Articles
Why is my Whey Protein price increasing?
We’re all learning the unintended consequences of Covid-19. The butterfly effect of a global pandemic on Whey Protein is quite profound. Firstly, let’s talk about how our Whey Protein is made. It’s the byproduct of the cheesemaking process. Milk is broken down into the curds and whey, with the curds being used for cheese, and the whey being drained off and used for our whey protein powder production. Initially, liquid whey has about 4-6 grams of protein per litre, and the whey proteins are extracted in a highly purified form, using a cross-flow microfiltration process. This gives us our incredible >90% protein Whey Protein Isolate powder you know and love. Sadly, Covid-19 changed everything. It shut down farms around the world, forcing us into our homes and into isolation. Food processing plants worldwide came to a standstill, global transport halted, and the world as we knew it went into involuntary lockdown. It prevented us from going out for dinner, which caused many restaurants to close their doors. These are the restaurants we all used to go to for romantic dinners, birthday parties, and family dinners. Take a look at this graph of restaurant reservations during Covid: One of the unexpected consequences of this was a massive global slowdown in demand for dairy products, with cheese, ice-cream, cream, etc being hard hit. In fact, in many parts of the world, the production of cheese stopped completely with farms being unable to sell milk or cheese anywhere. Millions of litres of milk were dumped as farmers were unable to use it. This has had a terrible impact on whey protein production. During the early days of the pandemic, we and our suppliers were able to absorb the impact of this reduced supply, as we all had plenty of whey protein on hand, but as time went on, we saw more, and longer, delays in production. We bought as much whey protein as we could from our suppliers, hoping to see us through this time, but while Covid-19 impacted the global supply chain negatively, it also caused more people to start eating better (which is great news), with more people than ever taking supplements to keep their bodies as strong as possible to fight this virus. This started eating away from existing whey protein stocks. And it’s not just the price of whey protein that’s increased dramatically. The price of packaging has increased too – putting even more pressure on many businesses, including ours. So here we sit with the price of our top-quality, >90% whey protein going up by almost 50% in the past 6 months. While other companies might simply source cheaper whey protein from China in order to keep costs down, we prefer to keep our product as pure and clean as it’s always been, even if it means we sell less of it, and make less money from it. Our products have always been the very best we can find, and we’re not going to let a global pandemic change that – not for one second! Whey Protein Isolate is considered by many practitioners to be the premier dietary supplement for protein. It provides the body with the necessary building blocks that are used to build or maintain muscle tissue. In fact, Whey Protein Isolate is a complete protein, containing the full complement of amino acids the body can utilise for optimal physical performance and for increasing glutathione levels. It may have significant benefits on immune function and wound healing, and is the perfect adjunct for bodybuilders, moderate exercisers, dieters, and for those taking steps to support healthy ageing, cardiovascular health, glucose metabolism, or general wellness. Best Whey is a pure and natural high quality protein, rich in amino acids and biologically active lactoferrin (LF), Immunoglobulin (IgG), and glycomacropeptides (GMP). It contains little fat, lactose, or cholesterol, making it an excellent protein choice for individuals of all ages. The Best Whey is free from any form of added sugar, or artificial flavourings and each serving supplies 20 grams of naturally complete protein, making it ideal for low-carbohydrate or metabolically balanced diets. Sally-Ann Creed® Whey Protein is one of the best forms around, containing over 90% protein. All of this is to give you a little background on why our whey protein is increasing in price. We’ve kept the price increase as low as possible, ensuring that you never get anything less than the absolute best possible whey protein. Sources: https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/food-supply-chains-and-covid-19-impacts-and-policy-lessons-71b57aea/ https://www.agropur.com/us/news/how-whey-protein-is-made https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/covid-19-disrupts-complex-food-chains-beef-milk-eggs-produce
Read more
Collagen in Coffee? Yes Please!
