Articles
Time to Ditch the Boxed Cereals
It’s pretty scary – you will find entire aisles devoted to ‘dead’ food in the supermarket, one of the biggest and longest aisles is usually the cereal aisle. Do you have any idea how toxic these so-called ‘healthy breakfasts’ are? Sure, they are touted as slimming aids, promise boundless energy, supposedly supply nutrients to growing children and appear from adverts to be an absolute daily essential for all ages. Sorry but this is far from the truth. The healthiest part of that boxed cereal is the box itself, I really mean it. Have you ever read what’s on the back of a cereal box? No? Let me enlighten you then. Here are a few of the ingredients in cereal boxes (and I mean a few) – I have several cereal boxes here (I bought them, tossed the contents in the bin, & kept the boxes for my research): Sugar (usually the first item on the list) – more sugar than you can imagine! Wheat bran and wheat variants (very bad for the gut) Added gluten (if you don’t know yet, gluten’s not good for you!) “Flavouring” features heavily – these are chemicals, not real flavours TBHQ – a carcinogenic “antioxidant. No, this is not an antioxidant – it simply prolongs shelf life (not your life), it’s not safe – and is one of many such ‘antioxidants’ Very many “E” numbers, which almost always signal chemical additives Vegetable fat/palm fat (hydrogenated or not, this is ghastly for the arteries and lungs) Malt (more sugar) – and is in so many products Plenty of maize (GMO and not good for the body, nor is it nutritious) Loads of soya (don’t even get me started on soya…but this too is GMO) Lots more, check them out yourself next time you wander down the ‘cemetery’ aisle Cereals also have carbohydrate and calorie counts through the roof, so don’t be surprised if your scale disappoints you next time you weigh yourself if you are a serial cereal eater (sorry, couldn’t resist that ). In some cereals, you are getting 12-17+ teaspoons (or the equivalent) in sugar per serving as well as all the other gunk and chemicals. Another disturbing thing is that the maize and soya (bad enough on it’s own) is genetically modified in this country. The so-called “vitamins” added are in such miniscule amounts (and almost 100% synthetic) that a flea would not benefit from their intake. Cereal puffs, flakes, and shapes made in factories are subjected to such intense pressure and heat that they actually liquefy into a slurry. This slurry allows the grains to be easily shaped into puffs, flakes, and other shapes that make each cereal distinct, before soaking it in sugar and chemicals. But at the end of the day, it’s all the same gunge. The manufacturing process used to make boxed cereal is called extrusion – if you want more eye-popping information on the food industry and extrusion, look here. Just make sure you’re sitting down first. This process is so violent and denaturing that the proteins in the grains are actually rendered toxic and allergenic by the process itself. Don’t think “organic cereal” is any different – it’s not. Sugar is sugar is sugar. And don’t forget, cereals are heavily treated, processed ‘food-like’ products – they are not classed as real, whole food. If you don’t feel like egg and bacon every day, here are a few other ideas: Good old-fashioned egg and bacon is still a very healthy meal by the way, with a few tomatoes, even a piece of steak from last night’s dinner, mushrooms etc – you won’t even think about food the rest of the day Make a healthy wrap (use an egg in a pan to form a ‘wrap’) fill with your choice of mushrooms, chicken livers, salmon, rocket, etc. Or use a healthy wrap you’ve made. Nothing wrong with leftovers from last night either – there are no rules! Make a healthy smoothie with blueberries, homemade almond milk, Pure Hydrolylsed Collagen or Whey Protein Isolate, walnuts or pecans, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, a touch of honey, and some BarleyLife powder or a green powder of your choosing. If you absolutely must have cereal. Make your own Swiss Bircher Muesli or similar, grate in an apple and you have a delicious cold brekkie. Eating a whole food breakfast sets your blood sugar on the right path daily. Your health is too important to pour damaged/junk food down your or your children’s throats. Our precious bodies are worth caring for. Treat yours well and you will reap the benefits. Disclaimer: You can simply click on the name of each product mentioned above (in bold) and a hyperlink will take you directly to the product for an easy purchase. Originally published on https://www.facebook.com/SallyAnnCreedSA/ in 2020.
