Butter me up, buttercup!

Before the days of margarine, people ate butter. They didn’t think twice about it. It was, along with milk and bread, a staple of their diet. When nutrition crept into the limelight, butter was cast aside due to its saturated fat content. It became one of the ‘foods to avoid’ in the quest to ward off heart disease, high cholesterol and blood pressure, and weight gain. We switched to margarine as a ‘healthier alternative’ but is marge really all that good for you? Let’s compare the two…

Butter
Made from churning cream that rises to the top of milk if it is allowed to set for some time. The churning process hardens the cream.

• Natural
• Unrefined
• Free from trans-fats
• Free from toxic metals
• Rich in natural fatty acids
• Rich in fat-soluble vitamins: ADEK
• Contains no casein or lactose

Margarine
Chemically-extracted refined vegetable oil. The oil is extracted at a high temperature (and damaged as a result) and hardened by bubbling hydrogen through it at a high heat.

• Chemically-processed
• Refined, treated product
• Contains trans-fats
• Contains toxic metals such as nickel and cadmium
• Contains colourings and other toxic additives and by-products
• Contains no vit E (destroyed in heating process)

Note: Trans-fats trigger inflammation in the body. They increase levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) and reduce levels of good cholesterol (HDL).

Butter vs Margarine
Our approach is to go for the natural unrefined option, butter, and to use it in moderation. If you can, opt for raw butter! We also suggest enjoying healthy oils alongside butter – olive oil on bread or with veggies/fish, coconut oil as an excellent substitute for butter in cooking. If you do opt for marge, read the label very carefully. Some are better than others! Keep an eye out for additives, preservatives (aka the nasties) and check the trans-fat and sat fat content.

Sources: 
1. Lawrence Wilson MD, Centre for Development, March 2011
2. Harvard Health ‘Health Beat’, June 2006

The great coffee debate

To coffee or not to coffee? That is the question. Whether you’re a one-a-day kinda person, an abstainer, or a chain coffee drinker, there’s no doubt you have wondered at some point whether the stuff is good for you or not. And if you drink it, how much of it is actually okay?

Caffeine perks
• Improves alertness and concentration
• Improves mood at a consumption level of 200mg (roughly 2 regular cups)
• Helps combat muscular pain by stimulating the release of B-endorphins and other pain-reducing hormones
• Improves endurance: consumed one hour prior to exercise, caffeine increases performance and can assist in weight loss and/or maintenance
• Helps prevent diabetes through the minerals and antioxidants it contains
• Helps prevent Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s by keeping dopamine molecules active
• Helps manage asthma if consumed moderately, and may be used to prevent an attack
• Enhances the effect of medication (eg. painkillers) through blood vessel constriction

Caffeine drawbacks
• Blood sugar swings: coffee causes a temporary surge in blood sugar and a spike in insulin production, followed by a crash in blood sugar levels
• Adrenal fatigue: coffee gets your cortisol going and stimulates your adrenals, leaving them flat afterwards. You get that ‘wired but tired’ feeling and crave coffee no2! Vicious cycle.
• Emotional disturbances: coffee can aggravate stress, anxiety, irritability and depression
• Sleep disruption: particularly if you’re an after-lunch coffee drinker
• Gastrointestinal problems: coffee can cause heartburn/reflux and increase the risk of ulcers
• Nutritional deficiencies: it prevents the absorption of certain nutrients, particularly minerals
• Ageing: caffeine dehydrates and promotes the decline of anti-ageing hormones

Our verdict
Like many things, coffee is good for you in moderation. It also doesn’t agree with everyone so each case should be examined individually. If you do choose to drink it, stick to a max of two cups daily, before 2pm, and pick a good quality coffee (not instant), minus the frills – cream, milk or a good quality dairy alternative is fine but skip the sugar, artificial sweetener, syrups, etc.

A few random health facts...

What does your sandwich say about you?

