimulation. Without it, you feel tired, fatigued and run down.

The real issue is , as you probably know, is that you are running on emply and that your current lifestyle patterns are unsustainable.

If you are having more than 2 energy drinks or V per WEEK, then you maybe relying on the stimlution, and may need to re-balance your life with sleep, good food etc...

I haven't worked in Accident and Emergency for awhile (nursing), but we were seeing more people with speed and "stimulant" over doses and they were simply SCARY!

Having young people in hospital, writhing around incoherently, was really scary. We didn't know what we were dealing with... was it drugs; a cerebral haemorrhage; meningitis; an acute viral episode or some bizarre psychotic episode. Sometimes it was the mixing or use of plain old energy drinks.

Trust me, if you are sensitive to coffee, being exited at sports, panic if you run late for an appointment, find panadol make you sleepy, then it is not worth trying V or other energy drinks.

Mother? Is it any good?

Mother is a drink launched by Coca-cola (Amatil) . The ingredients are :

Average quantities per 500ml Serve [2]

* Energy: 975 kJ (233 cal)

* Protein: 0 g

* Fat, total: 0 g

o Saturated: 0 g

* Carbohydrates: 52 g

o Sugars: 52 g

* Sodium: 272 mg

* Caffeine: 160 mg (Gurana extract)

* Niacin (B3): 9.0 mg

* Pantothenic Acid (B5): 3.3 mg

* Vitamin B6: 1.0 mg

* Vitamin B12: 0.5 µg

* Taurine: 2000 mg

* Glucuronolactone: 1200 mg

* Inositol: 60 mg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_%28energy_drink%29

The vitamins are pretty negligent - so don't think you are getting a stack of vitamins. The Taurine is a hefty dose. This can make people feel good and it can drop blood pressure (good for tinnitis). The main issue is the caffeine. 160mg is equal to 2-3 cups of instant coffee or 2 cups of roast and ground coffee

If you are sensitive to coffee (shakes, jitters, anxiety, skipped heart beats) then don't have Mother!

Does Red Bull give you wings

Well according to Red Bull and millions of RB drinkers around the world - yes, Red Bull can give people wings.

It can give a natural "high" by through stimulation of the adrenal glands and sugar release with the caffeine and a combination of taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, B vitamins, sucrose, phenylalanine, and glucose.[13] In Germany, a small amount of cocaine was discovered in Red Bull cola sold there. A full Red Bull recall was issued in several states. Six German states have banned the drink, with a nationwide ban under consideration. The drink did not contain enough cocaine to have a narcotic effect.[14]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Bull

Is it much different to the other energy drinks.

No.

It is the most established and got a big jump on Mother (Coca-cola) and sponsors "FAST" and thrilling sporting events. So clever marketing has implied that it gives you wings.

Please becareful with energy drinks. This is some good advice:

# Water and appropriate sports drinks should be used for rehydration

# Energy drinks should not be used for hydration.

# Energy drinks should not be consumed by athletes or party goers who are dehydrated.

# Energy drinks should not be consumed without prior medical approval, by athletes taking over the counter or prescription med

Take care, these drinks can act like a drug!

Are working women at risk of becoming infertile?

The short answer is yes.

Whether or not it is a reality for you will depend on a few things.

What I have discovered in my clinic and from measuring female saliva hormone levels, is that there is often a rise in testosterone in women that work.

It doesn't seem to be the quantity of work either - ie part time, casual or full time, employed or self employed.

So what role does testosterone play in a woman?

It can

- Improve your mood & memory

- Help with muscle mass, strength and stamina

- Assist with the prevention of osteoporosis

- Increase sex drive

- Make the lady feel good.

Some testosterone is good! Too much is not and can leave the lady feeling angry and irritable, suffering oily skin and pimples, growing unwanted facial hair and may cause infertility.

The infertility comes about as the high testosterone seems to promote the growth of cysts on the ovaries. These leads to a condition called Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome. Currently in Australia numbers for this are ... “..One in ten women of childbearing age has PCOS… PCOS leads to high levels of androgens.. " http://www.womanshealth.gov.au

High testosterone can lead to blood sugar problems and wide girths.

