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Following a restrictive diet? read this.

March 24, 2023

Many people adopt a restrictive diet for various reasons, such as weight loss, improving their health, or religious and cultural beliefs. While some restrictive diets may offer short-term benefits, they can also have several negative consequences on both physical and mental health in the long run.

What is a restrictive diet?

A restrictive diet is a type of eating pattern that involves limiting or eliminating certain foods or food groups from the diet.

Some common examples of restrictive diets include:

  1. Low-carbohydrate diets: These diets limit or eliminate foods high in carbohydrates, such as bread, pasta, rice, and sugar, in favor of foods high in protein and fat.
  2. Gluten-free diets: These diets eliminate gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye, to manage celiac disease, gluten intolerance, or other health conditions.
  3. Vegan diets: These diets exclude all animal products, including meat, fish, dairy, and eggs, for ethical, environmental, or health reasons.
  4. Ketogenic diets: These diets are high in fat, low in carbohydrates, and moderate in protein, which forces the body to burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
  5. FODMAP diets: These diets eliminate foods that are high in fermentable carbohydrates, which can trigger digestive symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Consequences of a restrictive diet:

  1. Nutrient deficiencies: Restricting certain foods or entire food groups can lead to nutrient deficiencies. For example, a vegan diet that doesn’t include enough plant-based sources of protein can lead to protein deficiency, while a low-carbohydrate diet can result in a lack of essential vitamins and minerals found in fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
  2. Slower metabolism: Restrictive diets that significantly reduce calorie intake can cause the body to go into starvation mode, which slows down the metabolism. This can make it harder to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight in the long run.
  3. Increased risk of eating disorders: Strict food rules and extreme dietary restrictions can trigger disordered eating behaviors and increase the risk of developing eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder.
  4. Low energy levels: A restrictive diet can lead to low energy levels and fatigue due to insufficient calorie intake and nutrient deficiencies. This can affect daily activities, exercise performance, and overall quality of life.
  5. Mood changes: A restrictive diet can also affect mental health and cause mood changes. Low-carbohydrate diets, for example, have been linked to irritability, mood swings, and depression.
  6. Social isolation: A restrictive diet can make social situations, such as eating out with friends or family, challenging and isolating. This can lead to feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
  7. Increased risk of chronic diseases: Some restrictive diets that eliminate entire food groups may increase the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.

Red flags to look out for when following a restrictive diet

  1. Obsessive thoughts about food and weight: Constantly thinking about food, weight, and body image can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
  2. Avoidance of social situations involving food: Refusing to attend social gatherings or events that involve food or feeling anxious about eating in front of others may be a sign of a restrictive diet.
  3. Extreme food rules and restrictions: Following strict food rules, eliminating entire food groups, or severely restricting calories can be a sign of a restrictive diet that can lead to nutrient deficiencies, slow metabolism, and disordered eating behaviors.
  4. Feeling guilty or ashamed about eating: Feeling guilty or ashamed about eating certain foods or exceeding a certain calorie limit can be a sign of an unhealthy relationship with food.
  5. Preoccupation with body weight and shape: Constantly weighing oneself, measuring body parts, or obsessing over clothing sizes can be a sign of a restrictive diet that can lead to body dysmorphia and low self-esteem.
  6. Physical symptoms of malnutrition: Nutrient deficiencies, such as anemia, brittle nails, hair loss, and fatigue, can be a sign of a restrictive diet.

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of these red flags, it’s important to seek help from a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian to address any underlying issues and develop a healthy and sustainable eating pattern.

 

In conclusion, while a restrictive diet may offer short-term benefits, it can have negative consequences on both physical and mental health in the long run. It’s important to adopt a balanced and sustainable eating pattern that meets individual needs and preferences and provides all the essential nutrients needed for optimal health. It’s important to consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian before starting any restrictive diet to ensure that it meets individual nutritional needs and preferences and does not compromise overall health. They can also help you develop an informed healthy and sustainable eating plan.

