The only thing I can be sure of now is how much I don’t know and how much none of us truly know about what is best to eat! There is a lot of conflicting advice online about soy, dairy, grains, red meat etc etc ad infinitum. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but also an agenda to push, and sometimes I just feel like everything I eat has a danger, and every alternative I can find has a different danger. It can be really frustrating.
So, after a lot of research and also personal soul searching, I feel that the safest thing for me is to change it up daily, weekly and monthly and listen to my own body's needs. I try to consume the widest range of randomness that I can – that way, I hope, I never consume enough soy/dairy/whatever your poison is to do harm.
I even made a variety list, of every different grain, meat, veg, fruit, legume, dairy, herb, spice, tea that I could think of, and now I look at it each week and try to see what I can introduce to change things up, or what I have maybe been over-consuming. It also keeps my diet fun and diverse, and encourages me to experiment. And that can't be a bad thing/
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Food investigations: the Soy/Tofu/Milk issue
As a rule I try not to consume too much dairy – cows milk used to upset my stomach as a child, especially after a rich large intake like a milkshake. Over the years I came to love soy as a substitute, particularly in my smoothies.
However, in my journey into the world of nutrition, I have come across a lot of negative reports on soy. How much is true I can’t say, there’s a lot of conflicting advice, and I feel that my "everything in moderation and mix it up" mantras are safest.
On the bright side, the one united agreement seems to be that fermented soy is both safe and good for you. That is, miso, raw soy sauce and tempeh. So, my next challenge will be cooking with tempeh. Apparently fermented soy products are rich in isoflavones, which are excellent for the heart and may even prevent cancer. And you cook it just like tofu - so it's worth a try. I'll be sure to report back.
However, in my journey into the world of nutrition, I have come across a lot of negative reports on soy. How much is true I can’t say, there’s a lot of conflicting advice, and I feel that my "everything in moderation and mix it up" mantras are safest.
On the bright side, the one united agreement seems to be that fermented soy is both safe and good for you. That is, miso, raw soy sauce and tempeh. So, my next challenge will be cooking with tempeh. Apparently fermented soy products are rich in isoflavones, which are excellent for the heart and may even prevent cancer. And you cook it just like tofu - so it's worth a try. I'll be sure to report back.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
New patterns and routines (sugar hangover #1)
One thing that interests me particularly is the 'habit' or 'psychological addiction' around sugar and sweet treats, or in fact all processed/junk food. We often have it, not because we want the nutrition, or even enjoy the taste, but simply because it is associated with making us feel good, or has become a routine part of our lives.
For example, last night I went out for dinner with a friend, and I knew there was nothing to eat on the dessert menu for me, but next thing I found myself suggesting a trip to the local (and amazing) gelato bar. Why? Because I wanted to hang out more, and we do that with food in my circle of friends. I didn’t even want or enjoy my gelato. I felt guilty and annoyed. I know its only probably moderate GI but nonetheless. I didn’t want it and I felt it ‘wasted’ a treat night, especially with so many outings coming up.
I realised how important it is to make a pre-emptive pledge, and preparations. I could have suggested we go for tea, or have tea at the restaurant to extend out evening. But, caught on the fly, I defaulted to my natural patterns. I can understand that, and am trying to cut myself slack, and realise it will take some time to shift the eating and social/behavioural patterns of a life times.
Afterwards, having had the rice (which I did not think was basmati!) and ice cream, all that sugar coursing through my system made me feel jumpy and spacy. I went to bed ok but had weird, active dreams all night and woke up heavily to my alarm. Not worth it. And a good reminder that all the changes I have made really have made me feel so much healthier and happier
Monday, August 15, 2011
Refined-sugar free desserts I like to have:
1) Sugar free granola: Dry fry or grill some mixed nuts and natural museli, drizzle with a half teaspoon of honey if desired and leave to get crunchy. Then mix through natural yoghurt with some berries or banana. Delicious! Serve in a pretty glass for a party.
2) Sugar free hot chocolate: combine 100% raw organic cocoa and a drizzle of honey into a paste with a tiny bit of hot water (the paste is crucial to stop the hot choc being powdery. Then whisk in warm milk, stirring constantly.