According to a survey by UK neuromarketing firm Mindlab, what you put in your sandwich says a lot about the kind of person you are:

• Cheese and pickle = high IQ
• BLT on seeded bread = opportunist
• Ham salad on white = forward thinker
• Beef roll = impulsive
• Egg mayo = quiet homebody
• Tuna and corn = highflyer
• Prawns on brown = sensitive soul
• Chicken and salad wrap = extrovert

Position is key...

Fact. We are more likely to favour items in the middle row of our fridges and pantries. It's not just about buying healthy food - we also need to place it strategically in that 'easiest to reach' drawer or shelf. Keep the naughty items tucked away, out of reach.*

* Study in Applied Cognitive Psychology.

Do we know how fat we are?

USA
• % of overweight people = 64%
• % of overweight people aware they are overweight = 43%

Australia
• % of overweight people = 60%
• % of overweight people aware they are overweight = 33%

UK
• % of overweight people = 59%
• % of overweight people aware they are overweight = 40%

NZ
• % of overweight people = 59%
• % of overweight people aware they are overweight = 41%

China
• % of overweight people = 21%
• % of overweight people aware they are overweight = 25%

Yep, there's no avoiding it. Us Aussies are in denial about our expanding waistlines. The (pretty scary) stats above are from a 2011 'Health Pulse' survey by leading healthcare group BUPA. Time for a reality check!

The Ultimate Liver Cleansing Salad

Last week we dished up a Mini Detox Menu fit for a king (or mini-king). This week, a jumbo salad to cleanse your liver and tantalise your tastebuds… Enjoy!

Start with a supercharged salad base…
Mix 2-3 of the following delicious bitter and leafy greens: 
- Spinach
- Rocket
- Endives
- Dandelion leaves
- Mustard greens
- Watercress

Next, the bulk of your salad…
Choose as many of the following as you like:
- Grated white and red cabbage
- Grated carrot
- Grated apple
- Diced beetroot
- Sliced avocado
- Diced tomato
- Boiled egg, chopped in quarters
- Raw almonds, activated if possible
- Mixed beans and/or lentils (from the can if you don’t have time to soak)

If you have extra time…
Prepare the following the night before and throw them in the mix:
- Asparagus (lightly seared)
- Broccoli (raw or lightly steamed/sautéed fine)
- Brown rice or other wholegrain

Whip together a tasty little dressing…
We suggest making a bottle or jar (easy to shake and you can go back to it again and again):
- Olive oil
- Balsamic or apple cider vinegar
- Squeezed lemon, lime and grapefruit
- Crushed garlic
- Finely diced red onion
- Turmeric
- Dijon mustard if you like a kick to your dressing!

And now for the garnish…
Sprinkle with:
- Gomasio
- Seeds
- Fresh herbs

Serve with green tea, et voilà!

Mini Detox Menu (for between cleanses)

This week we’re dishing up a yummy ‘Mini Detox Menu’ to keep you healthy, clean and glowing between cleanses. Enjoy!

Breakkie

• Bircher muesli or raw muesli with sheep or goat’s yoghurt. Add fresh fruit and raw activated almonds if you’re feeling hungry! Sheep and goat’s dairy are better tolerated than cow’s dairy as their protein-fat structure is easier to digest.

• Dandelion tea or a dandelion latte (if you’re lucky enough to have a good coffee shop that does these!) instead of coffee. Green or white tea OK too. Dandelion helps cleanse the liver and purge toxins; green and white are packed full of antioxidants!

Lunch

• Mixed bean and/or lentil salad with spinach leaves, diced tomato, haloumi (or goat’s cheese) and avocado. Season with olive oil, squeezed lemon, fresh herbs (we like basil), rock salt and ground pepper.

• Peppermint or ginger tea (drink an hour after lunch to avoid diluting digestive enzymes) to soothe a bloated tummy and ease digestion.

Dinner

• Oily or white fish in a pine nut and herb crust or baked in foil with fresh herbs and organic butter. Serve with a bitter greens and beetroot salad. Bitter greens include chicory or endives, rocket, watercress, mustard greens etc.