See you soon

 

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Nutrition

Top 5 benefits of bone broth

February 22, 2023

Bone broth has gained popularity in the recent past for its benefits with the latest being added to the breakfast menu. More people are having bone broth first thing in the morning as a health drink. As to whether this is right or wrong, I will say the timing does not necessarily matter but what is important is that it is essential for your health as we shall see later.

Bone broth is a clear, protein-rich liquid obtained by simmering meaty joints and bones in water. It distinguishes itself from stock due to its long cooking time, 12 hours or as long as two days. Dating back to prehistoric times, hunter-gatherers turned otherwise inedible animal parts like bones, hooves, and knuckles into a broth they could drink so it is not something new. Bone broth can be made using bones from just about any animal; pork, beef, veal, turkey, lamb, bison, buffalo, chicken, or fish. Marrow, connective tissues like feet, hooves, beaks, gizzards, or fins can also be used. This simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine, and glutamine that have the power to transform health.

Bone broth contains very useful minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur to mention but a few that the body can easily absorb. Research indicates that it contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, compounds known to reduce inflammation, arthritis, and joint pain. These compounds are sold as pricey supplements so here is a cheat code for you.

 

Bone Broth: 7 Benefits and How to Make It

Benefits of bone broth

  • Boosts gut health and aids digestion

Bone broth is very high in protein, in particular gelatine which is one of the most abundant proteins in there. It binds with water to support the healthy movement of food through the intestines once in the digestive tract. Gelatine contains an amino acid called glutamine that helps maintain the function of the intestinal wall and has been known to prevent and heal a condition known as “leaky gut”. A leaky gut is a condition when the barrier between the gut and the bloodstream is impaired and is associated with several chronic diseases.  When this condition occurs, substances that your body doesn’t normally allow through leak into your bloodstream, which leads to inflammation and other problems.

  • Vital for improved joint health

Bone broth is an excellent source of collagen, a protein found in vertebrae animals in their bones, skin, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and bone marrow. As we get older, our joints naturally experience wear and tear, and we become less flexible. Collagen is essential in wound healing, skin elasticity (think less wrinkles/stretch marks), healthy nails and hair, and improved joint health.

During the cooking process, this collagen is broken down into another protein called gelatine, which have seen previously. Gelatine contains important amino acids that support joint health, and is important for injury prevention and tissue repair. It contains proline and glycine, used by the body to build its own connective tissue including tendons, which connect muscles to bones, and ligaments, which connect bones to each other.

  • Boosts the immune system

The small intestines are the primary site for nutrient absorption and the first line of defense in our immune system. If the gut barrier becomes damaged or leaky, this can disrupt immune function. Inflammation is increased and leads to dysfunctions all over. The immune system in response releases high levels of antibodies in turn that cause an autoimmune-like response and attack healthy tissues. Bone broth will be helpful to consume to restore gut health and therefore support immune system function and healthy inflammation response. Collagen/gelatin and the amino acids proline, glutamine and arginine help seal these openings in the gut lining and support gut integrity.

  • Important for detoxification

Would you believe me if I told you that bone broth is very beneficial when it come to detoxification? Oh yes! Bone broth contains a powerful detoxification agent that aids the digestive system to expel waste and promote the liver’s ability to remove toxins. It contains glycine and potassium which support liver and cellular detoxification. In addition it maintains tissue integrity and improves the body’s use of antioxidants. As this happens, sleep and brain function is improved.

  • Good for your skin and may be anti ageing

Collagen contained in bone broth is a structural protein found in skin, cartilage and bone. It helps form elastin and other compounds within skin that are responsible for maintaining skin’s youthful tone, texture and appearance. Collagen integrity is attributed to helping reduce the visible signs of wrinkles, decreasing puffiness and fighting various other signs of aging. So instead of buying the supplements, how about getting ot from the source?

