FILEX 2012 Download copies of my slides here

Thank you to everyone who attended my sessions over the weekend. What a fabulous conference and terrific to see so many of you supporting our primary industry event. This was my 13th year of presenting at FILEX and it was the biggest and best yet. Your warmth, enthusiasm and energy keeps me coming back and makes my job all the more rewarding. If you were unable to attend my sessions I hope you can get the jist of the topic from my slides, but both Get Lean and Paleo Diets were recorded so are are also able to purchase these from Australian Fitness Network. See you all next year!

FILEX 2012 Get Lean

FILEX 2012 Paleo diets

FILEX 2012 Find your inner mojo

What I’m eating

I’ve been away so much of late with filming, that this week I’m reveling in being back in the office (hence all the long overdue updates on my website) and in my kitchen. There is nothing like your own food to make you feel healthy again. Although I always do my best to make the healthiest choices while I am away, inevitably you end up eating more kilojoules than you realise when eating out so often. So when I get home I hit my local grocers and load my trolley with fresh food ready to create some home cooked favourites and perhaps one or two experiments. My food is very simple at home for the most part, and it’s all about the best ingredients cooked well. I’m still eating loads of salads, but I add a host of different vegies to them along with ingredients like whole grains (see my Greens & Grain salad) or nuts and seeds. My other favourite is to stir-fry a selection of different vegies, add some lean meat, prawns or tofu, and spice up with chili, garlic, ginger and a splash of tamari. It’s unbelievably quick, simple yet tastes divine and leaves you light but satisfied. Remember the Dr Joanna plate model and you really can’t go wrong. I have this in the back of my mind whenever I’m creating a meal or ordering in a restaurant. It’s the basis of how I eat.

Does red meat cause cancer & CVD?

Red meat has hit the headlines again this week, and for all the wrong reasons. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine – a prestigious medical journal with a big impact, meaning it’s a good study – has reported on the findings from the Nurses Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. These are ongoing studies in the US where they follow almost 40,000 men and over 80,000 women and track their diets, various aspects of their lifestyles, and in simple terms record who gets which disease and who stays the healthiest. This most recent analysis shows an association between red meat consumption and increased risk of total, CVD and cancer mortality. They also showed that by substituting other foods such as poultry, fish, legumes, nuts or low-fat dairy for red meat, risk was reduced. Bad news for meat lovers, but does this really mean that meat causes disease?

No it doesn’t. These kinds of epidemiological studies can only show associations and do not prove cause and effect. We use these studies to give us an idea about what factors might be involved so that research scientists can then design further studies to try to elicit what is going on. There are a few key points to make about this study:

1. Those eating the most red meat had a higher overall energy intake (and we know lower energy intakes are associated with better health and longevity), ate fewer whole grains, less fruit and veg, were less physically active and were more likely to smoke. Although in the analyses complicated statistical techniques are used to try to allow for these factors, the fact remains that there were several aspects of these people’s lives and diets that could explain the association. Many other studies have shown that we must eat loads of plant food along with meat – just as our hunter-gatherer ancestors did. This provides acid-base balance, antioxidants and fibre which may all be important in protecting us from any harmful effects of meat while gaining the benefits.

2. This study was in the US and their meat is quite different to the meat we have here in Australia. The results may not be directly comparable – although I do still firmly believe we should take heed. US meat is far more intensively reared with most animals spending most of their lives fattened up on grain in feedlots. Just as inactive overfed humans get fat, so do animals. Lack of activity and an energy dense diet causes them to lay down fat in muscle – what we see as marbling of the meat. Chefs may like this but it’s a sign of an unhealthy animal and does us no favours health wise. Pasture (grass) fed meat is far leaner, has less saturated fat and more omega-3s. Here in Australia most of our animals are pasture fed, some entirely (look for grass-fed) and only “finished off” on grain for the final months (will be signed 60 days or 30 days grain fed etc). We are able to produce our meat like this because we have space and fewer people to feed. Let’s hope we can continue to raise our animals in this way as it’s better for them and us.

