It's challenging find a healthy take-away option.
It's even more challenging finding a healthy take away cafe that offers gluten free options.
Well I have discovered a gem. It's called Dare - Delicious and Responsible Eating, located in Playfair st, The Rocks, Sydney.
It's great wandering the street and finding yummy and healthy places to eat.
This cafe offers open air eating, yummy gluten free slices, kebabs and meats, innovative and delicous salads and WINE for when it's becoming a longggg day with the kids.
I will certainly be making it one of my favorite cafes to visit when I come to Sydney.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Today Tonight's story - Diet Blitz
Today Tonight (channel 7) ran a story tonight, about the AMA and the Australian Dietician's Assoc. wanting all diets, fads, weight loss programs regulated. They are saying Canberra should take a hold of the industry as there are over 3000 different, promoted weight loss methods in Australia.
With some 8 Million people struggling with muffin tops, back fat, fat booties and generally being over-weight and unhealthy, it's pretty obvious to me that the currently promoted Health pyramid: is either not being adhered to , or recommends too many carbs (you be the judge).
The AMA (as with all medical treatments) are demanding retrospective, evidence-based-studies and recommendations (for 2 years). This is marvellous if you want to spend the next 10 years setting up committees (who then have to work out their in house policies, laws, regulations and what ever else it is they have to attend to) and then roll out a study on 3000 diets, which will take at least another 2 years, and then add another 2 years for number crunching, parliment to motion, agree and pass on the findings - which will lead to the 2023 Diet Recommendations - which will be SO out of date and irrelevent as it will referring to things that are a decade old.
The people who request "evidence-based-medicine and facts" are conservative academics. (Trust me, i have worked along side doctors for years and have taught them to demand for "evidence " when i was a drug rep - that's how we won our debates over other drug companies).
What we need are pioneers, bio-chemists, people who make sense, and have results to support their techniques.
Let me elaborate on the current evidence and diet recommendations in Australia:
THE FACTS:- The Australian Dieticians Assoc has been promoting the healthy pyramid model for the last 15 years. (The USA dropped the pyramid in 2002!)
- Since promoting the pyramid - we have produced a nation rampant with diabetes, obesity and metabolic diseases.Now at least 1 in 2 people is overweight.
- Not suprisingly the doctors - who send patients to dieticians - (and have even ensured their dieticians professional success by introducing a program in 2002 called Enhanced Primary Care. This means that a GP can refer to dietician and the patient can claim through medicare. This system does not include nutritionist nor naturopaths), receive a financial renumeration (YES THEY GET PAID) for doing this.
- The pyramid's incongruencies have not been addressed despite a multitude of studies demonstrating that refined carbohydrates cause inflammation and metabolic disease (ie the pyramid advices against best medicine and the evidence).
Am I being political here? Yes!
Have I bitten my tongue for years? YES!
Why am I saying something now.... Because I am sick of Australia, one of the great democratic nations only telling it's people one side. And with most health issues in Australia - medical doctors are the only ones who have the "ultimate say". They have little idea about food and nutrition.
There are many facets to the obesity debate.
As with most things in life, the true pioneers and usually the most successful people (as they are seeking for win-wins) are the ones who come under the most critism.
My advice to you
Gather information. Talk to people who have tried different fat reduction techniques. See what is successful.
Have realistic expectiations. Talk to professionals in fat loss - this is NOT your personal trainer - (who has done a 9 week course),it is not to a pharmacists, it is not a mum your mum's group. It is someone properly trained, who looks like they walk the talk, who explains things comprehensively and someone that you relate to.
Results can take awhile - stay strong. Stay committed to your HEALTH goals. Think of where you will be in 12 months time, not what you would do if you had a magic wand for next week.
If fat loss was easy, I wouldn't be battling my own person see-saw of fat cometh, fat goeth away. I know hundreds of fat loss tips. But as with most people, fat loss is complex.
Fat loss encompasses:
- issues of self esteem, why we eat, why we over eat,why we binge eat, why we get hooked on sugary foods , why we find alcohol relaxing,eating in restaurants, eating take aways, hormone imbalances, stress, food chemicals, marketing to kids (to entice eating), and on and on it goes.
Good luck and i welcome any stories or feedback on my natural medicine site. I will have a forum soon.
for now send any comments to sam@healthqueen.com.au and say if you are happy for me to publish on this blog site or not.
Health Queen
With some 8 Million people struggling with muffin tops, back fat, fat booties and generally being over-weight and unhealthy, it's pretty obvious to me that the currently promoted Health pyramid: is either not being adhered to , or recommends too many carbs (you be the judge).
The AMA (as with all medical treatments) are demanding retrospective, evidence-based-studies and recommendations (for 2 years). This is marvellous if you want to spend the next 10 years setting up committees (who then have to work out their in house policies, laws, regulations and what ever else it is they have to attend to) and then roll out a study on 3000 diets, which will take at least another 2 years, and then add another 2 years for number crunching, parliment to motion, agree and pass on the findings - which will lead to the 2023 Diet Recommendations - which will be SO out of date and irrelevent as it will referring to things that are a decade old.