5 Things To Know About The Bone Broth Trend

In summary

If you have never considered consuming bone broth, this could be your sign to try it. Find yourself and simmer your way to better health. You can have it as a base for your sauces, have it alone or even as a drink. (Remember to sieve it, if you plan to have it as a drink please). There is no set time for the frequency as to how often you can have it but one thing for sure is the more you have it the more benefits you will have.

Try it and tell me how it goes in the comment section. I would love to hear from you.

See you next Wednesday

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nutrition

Mindful eating

December 1, 2022

Do you ever think about what you are eating at table or are you the kind who just gets food down your throat amidst a million things going on?

I am a big advocate of listening to your body when you give it food but this is almost impossible if you are not mindful. Many times our bodies communicate whether they like certain foods or not but unfortunately we pay little or no attention.

Mindful eating is a phenomenon that has been coined in the recent past. It grew out of research that was carried out since 1980 on the effects of mindfulness practice on a range of health issues, including stress-related illness, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and heart disease. It has since been considered a complementary alternative medicine (CAM) approach to the treatment of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and eating disorders thereby gaining popularity over the years.

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating refers to maintaining an in-the-moment awareness of the food and drink you put into your body. It places awareness on the menu, whenever and wherever we eat as well as making us watchful about what we eat, with the aim of transforming our relationship with food by focusing on the how and why of eating. Eating mindfully means that you are using all of your physical and emotional senses to experience and enjoy the food choices you make. This could be at the point of eating the food or even purchasing and preparing it.

Mindful eating encourages a more holistic point of view as it involves observing how the food makes you feel and the signals your body sends about taste, satisfaction, and fullness. It requires you to simply acknowledge and accept rather than judge the feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations you observe. It can extend to the process of buying, preparing, and serving your food as well as consuming it as mentioned prior. Mindfulness targets becoming more aware of, rather than reacting to, one’s situation and choices. This helps to increase gratitude for food, which can improve the overall eating experience since it encourages one to make choices that will be satisfying and nourishing to the body.

How does it work?

Mindful eating focuses on your eating experiences, body-related sensations, and thoughts and feelings about food, with heightened awareness and without judgment. Attention is paid to the foods being chosen, internal and external physical cues towards food, and your responses to those cues with the goal of promoting a more enjoyable meal experience and understanding of the eating environment.

many of us, our busy daily lives often make mealtimes rushed affairs. Raise your hand if you have found yourself eating in the car commuting to work, at the desk in front of a computer screen, or parked on the couch watching TV. (My hand is up too). Our day-to-day has often left us to resort to rushed meal times. We eat mindlessly, shoveling food down regardless of whether we’re still hungry or not. We like the feeling of keeping our mouths busy regardless of what the food will benefit us. Many times we are feeding everything but hunger.

Funny story; one time I sat for a test paper and it did not go as expected. I got out of the test room so mad at myself (I am so hard on myself for these things by the way), and all my brain was telling me was food. Matter of fact, I went to the restaurant across the road and had the food. Was I hungry? Of course not. I was feeding my emotions and I cannot tell you what the chicken that I ate tasted like. This is what mindless eating can look like.  All I did that day was satisfy my emotional needs. This could be you or someone you know. Do you eat to relieve stress, or cope with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, anxiety, loneliness, or boredom? If your answer is I don’t know, you may want to do a self-check.  Mindful eating is the opposite of this kind of unhealthy “mindless” eating. Ultimately, this means we have a better chance of understanding what foods nourish us and what foods help us stay healthy while also encouraging a deeper appreciation of every meal, every mouthful, and every ingredient.

6 BASICS OF MINDFUL EATING - Shapa Blog

Benefits of mindful eating

  1. Improves digestion

Many of us do not take time to chew food efficiently. Did you know that your mouth contains enzymes that help you to start digesting food while you’re chewing? In mindful eating, we are encouraged to eat more slowly and chew our foods thoroughly as this results in earlier and more effective digestion of food. A lot of mindful eating practices include chewing foods well, which also helps with the digestive processes.

