Ultra Processed Food

Did you see Panorama?

– “Ultra-processed food, a recipe for ill health”?

Yes, it is a recipe for ill health.

People think that if they sell it in the shops, someone is making sure it won’t harm us. Sadly not the case.

What did they look into in Panorama?

Chemical additives – check the ingredients list on things you buy. If you’d need to be a chemist to understand what in the food, don’t buy it. You don’t want to fill your body with strange chemicals.

The additives, sweeteners and emulsifiers are linked to cancer, heart disease, strokes and dementia.

Panorama ran an experiment with two girls who were twins. For 2 weeks, one ate real food, the other ate processed food. The calories, nutrients, fat and sugar were the same. The processed food girl suffered with raised blood sugar, raised blood fats, headaches, hunger and generally feeling rubbish – and she put on a kg – 2 lbs in 2 weeks!! The other felt great on real food.

I recall that years ago Family Circle magazine asked readers with twins to do something similar aimed at sweets, food colouring and ADHD. Lots of twins took part and I think it was for a longer period. The mood, concentration power and behaviour of the real food children was so dramatically improved that many of the families switched their siblings over once the experiment was finished.

In Italy they’ve been studying aspartame in particular and found that it causes cancer in rats.

Panorama also looked at how research can be biased by the organisations that fund it. Lots of studies are funded by Big Food, pharmaceutical and chemical corporations. The Food Standards Agency is not free of this bias either and are failing to protect us from BPA, a hormone disrupter found in plastic containers. Our limit is 20,000 times higher than in Europe. I advise people never to eat ready meals or to cook in plastic of any sort.

The consequences of our rubbish diet can be seen in the misery of people on any street in any town. A doctor in Slough talked about the high percentage of patients he now sees with diabetes and pre-diabetes.

If that’s you, check out the free resources available from the Public Health Collaboration https://phcuk.org/resources/ and also the Freshwell surgery – I’ve just bought their recipe books and they’re available to download free. https://lowcarbfreshwell.co.uk/meal-planners/ 

Find out whether your GP is one of the increasing number now able to support you with a real food diet to put you into drug-free remission.

Michael Mosley tweeted about the programme https://twitter.com/DrMichaelMosley/status/1666367770311753730

“..When I made a series called Who Made Britain Fat for Channel 4 we were promised controls on junk food advertising by 2022.. still waiting”

So don’t expect help from the government.

Ultra-processed food is doing so much damage, what’s the solution?? Take control of your own health and….

Top tip: You guessed it – Eat Real Food!

Quote of the Month – A is for Artificial

Following my 10 ten tips series, here’s the first of my a-z of nutrition and health snippets. All on LinkedIn.

 

A is for artificial

The thing about the way most food is produced these days is, if you knew the story behind it, you wouldn’t want to eat it

Eric Schlosser, food journalist

 

In Britain we eat less real food than healthy European countries like France.

Check out Joanna Blythman’s Swallow This for a read that will make your hair curl.

Good news – the only way is up!

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For lasting change, convert your habits to real food tackling one meal at a time – until the artificial food is squeezed out.

Choose what you’ll improve first – your mid-morning snack perhaps. Could you by-pass the vending machine and instead have nuts or a piece of cheese with an apple?

A real food breakfast instead of cereal from a packet could transform your day. Here are some breakfast ideas.

Added bonus – you won’t need a mid-morning snack at all.😉

Making your own lunch instead of buying a sandwich could save you lots of money too.

Take your pick and make one of your meals the health-boosting highlight of the day.

If you want to learn to eat well but find all the messages confusing, I can show you how. My next Eat for a Better Life course starts at the end of the month. Contact me now to book your place jackie@learntoeatwell.co.uk

Quote of the month – Smoking

Did you give up smoking last week (no smoking day 13th March)?  If you did and you’re finding it tough – stay strong.  If not, the best day to do it is today.

I lost my wonderful Mum and my fabulous Nana to lung cancer.

Mum and I in Keswick – happy times

For the sake of your loved ones who will miss you, and your own health, please stop smoking.

Helen Gerson said “There are only 2 sources of non-communicable disease – deficiency and toxicity”.

So don’t think vaping is much better; you’d still be taking chemical fumes into your lungs.  Read this sobering article from Dr Mercola.

 

Why Diets Don’t Work and What to Do Instead

We’ve passed Fail Friday now (3 ½ weeks into the year apparently) so most people will have given up on their New Year Resolutions, abandoned their diets and stopped going to the gym.

Diets are 10-a -penny and there’s always a new one to try, from boring to bizarre. You’ll lose weight on them, then pile it all back on later. That isn’t what most people want so it seems to me that diets don’t work.

As Jon Gabriel says,

“If diets worked there would be really one diet, everybody would go on it, lose weight and that would be the end of it.”

It’s actually the diet that causes the weight regain (happens to 95% of dieters) so no need to blame yourself.

Your body is a wonderful survival machine and you can’t force it to keep on losing fat long-term through deprivation. Restrict energy intake and your body will slow your metabolism to protect you against your self-imposed food shortage. Much of the weight you’ll lose isn’t fat anyway but lean tissue that you need to hang onto. A better way is to invest in your health and happiness by learning to eat well.