After all these years, we still get asked whether it’s ok to put collagen into coffee – due to some rather hilariously blatant articles telling you that it will breakdown, or won’t work. They say it “falls apart” under heat – but um, hang on, hydrolysed collagen is HEAT TREATED! They are also saying a number of other really stupid things. The claim is “when added to hot coffee, for example – collagen’s molecular structure melts, diminishing or even negating the desired health benefits”. This is unscientific and shows the writer has no knowledge of what he or she is saying. Firstly – hydrolysed collagen means that the collagen is heat-stable, will not change it’s structure in either hot or cold liquid or food – it will still be fully absorbed and effective. They are confusing collagen with gelatine. Gelatine goes gummy, collagen CAN’T because it’s hydrolysed. Collagen would not be as popular as it is with the zillions of testimonies if it wasn’t absorbed and used effectively by our bodies. Just looking at these articles, what leaps out at me is their complete lack of physiology, chemistry and understanding of the difference between peptides and amino acids. I’ll get to this just now. There is something else, they don’t realise either that creams with collagen cannot be absorbed through the skin because the peptides are too large – it’s impossible. They are absorbed through the stomach, that’s why we take them. The other thing is that they are subtly promoting vegetarian collagen (as if such a thing existed!). There’s no such thing…. sorry to break this to you, but it is what it is. Collagen is an animal-derived product from either beef or chicken (like my two Pure Hydrolysed Collagen and Type 2 Chicken Collagen), or pork and fish (pork I won’t touch due to feedlot farming and fish needs to be sustainably sourced – wild caught, low calcium, low sodium and MSC certified). You cannot get collagen from green leafy vegetables! You get LOADS of other benefits, but sorry, not collagen. This comes from your meat and your bone broth. You decide for yourself – as for me, I’ll never stop my fabulous, now-famous Pure Hydrolysed Collagen Powder! Find it at https://sallyanncreed.co.za/shop – have it in your coffee and see whether you agree.
Read more
What is Chocolate Blooming?
Have you ever opened a chocolate bar and noticed a white layer over the surface of your chocolate or little, granular white specks? This is a common phenomenon, and is known as Chocolate Blooming. The good news is that it has little to no effect on your chocolate bar, other than making it slightly aesthetically ‘different’ to your standard, brown chocolate bar look and feel. There are two types of chocolate bloom, one referred to as Fat Bloom and the other is known as Sugar Bloom. Fat Bloom Fat bloom – the most common type of bloom – is a result of a change in temperature in your chocolate, or poor tempering during manufacture. It occurs most often when a chocolate melts and then re-solidifies. A good example of this is when one accidentally leaves a chocolate in the car for a few days, and then opens it. You will note a white discolouration across the surface of the bar. The warmer temperature heats the cocoa butter in the chocolate, which causes it to soften and separate from the rest of the ingredients in the bar. The chocolate then re-solidifies, once the temperature cools, and this creates the fat bloom effect – a slick white layer across the surface of your chocolate. Our Sally-Ann Creed® 70% Dark Chocolate would be susceptible to this effect if left in heat for too long. Sugar Bloom Sugar bloom is most recognizable by the hard, dry, granular crystals that develop on the surface of your chocolate bar. There is a noticeable texture change over the surface of the bar, where little crystals have formed. When chocolate is exposed to moisture, the sugar within the chocolate absorbs this moisture and dissolves the crystals. The sugar rises to the surface and forms small, hard granular lumps. How does one avoid Chocolate Blooming? Fat bloom can generally be avoided by ensuring that the chocolates are tempered sufficiently during manufacture, and are thereafter kept at a consistent, room temperature. With sugar bloom, the sugar crystals react to moisture exposure. By avoiding damp storage conditions, such as in the refrigerator or areas with high humidity, you can help prevent this reaction from occuring which results in the crystals dissolving and coming to the surface. To repair chocolate bloom, one can melt the chocolate down, stir the melted mixture and then pour into molds and allow to cool. This will bring the fat or sugar back into the original mixture, and remove the aesthetic discolouration. But can I still eat my chocolate?! Yes, you most definitely can! Fat and sugar bloom have no effect on the nutritional aspects of your chocolate, only a slightly negative effect on the appearance, due to the discolouration. The product remains perfectly safe for consumption.
