S and I went away for the weekend over to our beach house - the main reason was to get it ready for visitors staying there over the next long weekend. The new car was fantastic and it has added features on the dashboard which show the iPod's menu!! It was so easy to play my podcasts while driving over and back and it really is the only time that S catches up on these. He really enjoys hearing all the reasons why we eat the way we do. I am so lucky that he is totally commited to this as well, it makes everything so much easier.
We went out for dinner on Saturday night and we had calamari and scallops for starter and I got grilled fish and salad and some fries for main and S got the steak. I ate a few of my fries (after all they are not wheat). Today we stopped at Thames for lunch and I got a bacon and egg savoury frittata thingy with salad. Very nice as always from that cafe. Dinner tonight was soup I made this afternoon - curried cream of pumpkin with onion and celery. I made some of the little cheese muffins to have with it - just plain this time, no onion etc in them. They were very nice warm with butter on with the soup.
I experimented and made a few low carb pancakes out of egg, almond meal and half a banana. I had them with some cream. Now this should not affect my blood sugar but half an hour later my blood sugar went to 8.9 (160) and an hour later it was still at 8.9!! Luckily it went back to 5.4 the next hour but all I can think of is OMG, imagine if I was still eating flour and sugar?? I really would be a full blown diabetic. It also shows me that I can't even get away with low carb treats because there is no way I want my blood to be spiking that high.
The podcast we listened to in the car coming back today was about diabetes and how by using a carboydrate restriction approach to eating, you can get exactly the same results (if not better) as you get with bariatric surgery. I will certainly continue on the low carb eating for the diabetes reason alone!!
Hopefully I'll get some good exercise in this week - I really feel like I need it.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Diabesity
I remain constantly astounded that we are told to eat carbs in the face of extreme "diabesity" (as Dr Mark Hyman calls it). I read a little of his book this morning (The Blood Sugar Solution) - well the little free snippet available on Amazon. He said scientists believe diabesity will affect 1 in 2 people by 2020 and 90% of whom will be not diagnosed. He believes that it ALREADY affects 1 in every 2 Americans. I don't doubt that we are too different here in New Zealand considering that we are one of the fattest nations in the world (yes that is true!).
Edit: For anyone who doubts we are one of the fattest country in the world here is the proof. No 3 on this site We are behind only Mexico and USA.
These are such totally disturbing figures - what is even more disturbing is that he said insulin treatment (and other treatments given to type 2 diabetics) only make people sicker! The solution for insulin resistance is not MORE insulin!
The answer is cutting refined carbohydrates - sugar and flour and potato and rice. There are so many mainstream doctors out there now giving this advice that it astounds me that diabetics and obese people are still being told to eat these foods.
It is now known that post meal high blood sugar is the No 1 reason for heart disease (this causes inflammation) but we are still told to eat a diet that is 60% carbohydrate - which in turn raises your post meal blood sugar.
Oh dear I am like a broken record but maybe someone out there has not heard this yet :)
Other stuff. It has rained all day so we are house bound but are going out to the local restaurant for dinner - I'm looking forward to that!
Another interest of mine is my family tree. I was stuck completely on a relative in the early 1800s and a lady in Scotland (who was also stuck on this person) finally solved the puzzle this morning and it indeed turns out we are related. It is so fascinating researching this information and so satisfying when you figure it out.
Edit: For anyone who doubts we are one of the fattest country in the world here is the proof. No 3 on this site We are behind only Mexico and USA.
These are such totally disturbing figures - what is even more disturbing is that he said insulin treatment (and other treatments given to type 2 diabetics) only make people sicker! The solution for insulin resistance is not MORE insulin!
The answer is cutting refined carbohydrates - sugar and flour and potato and rice. There are so many mainstream doctors out there now giving this advice that it astounds me that diabetics and obese people are still being told to eat these foods.
It is now known that post meal high blood sugar is the No 1 reason for heart disease (this causes inflammation) but we are still told to eat a diet that is 60% carbohydrate - which in turn raises your post meal blood sugar.