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The Four Stages of B12 Deficiency
The Four Stages of B12 Deficiency What people don’t know who decide to go to a 100% plant-based diet is that it’s fine for a while – the ADULT liver can store enough B12 to last anywhere from 1-5 years maximum. But after that you could be putting yourself at serious risk of irreversible damage. B12 is known as cobalamin because it contains the trace element cobalt not found in plant foods at all. It is made in the gut of animals and migrates from gut to muscle. A water-soluble vitamin, B12 is crucial to the brain, nervous system, red blood cell formation and DNA. The nervous system is particularly vulnerable to B12 deficiency. Myelopathy (degeneration of the spinal cord) is the most common neurological syndrome of B12 deficiency and is an early sign of stage 4 deficiency. If detected in time it is fully reversible. Young people can experience this as can older people. It could start with tingling in both hands and spread up the arms. You will only become aware of symptoms when you reach stage 4. Here then are the four stages: STAGE 1: You may not feel anything at this point whatsoever. STAGE 2: As stage one progresses to stage 2, low vitamin B12 can be detected at a cellular level. Like stage 1, there are no discernible symptoms. Nobody absorbs all the vitamin B12 they consume; meat eaters only digest and absorb about 50% of the B12 from meat and fish. Although vegetarians generally eat dairy foods and eggs, the quantity of B12 is quite low in these foods and the absorption rate is not that great. This would explain why they are frequently deficient in this vitamin but not to the same extent as vegans. Stage 2 requires that you take the right supplements. There are 2 forms of B12 – natural and synthetic. The type most commonly used in supplements is CYANOcobalamin. A synthetic form not found in nature. It is cheap so popular with manufacturers. The body has to convert it into METHYLcobalamin. This is the natural form. If you are taking a B12 supplement try to get methylcobalamin. Even oral B12 supplements are poorly absorbed. That’s why B12 supplements tend to be high-dose. For example, a typical oral dose of 1000mcg delivers around 5–40mcg of B12 so take it under your tongue daily. STAGE 3: At this stage there is a detectable change in the blood. Levels of homocysteine begin to rise above normal. This is creating a condition sometimes called ‘hyperhomocysteinuria’. It’s a see-saw situation. As B12 levels rise Homocysteine (Hcy) levels fall and vice versa. Don’t rely on ‘fortified’ foods either! Manufacturers of processed food add vitamin B12 so that they can make a big deal of this on the packaging which can be very misleading. Unfortunately fortification is usually made with extremely small amounts of the synthetic form of B12. STAGE 4: Now this is recognised as the clinical deficiency stage as more symptoms begin to manifest. Some of these are more serious than others, and some are more obvious than others. Early, mild symptoms of stage 4 vitamin B12 deficiency include: Fatigue Depression Anxiety Loss of appetite Paleness Hair loss Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet Poor memory Poor memory and cognitive function are the most commonly reported symptoms of B12 deficiency. Both blood and the central nervous system are likely to be affected now. Megaloblastic anaemia is not uncommon. A condition in which abnormal red blood cells are produced by bone marrow. A major concern is a form of myelopathy affecting the spinal cord called ‘subacute combined degeneration’ (SCD). Myelin sheaths and axons are destroyed in the white matter of the spinal cord. The myelin is the protective layer wrapped around the nerve. If caught early this is treatable. Another indication of stage 4 deficiency is depression. What You Can Do If you are at all concerned about your B12 status, there are two tests that are quite useful – blood (serum) vitamin B12 and homocysteine levels. The blood vitamin B12 test might show low levels indicating possible stage 1-3. If you have high homocysteine you are already at stage 4. We can assist you with these tests by filling out this form. SUPPLEMENT SUGGESTIONS INCLUDE: 1. Sally-Ann Creed Vitamin B12 here 2. B Complex here If you are at all concerned about either Hcy or B12, we strongly recommend taking both.