3. There are several factors about meat that could be responsible for increasing the risk of chronic disease. The effects on heart health are partly explained by the saturated fat and cholesterol content of meat. Or it could be the cooking methods used. High temperature cooking, including the barbecue, leads to the production of carcinogens on the meat surface – another reason why including plenty of plant food alongside meat is beneficial. We know that having too much haem iron is potentially harmful and for men who need less iron than menstruating women, they are the ones consuming more meat. And most importantly the risk was found to be far higher for processed meats over fresh meats. The nitrite preservatives, the sodium content or the higher saturated fat levels may be to blame here.

So what take home message can we take from this important study? Well firstly you may choose to avoid red meat all together. Personally I don’t think this is necessary – unless of course you take that stand on an ethical level which is a totally different argument. That’s an entirely personal choice and one I respect completely. But for those of us who do choose to eat meat we can do so but learn how to do it in as healthy a way as possible. Red meat is an excellent source of iron, zinc, protein and many other nutrients. For women, athletes and children in particular who have higher iron requirements this makes it a powerful nutrition boost to the diet. But we do need to make sure we choose the best quality. Cut back on processed meats and instead choose as fresh, lean cuts of meat as possible. Look for grass fed and free range. Eat your meat in appropriate portions (the size of the palm of your hand is a good guide). Eat your meat with half a plate of plant food and a low GI wholegrain. Enjoy meat no more than 2-3 times a week and at other meals choose poultry, fish or game meats. Have a vegetarian meal with legumes at least once a week. And finally be sure to be physically active every day.

Products I support

I’m fortunate to be paid to do what I’m passionate about. Which means I’m often asked to endorse products, but I don’t say yes to all of them – only to those that I truly believe in.What I do like to do is be completely transparent as to which products and companies I am involved with financially. So here they are.

Currently I am working with two major companies in Australia – Fonterra who make Ski Activ and Goodness Superfoods. What has impressed me with both companies is that they are willing to listen to my advice and requests for where we should be going with products, and so over time we can continue to improve products and bring you new products that can benefit our health.

Ski Activ is a range of yoghurts with a focus on digestive  health. They contain a unique probiotic bacteria clinically shown to boost numbers of good bacteria in your gut, along with a prebiotic to encourage their growth.The reason I agreed to support this range was that this is a scientifically tested strain of bacteria – unlike many others on the market. The company are also funding clinical research with the product to add to the bank of evidence they already have. I’m impressed by that kind of dedication. The probiotic is teamed with a prebiotic – inulin – which is a fibre extracted from a plant (usually chicory root). This preferentially feeds the good bacteria in your bowel, encouraging their growth. In science this is called synbiotics and just means you get a two pronged attack and better effects. If you are struggling with unexplained bloating or digestive discomfort give this product a go. The gorgeous Kate Ritchie is the celebrity ambassador and together we guide you through the Ski Activ 14-day Challenge. For more information click here to go to the Ski Activ site.

Recent news: to my delight because I use it all the time, Ski Activ is now available as natural yoghurt with no added sugar. Perfect with berries for a naturally sweet dessert, or to top your breakfast. I also add it to my fajitas instead of sour cream, and love it on top of a curry or soup.

Goodness Superfoods

http://www.goodnesssuperfoods.com.au/

I am not a fan of most processed breakfast cereals but Goodness Superfoods products are different. They’re made from CSIRO-developed supergrain BarleyMAX, which has incredibly high fibre levels and includes all three types of fibre we know to be important; soluble, insoluble and resistant starch (RS). The latter is particularly important as it promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the bowel and barleyMAX has superior levels of RS. Unlike most breakfast cereals on the supermarket shelves, all the Goodness Supergoods cereals have a low GI. This means they are slowly digested and absorbed, helping to keep blood sugar levels steady and assist in appetite control. You’ll also notice that they are not made from flour, as most processed cereals are. The grain is steamed, rolled and toasted so you can see the intact grain in your bowl Best of all they taste great, especially topped with some antioxidant-rich berries and a spoonful of natural yoghurt. Enjoy!

New product news – Goodness Superfoods have now launched wraps made with barleyMAX. Each wrap is only 437kJ, 10.6g of carbohydrate, 5.4g protein and a whopping 10.4g fibre. My kids have been enjoying them in their school lunches and my favourite weekend breakfast is a vegie omelette wrap.

Yes please!

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