Why are working women at risk. I am not sure of the exact cause at this stage. Which is one reason for setting up the www.byebyebridget.com website. I am hoping to gather information about thought patterns, diets and exposure to things that may elevate a women's testosterone levels. Until then, if you work, be mindful to keep your life in balance. Try to find time for yourself each day. Eat well and exercise. Little daily habits that are ESSENTIAL for balanced hormones.

Holy COW - my meat is on steroids?!

Did you realise that "they" pump most meat available in the larger commercial supermarkets with hormones?

WHY?

Because

Hormones + some grains + cow = 4 kg gain in meat a day!

This is why commercial or grain fed beef is not necessarily the "best" for your body or the cow (for that matter).

Now, I love a good hearty steak. It gives you lots of iron (= muscles and energy) and meat is high in protein. However, not all steaks will make the cut.

Craig my butcher, was telling me today, that in Australia we have a meat association that grades meat. According to him, Coles and Woolies are not a part of this association (suprise).

The Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grade meat based on DNA and texture etc.... It is graded out of 17. My mate, Craig, only accepts meats less than 6. This means a better quality. The MSA also provides a down time until the cut will be at it's optimum.

I was suprised to hear that the cow has usually been slaughtered and hung for approx 10 days before making it to the butcher. Then they let it "tenderize" depending on the MSA rating - which recommends how many days until it will reach it's optimum. Eg MSA 3 @ 5 days.

Coles and Woolies apparently would need to leave their meat for 20+ days to achieve the same MSA rating.

All very interesting, if not a little obscure.

So I would suggest avoiding all exogenous hormones (ie ones your body doesn't make itself) and eat "hormone free" beef where you can.

Cost - a little more expensive. Maybe worth a small chocolate bar difference. So worth it!

Sun avoidance can lead to Vitamin D deficiency

Interestingly Vitamin D deficiency is on the RAPID rise.

Vitamin D is a needed for a massive range of actions in the body including: bone formation, blood clotting, heart and muscle action, immune factors and is a co-factor (small but integral component of many other process).

Your body needs more if you drink in excess, have breast cancer, have Crohn's disease, are pregnant, a vegetarian and have any bone issues.

You can find it in fish oils (Good old Cod Liver Oil is very high in Vit D), egg yolk, milk, sprouted seeds, and the sun helps your body make it on your SKIN! but you need approx 20 minutes of sun a day on a limb (such as an arm).

Think of all the elderly people shoved away in nursing homes currently being deprived of sunlight. No wonder they trip, fall and break bones. Yet again a small little health issue, that would save you and I (ie the government) millions in health care $$$ and would help a lot of people AVOID pain and immobility due to bone fractures.

Ok, off my high horse....

The recommended daily amount is 400 IU. If you are treating a deficiency you will need 400-1600 IU per day. 40 IU = 1 Microgram of Vitamin D.

high dose calcium can decrease production of Vit D and this can result in sarcoidosis, diabetes and cancers.

I knew some of this, but obtained most of my research from my biochem mentor, Henry Osiecki and his excellent book: The Nutrient Bible, www.bioconcepts.com.au

Are working women at risk of becoming infertile?

The short answer is yes.

Whether or not it is a reality for you will depend on a few things.

What I have discovered in my clinic and from measuring female saliva hormone levels, is that there is often a rise in testosterone in women that work.

It doesn't seem to be the quantity of work either - ie part time, casual or full time, employed or self employed.

So what role does testosterone play in a woman?

It can

- Improve your mood & memory

- Help with muscle mass, strength and stamina

- Assist with the prevention of osteoporosis

- Increase sex drive

- Make the lady feel good.

Some testosterone is good! Too much is not and can leave the lady feeling angry and irritable, suffering oily skin and pimples, growing unwanted facial hair and may cause infertility.

The infertility comes about as the high testosterone seems to promote the growth of cysts on the ovaries. These leads to a condition called Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome. Currently in Australia numbers for this are ... “..One in ten women of childbearing age has PCOS… PCOS leads to high levels of androgens.. " http://www.womanshealth.gov.au

High testosterone can lead to blood sugar problems and wide girths.

Why are working women at risk. I am not sure of the exact cause at this stage. Which is one reason for setting up the www.byebyebridget.com website. I am hoping to gather information about thought patterns, diets and exposure to things that may elevate a women's testosterone levels. Until then, if you work, be mindful to keep your life in balance. Try to find time for yourself each day. Eat well and exercise. Little daily habits that are ESSENTIAL for balanced hormones.