Read more
All about Sally-Ann Creed Collagen
Bovine and chicken collagen are the 2 superior forms of collagen to use. Type 1 collagen is the most abundant ‘type’ found in the body which is also found in bovine collagen – we are seldom short of this kind. The chicken ‘type’ (type 2) is usually depleted in the body, and this is safer than porcine collagen as porcine collagen is cheap and could be full of hormones. A good chicken collagen will be free of hormones and is not cheap. Porcine collagen is also considered to be not nearly as effective as other forms such as bovine and chicken collagen. One also needs to consider the country the collagen comes from, whether grass-fed or not and the quality of the animals. This is not possible with fish in polluted oceans, which is why I chose to avoid fish/marine collagen for a long time until I found one from wild-caught, MSC-certified source that I could trust. You can find it here. Regarding the pork collagen, pigs are often fed sweets, plastic, pellets, fecal matter etc, and I’m concerned about this. It’s also not as effective as the bovine kind, so I would rather stick with the bovine and chicken varieties as I can verify their sources, purity and overall quality. Bovine Collagen (Type 1 & Type 3) Naturally occurring in the skin, bones and muscles of cattle, this one is the closest to what our bodies make – providing types 1 and 3 collagen. These types are the major components of skin, nails, hair, ligaments, tendons, bone, teeth, gums, eyes, arteries and blood vessels and make up over 90% of the collagen in our bodies, so it makes sense to start with this kind of collagen. There is an enormous amount of precious glycine in bovine collagen, which promotes cellular health, and it’s one of the 3 amino acids needed to form creatine which supports healthy muscles and energy levels post-workout. The other impressive amino acid present which is thin on the ground in nature, is proline – this plays a truly critical role in the body’s own ability to produce collagen, and it’s a very heart-healthy amino acid too. Collagen can supply all the above benefits and a few more as follows: Prevent or repair broken capillaries Improve damaged skin (from sun, chemicals, heat exposure) Treat lack of collagen causing skin to loose it’s elasticity Improve ageing skin losing its firmness and suppleness Acne responds very well when combined with dietary changes Psoriasis, eczema and flaky skin Skin pigmentation Strong teeth and healthy gums General skin imbalances Nails that are brittle and flaky Lack lustre hair, thinning hair, hair loss Dry brittle hair Promotes restful sleep Liver detoxifier Excellent for gut health Improved metabolism Bone density Cognitive ability improves Banishes cellulite and removes the dimpling effect on the skin Prevents and reduces existing stretch marks Chicken Collagen (Type 2) We now stock chicken collagen, which is really exciting as it’s very hard to get hold of a quality chicken collagen. It works by causing your body to produce substances that fight inflammation and pain (inflammation causes ageing). It also contains chondroitin and glucosamine, two powerful compounds which help rebuild cartilage. Chicken collagen can also provide some amazing benefits for your gut, immune system, skin and more. It has been said to be valuable in stopping autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in its tracks or at the least greatly improve RA. The naturally-occurring glucosamine and chondroitin make this the obvious choice for addressing joint problems – whether to heal them or keep them from breaking down in sports. It also naturally contains hyaluronic acid which many of you know is close to an elixir of youth for the skin. Chicken collagen has the richest source of hyaluronic acid – known for bringing youthfulness, plumpness and moisture to the skin, while doing the same in the joints to keep them moving freely. Pure chicken collagen has been shown to retrain the immune system to correctly recognize exposed cartilage proteins as the body’s own tissues, rather than incorrectly seeing them as foreign invaders. This prevents the inflammatory and destructive attack that causes osteoarthritic joint stiffness and pain and other diseases of ageing. Research continues to provide proof that collagen can help seal openings in the gut lining and support gut integrity (avoiding leaky gut) and this directly boosts immunity too. Please make sure the collagen is pure, without any chemical additives or sweeteners. Both bovine and chicken collagen help form elastin and other compounds within skin that are responsible for maintaining skin’s youthful tone, texture and appearance. Nutrition is key when it comes to skin health and appearance. The more collagen you have in your body, the less likely you will be to have one of the most visible signs of aging — wrinkles. While many face creams claim to revitalize skin by including collagen in their ingredients, the molecules in these topical products are way too large for your skin to absorb – it is an impossible task topically – this needs to be taken as food. Chicken