Oh dear I am like a broken record but maybe someone out there has not heard this yet :)
Other stuff. It has rained all day so we are house bound but are going out to the local restaurant for dinner - I'm looking forward to that!
Another interest of mine is my family tree. I was stuck completely on a relative in the early 1800s and a lady in Scotland (who was also stuck on this person) finally solved the puzzle this morning and it indeed turns out we are related. It is so fascinating researching this information and so satisfying when you figure it out.
Friday, May 18, 2012
Finally...
Yes, finally some recognition for low carb food on the Dr Oz Show!! - old news for those in America but we just saw this episode yesterday.
Firstly there was a doctor on - Dr Mark Hyman - who talked about the decline in our health and how we need to catch the problem before it becomes diabetes or obesity. He called it diabesity. He said that food should be the medicine... YES!! Then later in the show they had on the Stella family who have lost over 500 lbs between them by doing... drum roll... yes... EATING LOW CARB!! They talked about what they did and ate and Dr Oz was blown away. You can watch it here. There is also part 2 and part 3 listed under the video.
Also on the show was a doctor talking about his (successful) treatment for Alzheimer's disease. What was one of the leading causes? Lack of good fat - saturated, grass fed animal fat and coconut oil! Dr Oz was kind of shocked and said that it goes against all that he had been taught in medical school but did not dispute the treatment. Twice on the show the doctors said to "cut flour (wheat) and sugar from the diet". Music to my ears.
I do believe the world is starting to change a little more every day. The message is getting out there by thousands of people just like me blogging and spreading the word. The more people hear about this in the mainstream media, the less likely they will be to think of it as a fad diet.
So there you are - high five to Dr Oz even if most of his shows are about counting calories and being on WW. Perhaps even he will see the light one day!
Other stuff, I am off shopping again today for a wedding dress for my daughter. We are going to a bridal shop in the city so fingers crossed they have "the" dress :) I am so happy for her and am really excited about having a wedding in the family - she will be my first child to get married.
Last night they all came for dinner and I made a delicious lamb slow cooked casserole with kumera (sweet potato), cauliflower cheese and cabbage. For dessert I made my raspberry mouse tart with chocolate crust (in my recipe section) with some additional raspberry coulis over the top and fresh whipped cream. Yum - what a delicious meal. I also made the haymaker pie for the first time and it looks great. We are taking it away to the beach house to have for dinner tomorrow night (with a salad).
I'll give blogging a rest for a day or two but I'll be back :)
Firstly there was a doctor on - Dr Mark Hyman - who talked about the decline in our health and how we need to catch the problem before it becomes diabetes or obesity. He called it diabesity. He said that food should be the medicine... YES!! Then later in the show they had on the Stella family who have lost over 500 lbs between them by doing... drum roll... yes... EATING LOW CARB!! They talked about what they did and ate and Dr Oz was blown away. You can watch it here. There is also part 2 and part 3 listed under the video.
Also on the show was a doctor talking about his (successful) treatment for Alzheimer's disease. What was one of the leading causes? Lack of good fat - saturated, grass fed animal fat and coconut oil! Dr Oz was kind of shocked and said that it goes against all that he had been taught in medical school but did not dispute the treatment. Twice on the show the doctors said to "cut flour (wheat) and sugar from the diet". Music to my ears.
I do believe the world is starting to change a little more every day. The message is getting out there by thousands of people just like me blogging and spreading the word. The more people hear about this in the mainstream media, the less likely they will be to think of it as a fad diet.
So there you are - high five to Dr Oz even if most of his shows are about counting calories and being on WW. Perhaps even he will see the light one day!
Other stuff, I am off shopping again today for a wedding dress for my daughter. We are going to a bridal shop in the city so fingers crossed they have "the" dress :) I am so happy for her and am really excited about having a wedding in the family - she will be my first child to get married.