3) Coconut choc fudge balls. Melt 1tsp butter, stir in half tsp honey. Add 1 tsp milk and 1tsp almond meal, 1 tsp raw organic cocoa. Mix into a paste and roll in shredded coconut. Add dry rolled oats for more low GI bulk. Yum!
4) Natural fresh or frozen berries and yoghurt
5) Any organic fresh fruit served on a pretty platter (this makes a difference, seriously, don't underestimate the visual effect)
6) The goodness company natural desserts (sparingly, as they contain agave - more on this soon)
7) Herbal teas, especially t2 lemongrass and ginger - delish and satisfying
8) Dessert porridge - made with steel cut oats and berries with maple syrup as needed
9) Dessert bircher museli - recipe coming soon
11) Xylitol-sweetened chocolate (again sparingly – too much can apparently have a laxative effect – eek)
12) Tinned fruit in natural juice – either on greek yoghurt with chopped nuts, or in a smoothie
13) Coconut water – straight up (I love the goodness company water – so refreshing and just the right sweetness). Or in a smoothie
14) Self love fudge courtesy of my new roots (recipe review coming soon)
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Why I cut out refined sugar
The simple answer is, because it feels better for me. And to be honest, I think my body knew it was time for our sugar love affair to be over, because I didn't have any withdrawal and hardly any cravings.
I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone and nor was it recommended to me by my doctor or dietician. I just found that it was really hard to stick to low GI eating as all my favourite treats were cakes, ice cream and sugar – by cutting them out, I was able to keep my diet better in GI terms – cutting out sugar was just a by-product, that helped me to crave them less.
Then, as I started to read more about nutrition and get educated about my illness, I realised just how much sugar was in EVERYTHING we all eat, not just sweets. So I decided to cut it out in all my cupboards as well, in terms of tomato sauces, peanut butter, curry pastes, cooking aids, yoghurts etc. It turned out to be quite a mission, but with the help of a few stellar blogs (recommended reading on the right), I was able to make the transition quite easily.
I feel so much better for it, my energy is more stable, I don’t crave sugar in the afternoon, and I don’t have any afternoon slumps any more. I feel better than I have in years.I still eat fruit, and use one brand of raw low GI honey and one organic maple syrup when I need to bake, or want to sweeten something. But the truth is, tastebuds adjust so fast that I rarely need to sweeten things anymore. I love fresh unsweetened greek yoghurt, fresh berries and the sweetness of dairy and herbal teas in a way that I never did when I was addicted to sugar.
I know I might sound mad, and if someone had told me this would be my life even two years ago I would have laughed my head off, but it's true, food tastes different now. Cut out sugar just for a week or two and be amazed at how much more nuanced your sense of taste is!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
So what is IR and what does low GI mean?
Well, I'm still learning myself, but here is what I understand of it so far...
The deal on insulin resistance (IR):
Basically, in normal people, processing of sugar and carbohydrate goes like this: we eat sugar or carbs that are processed as sugar and the pancreas releases insulin to process the sugars.In people with insulin resistance however, the insulin does not work on the cells very effectively, so the sugars remain and the pancreas receives a message to pump out more insulin. With the ultimate result that, for someone like me, I manage to get my sugars down, but only by using 5x as much insulin as normal or non-IR people. IR is hereditary to some extent, and is also exacerbated by stress and by taking the oral contraceptive pill. Things like exercise and diet can improve IR. Diet means eating foods that don’t need so much insulin to break them down as they don’t cause such a dramatic sugar spike - these are called low glycemic index (GI) foods. Exercise helps our cells use insulin more effectively.
The deal on the Low Glycemic Index diet (GI):
As for what low GI really means, this is taken from the GI website, the best resource I have found so far: "The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels." So low GI carbs are those that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels.
From what i have read so far, the low GI concept has some logical and useful ideas, but it also has strong opponents, who think that it has become a marketing tool that confuses consumers. More on this later. Generally, even the GI advocates say that you need to consider overall nutrition of the food as well as the GI, so it's not to be followed blindly, but can be a useful tool for those of us trying to regulate our insulin. I use it as part of my diet now, but my understanding of diet and lifestyle is on a huge learning curve, so this may change as I find out more...which I will be sure to share here.