  1. Develop healthier habits and attitudes toward food and ourselves

Remember my story about feeding everything else but hunger? Over time, it’s easy to develop an unhealthy relationship with food. This can be unlearned through mindful eating. Better eating habits and attitudes can be developed which will not only serve your nutrition needs but even other needs like emotional and mental health.

  1. Promotes enjoyment of and appreciation for food

When is the last time you truly enjoyed your food? We are told that food eaten in smaller quantities is more enjoyable as opposed to larger quantities. (Do you agree?)

Try it today and take your time. Be mindful to feel all the different textures and spices. Let your taste buds listen to the different foods and tell me if you will feel the difference.  I bet it will be a memorable meal. Mindful eating practices will get you to have more gratitude for the food on your table to the extent of appreciating where it comes from and the hands that prepare it. You may also develop a sense of thankfulness for all the ways that it’s benefiting our bodies, so you have a more positive appreciation for food. Try introducing it to your family and busk in the results.

  1. Supports weight management

Did you know that we have a natural switch between hunger and fullness? We call these cues. Naturally, we are supposed to eat when the body signales that it is hungry and likewise when we are satisfied the body will communicate as well. Many times when we override these cues, the body goes into ‘hibernation’ and the signals become so weak that they are almost none existent. In mindful eating, we try to reawaken these cues to avoid over or under-eating. Listening to your body’s internal cues is key in developing better weight management techniques such that instead of measuring your hunger by external measures, such as the amount of food on your plate or calories you’re consuming, you’re relying on what your body is telling you.

In conclusion

When we talk about mindfulness in eating, it is an invitation for us to remove those distractions and sit uninterrupted with our food and those we are eating with. I hope the next meal you will have, you will take your time, eat more slowly, and savor the flavors, the aromas, and the textures. Keep this at the back of your mind at all times.

Please share your experience with us.

See you next Wednesday

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Nutrition

Healthy Weight

November 23, 2022
Weight

The concept of healthy weight has become more popular, especially in the wake of increasing Non-communicable diseases (NCDs). A healthy weight is a number associated with a low risk of weight-related diseases and health issues. Although healthy weight guidelines have been developed at population levels, each person’s healthy weight range varies and depends on factors such as age, sex, genetics, existing medical history, lifestyle habits, and weight as a young adult. It is also important to mention that weight is only one of the many indicators of health, others include blood pressure levels, blood cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels to mention but a few.  A person who is not at a “normal” weight according to BMI charts may be healthy if he or she has healthy eating habits and exercises regularly. Whereas, people who are skinny but don’t exercise or eat nutritious foods aren’t necessarily healthy, just because they are thin. Losing fat and Losing weight doesn’t mean the same thing.

Two methods are used to give a clearer picture of how one’s weight may be affecting their health. These are measuring the waistline and calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI).

Body mass index (BMI), measures weight standardized for height. BMI for adults and children is calculated differently. Being in the ‘safe range’ of weight should not be a basis for laxity as we mentioned that weight is only one of the indicators, likewise being in the ‘unsafe range’ should be a point of concern not worry. Moving with a professional with help to allay these fears because more investigation will be done but the good news is it helps you to start asking questions that could save your life early in time.

Where you carry your weight is just as important as how much weight you carry when it comes to health. Measuring the waist circumference can help to assess obesity-related health risks. Experts tell us that even at a healthy weight, excess fat carried around the waist can increase one’s risk of high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, heart disease, and type-2 diabetes. The best way to find out if your waistline is increasing your risk of heart disease is to measure it.

Remember a single measurement of waist circumference or BMI doesn’t tell us everything we need to know about our obesity-related health issues. Tracking waist circumference with body weight (BMI) over time, is an excellent way to understand how the body is changing as one age and to monitor one’s risk of heart disease and stroke. Achieving a healthy weight isn’t always as simple as eating healthy and being active, but it is a great start.