collagen reduces pain and inflammation, improves joint function and slows progression of osteoarthritis (OA). What we know from studies on chicken collagen: Believed to enhance the shock-absorbing properties of collagen and block enzymes that break down cartilage Helps cartilage retain water and may reverse cartilage loss Research shows that oral collagen supplementation effectively improves the common signs of skin ageing One study found that skin hydration improved after eight weeks of collagen supplementation while collagen density in the dermis significantly increased after just four weeks of supplementation. Chicken collagen helps support a healthy mucosal layer in the gut. Studies have found that in individuals with digestive imbalances, serum concentrations of collagen are decreased. Because the amino acids in collagen build the tissue that lines the colon and entire GI tract, supplementing with collagen can support healthy digestive function. By keeping the mucosal layer of your gut healthy, you can avoid leaky gut syndrome, which is often the root cause of food allergies, low energy, joint pain, thyroid disease, autoimmune diseases, ageing and slow metabolism. Bovine collagen will also have these effects on the gut. Chicken vs Bovine While almost all kinds will do much the same thing, chicken collagen is best known for its ability to target joint issues and cellulite, while bovine is better for skin and weight issues. However they will both be beneficial, if taken at different times of the day. My suggestion is instead of taking 2 scoops of bovine in the morning, take 1-2 scoops of bovine in coffee in the morning and one scoop of chicken in the evening on an empty stomach for the best results in all body systems. Collagen (Bovine and Chicken) assist with the prevention of protein glycation (ageing) and the further breakdown of collagen structures inside the body. The older we get, the more we lose the ability to produce collagen, which means we need to supplement it. Supplementing it significantly helps the body to continue to produce more of its own collagen naturally for longer. Hyaluronic Acid is something of a buzzword today in the beauty arena, and known as ‘nature’s moisturiser’. Dry eyes have been known to benefit from it, wrinkles are delayed or smoothed out and joints benefit from the extra water it brings for increased mobility. It is one of the most hydrophilic (water-loving) molecules in nature. It helps plump lips and skin but it is also highly concentrated in the eyeball. In fact vitreous humour – the fluid in the eyeball – is composed almost completely of hyaluronic acid, acting as a shock absorber and transporting nutrients to the eye. After the age of 50 the body stops producing hyaluronic acid it’s said, and this is why so many eye problems surface after this time. And wonderfully, hyaluronic acid acts as a ‘space filler’ by binding to water and keeping skin wrinkle-free. Types of Collagen Did you know there are 28 types of collagen which have been identified? But only 3 are necessary as these are the most common ones in the human body. Bovine collagen has type 1 and 3, and is the most amazing collagen. It does absolutely everything – and if you are looking for a way to improve your health and physical appearance, bovine collagen will do that admirably. My Pure Hydrolysed Collagen is bovine, so look out for that one. The chicken collagen is under Collagen Type 2, and is a wonderful adjunct to the bovine one. Taken together, yet at different times of the day – yields a far more powerful effect on all body systems, than taking just one. Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Most abundant in the body Less abundant, but vital Second most abundant From skin, ligaments, bone, scar tissue, tendons Found in the eyes and cartilage Found in muscles, blood vessels, intestinal walls Helps stimulate type 2 in the body Richest in hyaluronic acid Stimulates type 2 production Occurs with type 3 (or should do) Contains hyaluronic acid Found in bovine collagen Found in chicken collagen Type 3 occurs with Type 1 (Pure Hydrolysed Collagen is bovine) (Collagen Type 2 is chicken) Found in bovine collagen Supports: Supports: Supports: Skin elasticity; wrinkles Skin elasticity; cellulite; wrinkles Muscle health Joint health Joint and eye health Bone health Bone health Reduces signs of ageing Skin health, youthfulness Both bovine and chicken will help to support and heal leaky gut, improve fat-burning and delay wrinkles. When buying collagen be careful it’s not only type 1 – you want type 1 & 3 TOGETHER. You also want Type 2 to be SEPARATE – the three must not be in one mixture or you will not absorb them properly. Types 1 & 3 are supposed to be together, taken in the morning, and then take Type 2 separately in the evening in water on an empty stomach just before bed. This way your body gets the most AMAZING collagen boost! Why I won’t use other collagen supplements available: Here are just some of the ingredients I’ve seen in the collagen supplements out there (I’ve only named a few here remember!) and why I decided I wanted pure products