Have you heard that a calorie is a calorie? That’s right from a physics point of view but it isn’t helpful for weight loss because your body reacts in different ways to different types of foods. The result is that some calories put weight on, others help you lose weight. Your body’s responses include fat storage or fat burning, increased hunger or satiety. Obsessing about calories is also bad because it takes the focus off the goodness in food leaving you lacking in important nutrients.

A Colin Shelbourne cartoon from Survival Guide for the Skint.

What really causes weight gain? Sugar is number 1, via the production of insulin and increase of appetite. Then there’s processed carbohydrate (called ‘soon to be sugar’), including flour and breakfast cereals. Then there are fructose and alcohol which create fat via the liver. Next come seed oils which your body loves to store. And don’t think sweeteners come free; they confuse your brain and upset your body’s appetite controls so you eat more. All those chemical additives can make your body produce fat to safely store them as a toxin-protection response.

The key therefore is to avoid these fat-storage triggers. They’re in most processed foods including: ready meals, takeaways, fizzy drinks, pastry, crisps, chocolate, booze, diet foods. These are the things people snack on all day.

For healthy weight loss, eat home-made meals that satisfy you for 4 or 5 hours to see you through to the next meal without snacking. Each meal should contain plants, proteins and fats. Breakfast in particular should contain enough protein and fat so that you don’t get hungry mid-morning. Here’s a piece I wrote on breakfasts to give you some ideas. Cook your own natural, nutritious food and let your excess weight melt away.

If you want to know more, including your personal metabolic type and the mixture of food that’s right for your body, my next Eat for a Better Life course starts on 20th February at The Foyer, Irish Street, Whitehaven.  Or have a one-to-one consultation any time by ‘phone or Skype.

Top tip – Give up diets, Learn to Eat Well!

Chemical-free Cleaning

Happy New Year!!!

Before you leap into a frenzy of spring-cleaning, here’s a special treat; a guest blog post from Suzzane Lane of ENJO on chemical-free cleaning. She came to my house the other day to do a demo and I was so impressed with the textiles I just have to buy some of the them (especially the duster – you should see my TV stand!). They work just using cold water – amazing.

I’ll also be asking Suzanne to do a Jackie’s Gee-Up in April.  If you want to try ENJO fibres before then, get in touch with her on Facebook: ENJO UK with Suzanne Lane or call her on 07912561651.

Here’s her piece:

How toxic is your cleaning regime?

As we all start the annual vow to be healthier in 2018, I would like to ask you to consider an area of your life that is often overlooked and yet could be having a huge affect on your health. Your cleaning supplies.

What do you use to clean your house? How many different bottles of chemicals are in your bathroom? Your kitchen? Your living areas? How many chemicals do you put in your washing machine? Your dishwasher?

The vast majority of us, make our cleaning choices based on one of two things. We either do what our parents have always done or we are guided to new products by adverts that we see on television or in stores.

We have become conditioned to believe that spraying toxic chemicals around our homes is necessary in order to be clean and healthy.

More and more information is coming to light to suggest that the very products that we are using to try and improve the health of our homes, are actually damaging our health. Carcinogens, Endocrine disruptors and Neurotoxins can commonly be found in the sprays that we inhale as we clean. Research points to the toxic effects of these ingredients that can affect central nervous systems, reproductive systems and other vital bodily functions.

Did you see the documentary in Autumn 2017 that suggested that the air in our homes is much more toxic than the air outside of them? That’s not good news for those of us who work in the home.

This little girl suffered terribly from skin problems from birth. Her mum was desperate to find a solution and tried endless things suggested by doctors and specialists, to no avail. What no-one suggested was looking at what she used to clean her bathroom. Since she stopped using chemicals to clean her bath, her skin is clear.

Sadly, this is one of many very similar stories.

Have you seen the massive increase in the number of diagnosed asthma cases in the UK? I, myself, was diagnosed with adult onset asthma in my early forties. I needed inhalers morning and night and rescue inhalers throughout the day if I engaged in any sport. I stopped spraying chemical cleaners around my home and I haven’t needed an inhaler since.

Am I suggesting that we stop cleaning our homes?

No, of course not. But I am suggesting that you take the time to consider what you use to get the results that you want. Look into alternative option, such as the one outlined below and if you are going to use chemicals, then please read the warning labels and take the time to research all those scientific names that are difficult to interpret as well as the simple “harmful” words that we all ignore.

Is there an easy way to protect my family?

Yes, there absolutely is. The solution is not just better for health, but is also better for the environment, gets better results, is less expensive than chemicals and is much easier to use. It’s called ENJO.

What is ENJO?

Enjo, manufactured in Austria, sets the world standard for cleaning and believes that cleaning does not require toxic chemicals. For over 27 years ENJO have proven this, day after day, all over the world with its innovative ENJOtex fibres, comprehensive product range and just a little cold water. This protects our personal health and our environment.