The deal on insulin resistance (IR):
Basically, in normal people, processing of sugar and carbohydrate goes like this: we eat sugar or carbs that are processed as sugar and the pancreas releases insulin to process the sugars.In people with insulin resistance however, the insulin does not work on the cells very effectively, so the sugars remain and the pancreas receives a message to pump out more insulin. With the ultimate result that, for someone like me, I manage to get my sugars down, but only by using 5x as much insulin as normal or non-IR people. IR is hereditary to some extent, and is also exacerbated by stress and by taking the oral contraceptive pill. Things like exercise and diet can improve IR. Diet means eating foods that don’t need so much insulin to break them down as they don’t cause such a dramatic sugar spike - these are called low glycemic index (GI) foods. Exercise helps our cells use insulin more effectively.
The deal on the Low Glycemic Index diet (GI):
As for what low GI really means, this is taken from the GI website, the best resource I have found so far: "The glycemic index or GI describes this difference by ranking carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels." So low GI carbs are those that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels.
From what i have read so far, the low GI concept has some logical and useful ideas, but it also has strong opponents, who think that it has become a marketing tool that confuses consumers. More on this later. Generally, even the GI advocates say that you need to consider overall nutrition of the food as well as the GI, so it's not to be followed blindly, but can be a useful tool for those of us trying to regulate our insulin. I use it as part of my diet now, but my understanding of diet and lifestyle is on a huge learning curve, so this may change as I find out more...which I will be sure to share here.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Welcome
Welcome to my little unsweetened corner of the world. I hope it will be a place for learning and sharing tips and showing that being sugar free isn't necessarily the misery people seem to assume it would be. In fact it's one of the best things I have ever done. No joke.
When I was recently diagnosed with Insulin Resistance, and placed on a low GI diet and metformin, I was completely bamboozled about the amount of information online and in books - a lot of it was contradictory, and it was hard to know what would be best for me.
I constantly searched for blogs about people with IR, to find out how they managed it, and how they handled their diet. Whilst I have come across some great Low GI cooking blogs, and oodles of healthy nutrition blogs, there was not a blog specifically about IR and how to live a full and healthy life with it. So I decided to try and write one. I expect that this blog will be a mix of recipes, facts and new tips/research that I find interesting.
A key focus will be on living a life without refined sugar, as I have found that this is one of the thing that works best for me in manging my IR and my general well-being. Please note, this was not recommended by my doctor for my IR, nor is it part of the Low GI diet. It's something that I decided to try based on all the research I have done about managing IR naturally - my goal is to get off medication because unfortunately it just doesn't agree with me. I hope to overhaul my lifestyle and diet first, and then cut down the meds. Everything I learn, I will be sure to share here. Please feel free to share your tips and advice with me. My journey has only just begun and I know I have lots to learn!
When I was recently diagnosed with Insulin Resistance, and placed on a low GI diet and metformin, I was completely bamboozled about the amount of information online and in books - a lot of it was contradictory, and it was hard to know what would be best for me.
I constantly searched for blogs about people with IR, to find out how they managed it, and how they handled their diet. Whilst I have come across some great Low GI cooking blogs, and oodles of healthy nutrition blogs, there was not a blog specifically about IR and how to live a full and healthy life with it. So I decided to try and write one. I expect that this blog will be a mix of recipes, facts and new tips/research that I find interesting.
A key focus will be on living a life without refined sugar, as I have found that this is one of the thing that works best for me in manging my IR and my general well-being. Please note, this was not recommended by my doctor for my IR, nor is it part of the Low GI diet. It's something that I decided to try based on all the research I have done about managing IR naturally - my goal is to get off medication because unfortunately it just doesn't agree with me. I hope to overhaul my lifestyle and diet first, and then cut down the meds. Everything I learn, I will be sure to share here. Please feel free to share your tips and advice with me. My journey has only just begun and I know I have lots to learn!
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