for my own body, and so brought in my own pure bovine and chicken collagens: Glycerin (extremely drying to the skin – why add it to an anti-ageing product where dryness is the last thing you want in skin, hair, bones and joints?) Citric Acid (can be harmful – side effects of citric acid could include nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain. More serious side effects may include severe muscle twitches, cramps or pain, seizure, numbness of the hands or feet, weakness, difficulty breathing, dizziness, restlessness, irritability and black or bloody stools) Sodium Benzoate (very nasty unnecessary chemical preservative, ESPECIALLY dangerous when taken WITH citric acid as it forms benzene, a carcinogen linked to leukemia and other blood cancers, plus can induce asthma and hypertension) Potassium Sorbate (chemical preservative – not necessary in collagen at all! It also can induce migraines, causes allergies, affect the immune system, itching in mouth, throat, eyes, may cause sinus and nasal congestion.) Maltodextrin (this is plain old SUGAR which ages you, inflames you and dries you up) Soy extract (Soy is toxic to the thyroid and has a host of serious problems attached, should not be eaten by man nor beast in my opinion) Natural Orange Flavour and other E numbers (this is not natural at all! If it has ‘flavour’ in the title, it is a chemical) Talc (linked to ovarian & lung cancer. In its natural form, some talc contains asbestos) Glycerol (used as a sugar for sweetening the taste of the powder/liquid) Vegetable oil (damaged, artery-clogging, inflammatory seed oil – ugh) Shellac (basically plastic coating on the tablet) Colours (could be anything at all! But some include Ammonia Caramel and Titanium Dioxide – these are usually all chemicals, not natural colourings) And the worst is that some of these products exceed well over R1000 for the teeny tiniest amounts in tablet form with very little collagen present, plus a bunch of chemicals; it’s called clever advertising. Collagen is best in powder form, mixes easily and costs less for a better product. Now do you see why I’m so passionate about my pure powder collagen products? For bovine collagen click here Disclaimer: Originally published on Facebook on 26 January 2018.
Read more
Akkermansia - gut bacteria for weight loss
Everyone wants to lose weight for summer – it’s a thing! But did you know that there is a strain of bacteria which quite literally, can help you lose weight? Have you ever heard of Akkermansia muciniphilia? Didn’t think so. After reading this you’ll know all about it and why it’s the trendiest topic in the scientific weight loss community. Akkermansia is a probiotic bacterium which lives inside most of us. It has the happy ability to control how much belly fat we have. If you’ve tried to lose weight without success and feel a bit frustrated, you might want to eat your way into encouraging more of this strain of gut bacteria to help you lose unwanted weight. Akkermansia is said to improve metabolic rate, lower inflammation and strengthen immunity. A paper from back in 2013 by researchers at the University of Louvain, Belgium, concluded that this strain of bacteria has the ability to actively promote weight loss in humans. In healthy humans this bacterium makes up 3-5% of your gut bacteria, yet for some reason, in obese people this percentage is considerably lower. Akkermansia not only repairs a dysfunctional metabolic rate, it seems to have a positive impact on inflammation and diabetes as well. It just goes to prove once again the amazing part our gut flora play in keeping us healthy in every single way. How to increase Akkermansia levels Before you get excited and want to rush out and buy a boat-load of Akkermansia you need to know that there is no actual supplement you can take which will give you this strain, as it is still in the process of being studied and tested which takes years. However, you can encourage growth of your own colony of this bacterium (even if you only have a teensy bit) good news indeed. Belgian researchers discovered that oligofructose (not fructose!) will improve the percentage of Akkermansia. You will find oligofructose in our online store under the name of MaxiPrebiotic. Another way to promote this bacterial species is by taking Psyllium Husks as this particular strain absolutely adores fibre and prebiotics. (So much for the naysayers who slate fibre intake – such a necessary item in our diet). Prebiotic foods, dietary fibre, psyllium husks and oligofructose as found in MaxiPrebiotic (which is a prebiotic) are the ideal food sources for Akkermansia which will promote its growth, as well as many other very beneficial strains of bacteria. This strain relieves constipation, IBS, diarrhoea, control diabetes and encourage weight loss. What’s not to like? They are all also very cost effective and easy to take, as they are either tasty (as in foods) or tasteless (as in psyllium husks) or downright delicious as in the case of MaxiPrebiotic. You need a variety of foods daily for oligofructose to have an effect on the flora. While 32g per day of dietary fibre