Chew on This: Why a Healthy Weight Helps Your Liver

How to achieve and maintain your healthy weight

Maintaining a healthy weight not only adds to one’s overall fitness but it also keeps the susceptibility to various diseases low. An overweight person is at a higher risk of developing serious cardiovascular diseases (health issues) which range from diabetes to heart ailments. Also, it’s never too late to aim to be at your ideal body weight even if you have been ignoring it till now. If you already have certain problems like High blood pressure, breathing problems, etc. maintaining a healthy body weight will help you control these diseases and in most cases, the symptoms are considerably reduced. Here are some ways;

  1. Mind what is on your plate

Eat healthily is a very tired song that over time eating healthy has been narrowed down to eating vegetables and boring food. Eating healthy first and foremost means that one is eating all foods that will provide them with the nutrients their body needs to thrive, something we call a balanced diet. So one needs to assess if they are consuming carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, and vegetables as well as hydrating at any given meal. While that is being achieved, care needs to be taken that these are being taken in their right proportions depending on the health and body needs of that person at that given time. Let us not forget the time for these meals too is important. So as you may have noticed, it is not enough to be taking just the ‘right’ food, there is a lot else that is at play that needs to be considered.

One tip I will leave with each of you on this one is that consume foods in a form closest to their natural organic form. When foods are processed to enhance their taste or even look, they are stripped of many or some of the important nutrients your body needs, and what is added will have your body working overtime to get rid of them.

  1. Be active

Physical activity plays a vital role in ensuring a healthy weight is maintained. We are living in a world of convenience where everything is getting automated and near reach that it does not require one to move distances or require a lot of muscle effort to do many activities. While this makes our work and life more efficient, it works against our health. What does this mean? We are consuming food that is giving us more energy than we can spend, and what does the body do? It stores the excess energy in form of fat which compromises our achieving a healthy weight and predisposes us to undesirable effects like cardiovascular diseases.

Start to in cooperating simple activities into your daily life. You do not have to begin with 10kms on the treadmill but you can begin with a 10-minute walk. Start somewhere and get to use up that excess energy that the body is reserving for you.

In conclusion

After you have achieved your ideal healthy weight, it is not time for you to sit back and relax, you will slide back. Build habits and make this a lifestyle. Let it be an enjoyable process rather than ‘a must-do or die.’ Remember you have one life and if you waste it, you will not have another. Also, it is unfair to live a miserable life. It is possible to build an enjoyable healthy lifestyle. Journey with people who are well versed in this area like professionals and be on your way to a healthy life lived.

I wish you all the best

See you next Wednesday 

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Make mealtime easier for your differently abled child

October 19, 2022

Disability is a normal part of human diversity. It may be permanent, temporary, or fluctuating. It may also have a minimal or substantial impact on a person’s life. A disability may affect mobility, learning, feeding, or communication and can result from accidents, illnesses, or genetic conditions. To have a disability means one has fundamental difficulty accomplishing things that others take for granted.

Nutrition and disability are closely interlinked. A differently-abled child is often in greater danger of malnutrition because sometimes the child has difficulty sucking, swallowing, or even holding food. When this happens and there is no one to help, it deprives the child of the nutrients for their age hence leading to malnutrition in the long run. Feeding is very important for all children not only because they are at the peak of growth but also because they are vulnerable. Some bad or misinformed decisions made in a child’s feeding can have lifelong effects. For example, stunting (children having a low height for their age) among children is irreversible after the age of two. It is important to look at nutrition keenly when discussing disability. Poor nutrition can cause a disability or aggravate the disability itself, but also disability can lead to poor nutrition and cause a child to suffer its consequences.

Tips one can use at mealtime for differently abled children

Oral motor challenges – Oral motor-based feeding problems, arise from the child’s physical disability, which limits the child to achieve good gross-motor coordination (skills that require whole body movement and which involve the large muscles of the body to perform everyday functions) and movement in their body in order to achieve sufficient oral-motor skills.

