Month: September 2020

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The Weight of the World is on your Shoulders – Canada Food Intolerance can help you

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Even the word weight is heavy. It weighs heavy on our minds. It weighs heavy on belt buckles. It’s just a heavy word. But don’t worry Canada Food Intolerance can definitely help you. Read a couple of your tips and hints below as to how you can get this mental monkey off your shoulders.

Canada Food Intolerance can help your mental and physical symptoms

People spend hours weighing up their options. “How can I lose weight?” “How to lose weight FAST?” “Best ways to lose weight?”

We try to shed weight.

But, what steps should you take to lose that which has been weighing you down?

1) And this is the most important……………. Shed the weight of your mind.

To achieve this you must find clarity. What is it you are trying to achieve? What are your goals? “I want to lose as much weight as possible” won’t cut it. Be precise, be achievable, be realistic.

Start by looking at where you are right now.

How much weight are you currently carrying? And I’m not talking about around your waist. Stress has a massive part to play in shedding weight. Stress, tired, fatigue, anxiety are all words that anchor you to that sofa.

So practice the motto “get my mind right” and everything else will be much easier.

2) What is my motivation?

Once you have decided you are ready, write down your motivations. Keep them on your phone, because trust me, you will at some point need to be reminded of them.

“I am losing weight for my family.” “I am losing weight for my wedding.” “I am losing weight for my holiday”

Are all common reasons to lose weight.

Get them in big letters on your phone, use them to keep you in the correct lane.

It isn’t only meals that take prep when trying to lose weight. Mind prep will be your best friend and worst enemy on this journey.

Remember Mind, Body and Soul… In that order. Order your intolerance test from Canada Food Intolerance here.

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Dairy Intolerance Advice and Substitutes

Dairy Intolerance

Dairy products are those, which are produced from or contain milk from animals. Most commonly cow’s milk is used, but goat and sheep’s milk can also be used. Dairy products include milk,
butter, cheese, yogurt, cream, sour cream, custard and ice cream. Milk can also be used as an ingredient in desserts, sauces, soups and processed products.

Depending upon the level and extent of sensitivity depends on whether there is a need to remove all dairy products, just cow’s milk products or just specific items like milk (but not yogurt and
cheese). The large range of dairy-free items now available has facilitated the removal of dairy from the daily diet. Good quality milk drinks, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, custard, crème fraiche
and cream are sold in grocery stores.

Dairy Substitutes

  • Milk Drinks
    Almond, Soya, Coconut, Hazelnut, Cashew, Oat, Brown Rice, Hemp
  • Yogurt
    Soya, Coconut, Almond

Nutrition

The nutrient value of milk and milk products varies depending upon whether the milk or milk product contains skimmed, semi-skimmed or whole milk. It can be a good source of protein as
well as vitamin A, B2, B12, vitamin D (if the product is fortified), calcium, phosphorus, potassium and selenium. The fat content depends upon whether skimmed, semi-skimmed or whole milk has
been used in the product. Certain milk products like good quality plain yogurt can also be an excellent source of probiotics in the diet.

Replacing key nutrients when eliminating dairy

When eliminating items from the diet whether for the short term when implementing an elimination diet or for the long term, it is important to know alternative items that can be introduced into the diet to maintain nutrient balance. Below are the richest sources of each nutrient.

  • B Vitamins
    Oats, buckwheat, brown rice, rye, whole wheat, peanuts, mushrooms, pecans, sunflower seeds, lentils, cashews, chickpeas, broccoli
  • Beta Carotene (Precursor to vitamin A)
    Sweet potato, carrots, kale, spinach, collards, Swiss chard, pak choi, butternut squash, pumpkin, lettuce
  • Vitamin A (Retinol)
    Liver, beef, lamb, cod liver oil, mackerel, salmon, tuna, paté, eggs
  • Calcium
    Watercress, kale, broccoli, low fat mozzarella (buffalo), pak choi, tofu, sugar snap peas, almonds
  • Vitamin D
    Salmon, trout, swordfish, mackerel, tuna, mushrooms, fortified products
  • Vitamin B12
    Oysters, mussels, scallops, liver, mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, crab, beef, eggs
  • Phosphorus
    Brown rice, oats, rye, whole wheat, quinoa, chicken, turkey, pork, scallops, salmon, pumpkin seeds, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, almonds
  • Selenium
    Brazil nuts, brown rice, rye, whole wheat, mushrooms, shrimp, sardines, oysters, tuna, sunflower seeds, liver, eggs, beef, turkey
  • Potassium
    Dried apricots, salmon, mackerel, tuna, monkfish, white beans, lentils, kidney beans, avocado, butternut squash, spinach, mushrooms, bananas, potatoes
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Vitamin D and Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Vitamin d

Historically, Vitamin D has been great for support of immune function and protection against respiratory illnesses, so the big question is, can it prevent the contraction of the Coronavirus?

