As seasons change, the body attempts to achieve equilibrium through the utilisation of hormones that are essentially incredibly dependent on nutrients that are delivered by fat intake. For example vitamin A, D, E and K. These vitamins and essential fatty acids are required to create and metabolize hormones that control and regulate our metabolism. Combined with proteins/amino acids, these nutrients are used to supply our body with melatonin, serotonin, adrenaline, cortisol, insulin and many other hormones that will dictate and determine our ability to successfully manage climatic change.

Essentially you still need to eat foods that are not over cooked, still possess energy from life force and are nutrient dense rather than calorie dense. To warm your meals up add herbs and spices like cinnamon, ginger, garlic, peppers and other hot foods.

Maybe for the next few weeks as Winter comes to an end, look to have more stirfrys and curries, with lots of herbs and spices. Try to limit starchy carbs as we get closer to spring so that you can get your body ready for the return of longer days and warm weather.

Drink herbal teas and get back into exercise. We only have 5 weeks to get back into shape!

Until Spring, take great care

Damian

2. Take a cooking class! Choose a class that includes healthier options. New food ideas fuel healthy eating habits and inspire variety in your diet. What’s more, it’s a great way to spend a winter’s evening. Look up classes in your local area through local community TAFEs, colleges or the CAE. Found a good class? We’d love to hear about it! Email us!

3. Winter is not an excuse to hold down the couch! Find a personally satisfying way of exercising! Swim at your local indoor pool or take that class you’ve always wanted to take at an indoor fitness centre. To stay motivated, buy one excellent piece of fitness equipment (this doesn’t have to be expensive) such as a skipping rope, weights or fit ball and learn how to use it to maximize workouts indoors.

4. There’s a tendency to indulge in richer foods in winter so make small, healthy substitutions in typical winter recipes. For example, cauliflower and cheese is fine but use less cheese and butter and perhaps add some spices such as paprika to create more flavour to top your next cauliflower and cheese bake. Switch the sugar in your hot drinks to natural, low calorie sweeteners such as Natvia which is derived from the stevia plant.

5. You can still enjoy hearty meals in winter though make them a little healthier by using only lean meats in casseroles and packing your soups with vegetables and pulses such as lentils. Eat more broth-based soups like minestrone rather than cream laden soups.

6. Enjoy healthy winter deserts such as poached pears and apples, apple and berry crumbles (frozen berries are still packed with antioxidants!). Enjoy these with organic, natural yoghurt and add almonds or walnuts for added taste and texture. Why not use WBC as the CRUMBLE!?

7. Keep a good supply of chopped up fresh winter root vegetables in your fridge for snacking. Try carrots, radishes or snow peas with your favourite vegetable or a yoghurt-based dip (like Tzatziki or Hommous) next time you feel like a snack. Having the vegetables already cut and ready to eat in the fridge will make you more inclined to snack on these healthy delights.

8. Switch from sweetened hot chocolates to high quality herbal or green teas. These teas are healthy, flavoursome and satisfying. With the multitude of different varieties of teas now available, you’ll never get bored!

9. Don’t hibernate this winter and avoid the winter blues! Keep up with your social circle and stay motivated by exercising in groups. Organise a ski trip with your friends, entertain in front of a fire or meet your friends for a brisk walk and reward yourself with a warming herbal tea in your favourite café afterwards.

10. It’s easy to get de-hydrated in winter as we often don’t feel like drinking as much water as our body needs. Remember to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Keep a jug beside your desk at work. Try a glass of warm water in the morning if the thought of drinking a cold glass right from the tap doesn’t appeal in the winter months.

The objective of a warm up is to engage the muscle in a stabilised and minimally resistant environment to increase muscle temperature. A good warm up should slightly increase your heart rate (approximately 50% of maximum heart rate) to get blood and nutrients circulating around the muscles in preparation for the more intense physical activity ahead.

By making the time for a good warm up, you actually have more to gain from your workout. Some of the benefits include:

1. Increased speed of muscle contraction and relaxation
2. Greater degree of movement because of decreased muscle resistance
3. Assist in injury prevention as warm muscles are more pliable and the increase in body temperature helps lubricate joints
4. Helps protect the body’s immune system as sudden, high impact exercise can cause stress hormones to be released that weaken the immune system
5. Increased fat burn during your workout as your body would have burned the stored energy during the warm up
6. Mentally prepare you for the workout ahead so that you can stay focused and motivated!

Many people find making time to exercise is hard enough as it is but finding those extra minutes before a workout to warm up will be well worth it in (and for) the long run!

Watch as WBC is put to the test!   View feature here.

ACA ‘Super Cereals’ looks at some of the most popular cereals on the market, from family favourites to the latest sugary treats, and puts them to the test with a nutritionist and a family of taste testers.