Last night they all came for dinner and I made a delicious lamb slow cooked casserole with kumera (sweet potato), cauliflower cheese and cabbage. For dessert I made my raspberry mouse tart with chocolate crust (in my recipe section) with some additional raspberry coulis over the top and fresh whipped cream. Yum - what a delicious meal. I also made the haymaker pie for the first time and it looks great. We are taking it away to the beach house to have for dinner tomorrow night (with a salad).
I'll give blogging a rest for a day or two but I'll be back :)
Thursday, May 17, 2012
In Search of the Perfect Human Diet
I was watching this trailer for the documentary that will be coming out soon called "In Search of the Perfect Human Diet". I'm not sure how I'll get to see that - it may not show in New Zealand so hopefully it will be on YouTube.
Here is a CBS news item relating to this:
Here is the website which relates to the documentary - I may just have to order that DVD!
How can anyone argue with natural selection? We have all arrived here by survival of the fittest - by eating a primal diet for millions of years and now, in the last few decades, our health is declining at an a alarming rate due to the amount of sugar and refined carbs in our diet. The sad thing is that not many people know about this or even care about it.
Yesterday S bought home a leaflet from his insurance company outlining the procedures to "Eat your way to a healthy heart". Yes, of course... here are the recommendations: Watch your salt, check your fats. Yep, get those saturated fats out and those chemically made fats into your diet and don't you dare touch that coconut oil!
Oh dear - did we do something wrong?? So eight months along and our blood tests, cholesterol, blood pressure - heck everything, are better than before we started. S said that he is so angry that these pamphlets and all this information is being sent out to people who are really in need of help. The most vulnerable are being told to cut saturated fat and to eat those horrible man made artificial nasty fats. They are being told to eat grains which turn to pure inflammatory sugar in your body. We did this "healthy heart diet" when S was first told to change his ways. It had no effect whatsoever on his health or his weight!! When we finally changed to a paleo/lowcarb lifestyle his medical results improved immediately (oh and mine too!!).
I had a comment from a reader:
One last thing... I was reading the update on the Wheatbelly website about a woman whose life has been totally turned around since stopping wheat. Of course, I totally agree with all that was said because I know how much better I feel but I just thought I'd comment on the fact that this lady now has no depression or anxiety. It occurred to me that since I have changed my diet I have been amazingly "bouyant"... happy, relaxed. Seriously folks, I used to be the queen of tension!! Even I have noticed a difference in my attitude to everything and everyone. I am calm and things just don't upset me like they used to. I really can't explain it except to say that it is like I am taking a happy pill.
Here is a CBS news item relating to this:
Here is the website which relates to the documentary - I may just have to order that DVD!
How can anyone argue with natural selection? We have all arrived here by survival of the fittest - by eating a primal diet for millions of years and now, in the last few decades, our health is declining at an a alarming rate due to the amount of sugar and refined carbs in our diet. The sad thing is that not many people know about this or even care about it.
Yesterday S bought home a leaflet from his insurance company outlining the procedures to "Eat your way to a healthy heart". Yes, of course... here are the recommendations: Watch your salt, check your fats. Yep, get those saturated fats out and those chemically made fats into your diet and don't you dare touch that coconut oil!
Oh dear - did we do something wrong?? So eight months along and our blood tests, cholesterol, blood pressure - heck everything, are better than before we started. S said that he is so angry that these pamphlets and all this information is being sent out to people who are really in need of help. The most vulnerable are being told to cut saturated fat and to eat those horrible man made artificial nasty fats. They are being told to eat grains which turn to pure inflammatory sugar in your body. We did this "healthy heart diet" when S was first told to change his ways. It had no effect whatsoever on his health or his weight!! When we finally changed to a paleo/lowcarb lifestyle his medical results improved immediately (oh and mine too!!).
I had a comment from a reader:
"I love reading how passionate you are about your new lifestyle and it has made me look at what and how we eat. We haven't gone low carb or cut out wheat or sugars completely but have introduced more variety into our diets and also cut way down on processed foods, not that we ate a huge amount anyway. I now find I am eating less and am not tempted to binge or secretly eat. If I feel like something I will have it."Thanks, I appreciate that. Just because what I do is right for me - I realise we all have different bodies. If everyone could just cut back on the junk in their lives then that is all I am saying. Not everyone has the budget to give their families organic, free range food but they all have the ability to stop feeding processed rubbish. I don't expect you all to rush out and be low carb or paleo - just feed your family real food.