• 2 squares of dark chocolate – we like Loving Earth as it is raw and sweetened with agave

• Fennel tea to combat bloating and fluid retention

Snacks

• Detox juice: choose either apple/pear + green veggies or beetroot/carrot/ginger 

• Celery and/or carrot sticks with hummus or fresh guacamole

• Raw activated cashews or almonds

• 1 or 2 pieces of fresh fruit

Four easy ways to make this your best year yet!

They say how you start the New Year is a good reflection of how the rest of it is going to be. A little bit like how your breakfast (the meal of kings) determines your eating patterns and metabolism for the rest of the day. So we thought we’d help you get off on the right foot for 2012.

You’re not alone if December saw you feeling sillier than usual – dinners replaced with canapés and champagne, weeks blurring into weekends, celebrations never ending – or if the Christmas festivities quickly turned into New Year’s Eve ones, with no respite in between. That’s OK, we’re not about to tell you off. They call it ‘living’ for a reason right? It’s all about balance, finding your way back to your centre and knowing how to take care of your body when it’s worn out and needing some TLC.

Here are our 4 tips for making this January the best yet:

1. Start SMALL. Don’t put yourself off your resolutions by jumping in the deep end (we’re not saying this doesn’t work but 5am jogs are not for everyone). Go for a brisk 10min walk in the evening after dinner or do some stretches and toning exercises at home in the morning before breakkie. Every. Little. Bit. Counts.

2. Love yourself up. Wake up in the morning and tell yourself how wonderful you are. If you wake up doing the opposite, what’s the point in striving for better? PMA (no, not PMS) = Positive Mental Attitude. It’s corny but it works. Eating well, exercising and generally being healthy is largely governed by how driven you are to make the changes. If you’re kind to yourself, you’re more likely to feel motivated – a little like being your own best friend.

3. Embrace the change of season. When the weather changes, so does your body’s requirements. Don’t get stuck in an autumn/spring (can we even call it spring?) lunch rut all the way through summer. If your body is craving salads bursting with colours and nutrients, go for it. Tune in to what your body wants (within reason of course). A little trick of the trade – if you’re pining after junk, drink a big glass of water first and then think about what you really feel like eating again.

4. Out with the old, in with the new. The New Year is a time for renewal. Clean out your wardrobe, your pantry, your fridge, your filing cabinet, your phone, your mind… and last but definitely not least… your body. There’s no doubt about it, December isn’t the saintliest of months. Our bodies are full to the brim with all-you-can-eat buffet, champagne, appetisers, chocolate, Christmas pudding, roast chicken, roast potatoes, roast… well, everything. The mind-body connection is undeniable when it comes to cleansing and clearing out your insides gives you a new lease on life – a fresh perspective.

We’re attacking a 5-day cleanse this month at the UR HQ… wish us luck!

10 easy tips to stay healthy over the holidays!

1. Get off on the right foot each day. Just 10 minutes of exercise will get you eating and feeling good for the rest of the day. We recommend yoga, stretching, walking (on the beach if you're lucky enough, and it's not raining!), swimming, or even a run for the braver among you.

2. Stock your pantry with healthy snack foods: raw nuts, healthy dips, carrot and celery sticks, brown rice cakes, avocado, olives and fresh fruit.

3. Put a healthy spin on your festive eating: root veggie chips instead of ordinary ones, gluten-free Christmas cake, coconut oil instead of butter, homemade dips instead of store bought ones (often laden with unnecessary extras), dark chocolate (sweetened with stevia if possible) instead of milk chocolate.

4. Choose your drinks carefully. Opt for clean mixers such as soda water and fresh lime. Go organic (or biodynamic) for your wine if you can.

5. Skip meals. Yep, for once this actually is OK! If you have overindulged at Christmas lunch, you don't HAVE to eat dinner. Have a light snack instead.

6. Have a 'clean day' between eating sessions: lots of fresh fruit, veg, salads, steamed fish, green juice!

7. Take time out from family. Go for a walk. Have some YOU time.

8. Get out of the 'cram as much naughtiness into the end of the year before the next one begins' mentality. Start your resolutions before 1st Jan.

9. Jot down just 3 resolutions for 2012, not 20. You're more likely to stick to them.

10. Set a mantra for 2012. It will give your resolutions meaning.