In simple terms, maybe. Not very helpful I know, but if there was even a 1% chance of it having a positive effect on your immune system, then don’t you think it’s worth a try?

We all know that the body’s first line of defence when contracting an illness is the Immune System. When trying to keep yourself healthy and virus free, Vitamin D is up there with the top minerals and vitamins for support of this very system. This is because Vitamin D enhances the functions of cells, like T-cells and macrophages which protect your body against pathogens.

In fact, it has been known that Vitamin D deficiency has led to higher susceptibility of immune related conditions, diseases, infections and decreased lung function. These include Tuberculosis, COPD, Asthma, viral and bacterial respiratory infections. Although we call it a vitamin, Vitamin D is in fact a hormone we create in our body.

Obviously, the best way to steer clear of COVID-19 is by following the government guidelines by staying home, following social distancing measures and continuing with vigorous hand washing routines, but studies have shown that an increase in your Vitamin D intake can have immune system stabilising qualities. Including recommended vitamins and minerals in your diet, be that food or supplement will ensure your defences are fighting fit should you catch the Coronavirus, and give you a much better chance of getting back to optimal health.

The best way to ensure you’re getting enough Vitamin D is to get out in the sunshine! During the autumn and winter months we may need to take a good quality supplement to absorb the correct levels, but when the opportunity arises, go and be outdoors. It comes from the ultraviolet rays from the sun, so it is important to be safe and wear sunscreen whenever you’re exposed to UV. There are many foods you can incorporate into your diet to keep your levels of Vitamin D high too, such as:

  • Oily fish like sardines, salmon, trout, herring, pilchards, eel and kippers
  • Cod liver oil supplements, but must not be taken if you are pregnant
  • Egg yolk, offal, meat and milk contain small amounts of Vitamin D
  • Some yoghurts, breakfast cereals, margarine and infant formula have added Vitamin D

To ensure calcium can be absorbed into your bones and the cells it is needed, Vitamin D must be present. This is why Vitamin D deficiency can be a contributing factor to the development of rickets and osteomalacia.

People with darker skin tones – those of Asian, African, Afro-Caribbean and Middle Eastern descent – can find it more difficult to absorb Vitamin D from the sun, so it is advised they take the recommended daily dose of Vitamin D in supplement form as well as maintaining a mineral rich diet. This will armour your immune system against the Coronavirus.

So, though it may not boost the immune system as such, it can only have a positive impact on your health if you ensure you take the correct dose of Vitamin D during these turbulent times.

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Can Exercise Boost The Immune System?

Exercise

The benefits of exercise are widely known and is recommended by health professionals to keep us healthy. The cardiovascular system benefits most as the increase in heart rate makes the heart and circulatory system work, therefore making it stronger and more stabilised. But can it directly affect the immune system in keeping those germs at bay and boosting our immunity?

Well, it seems it can! Regular exercise can improve the immune system by increasing the body’s production of antibodies and T cells. This makes them travel faster, improving the body’s immune and metabolic systems. Increasing the heart rate increases the breathing rate aiding the flushing out of bacteria from the lungs and airways, in turn, decreasing the chances of catching colds and viruses.

In fact, a recent study has shown the impact of regular exercise on Upper Respiratory Tract Infections. A group of people were monitored and there was a significant reduction in severity of symptoms for those who were active 5 or more days a week. These same subjects were seen to be 50% less likely to contract an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection than those who were sedentary.

Exercise is also known to increase body temperature, acting almost in the same way the body does when you have a virus when it gives you a fever, killing pathogens and preventing the growth of bacteria. Sweating is good for you in this instance and brings a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘feel the burn’.

There is also a link between physical and mental health. Exercise can help reduce stress levels and lower stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. The release of feel-good endorphins can be great for the mind and keep you motivated during exercise.

So essentially, moderate exercise is almost always advantageous to keeping yourself healthy and germ free, so go for that walk, do that dance and keep that heart pumping.