Quinoa and Lentil Salad

This recipe contains a great super food called quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah). Not many people have heard of this seed but it’s easy to cook, and a high source of protein containing all your essential amino acids! It is also a source of fiber, iron, magnesium and unprocessed carbohydrates that will release glucose slowly in the body, so it is ideal for diabetics. This recipe was recommended by my naturopath but I have made some small changes to suit my taste buds. So have a go and try something different. Enjoy :D
The original recipe can be found here: http://www.soscuisine.com/en/recipes/view/quinoa-and-lentil-salad?sos_l=en

Ingredients

2/3 cup green-brown lentils (dried)
1 litre of water
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 red capsicum, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped OR ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
100g rocket, coarsely chopped
100g Danish feta cheese

Dressing
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup of lemon juice
3 tsp of Dijon mustard

Method

1. In a small saucepan add the litre of water and once boiled add the lentils and some salt. Boil on a medium heat for 30 minutes. Drain the lentils and set aside.

2. Add the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a small saucepan and boil. Once boiled simmer for 10 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Cool down for 10 minutes.

3. Prepare the vegetables and place in a large bowl. Add the lentils and quinoa.

4. To prepare the dressing whisk in a small bowel the olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard (and salt and pepper if desired). Add to the salad in the large bowl and mix.

5. Serve the salad and crumble the Danish feta cheese on top. Enjoy :D

N.B. Make sure you wash the lentils and quinoa before cooking.

Pearl Barley Minestrone Soup

In my Minestrone soup I have replaced the traditional pasta with pearl barley to minimize the refined carbohydrates. I have used tinned tomatoes and red kidney beans to save time, but be aware that tinned foods contain added salt and other unnecessary ingredients. It is always best to cook with the freshest ingredients and preferably organic as they may contain more vitamins and minerals than typical supermarket vegetables and not coated in any nasty pesticides and other chemicals.
This recipe is great for a tight budget as it only costs around $20 for the ingredients and makes enough to fill decent sized saucepan. Have fun and play around with the recipe by adding extra veggies or bacon. Enjoy :D

Ingredients

2 tbs of olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
3-4 carrots (or 2 cups), peeled, chopped
4 celery sticks (or 2 cups), chopped
2 potatoes (1 ½ cups), peeled, chopped
2 zucchinis (or 2 cups), chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 ¼ litres (5 cups) of chicken stock  (massels is a good vegan brand and gluten free)
2 cans of red kidney beans (around 300g each), drained, rinsed
2 cans of chopped tomatoes (around 425g each)
½ cup of pearl barley

Method

1. Add olive oil to a saucepan of medium heat, followed with the onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes till onion softens. Then add carrots, celery, potatoes, zucchini, and leek and cook on a medium heat uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the chicken stock, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes and pearl barley. Cover and bring to the boil. Simmer, covered for 30 mins or until the vegetables are tender. If the soup is too thick add more chicken stock or water until soup is at the right consistency. Serve immediately and enjoy :D

The Truth About Carbs! Part 1

There is a lot of talk about carbohydrates being bad for you. Carbohydrates happen to be one of the main fuel sources for the body, and provides most of the energy needed for the brain. BUT there is such a thing as too much and the wrong type of carbs that can lead to diabetes and weight gain. This post will provide information on the effects of carbohydrates in the body, and how much should be consumed daily.

What Carbs Do in the Body When Consumed?

When carbohydrates are digested it break down into glucose which is a sugar. Some is used immediately to produce energy in the body, and what isn’t needed is converted and stored as glycogen for later use. When glycogen stores are full the excess glucose is converted to fat instead of glycogen. This leads to weight gain.

What are Good and Bad Carbs?
Good (natural) carbs are your whole foods and whole grains with no or little processing. For example, fruit and vegetables, brown rice, wholemeal bread etc.

Carbs that are bad for your body are your processed carbs such as white flour, white bread, white rice, pasta, etc.

How Do Natural and Processed Carbs Affect the body?
When refined carbohydrates are consumed they break down quicker than natural carbs, which gives a quick spike of glucose into the circulating blood. This raises the blood sugar level dramatically which stimulates the pancreas to secrete insulin in an attempt to reduce the high blood sugar level. This results in the blood sugar level decreasing dramatically which makes us feel tired, hungry, and craving more carbs. Eating a lot of refined carbs can wear out the pancreas until it no longer produces insulin, causing type 2 diabetes.
Natural carbs break down slower, releasing glucose into the circulating blood at regular intervals over time. Therefore we have energy for longer and don’t feel as hungry as soon.

Recommended Intake of Carbohydrates

About 45% of the daily intake of food should be natural carbs. The Australian diet is high in refined carbs which is a major cause of the rising obesity and diabetes rates.

Did you know?

-        Most low fat products have most the fat removed, but replaced with sugar which can turn to fat in the body.

-        Most breakfast cereals are refined carbs, such as Special K, or Corn Flakes. Including your ready rolled oats that take a few minutes to cook. Unrefined oats take a lot longer to cook.

-        Frozen meals such as healthy choice, may not always be the healthiest choice. They may be low in carbs, but they are usually refined carbs.

Contraceptive Pill linked to Depression and Anxiety

The contraceptive pill is one of the most effective methods of contraception available, but at what cost to our health? Most woman don’t know the full extent and severity of the adverse effects caused by the pill, such as depression and anxiety. Many woman on the pill wonder why they feel more sensitive than usual and even feel they are becoming crazy. In most cases the pill will be what is creating or elevating the depression. This article will provide information into the risks associated with the pill in order to give woman the knowledge to make the best choice for their health.