The people who request "evidence-based-medicine and facts" are conservative academics. (Trust me, i have worked along side doctors for years and have taught them to demand for "evidence " when i was a drug rep - that's how we won our debates over other drug companies).
What we need are pioneers, bio-chemists, people who make sense, and have results to support their techniques.
Let me elaborate on the current evidence and diet recommendations in Australia:
THE FACTS:- The Australian Dieticians Assoc has been promoting the healthy pyramid model for the last 15 years. (The USA dropped the pyramid in 2002!)
- Since promoting the pyramid - we have produced a nation rampant with diabetes, obesity and metabolic diseases.Now at least 1 in 2 people is overweight.
- Not suprisingly the doctors - who send patients to dieticians - (and have even ensured their dieticians professional success by introducing a program in 2002 called Enhanced Primary Care. This means that a GP can refer to dietician and the patient can claim through medicare. This system does not include nutritionist nor naturopaths), receive a financial renumeration (YES THEY GET PAID) for doing this.
- The pyramid's incongruencies have not been addressed despite a multitude of studies demonstrating that refined carbohydrates cause inflammation and metabolic disease (ie the pyramid advices against best medicine and the evidence).
Am I being political here? Yes!
Have I bitten my tongue for years? YES!
Why am I saying something now.... Because I am sick of Australia, one of the great democratic nations only telling it's people one side. And with most health issues in Australia - medical doctors are the only ones who have the "ultimate say". They have little idea about food and nutrition.
There are many facets to the obesity debate.
As with most things in life, the true pioneers and usually the most successful people (as they are seeking for win-wins) are the ones who come under the most critism.
My advice to you
Gather information. Talk to people who have tried different fat reduction techniques. See what is successful.
Have realistic expectiations. Talk to professionals in fat loss - this is NOT your personal trainer - (who has done a 9 week course),it is not to a pharmacists, it is not a mum your mum's group. It is someone properly trained, who looks like they walk the talk, who explains things comprehensively and someone that you relate to.
Results can take awhile - stay strong. Stay committed to your HEALTH goals. Think of where you will be in 12 months time, not what you would do if you had a magic wand for next week.
If fat loss was easy, I wouldn't be battling my own person see-saw of fat cometh, fat goeth away. I know hundreds of fat loss tips. But as with most people, fat loss is complex.
Fat loss encompasses:
- issues of self esteem, why we eat, why we over eat,why we binge eat, why we get hooked on sugary foods , why we find alcohol relaxing,eating in restaurants, eating take aways, hormone imbalances, stress, food chemicals, marketing to kids (to entice eating), and on and on it goes.
Good luck and i welcome any stories or feedback on my natural medicine site. I will have a forum soon.
for now send any comments to sam@healthqueen.com.au and say if you are happy for me to publish on this blog site or not.
Health Queen
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
20% of QLD children are overweight or obese!
Well, having finished reading the QLD Government's "Healthy Kids Queensland Survey 2006" I feel vaguely sick.
The report was commissioned by QLD Health and of course had a massive steering committee who no doubt relished in the importance of conducting a labour-intensive survey accross students in QLD and their eating and exercise habits.
I will regurgitate some of the relevent points over the next few days. Much of it interesting and needs addressing.
The first thing I would like to comment on is the fact that 19.5% of boys and 22.7% of girls aged between 5-17 were overweight or obese.
Do you think it may have anything to do with the following:
The NHMRC 2003, recommends that children and adolescents have 5 - 11 serves of cereals/breads/rice/pasta or noodles per day! With one serve equalling 1 cup of cereal, or 2 slices of bread, or 1 cooked cup of rice,pasta or noodles.
This means that 22 slices of bread, or 1 box of rice bubbles, or 11 cups of cooked pasta a day is OK.
I know I am a nutritionist, but given the fact the 1 in 5 QLD kids are struggling with weight, surely we should decrease the amount of carbs we are recommending!!!
How about 1-2 serves of these carbs per day!
For a healthy eating pyramid look at www.byebyebridget.com under the TIPS section.
The report was commissioned by QLD Health and of course had a massive steering committee who no doubt relished in the importance of conducting a labour-intensive survey accross students in QLD and their eating and exercise habits.
I will regurgitate some of the relevent points over the next few days. Much of it interesting and needs addressing.
The first thing I would like to comment on is the fact that 19.5% of boys and 22.7% of girls aged between 5-17 were overweight or obese.
Do you think it may have anything to do with the following:
The NHMRC 2003, recommends that children and adolescents have 5 - 11 serves of cereals/breads/rice/pasta or noodles per day! With one serve equalling 1 cup of cereal, or 2 slices of bread, or 1 cooked cup of rice,pasta or noodles.