Why relaxing is as good as prozac

Relaxation or "active relaxation" (as I refer to any activity with the intention to make you feel relaxed) is imperative.

Today while thinking about writing this article, I found myself skating aimlessly around the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) website.

I actually thought I would find lots of supporting evidence backing up some theories (perceptions) that I had. But both appear to be a little mislead. I thought we would be spending more time in leisure activities (not the case) and I also thought that women would be participating in greater numbers in sport (not the case)!

According to article 4153 - How Australians Use Their Time, 2006

Feb 21st 2008; We're spending less time playing, sleeping, eating or drinking and instead are working longer!

Recreation and Leisure activities had decreased by 1 hour and 45 minutes per week, from 1997 until 2006! Nearly 2 hours less, spent on the things we love. That really doesn't make sense to me. No wonder we need prozac.

Active relaxation allows the hormones, cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline to settle and for the glands producing these hormones, the adrenal glands, to replenish.

If you don't give your body active relaxation, you end up run down, inflammed (elevated cortisol levels) which leads to other inflammatory diseases, allergy and depression.

Try to find something easy and convenient that you can do for 10 mins every day.

Stainless Steel Drinking bottles the only way to go

 

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Purchase these now in adult and kids sizes….

Lots of patterns.

Insulated ones which will keep fluids hot for approx 12 hours!

Click here to purchase

Ever wondered why women are becoming cranky – present company excluded of course!

It’s due to hormone imbalances….

Stress, over committing, not enough rest, not enough good food.

Read more about it in Beauty and the Beast Within – NOW AVAILABLE!!!

$24.95 with $2 going to Bravehearts Charity

Do you have a war plan to fight the Common Cold?

I have always said (in my optimistic way) that viruses and bacteria will be the death of man-kind. (Unless we just frizzle and burn off the face off the earth in the meantime due to global warming)!

Read this to make sure you have on hand, at least 5 of my recommended preventative actions!

Happy healthy winter, Sam

How to take pills - my 3 secrets

Often I think about the service I offer people and how I improve their lives.

I can inspire, motivate, give hand-outs etc... but essentially as a health coach and naturopath, I rely on people making some major life changes. Tough stuff if you ask me. I think that is why I admire and respect my clients so much. I have the advice but I don't have to go away and try to make it all work and integrate it into my life.

So last night, as I decided to get ontop of some severe back pain (froggy leaps with the personal trainer), I thought I should take some of my own advice and swallow some pills. Good pills. Omega 3 pills. Good anti-inflammatories but I know with the level of pain that I have been experiencing that I need 8 tabs of the omega 3 alone , each day (NB I only use practitioner only products - the same in over-the-counter tablets would be 10-16 ).

So, reluctantly I line up my 4 tablets. Not many when I know some of my clients take 10 + medications and a handful of supplements (and it is you whom I have greatest empathy for)!

They look like horse pills. Big fat suckers laughing at me while I psych-up to swallow them. At this moment, I reflect on my role as a health care professional. How many times have I said "3 tabs twice a day" etc... Some healers and health professionals are against pill taking and I can see why. In an ideal world, we would all slink away to a health retreat like Gwinganna , and allow nature and food to heal us. But in the ugly world of urban society, we rely on a neatly packed pill!

I manage to swallow 2 of the pills. And they must have triggered that tiny but potent regurgitate reflex. Darn - I still have another 2 tablets.

This is when one has to be creative.

These are 3 of the best ways to swallow pills:

1. have with yogurt or icecream

2. put some water or fluid in your mouth. Put the pills in your mouth and tilt your head forward (ie chin toward your chest) and swallow.

3. If the pills are a capsule, open the contents and mix with jam or in a shake

Good luck and if you are ever concerned about taking pills, let your health professional know. There may be other options that we can offer you,

Sam

When butter is NOT better

This morning I went to buy some butter for kid's lunches.

For anyone still confused BUTTER IS BETTER than some chemical sloshed semi solid matter referred to as margarine! But that is not my gripe today.

Today I am disappointed that Butter is not BUTTER any more. For some reason companies are trying to make it more yellow by putting colours in it, thickeners, softners and taste enhancers!

Leave butter as pure butter please. I try where possible to buy from the markets or farmers that make REAL butter, but obviously convenience won this am as did the local milk bar.

