Keto has been trending now for a while. While we have some great research on the benefits of a ketogenic diet for diabetes, neurological conditions and cancer (read the full article below for research links), my concern is the impact this type of diet has on the microbiome. What is a ketogenic diet doing to our gut microbiome?
Last month the Government of Canada came out with a new Canada’s Food Guide that is radically different from the old one. This new guide was formed with a lot of public input, whereas previous versions were influenced heavily by industry input, which was evident in the strong focus on dairy, meat and grains. In this blog I’d like to summarize some of the good and bad in the new guide (in case you haven’t perused it yet), and give you some tips on how the guide can be easily modified for gut-health.
Milk is one of the most confusing foods out there. Some people say it’s unnatural to consume it, and that we shouldn’t consume it past infancy (breastmilk). Other people tout it as the best source of calcium. Many people have some sort of reaction to it, but don’t know if it’s from the lactose or is an allergy. Others think they are fine consuming milk, when in reality it is impacting their health.
It is complicated to figure this all out. So how do you know if you should be enjoying cheeses, yogurt, milk and ice cream?
I’m squeezing in one more blog article before the holiday season, in case you are like me, and love to give food as HOLIDAY GIFTS. Chocolate is always a holiday favourite, and it’s possible for it to be healthy too! So here is a recipe that is easy to make, that you can package up to give away, or that you can finish off a special meal with. You can feel great about gifting this healthy version!
Heard of intermittent fasting? It’s one of the latest dietary trends that has some good research to support it. There are some great benefits to intermittent fasting including balancing of blood sugars (1), decrease cardiovascular risk (2), and improved brain health (3)… and it can be an easier way to reap these benefits, than a more restricted diet such as ketogenic diet or calorie counting. Turning your favorite teas into a Fat Bomb, can be a great way to support intermittent fasting.
A gut healthy diet aims to address a contributing factor to your health, and if you’re on the diet you are hopefully beginning to see it’s benefits. But what if you aren’t? Have you failed to see desired weightloss results despite doing everything right? If this sounds like you, you may be interested in the latest book by Anne Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS. In, Radical Metabolism, she lays out a 21-day plan to support weight loss by rebooting your metabolism while adhering almost completely to a traditional gut healthy approach. Anne Louise, who is respected for her integrative approach to wellness nutrition, ties in research and anecdotes to support her Radical Metabolism plan, while including a meal plan and recipes to help you implement it. In this, she recognizes the importance of gut health, but focuses on addressing a much more overlooked aspect of health which may be causing your problems – the gallbladder.
There is a lot written about anti-inflammatory diets, and there is a ton of research looking at the anti-inflammatory effects of foods and supplements. Fish oil and turmeric are examples of supplements that have been extensively researched. Take a minute and google 'anti-inflammatory diet', or 'top anti-inflammatory foods', and you'll see just how much information is out there. Dietary approaches that are anti-inflammatory emphasize vegetables, fruit, healthy fats such as olive oil and the omega-3 oils found in fish, and nuts and seeds. At the same time they eliminate foods that contribute to inflammation such as refined grains, sugars, and deep-fried foods. The Mediterranean Diet is a good example of a well researched anti-inflammatory diet. But where is your inflammation coming from?
Sorry I'm a bit later than usual in writing my blog!
As happens in life sometimes, I've had a really busy couple of months. Between teaching days and evenings, and giving workshops and presentations on the weekends, there was just no time left to write. The little time I had left was spent with my family.
When things get that busy, having simple recipes is really important. My kids like sweet treats (who doesn't!), so Panna Cotta fit my criteria for REALLY SIMPLE.
I'm a bit late it sharing this news, so I apologize for that. I don't often promote or endorse a product unless I know it strictly complies to a gut-healthy diet, and the quality is good.
Primal Kitchen mayonnaise has long been a favourite of mine. It is the only mayo on the market that I know of that is 100% grain free (using a non-grain derived vinegar), and it uses only avocado oil (a healthy fat). Additionally it is sugar free, soy and canola free and dairy free.
A couple of months ago my 15 year old daughter, Anya, decided to become a vegetarian. This is a reasonably common decision for teenage girls during a developmental period when their empathy grows, and they make the decision to stop eating meat for ethical reasons.
If you've been following my blog for a while, then you know that I support a Paleo or Ancestral way of eating that is especially focused on restoring gut health.
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