One last thing... I was reading the update on the Wheatbelly website about a woman whose life has been totally turned around since stopping wheat. Of course, I totally agree with all that was said because I know how much better I feel but I just thought I'd comment on the fact that this lady now has no depression or anxiety. It occurred to me that since I have changed my diet I have been amazingly "bouyant"... happy, relaxed. Seriously folks, I used to be the queen of tension!! Even I have noticed a difference in my attitude to everything and everyone. I am calm and things just don't upset me like they used to. I really can't explain it except to say that it is like I am taking a happy pill.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Linked on Facebook!
Oh my goodness, not only did Jimmy Moore link me on his website, Livin La Vida Low Carb but Angelo Coppola from Latest in Paleo has also linked me on his Facebook page! I have had loads of new hits from all around the world - there really is an amazing community of paleo/low carbers out there!! I think Jimmy and Angelo are my favourties mainly because of the information they get out there for the general public. Both have an entirely different style and both are worth following.
It is interesting that this has totally become my lifestyle now - it is so engrained in how S and I now live that we don't even think about any other way of life. Dinner last night was a winner!! Organic beef roast bought from the Clevedon markets awhile ago with roast kumera (that's sweet potato for anyone outside of New Zealand), roast pumpkin, carrot and peas with gravy. It is ages since I've made roast beef but now that I've found my wonderful beef supplier - Lake Farm Beef - there will be many more. Colin from Lake Farm is wonderful to deal with and his meat is simply the best. I have another order coming next week. I only buy small orders because I don't have a big freezer but he does not mind selling small amounts.
We personally love mince meat as there are just so many meals you can make with it - meatloaf, hamburgers, meatballs, chilli con carne, mince and veges, meat sauce, low carb lasagne etc. Lake Farm mince is absolutely wonderful and really no dearer than premium mince from the supermarket.
I seriously could never consider going back to how I used to eat! The wellness we feel all the time is an obvious reason but the most compelling reason is just looking around at others. I see sluggish, tired people who are massivly overweight. I see sad, stressed people who are always looking for their next meal with is usually junk. To finally lose all cravings for sugary foods and to actually crave good food is such an eye opener.
I put most of the credit to this down to giving up wheat in all its forms. Only reducing wheat products still exposes you to the odd slice of bread or bun etc and really it seems to me that wheat is like alcohol to me. How many people would say to an alcoholic "oh just have two whiskeys". That is how I am with bread or pizza or cake etc. There is no way I could have that food around me and only have one or two pieces - I've been on enough diets to know that I am not capable of this. By eliminating it from my life altogether not only am I much healthier (no longer prediabetic) but I just don't want it any more. I have bread in the freezer for my grandson's school sandwich and it does not tempt be at all.
If anyone out there is considering making a change like this then just don't over complicate it. It is simple - give up wheat!! Obviously by doing that you give up so many other foods but it is seriously so easy once you get into it.
Other stuff... I have my grandson here today and also tomorrow. He is three months old now and getting to be hard work!! He is going through a grizzly stage and does not sleep for long - he wants to be entertained!! Unfortunately Nana (me) does not have time to constantly amuse a three month old no matter how cute he is :) I'm also making "save the date" cards for my daughter's wedding. We are off to look at more wedding dresses on Friday - I think we are getting somewhere with that!!
It is interesting that this has totally become my lifestyle now - it is so engrained in how S and I now live that we don't even think about any other way of life. Dinner last night was a winner!! Organic beef roast bought from the Clevedon markets awhile ago with roast kumera (that's sweet potato for anyone outside of New Zealand), roast pumpkin, carrot and peas with gravy. It is ages since I've made roast beef but now that I've found my wonderful beef supplier - Lake Farm Beef - there will be many more. Colin from Lake Farm is wonderful to deal with and his meat is simply the best. I have another order coming next week. I only buy small orders because I don't have a big freezer but he does not mind selling small amounts.