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Amazing Benefits of Vitamin D3
The “new kid on the block” in the world of vitamins – Vitamin D3 – has taken the health world by storm. So why are experts so excited about Vitamin D3, and how can we get more of it? By the way it has to be D3 not D2. Vitamin D3 is in fact a hormone from the same family of steroid hormones as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, and cortisol. This means that, like these other hormones, vitamin D regulates gene expression in the nucleus of a cell. It doesn’t just have a seat on the front row in regulating our biochemistry, it is conducting the orchestra! It was thought that we could get quite a lot from the sun and milk, but both are proving to be less than effective for our needs, as 60-80% of the world’s population appear to be dismally deficient in this vital nutrient. We can thank sunscreen for this to a large degree, as it blocks the beneficial rays which turn our cholesterol in the skin (a good thing God gave us by the way, cholesterol is not our enemy) into valuable vitamin D3. The darker your skin, the more your natural SPF – and usually the more deficient you are. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III conducted by the Centre for Disease Control shows a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and obesity, hypertension and diabetes in adults. It’s also common knowledge that vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and strong bones and teeth. Amazingly when you have enough vitamin D, your calcium needs drop by half! We now also know that vitamin D slows cell growth (in malignant tumours), and vitamin D is being used in cancer treatment in many centres around the world. There is evidence that atrial fibrillation is linked to low vitamin D levels. The evidence is overwhelming that vitamin D plays a vital role in breast and other cancer prevention. Vitamin D has also been found to be highly beneficial in preventing heart disease – there are so many benefits, there’s not room to list them all. Receptors that respond to vitamin D have been found in almost every human cell ranging from brain to bones and researchers are finding health benefits of vitamin D in every area they look. Unfortunately not that many foods contain vitamin D. Some fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, as well as fish liver oils are considered to be the best sources, but vitamin D is also present in beef liver, cheese and egg yolks. Vitamin D is perhaps best taken in a variety of these foods, limited sunlight and wise supplementation. Here are just a few of the benefits: Bone health and density Depression Improves immunity Helps with weight loss Fantastic for preventing hair loss Excellent for Rheumatoid Arthritis Prevents bone pain A very powerful way to prevent cancer Get your Vitamin D3 1000IU here. Please note – I strongly recommend that you take Vitamin K2 with Vitamin D3!
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Can Sleep Help you Lose Weight?
Say what? Many of us would sleep for a month if this were true, so let’s look at how this works. Sleep in fact is even more important than exercise when it comes to weight loss, although we know (a) exercise is very good for us, but (b) we also know it does not cause weight loss. Somehow doing nothing while sleeping – does! It’s all about the hormones which build fat and muscle. Sleeping for more than 6 hours a night will prevent muscle loss – in fact sleeping less than 6 hours decreases the amount of fat lost and increases muscle lost by 55-60%. You don’t want to be burning muscle instead of fat, so get your sleep. Everyone who is sleep deprived knows it ramps up the appetite and the following day you are a whole lot hungrier than you would be had you had 6-8 hours sleep. And the worst of it is that the kind of hunger is not for salads and steak – it’s for sugary carbs. You will also get sick more often (ie catch a cold or get a sore throat) the less you sleep. By getting enough sleep you will keep your immunity strong. A strong immune system can fight anything! Here’s the kicker – sleeping less than 8 hours a night or thereabouts causes much more cortisol to be produced, and of course we know that this causes fat around the belly. Just saying. Enough sleep leads to proper muscle growth and recovery. You will age slower and look better, so be sure to get your beauty sleep.
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Coffee Withdrawal
Just the word probably brings on warm, fuzzy feelings of pleasure. Love it or hate it, coffee is here to stay. For some it will interfere with your sleep quality and for others it will give you that glorious boost to get more done in the morning. But what about if you want to stop it, and are concerned about withdrawal symptoms? I know, nobody wants to stop coffee…. but let’s say hypothetically you wanted to think about it… what would happen? And should you stop anyway? It’s such a wonderful pleasure to have a good cup of coffee, but if you are having more than you should, or it’s an absolute necessity to wake you up, maybe it’s time to have a break for a while and do a ‘coffee detox’. Caffeine is a drug, we need to remember that – too much will kill you, but small amounts are ok – it’s ‘dose dependent’. For some it will play havoc with heart rhythm, cause anxiety and depression while for others it seems to have no adverse effects at all. Whatever you cannot give up ‘holds’ you, or has made you dependent. If you find yourself needing more and more – it’s definitely time to break the habit, and then if you wish – return to one cup a day later on. You will experience chemical dependence if you are a regular coffee drinker, which you will quickly discover if you stop. More than one cup a day may cause mild withdrawal symptoms, usually just a headache for a day, and then it’s over. If you are a heavy ‘addict’ though, drinking 4 or more cups a day, you might experience a few other symptoms such as fatigue, muscle stiffness, irritability, foggy brain and of course the caffeine-withdrawal headache. Within a couple of days