I decided Mainland Butter is the best. Cream, water and salt. HOW BUTTER SHOULD BE!

All you other companies have a lot to answer for about shaping people's bodies and contributing to the Australian obesity endemic via chemical and preservative OVERLOAD on our bodies.

Junk Food - would you knowningly eat a poison?

The following are some commonly purchased foods and their ingredients. All 3 companies list their ingredients panels as chemical names (not numbers) so normally you would see a string of numbers. Do these ingredients have health effects? Of course. Down the bottom I have put a link to the safety data listed for one of the ingredients : sodium acid pyrophosphate. It actually lists it as poisonous if ingested! All have been cut and paste sections direct from their websites.
KFC
Gravy
Food Starch-Modified, Maltodextrin, Enriched Wheat Flour (Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Chicken Fat, Wheat Flour, Salt, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Monosodium Glutamate, Dextrose, Palm And Canola Oils, Mono and Diglycerides, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Natural and Artificial Flavor (With Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Milk), Caramel Color (Treated With Sulfiting Agents), Onion Powder, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate, Spice, Spice Extractives, With Not More Than 2% Silicon Dioxide Added As An Anti-caking.
Contains Milk, Wheat and Soy.
OR
Wheat Flour, Modified Corn Starch, Monosodium Glutamate, Salt, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Onion Powder, Spice, Caramel Color, Torula Yeast, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Turmeric, Autolyzed Yeast, Oleoresin Paprika and Natural Flavoring.
Contains Wheat and Soy.
*Will contain one of the Ingredient statements above, depending upon regional suppliers
KFC® Grilled Chicken
Fresh Chicken Marinated With: Salt, Sodium Phosphate, and Monosodium Glutamate. Seasoned With: Maltodextrin, Salt, Bleached Wheat Flour, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Monosodium Glutamate, Secret Kentucky Grilled Chicken Spices, Palm Oil, Natural Flavor, Garlic Powder, Soy Sauce (Soybean, Wheat, Salt), Chicken Fat, Chicken Broth, Autolyzed Yeast, Beef Powder, Rendered Beef Fat, Extractives of Turmeric, Dehydrated Carrot, Onion Powder, and Not More Than 2% Each of Calcium Silicate and Silicon Dioxide Added As Anticaking Agents.
Contains Wheat and Soy.

Subway
9-GRAIN WHEAT Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, barley malt, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, yeast, high fructose corn syrup, whole wheat flour, wheat gluten, contains 2% or less of the following: oat fiber, soybean oil, salt, wheat bran, rolled wheat, rye nuggets, dough conditioners (DATEM, sodium stearoyl lactylate), yeast nutrients (calcium sulfate, ammonium sulfate), degermed yellow corn meal, rolled oats, rye flakes, caramel color, triticale flakes, parboiled brown rice, refinery syrup, honey, barley flakes, flaxseed, millet, sorghum flour, azodiacarbonamide, natural flavor (maltodextrin, natural flavor, silicon dioxide, lactic acid). Contains wheat.
MacDonalds
French Fries:
Potatoes, vegetable oil (canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, natural beef flavor [wheat and milk derivatives]*, citric acid [preservative]), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain color), salt. Prepared in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with TBHQ and citric acid added to preserve freshness). Dimethylpolysiloxane added as an antifoaming agent.
CONTAINS: WHEAT AND MILK *(Natural beef flavor contains hydrolyzed wheat and hydrolyzed milk as starting ingredients).
Look at this link for Sodium Acid pyrophosphate.
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Sodium_acid_pyrophosphate-9924954

Bye Jimmy

Alas yes, the Australian Open is over as 2 of the hottest men on the planet continue on the never ending ciruit of tennis. Bye Rog and bye Jimmy (Courier)

Discover the 7 Essentials for Guilt-free Living for Business Mothers

Make sure you join us with our special guests (Sam Beau Patrick is one of them) from the 3rd Feb 2010 for a FREE 7 week teleseminar series.

7 successful entrepreneurial women will share with you their powerful and practical secrets and strategies for guild free living for mothers who are serious about growing their business and being there for their children.

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Lemon Detox

it has been a week now of doing the lemon detox. I am following the relaxed version (AKA the Spanish version) and still have a salad every day. I have been feeling fantastic and have lost 2.5kg. Is it fat, is it fluid?
I will post pictures at the end and show you...

Sam, the Health Queen