This means that 22 slices of bread, or 1 box of rice bubbles, or 11 cups of cooked pasta a day is OK.
I know I am a nutritionist, but given the fact the 1 in 5 QLD kids are struggling with weight, surely we should decrease the amount of carbs we are recommending!!!
How about 1-2 serves of these carbs per day!
For a healthy eating pyramid look at www.byebyebridget.com under the TIPS section.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Food Additives can affect your Health!
It is increasingly harder to discern between what is natural and safe for you and your family and what was historically called JUNK or treats! Companies either ignorantly or knowingly exploit labeling laws and therefore the consumer. It seems like regulatory bodies are losing focus or control in this exploding area and if we (the parents) don’t become better informed our children will suffer diseases we don’t even have names for today!
Substances added to food are classified as additives, chemicals, preservatives, colours.
Listed and documented side effects include: behavior changes (aggression, defiance, acting out), sleep problems, hyperactivity, rashes, eczema to name a few.
If something is added to a food substance (or fluid) it is an additive. That is, it normally is not present in the food in its natural form. Baring in mind, some foods are not natural such as margarine, as one example, so the entire food source can be considered with the same principles as additives, ie artificial.
Natural or synthetic added substances can be equally as dangerous. Just because something says no “artificial ingredients” only “natural colours” etc…, still indicates that the product has been altered from it’s natural state.
A “natural” food source such as an apple that has fallen from a tree into your hand (and has been grown in the Huon of Tasmania with organic soils and pure water), is vastly different to apple left-overs, mulched , squeezed into funky plastic wrap, with preservatives added so it won’t go rancid and coloured to look brighter and sweetened to ensure kids get hooked (even though the packet-apple mulch mentioned maybe marketed as natural) and tooted as being “apple”.
This is the first article in a many to help you understand the mind-boggling, but pertinent area of food, beverages and additives.
Here are 9 guidelines to decrease your exposure to additives and chemicals:
1. Where possible try to buy “virgin” produce. Eg fruit, vegetables
2. Shop more regularly, rather than trying to do one big shop per week. There for your need to long-life products decreases
3. Start reading labels and become familiar with common terms (more info on www.byebyebridget.com web site)
4. Avoid foods that have numbers in the ingredients panel
5. Avoid foods that have things that you have no idea what they are; Eg: hydrolyzed vegetable protein (as it’s likely to be an additive)
6. Avoid foods and drinks that have bright colours (natural colours can be beautiful, but colour-enhancers, such as green, can have diabolical side effects for your child).
7. Make it your business to stay up-dated with changes in the food and beverage industry.
8. Subscribe as a follower to www.thehealthqueen.blogspot.com and as I add things you will be up-dated as well.
9. Join www.byebyebridget.com for chemical free recipes and lunch ideas
Substances added to food are classified as additives, chemicals, preservatives, colours.
Listed and documented side effects include: behavior changes (aggression, defiance, acting out), sleep problems, hyperactivity, rashes, eczema to name a few.
If something is added to a food substance (or fluid) it is an additive. That is, it normally is not present in the food in its natural form. Baring in mind, some foods are not natural such as margarine, as one example, so the entire food source can be considered with the same principles as additives, ie artificial.
Natural or synthetic added substances can be equally as dangerous. Just because something says no “artificial ingredients” only “natural colours” etc…, still indicates that the product has been altered from it’s natural state.
A “natural” food source such as an apple that has fallen from a tree into your hand (and has been grown in the Huon of Tasmania with organic soils and pure water), is vastly different to apple left-overs, mulched , squeezed into funky plastic wrap, with preservatives added so it won’t go rancid and coloured to look brighter and sweetened to ensure kids get hooked (even though the packet-apple mulch mentioned maybe marketed as natural) and tooted as being “apple”.
This is the first article in a many to help you understand the mind-boggling, but pertinent area of food, beverages and additives.
Here are 9 guidelines to decrease your exposure to additives and chemicals:
1. Where possible try to buy “virgin” produce. Eg fruit, vegetables
2. Shop more regularly, rather than trying to do one big shop per week. There for your need to long-life products decreases
3. Start reading labels and become familiar with common terms (more info on www.byebyebridget.com web site)
4. Avoid foods that have numbers in the ingredients panel
5. Avoid foods that have things that you have no idea what they are; Eg: hydrolyzed vegetable protein (as it’s likely to be an additive)
6. Avoid foods and drinks that have bright colours (natural colours can be beautiful, but colour-enhancers, such as green, can have diabolical side effects for your child).
7. Make it your business to stay up-dated with changes in the food and beverage industry.
8. Subscribe as a follower to www.thehealthqueen.blogspot.com and as I add things you will be up-dated as well.
9. Join www.byebyebridget.com for chemical free recipes and lunch ideas
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