though, it will be over and you will feel better for giving it up for a spell. Just don’t replace the coffee with a sugary substitute, which often happens – drink tea instead, it will also help to lessen symptoms. Some ways to deal with the withdrawal: Drink lots of water to remain hydrated – this is a very important way to cope with symptoms Take a magnesium and potassium supplement to ease sore muscles Take Vitamin D3 Drink ginger tea (hot water and a fresh piece of ginger grated) Make sure you are having bone broth 3 x a day for several days Get enough sleep Do some cardio exercise to get your blood pumping – it really helps Eat breakfast daily – it will help to keep blood sugars stable Coffee does have its place – it’s fantastic for ending a bronchospasm in an asthmatic, but it must be a very strong cup of black coffee without sugar. It also certainly helps one get through those long nights of studying as a student, or getting your eyes open after a sleepless night in order to get some work done. Caffeine will affect your energy levels and your mood, no doubt about it. It’s a stimulant and as such demands a price to be paid – it lifts you up and later lets you down as your blood sugar levels yo-yo and can be a serious stressor in your life. It raises the hormone cortisol, perhaps more than you really need, and as such this alone could lead to weight gain, given that cortisol can be a fat-building hormone (round the middle). Coffee might also impact your sleep – not only might it prevent you from falling asleep, but once you do, it will influence your quality of sleep the same way alcohol does – reducing the time you spend in the deep sleep cycle, and instead of waking refreshed, you may wake up still feeling tired even after an 8-hour sleep. Deep sleep is where your body and brain go into repair and restoration mode. Drink coffee in the morning when your cortisol is meant to be high anyway, not at night. Coffee can also speed up digestion and act as a laxative for many people. It might cause heartburn or reflux, so if you suffer from this at night, give coffee a break for a while and see if that helps. There’s also some evidence to suggest that caffeine may interfere with our ability to absorb nutrients, and possibly reduce bone density in heavier users due to its ability to disturb vitamin D metabolism responsible for bone health. We know it impairs the absorption of iron, but tea can do that too, so it is best to drink it away from food. If you find your heart rhythm is noticeably faster, have weaker coffee or perhaps turn to tea instead. There are conflicting studies about whether coffee does or doesn’t raise blood pressure, it seems to be an individual thing. However, there is definitely some truth to the fact that caffeine impairs glucose tolerance leading to impaired carbohydrate metabolism, particularly in diabetics. It also has an effect on glucose metabolism – amazingly in some it improves it and in others it has a negative effect. Some studies have pointed to the possibility of a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s with coffee and Parkinson’s too.
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Some Special Low Carb Veggies
Everyone wants a quick list of really low carb veggies – well here it is! Use this list and you won’t even have to think! These are one cup raw weight, including their skins: Asparagus: 5g carbs, 3g fibre Aubergine: 5g carbs, 3g fibre Broccoli: 6g carbs, 2g fibre Cauliflower: 5g carbs, 3g fibre Celery: 3g carbs, 2g fibre Cucumber: 4g carbs, very little fibre Lettuce: 1g carbs, very little fibre Mushrooms: 2g carbs, 1g fibre Radish: 4g carbs, 2g fibre Spinach: 1g carbs, 1g fibre Zucchini: 4g carbs, 1g fibre
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Hair Loss Prevention Strategy
Is your hair thinning or falling out? Not funny is it. Especially when you thought the LCHF lifestyle would be the answer to all your ills. There’s no magic bullet, we know that – but perhaps try these strategies to see whether it helps. It will take time, but remember hair does go into a ‘resting’ phase from time to time, much like a plateau when you are on a weight loss diet – the same thing happens to hair – but it recovers. 90% of the hair on your head is growing, and each follicle has its own little life cycle influenced by age, disease, diet, stress – you name it – and it’s divided into 3 phases: Anagen – active hair growth phase lasting 2-6 years Catagen – transitional hair phase lasts 2-3 weeks Telogen – resting phase lasts 2-3 months also called Telogen effluvium After the resting phase, the hair falls out and new hair replaces it, and then it starts all over again, but as you age, your hair growth does slow down. When a large number of hairs enter this resting phase at the same time, your hair will fall out and the hair will think temporarily, but it will recover. Protein is one of the best ways to get your hair thick again – lots of animal protein – and guess what – animal fat! Hair loves protein and fat (hair is LCHF)! Here are some dietary aids to help that hair get back on track: Eat more protein – and that means animal protein. Often hair loss is a simple protein deficiency; Eat more fish, and take a fish oil supplement (about 3g a day is good) – this really is fantastic (not flaxseed oil, fish oil) if you want to see your hair shine and recover beautifully; Eat more eggs – they are fabulous hair food! For brains, hormones and the heart too; Take a Vitamin D3 supplement daily; Get iron from green leafy veggies; Take Vitamin C – fabulous hair building food – around 2-3g a day should do it; Take a good, daily Vitamin B Complex –look for a good, specialised brand with high levels of B’s present – about 50mg of each. Take it at breakfast; and Start using my Pure Hydrolysed Collagen – it does wonders for hair. Wait for 5-6 months to see the difference, hair grows slowly but you should have magnificent tresses soon. Hair’s to your good health! Did you know hair grows everywhere on the human skin except the palms of our hands and soles of our feet?
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