Nuts

September 15, 2019November 9, 2019

Tweaklet #54 – The Paleo Diet

When you’re exploring healthy eating alternatives and stepping outside the conventional three meals a day, food groups, calories etc, then you have probably come across the Paleo diet and the Keto diet.

Both have gained popularity for a variety of reasons. They can also easily get confused, so over a couple of segments we’ll talk about their differences and their benefits. In this episode, we’re talking about the Paleo Diet.

Paleo follows the principles of our hunter-gatherer ancestors, with its name loosely based on the palaeolithic era and foods that have the longest history of human consumption. So, The Paleo diet refers to a framework for eating. There are no specific foods to eat, just a leaning towards natural, nutrient-dense foods rather than processed foods.

Foods to include on a Paleo diet are Meat, Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Fruits, Seeds, Roots, Unrefined oils and Natural sweeteners.

Foods to be avoided on the Paleo diet are All cereal grains and products made with grain flours, Legumes, Dairy, Refined sugar and sugar-sweetened drinks, Refined vegetable oils, Processed food and White potatoes, in some instances.

There is no exact ratio of how the key ingredients are put together. However, it is generally regarded as a low-carb way of eating because it eliminates most processed foods as well as refined sugar, grains and dairy.

People who embrace a paleo diet are looking to reduce inflammation in their bodies and to improve their weight and blood pressure. They may have blood sugar issues, possibly even problems with insulin resistance. People who are at risk of cardiovascular disease or are showing signs of autoimmune responses also turn to the paleo diet.

And the Paleo diet is really a very simple Food Tweak that fits into many people’s lifestyles and makes a significant positive impact to their health mainly because it boosts your intake of quality ingredients and eliminates processed overly refined foods.

If you have a gluten sensitivity, other food sensitivities or want to jump-start your weight loss then the Paleo diet is a good Tweaklet to try!

So that’s the Paleo diet. Next time we’ll talk about the Keto Diet.

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July 19, 2019July 19, 2019

Tweaklet #40 – Adrenal Health

It’s not very sexy talking about our internal organs but sometimes we just have to. A condition that is often overlooked or misdiagnosed is adrenal fatigue. The adrenals are the small glands located at the top of each kidney.

Adrenal fatigue occurs when we’ve been under a lot of physical, mental or emotional stress, especially for a prolonged period. We don’t just feel a bit tired, we feel extremely fatigued,…….we have brain fog……….. we may have gained weight…………… have elevated blood pressure……..experience hair loss……..moodiness and depression….. and in more serious cases, have become insulin resistant.

But once again let’s turn to food and see what we can do to help ourselves through tweaking our diet.

For a start you need to eliminate some foods that are undoubtedly putting a load on your body. In fact these are good for all of us to consider eliminating…
Caffeine…………alcohol…………white sugar……………white flour……………processed foods………..fried foods……………soda…………..artificial sweeteners.
What you want to eat are foods that are nutrient dense but easy to digest and have plenty of healthy fats and fibre. Lean meat or fish…………., leafy green vegetables and cruciferous vegetables,……………. low sugar fruits,…………… coconut…………, nuts……………., seeds, ……………fermented foods

Timing when you eat is important as it helps regulate your blood sugar which in turn supports your adrenal glands. Eat regularly and don’t skip meals. When your body has adrenal fatigue it needs routine and balance so that your energy and cortisol levels are consistently maintained.

Even when you’re feeling the worst effects of adrenal fatigue you will really notice a difference if you tweak your diet in these simple ways.

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July 7, 2019July 1, 2019

Tweaklet #34 – Nuts

Don’t you love nuts? They’re high in fibre and protein. They’re full of Heart-healthy fats. Yum!

So which are the healthiest nuts, and are some better for you than others?
Well, almonds top the list. I keep packets of almonds everywhere as they are just a great snack for every occasion. You don’t need many to stave off hunger pangs and keep your energy levels up.

Other excellent healthy nuts are Brazil nuts……cashews….hazelnuts……macadamia nuts……..pecans……walnuts and …….pistachios.

Peanuts are actually a legume as they grow underground and they tend to get a bad wrap but they’re healthy too when you buy them raw in the shell and pop them out to snack on.

When it comes to nuts raw is best but you can try out all different ways to roast them yourself at low temperatures.

You can make nut milk. Almonds are particularly good for this. You can soak them in water overnight and the next day peel them, blitz them in a food processor and squeeze through a muslin cloth. There’s a separate Tweaklet about this.

Nut butter is great for using as a paste or a butter in savoury and sweet dishes. It’s a very easy process of roasting some raw nuts then blending them with something like coconut oil and a natural sweetener if you wish. Again I’ll do another Tweaklet on this process.

I love making pesto with fresh basil or rocket and walnuts – blending everything together with garlic, olive oil and sea salt.

Nuts glorious nuts! So versatile!

Let me know your favourite nut recipe and if you want any from me I’d be happy to share.

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