We personally love mince meat as there are just so many meals you can make with it - meatloaf, hamburgers, meatballs, chilli con carne, mince and veges, meat sauce, low carb lasagne etc. Lake Farm mince is absolutely wonderful and really no dearer than premium mince from the supermarket.
I seriously could never consider going back to how I used to eat! The wellness we feel all the time is an obvious reason but the most compelling reason is just looking around at others. I see sluggish, tired people who are massivly overweight. I see sad, stressed people who are always looking for their next meal with is usually junk. To finally lose all cravings for sugary foods and to actually crave good food is such an eye opener.
I put most of the credit to this down to giving up wheat in all its forms. Only reducing wheat products still exposes you to the odd slice of bread or bun etc and really it seems to me that wheat is like alcohol to me. How many people would say to an alcoholic "oh just have two whiskeys". That is how I am with bread or pizza or cake etc. There is no way I could have that food around me and only have one or two pieces - I've been on enough diets to know that I am not capable of this. By eliminating it from my life altogether not only am I much healthier (no longer prediabetic) but I just don't want it any more. I have bread in the freezer for my grandson's school sandwich and it does not tempt be at all.
If anyone out there is considering making a change like this then just don't over complicate it. It is simple - give up wheat!! Obviously by doing that you give up so many other foods but it is seriously so easy once you get into it.
Other stuff... I have my grandson here today and also tomorrow. He is three months old now and getting to be hard work!! He is going through a grizzly stage and does not sleep for long - he wants to be entertained!! Unfortunately Nana (me) does not have time to constantly amuse a three month old no matter how cute he is :) I'm also making "save the date" cards for my daughter's wedding. We are off to look at more wedding dresses on Friday - I think we are getting somewhere with that!!
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| Me and my grandson... :) |
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
New Car and Bonus Video
Today S picks up his brand new car!! He already has a "new" one but as they are employing another person at work who needs a car, S (being the boss) gets the new one. It is exactly the same as our present one but newer and a different colour. I do hope I like the car when I see it - it is an ex demonstrator so was much cheaper but we had no choice in the colour.
My weight is still hovering around the low 73 kilos so I'm sure it won't be long before I start seeing the 72s more often. We are off the the Hawkes Bay for a holiday soon (to catch up with friends), Melbourne at the end of June and then our European holiday at the end of July. Normally I'd be rather tense about so many trips because in the past I have never managed to maintain my weight or stay in control while away. I know these trips will be different - there are so many foods I know I can eat and not gain weight and I know all the foods to stay away from... easy!!
By the time we go to Europe, we would have been eating this way for 10 months so it will be so engrained in us that we don't even have to think twice about what we do or don't eat. I'm going to make sure our butler on the cruise (YES we have a butler!!) knows that we don't eat sugar or wheat because that is his/her job to only bring us what we want (in room service). I'm not going so far as to organise special meals because we can eat all food normally like anyone else - just not the potato and breads or desserts. If we are dished up something that we don't eat, we will leave it!
I've looked over the menus and there is an amazing choice of low carb food to be had - even some sugar free desserts which I am sure we will have.
Here is a bonus video to go with the series on obesity - Four Sweet Tips from Dr Lustig.
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| Our new car - a Holden V6 |
My weight is still hovering around the low 73 kilos so I'm sure it won't be long before I start seeing the 72s more often. We are off the the Hawkes Bay for a holiday soon (to catch up with friends), Melbourne at the end of June and then our European holiday at the end of July. Normally I'd be rather tense about so many trips because in the past I have never managed to maintain my weight or stay in control while away. I know these trips will be different - there are so many foods I know I can eat and not gain weight and I know all the foods to stay away from... easy!!