is recommended, diabetics are encouraged to have up to 50g a day for good health. Most people don’t even get 9g! Remember, you aren’t only eating for one here – you have colonies of hungry bacteria to feed – lots more mouths than you previously thought. Certain foods are rich in dietary fibre which encourage a healthy microbiome: Dandelion greens Asparagus Garlic, Onions and Leeks Banana Oatmeal Akkermansia is quite a chatty little fellow, it ‘talks’ a lot to the other bacteria, to stimulate a number of physiological processes, so by ‘feeding’ it correctly, you keep it talking. Imagine an organism living in you which can: Control weight Improve glucose control Lower inflammation Increase metabolism and Deal with harmful microorganisms In very rare cases there are people with absolutely no Akkermansia – but don’t panic, it’s likely that you have some. Even the smallest amount can be stimulated to grow according to researchers, and apparently they respond really quickly. Ways you can encourage Akkermansia to reproduce include: Lowering your intake of carbohydrates Eliminating sugar and sugary foods Eliminating processed foods from your diet (Akkermansia hate them) Increasing consumption of healthy fats Increasing consumption of fresh vegetables (both cooked and raw) Consuming fermented vegetables (sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir) – but without any sugar Taking a daily high-quality probiotic Cranberry extract alleviates intestinal inflammation and has been shown to increase the population of Akkermansia. Fish oil is also a healthy way to increase abundant Akkermansia according to studies There is even better news. Did you know you can start to change your gut microbiome in just one day? The average lifespan of the average bacterium is very short – just 20 minutes! So every time you eat, you could be encouraging and increasing your Akkermansia – one meal at a time! Imagine – in one day you can begin to change your entire microbiome! Of course sleep, stress, environment, exercise and other lifestyle modifications all determine the state of your microbiome too, but the greatest factor of all is your diet. How to Fast Track Your Diet to Increase Akkermansia What goes into your mouth can encourage that gorgeous colony of Akkermansia – so here’s how to do that: Choose the right food – numero uno!! Whole, fresh, natural – nothing processed, nothing out of a bottle or bag or tin if you can help it. This includes sugar. Food as it appears in nature (your secret Akkermansia weapon) Exclude all sugar and carbohydrates from grains. Get your carbs from non-starchy vegetables, especially leafy greens, radishes, Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, asparagus, garlic and turmeric. The body ‘sees’ grains as sugar Eat fat and protein at every meal. Include fermented foods in your diet, they’re rich in probiotics Ditch the dairy for a while, except for real farm butter (dairy is defined as anything out of a cow or goat) not including eggs, as they are not out of a cow/goat Toss out the nasty ‘foods’ like soy, corn, peanuts, seed oils, artificial sweeteners, gluten and grains. Avoid alcohol and coffee – at least for a while – Akkermansia is fussy that way. Add your coffee back in later, but ensure it’s organic or you defeat the object Akkermansia loves fatty seafood like salmon, sardines, mackerel and clams Take a good, high-quality probiotic not only for Akkermansia growth but for the health of your urogenital tract, respiratory tract and entire ecosystem. Consider taking Glutamine – an excellent way to rebuild and maintain digestive health and support digestion – a good friend to Akkermansia Support your stomach acid if you have too little – either HCL, lemon water or a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water before each meal to see if your symptoms improve (do NOT ever try to ‘go alkaline’) Exercise, but take care not to overdo it. Get enough sleep. Sleep has the power to change gut flora. Just two nights of sleep deprivation can lead to a dramatic drop-off in healthy bacteria – including Akkermansia. Relax and de-stress! Your gut is known as your ‘second brain’ and can take on the stress of everyday life very quickly – throwing your microbiome out of balance, which may make you feel depressed, anxious or tired, create memory problems or brain fog. Getting your microbiome back into balance will almost certainly help you lose weight – no more pounding the tar daily in an effort to shed a few kilos. (And by the way, exercise tones the body, it doesn’t lead to weight loss.) Fibre is a vital key to promoting weight loss, but it has to be the right fibre, not brans or cereals. Fibre is critical to good health because it is food for your intestinal flora. When you deprive yourself of fibre on a regular basis (think of people who live constantly on refined food) your gut microbes behave erratically. They can ‘turn’ on you and start to eat the mucus lining of your intestine as it’s also a carbohydrate source. If they are starved of fibre, they have no choice. Fibre is a carbohydrate which the beneficial flora eat – it does not count as a carbohydrate in our diets and is not digested. It’s food for your healthy bacteria and Akkermansia. Akkermansia Growth Programme If you want to use supplements to help you increase Ak, the ones you’ll need (and find in the online store) include: MaxiPrebiotic Apple Cider Vinegar (organic) with ‘mother’ culture Glutamine Fish oil A good probiotic