NutritionNuts Story

I had been on the pill for 6 years and each year I felt I was becoming crazier and crazier. I had months were I felt anxious and days of feeling so lost that I felt alone and no one understood me. Negative thoughts consumed me to a point where I believed them. I tried to pull myself out of it so many times but always ended up back in the same spot. Then I went to UNI and learned about how the pill can cause depression and anxiety among other side effects. So I made the decision to go off the pill and I can't believe how much better I feel. It has been 3 months off the pill and I can honestly say I am happy, a lot more confident and would never look back. Also my other side effects from the pill have completely gone.
I feel it is important that when we choose to go on a drug such as the pill that we know what it does to our bodies, good and bad. And this piece I have written will do just that. :D

Why the Pill?
It has become a social norm to go on the pill once a woman is sexually active, and is recommended by doctors and other healthcare professionals for numerous health reasons. Apart from contraceptive reasons, the pill is prescribed by doctors to young teenagers and adults for irregular periods, severe premenstrual pain and menorrhagia (abnormal heavy bleeding). 

Previous Studies on the Pill and Depression
Studies have shown that one in four woman take the pill (between ages 18- 49) and also one in four woman have depression, suggesting the pill may be a linked to depression. It was also found in a pilot study by the Alfred Hospital that woman taking the pill had significantly higher levels of depression then woman not taking the pill.

How does the pill cause depression and anxiety?
Not only does the pill mess around with hormones by replacing estrogen and progesterone with synthetic versions, it also causes many deficiencies in the body such as B and C vitamins and it increases the need for protein dramatically. When protein is consumed it breaks down into a number of amino acids that each have their own role in the body. There are two in particular that when deficient can affect your mood and ability to cope. The amino acid Tryptophan is a precursor for our happy hormone Serotonin which regulates mood, sleep and appetite. And the amino acid Phenylalanine is a precursor to Noradrenalin and Adrenaline, which are released at stressful events to help the body cope. B and C Vitamins are also needed in the processes of converting the amino acids to hormones. The combination of a protein deficiency, and B and C vitamin deficiencies caused by the pill can create or elevate an already excising depression and/or anxiety.

What are other side effects of the pill?
Other side effects of the pill include:
- Nutrient deficiencies in Zinc and Magnesium.
- Breakthrough bleeding (spotting) throughout the cycle.
- Weight gain.
- Headaches.
- Sore or sensitive breasts.

More serious side effects of the pill Include:
- Blood clotting- Deep vein thrombosis.
- Strokes.
- Liver problems.

What signs to look out for?

Most women don’t know that the symptoms they are experiencing could be from the pill. Look out for the following signs and symptoms:
(please note that not everyone has the same signs and symptoms)
- Feeling more depressed or anxious than usual.
- Breakthrough bleeding (spotting).
- Headaches.
- Sore or sensitive breasts.
- Weight gain.
- Loss of appetite, delayed wound healing, and altered taste (Zinc deficiency)
- Bleeding gums, easy bruising (Vitamin C deficiency)
- Muscle cramps and spasms (Magnesium deficiency)

What other choices do you have?
Using the implant or birth control shot for contraception can also cause the same side effects as the pill as it is also replaces your natural hormones estrogens and progesterone with synthesized versions.
For contraceptive reasons the condom is the next best choice as it doesn’t have any side effects unless you are allergic to latex or other material used. It also protects against STI’s if used properly. Another method is periodic abstinence. This is where a woman will listen to the symptoms of her body to know when she ovulates, and not have sexual intercourse 3 days before and 3 days after her ovulation (or you could use a condom in this time). The problem with this method is it is not always done properly. See your healthcare professional for advice on contraceptive methods that do not involve synthetic hormones.

If you are taking the pill for irregular periods, menorrhagia or other similar reasons this may be from nutrient deficiencies. For example, menorrhagia is usually caused by an iron deficiency. See your local naturopath or nutritionist for advice as they will specialize in this area.

Why would the doctor prescribe something that isn’t safe?
One of the main reasons why doctors recommend the contraceptive pill is that in the eight or so years a doctor studies, they usually only do a semester or less focusing on nutrition. Your typical doctor who hasn't done extra courses in nutrition will not understand the nutrient deficiency risks associated with the pill. Doctors simply do the best with what information is given to them. 

What NutritionNut Suggests
Use the information given to make the decision for yourself if the pill is right for you. If you decide to stay on the pill I suggest adding more protein to your diet and taking good quality supplements, especially B vitamins. If you do choose to go off the pill wait till the end of your 28 day cycle of the pill. I would also suggest to up your intake of protein and take B vitamin supplements. As I am not a qualified Nutritionist and don't know your background and symptoms I suggest seeing a  qualified Naturopath or Nutritionist.

Bibliography

Better Health Channel 2010, Vitamin B, Better Health Victorian Government, viewed June 29th 2011,
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/vitamin_b?open

Better Health Channel 2010, Scurvy, Better Health Victorian Government, viewed June 29th 2011,
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Scurvy?open

Biali, S 2011, ‘Drug-Induced Nutritional Deficiency’, Alive: Canada’s Natural Health & Wellness Magazine, Issue 341, p.51 -55.

Dunn, A 2005, Study Links Pill with Depression, The Age, viewed 28^th June 2011, http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/StudylinksPillwithdepression/2005/02/28/1109546797556.html

The Leaf Lady n.d. Birth Control Pills and Nutrient Depletion, Creating Health Institute, viewed June 29^th 2011, http://www.leaflady.org/bcpillnutrition.htm

Tortora, G Derrickson, B 2009, Principles of Anatomy and Physiology, John Wiley and Sons Inc, USA