By the time we go to Europe, we would have been eating this way for 10 months so it will be so engrained in us that we don't even have to think twice about what we do or don't eat. I'm going to make sure our butler on the cruise (YES we have a butler!!) knows that we don't eat sugar or wheat because that is his/her job to only bring us what we want (in room service). I'm not going so far as to organise special meals because we can eat all food normally like anyone else - just not the potato and breads or desserts. If we are dished up something that we don't eat, we will leave it!
I've looked over the menus and there is an amazing choice of low carb food to be had - even some sugar free desserts which I am sure we will have.
Here is a bonus video to go with the series on obesity - Four Sweet Tips from Dr Lustig.
Monday, May 14, 2012
The real cause of heart disease
I was listening to two podcasts today - Part 2 from Dr Dwight Lundell MD, and the other from Dr Mark Houston MD (both on Carbohydrates Can Kill). Oh my goodness, please anyone who thinks that cutting refined carbohydrates back is a "fad" - go and listent to these!! Dr Lundell does not distinguish between sugar and flour - as we know, both turn to sugar as soon as you eat them. He describes in detail how the damage to your arteries occurs and why it occurs. Both doctors talk about the same drastic effects of high blood sugar on the body.
Unfortunately before most people are diagnosed with diabetes they said that half their pancreas is usually useless and kidney damage has already taken place. BUT diabetes is only a part of this - heart disease is the other main result of high blood sugar.
One thing that really intruged me was how one of them said that when we have low blood sugar there are symptoms like being light headed, dizzy etc. There is NO symptom of having high blood sugar!! People are going around eating all the cakes and pies with dreadfully high blood sugar which is in effect killing them, and they are oblivious of it. The doctor said that the main reason for this is that in our hunter/gatherer days we were simply not exposed to the levels of refinded carbs that we are today. When people did stumble across honey or some other sweet treat, they would eat themselves silly on sugar and the insulin would store all the excess as fat for times of hunger. Obviously nature never intended us to have these times of plenty all day long, every day! Our bodies simply can't cope.
I know I've said this over and over but do people actually get what they are doing to their bodies? You are killing yourselves! Sure we all die but isn't a later death preferable? Isn't great health for the years that we have preferable? I feel like I am bashing my head against a wall at times but I feel so strongly about this. If you are the kind of person who can eat one slice of toast or one buscuit then fine - I'm sure you will be OK but that is not what I see or read. When people eat these foods they always go for a second bit or eat the entire cake or whatever. I know I did!
Eating today - omelette for brunch, Atkins bar for snack later and dinner was chilli con carne with cheese and sour cream served with cauliflower (yes odd but it was all I had). That's it for today. No wine and certainly not many calories!! I'm not hungry though.
Unfortunately before most people are diagnosed with diabetes they said that half their pancreas is usually useless and kidney damage has already taken place. BUT diabetes is only a part of this - heart disease is the other main result of high blood sugar.
One thing that really intruged me was how one of them said that when we have low blood sugar there are symptoms like being light headed, dizzy etc. There is NO symptom of having high blood sugar!! People are going around eating all the cakes and pies with dreadfully high blood sugar which is in effect killing them, and they are oblivious of it. The doctor said that the main reason for this is that in our hunter/gatherer days we were simply not exposed to the levels of refinded carbs that we are today. When people did stumble across honey or some other sweet treat, they would eat themselves silly on sugar and the insulin would store all the excess as fat for times of hunger. Obviously nature never intended us to have these times of plenty all day long, every day! Our bodies simply can't cope.
I know I've said this over and over but do people actually get what they are doing to their bodies? You are killing yourselves! Sure we all die but isn't a later death preferable? Isn't great health for the years that we have preferable? I feel like I am bashing my head against a wall at times but I feel so strongly about this. If you are the kind of person who can eat one slice of toast or one buscuit then fine - I'm sure you will be OK but that is not what I see or read. When people eat these foods they always go for a second bit or eat the entire cake or whatever. I know I did!
Eating today - omelette for brunch, Atkins bar for snack later and dinner was chilli con carne with cheese and sour cream served with cauliflower (yes odd but it was all I had). That's it for today. No wine and certainly not many calories!! I'm not hungry though.
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