Tip -To help the child feed well, modify their posture by using some support where needed. Allow the children to practice a feeding skill over and over until their body coordinates it automatically.

Sensory issues – Sensory-based feeding issues are the underlying factors to most feeding difficulties in differently abled children. The combination of food texture, temperature, and taste can be off-putting to some children and cause frustration like among children with autism. These children usually stick to foods they are familiar with, and soon these foods are the only ones that they will eat.

Tip – Slowly modify the child’s diet without upsetting the child. Gradually introduce new food or texture to the child’s diet without eliminating the food the child is familiar with. For example, if the child enjoys boiled irish potatoes, you can introduce them to an egg by presenting it in the shape of an irish potato and serving it alongside their usual delicacy. The changes in texture, temperature, color, or taste should be slight but noticeable.

Another way to help children with feeding difficulties is to allow them to help choose foods they would like to eat and allow them to help prepare the meal for as long as it is possible. Expose them to different textures, smells, and tastes along the way.

Medical challenges– Some feeding difficulties that differently abled children face are a result of the medication that they have to inevitably take or the therapy they must undergo. This usually alters their taste for food and suppresses their appetite in the long run. Some children end up vomiting each time they eat certain foods and may even refuse to eat the food in the long run. Some of the food is also temporary or permanently omitted from the child’s diet because it contradicts the medicine given.

Tip – Discuss with your child’s physician and nutritionist to identify alternative foods that the child can eat and still be healthy and thrive without compromising the medication given.

Behavioral challenges – There is an array of behaviors that can affect the feeding of a differently abled child. One of the most common behavioral challenges among differently abled children is seeking attention. Differently abled children seek a lot of attention when feeding. If parents enable this behavior, it becomes very difficult for the children to eat without that attention. They will throw tantrums and often refuse to eat completely, hence suffering malnutrition and other complications that arise from not feeding or not feeding well.

Tip – Gradually eliminate this behavior by being stern but with positive reinforcement. Say, when the child throws a tantrum, you can warn them against it and enforce a soft compromise for them to know how serious you are. For example, ‘If you eat this food, I’ll let you play for 10 minutes with your sister’. Sometimes, you may use what we call extinction/planned ignoring. For example, say, ‘Mummy doesn’t carry children who do not eat; she only carries those who finish their food.’ The other option is to gradually walk through the steps of eating with the child. Start by having the child touch or play with the non-preferred food. Then, increase the task to slowly taking a bite and keeping it in the mouth for a few seconds. After, encourage the child to chew it slowly and then ask them to swallow it. This requires patience and progress and the child’s voluntary participation.

Family feeding dynamics – These are some of the hardest feeding difficulties to deal with. Parents and caregivers are the most important and pivotal components in implementing feeding strategies not only for differently abled children but also for other children. Many parents feed their children foods that they enjoy. It is important that you give the child many options, including foods that the parents don’t regularly eat as long as they will provide the child with the necessary nutrients for them to thrive. Their diet ought to be diverse.

Tip – Clearly define the roles of the two parties involved in this feeding exercise: the parents or caregivers are responsible for providing the food, while the child is responsible for eating and choosing how much to eat.

The child should feel as comfortable as possible when they are eating. Feeding is a social activity. Therefore, when the child feels uncomfortable feeding while in a particular social setting, you should be able to recognize and find out why as soon as you can. This is not the time to put the child in between your legs and hold their nose for them to swallow food.

Feeding is not and should never be a fight. Refrain from forcing the child to eat. Simply present them with both preferred and non-preferred foods and let the child choose. When children feel like they have control over the situation, it’s easier for them to try new foods. Parents and caretakers should be open and adapt whenever the need arises. Go slow with the child and make them feel as comfortable as possible.

You can find all this and more my “Differently Abled Nutrition,” a  book written for parents and guardians of children below the age of 5 and children with a disability that affects feeding.

Follow me to get yourself or a loved one a copy.

See you next Wednesday

 

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