Read more
Creed Living partners with Heavy Chef
Creed Living, the home of Sally-Ann Creed®, South Africa’s most loved collagen and nutritional supplement company, has joined forces with Heavy Chef to help South African entrepreneurs achieve their full potential by providing educational videos and business insights from industry-leaders and successful entrepreneurs who have already blazed a trail in their field. Creed Living already provides information and guidance to thousands of South Africans by drawing on the work done by Sally-Ann Creed, founder of Sally-Ann Creed® who spent over 20 years searching for a cure to her ailments, finally finding that through nutrition, one is able to activate and heal one’s body without the need for traditional western medicine. Over the years, Sally-Ann has added various natural supplements to her nutritional toolbox, including her famous Pure Hydrolysed Collagen – South Africa’s favourite bovine collagen. By offering entrepreneurs advice on how to give their bodies natural and effective nutrition, Creed Living is enhancing their ability to achieve greatness by ensuring that their bodies remain healthy and supportive of their business acumen. As we provide the tools and support for entrepreneurs to achieve more in their businesses, Heavy Chef & Creed Living believe that together we’re able to grow the South African economy, reduce unemployment, and lift our beloved country out of poverty and into prosperity. Our joint vision for South Africa is one where private businesses provide the quickest and most sustainable path to growth for our economy, our country, and future generations. As the trusted voice for thousands of South Africans, Creed Living is proud to be able to tailor and share its knowledge with entrepreneurs all across our country and in various fields. For more information, visit sallyanncreed.co.za and www.heavychef.com
Read more
Sally-Ann Creed partners with vida e caffè
Sally-Ann Creed® has collaborated with South Africa’s premier coffee brand, vida e caffè, to offer sachets of our Pure Hydrolysed Collagen with their coffees. vida e caffè coffee is a delicious companion to our famous collagen, which, because it is hydrolysed, is unaffected by cold or heat, giving you a 6g dose of our 100% pure grass-fed, non-GMO bovine collagen in every coffee. If you prefer your morning to start with coffee instead, why not add one of our new Sally-Ann Creed® Collagen Sachets to your regular vida e caffè? Since caffeine can improve memory, decrease fatigue, and improve your mental functioning, many people start their day with their favourite cappuccino or latte. This is the perfect opportunity to add your daily dose of Sally-Ann Creed® Collagen to your routine. Since our collagen is virtually tasteless, it won’t affect the delicious taste of your coffee. The Sally-Ann Creed® Collagen Sachets can be added to your order for an additional R14, or purchased separately from your barista. As we age, our bodies naturally stop producing collagen. Sally-Ann Creed® Pure Hydrolysed Collagen is 100% pure grass-fed, non-GMO bovine collagen consisting of both type 1 & type 3 collagen, and contains 19 essential amino acids and zero carbs. Type 1 is ideal for building and maintaining skin, bones, tendons, ligaments, hair and nails. Type 3 promotes and maintains muscle and blood vessels, and improves gut health by supporting the digestive system. These benefits come together to ensure that your body is protected against the effects of ageing and exercise, as we navigate our busy lives. The wonderful thing about collagen, is that your body knows exactly what it needs, and will direct collagen to those parts that require support. By adding it to your daily routine, you provide your body with this essential natural protein that we all naturally stop producing as we age. Start your day the best way by adding a sachet or two of Sally-Ann Creed® Collagen to your daily routine, and you’ll start seeing the results in a few short weeks. For more information on Sally-Ann Creed®‘s Pure Hydrolysed Collagen, visit sallyanncreed.co.za/collagen
Read more
The various "pauses" in menopause