6 times cleaner

The ENJO method allows you to clean six times more hygienically compared to conventional methods. ENJO fibres products were examined in detail by the hygiene expert at the department of health in Austria. The clear recommendation was “The use of ENJO fibre products in health care facilities is not only recommended but should be demanded in order to achieve optimal cleaning results”.

I mention the above, because if we are going to eliminate chemicals from our homes, in order to improve our health, we need to know that our homes will be healthy, clean and safe.

It’s not just better for your health and the environment – it’s also Easier and cheaper

On average, cleaning homes with ENJO takes less time than cleaning conventionally and costs less than buying toxic cleaning products.

What areas of the home does it cover?

ENJO is divided into 7 zones. Bathroom; Kitchen; Living; Floors, walls and ceilings; Windows; Skin care and Outdoor.

You can switch one zone at a time, go for the main areas that will benefit you first, or switch your whole house in one go.

ENJO products last for between 3 and 5 years and at the end of their life can be returned for recycling – creating zero waste. ENJO is also proud to be 100% carbon neutral.

We also have natural helpers like laundry liquid, dishwasher liquid and real soap, enabling you to get rid of toxic chemicals from your washing machine, dishwasher and sink.

Can I see it for myself?

Of course. ENJO turns cleaning completely on its head – no hot water and no chemicals – so we don’t expect you to believe us without seeing it first.

I’d be delighted to show you ENJO in action. You can try ENJO yourself at a private appointment or a group demonstration and you can borrow some products to have a try in your own home.

We want you to be completely satisfied, so when you decide to switch to ENJO, everything comes with a 30 day money back guarantee on top of the product warranty.

How can I find out more?

Join my facebook page and group with the same name “ENJO UK with Suzanne Lane”, have a look on Youtube at the many hygiene results or how to videos or call me on 07912561651. If you prefer to read information, I have brochures that I’d be happy to share with you.

Wishing you a happy and healthy 2018,

Suzanne

Sugar Blues

Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) results in hunger, shakiness, weakness, dizziness, irritability and depression. I should know; for years I suffered on a daily basis. The cause – too much sugar. High blood sugar stimulated my body to produce insulin, which took the sugar back out of my blood (and made me fat). I didn’t understand the problem so I tried to control my symptoms with regular biscuits, bananas and chocolate. It was a disaster. At archery competitions, I ate sugar even more frequently. I just got headaches and felt awful.

My first inkling of the cause

Cereal – a poor choice for breakfast

was at work. Biscuits were provided in meetings; if I ate one I got hungry but if I abstained I was OK. My second clue came when dieting to lose the weight I’d gained eating so many biscuits; I was less hungry eating a little cereal for breakfast than a lot.  Also I noticed the low-fat yoghurts I bought weren’t satisfying, they just increased my appetite.  Now I know it’s because of the sugar they put in low-fat products to make them palateable.

 

Sugar has a toxic effect on the body and causes myriad health problems besides hypoglycemia. For centuries doctors have cured their patients of many ailments by replacing sugar with quality vegetable and whole grain carbohydrates and for centuries consumption has increased sweeping aside all resistance. In the 11^th Century, brewers caught adding sugar to beer were dragged through the City of Chester in a cart with the overnight refuse of the privies. In the early 1900s, America had laws against “substances injurious to health” (like sugar) being added to food. Manufacturers (including Coca-Cola) opposed this, got the government on side and the health of the whole nation deteriorated as a result of the adulterated products that are now their main food. In the 1950s, Dr Gyland wrote papers to warn and help others but couldn’t get them published.  In Britain, Professor John Yudkin tried to fight Ancel Keys and his lipid hypothesis having found a stronger corrolation between sugar and heart disease than there is with fat – he was sqashed.  Even Keys himself couldn’t get published a paper he wrote late in his life against the direction nutritional advice has taken.  Little has changed.  Those reaping the profits still don’t want you to know the truth – sugar wrecks your health.

Top Tip – Stop eating sugar

NB Diabetics will need to balance their medication with their sugar intake.

To learn more about the sorry history of sugar in our food, read Sugar Blues by William Dufty and Pure, White and Deadly by John Yudkin.  Here’s a Daily Telegraph artcle on the latter; we still have the same sugar-industry-led problem today.

 

Quote of the month

The school holidays are almost upon us and there’ll be lots of time to do fun things – hopefully in the sunshine.  Here are some words from the wise about the types of foods we commonly regards as treats.

Treat treats as treats

Michael Pollan

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Don’t treat your mouth like an amusement park

Joe Cross

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Every time someone calls junk a treat, please correct them. We will never make progress until people see eating cr@p as anything but a treat

Zoe Harcombe

 

Quote of the month

Stress is like cyanide for the body – it will end you

Prof Sherif Sultan

 

 

 

Quote of the month

What good fortune for men in power that people do not think.

Adolf Hitler

The ‘men in power’ these days include those who profit from the processed food industry.  Joanna Blythman has been undercover in the food industry to find out how true this is.  If we really knew what was in all the artificial food we’re eating and the damage it is doing to our health, we’d stop and go back to cooking from scratch.

 

 

Quote of the month

There are only 2 sources of disease – deficiency and toxicity.

Helen Gerson