In menopause, the ovaries ‘pause’ their output of estrogen but there are other pauses during this time to consider. There is simultaneously a pause in the androgenic hormones. These androgenic hormones come from the ovaries but they also come from the adrenals and this pause leads to a decrease in both testosterone and DHEA – hormones which are instrumental in the control of blood sugar, they affect how the body the body burns fuel and whether it is placed in muscle tissue and the liver as glycogen or visceral fat (which is also known as abdominal fat.) Adrenal strain Additional strain is also evident in the adrenals themselves at this time. As the ovaries are doing less work, the adrenals are forced to take over this task. As estrogen falls the adrenals work much harder to make estrone to try to compensate for the loss, and this means they are less able to make DHEA, testosterone and cortisol. Thyropause Ever heard of the “thyropause”? It’s a real thing – generally the thyroid will slow down as a person ages, and thyroid disease risk increases during menopause. Whenever there are large hormonal shifts in the body, you may see latent thyroid disease revealed, such as: Puberty Pregnancy Menopause Hepatopause There’s also “hepatopause”, where the liver is less able to regulate fuel properly. When perfectly healthy it can store extra fuel and make it available when needed – an unhealthy liver has less room to store glycogen, and instead gets jammed with triglycerides leading to fatty liver disease. This also leaves little room for regulating metabolism. Fatty liver can happen to those who don’t drink alcohol at all – called Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and this is often due to soft drinks, sugar and excess carbs. A fatty liver is hard-pressed to burn fuel correctly, it stores more fat than is needed while releasing less than is needed, and begins to enlarge. A healthy liver A healthy liver has 1-3% fat, but a fatty liver has more than 5% and disease sets in when it hits somewhere near the 10% mark, which leads to: Liver malfunction Scarring of liver tissue Liver cancer If you have fatty liver, decreasing your food intake will leave you utterly fatigued. There are less androgens available causing a decrease in basal (or resting) metabolic rate, proportionate to a loss of muscle mass – or sarcopenia. This is why intermittent fasting may not work for some women after a certain age. Menopausal weight gain This can be addressed if you follow the right steps early enough. By focusing on adrenal function you want to reset your body to wake up early and be full of energy and see the cortisol drop in the evenings when you go to bed to give you restful sleep. All too often it’s the other way round in menopause, you have too much cortisol at night when you don’t need it, and little during the day when you do, which can result in: Depression Fatigue Insomnia Anxiety Easy weight gain Difficulty losing weight Inflammation Digestive disturbances Blood sugar dysregulation Difficulty dealing with stress and lifestyle changes Your nutrition, sleep, and exercise Refocusing your diet at this time of life – earlier if possible – is key to how you will cope with all these periods of ‘pause’ in your menopause. Your macronutrients become key to managing cortisol now. You must not stop carbs, but concentrate on good quality, lower carbohydrate foods, eat moderate amounts of healthy fat instead of going low fat, and have enough protein. Timing is everything! You need to get your ‘timing’ of eating carbs right. Carbs naturally lower cortisol, so eating carbs in the morning will make you tired during the day. Your carbs should be highest at night as your carb-digesting enzymes are highest at this time, and will facilitate lowering of cortisol levels to enable you to sleep better. Tailoring your intake of carbs will make a difference to cortisol, weight and sleep. The ‘pause’ we see in menopause with regard to sleep is distressing with many women turning to sleeping pills at this time, which is really not ideal at all. Making sure you have restful sleep will help to control your weight and make you feel a whole lot better in your waking hours. Getting enough quality protein is also more important at this time of life than you may realise. It will prevent the muscle loss associated with menopause when so many women are eating less protein than they should, and this dramatically affects adrenal function which relies on high-quality protein. This will enable you to retain your valuable muscle mass, especially when combined with some healthy, regular exercise. So some of the ways to reset your hormones and lose that menopausal weight creeping up will include: Eating carbs at the right time of day (ie. sweet potato at night and eggs in the morning) Eating enough good quality protein at each meal Not going low fat, but eating healthy fats in moderate proportions Getting sufficient sleep and resetting that cortisol curve Dealing with stress effectively Taking the right targeted supplements for you personally Don’t try any rash or strange diets at this time of life! You will further destroy a fragile metabolic rate that is in need of fixing, and which can be done if you do it sanely. Men and women are very different and a completely different approach needs to be taken when it comes to weight loss in women, particularly those in menopause. Your body and brain are in need of vital nutrition from good food at this time of life, don’t skimp on quality. Visit our Health Resources page for helpful free resources to help you along your journey https://sallyanncreed.co.za/health-resources/ This post is subject to our general disclaimer https://sallyanncreed.co.za/disclaimer/.
Read more