Comparing the cereals is Australian leading nutritionist and dietician, Dr. Janna McMillan-Price, who reveals the truth behind each cereal and which really offers you the best and most nutritional start to your day.

Also offering his expertise on the subject is WBC creator and naturopath Dr. Damian Kristof who shares with you the health benefits from eating WBC and what inspired this brilliant creation.

The segment also takes you behind the scenes to the WBC production facility where WBC is mixed, hand packed and weighed.

See why WBC really is the ‘World’s Best Cereal’!

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The following is the list of cereals assessed by nutritionist Dr. Joanna McMillan Price www.joannamcmillanprice.com

Note: Cereals in each group are not ranked.

Group One – The best (the most healthy for you)

• Digestive
• WBC
• Natural Style Muesli
• Traditional Oats
• Guardian
• Sustain
• All Bran

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Group Two

• Weet-Bix
• Sultana Bran
• Cheerios
• Mini Wheats

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Group Three

• Corn Flakes
• Special K
• Rice Bubbles

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Group Four

• Just Right
• Nutri-Grain
• Fruit Loops
• Coco Pops
• Frosties

Every single day trillions of bugs live and have a party in your digestive system. In fact, there may be more bacteria and good bugs in your gut than there are cells in your entire body. What’s incredible about this is that most of us give very little attention to the food we feed these bacteria and bugs!

Bugs in your gut live off the digested material from the food you eat. They thrive in a healthy environment and they die and struggle in an unhealthy or acidic environment. The bugs in our gut elicit control over a number of functions in the body including the immune system and are an integral part of the digestion of food.

There are a number of ways that you can be alerted to your gut health and the wellbeing of your gut bugs.

1. Do you pass much wind?
2. Do you burp much?
3. Do you have acid reflux?
4. Are you constipated?
5. Do you have loose bowel motions more than formed motions?
6. Is your bowel transit time efficient?
7. Have you checked out our poo chart? Where do you SIT? A number 4 is best.

If you burp or pass lots of wind (fart) you have poor digestion. If your wind smells and you have bad breath you really need to look at your food and digestive health. If you have acid reflux, you most likely don’t have enough good gastric acid in your tummy . A glass of lemon juice in water every day will help.

Are you constipated? If so, drink more water.

If you have loose bowel – eat better quality food – consume more wholefoods and cut processed foods out of your diet. Check your transit time by doing the “sesame seed challenge”. You should see seeds in 12 hours. Any significant variance in time would indicate that your digestive system needs some improvement.

For all of these problems, starting your day healthily is the best thing that you can do. Kick off your day with unprocessed cereals and all natural foods. I have either WBC with yoghurt, rice milk and blue berries or poached eggs, spinach, avocado and sprouted mung beans.

GOOD FATS

Monounsaturated fats have been proven to assist with weight loss. They lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol).

High levels of mono-unsaturated fats can be found in foods such as nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts and pistachios), avocado, canola and olive oil.

Polyunsaturated fats also lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Seafood like salmon and fish oil, as well as corn, safflower and sunflower oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. Omega 3 fatty acids belong to this group.

BAD FATS

Saturated fats raise total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products such as meat, dairy, eggs and seafood. Some plant foods are also high in saturated fats such as coconut oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Trans fats came about when food scientists began to “hydrogenate” liquid oils so they can withstand better in food production and increase shelf life. Trans fats are found in many commercially packaged food, commercially fried foots and other packaged snack. This type of fat is best avoided. Most people don’t know that trans fats are found in toasted mueslis!

You don’t need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. One thing they all have in common – every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food. You won’t find fortified potato chips or calcium enriched low fat milk in the superfood category!

Top Superfoods Offering Super Health Protection

Beans

Blueberries

Broccoli

Oats

Oranges

Pumpkin

Salmon

Spinach

Tea (green or black)

Tomatoes

Turkey

Walnuts

Yoghurt

Blueberries — Antioxidant Superfood

Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.

Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits. When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have.

EASY TIP: Frozen blueberries are just as good as fresh! Keep a box in your freezer and thaw as needed. Add to your WBC and yoghurt for an extra boost of antioxidants.

Omega 3-Rich Fish — Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory

We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer’s. There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well.

Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week. Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.

EASY TIP:  Many people exclaim they don’t know how to cook fish. It’s easy! Place a piece of salmon in foil with half a teaspoon of olive oil, sea salt, pepper and lemon drizzled over the top. Close foil and bake at 180 degrees for 13-15minutes for a perfect, Omega 3 fuelled dinner. Serve with vegetables or salad.

Fibre — Superfood Aids Weight Loss and Checks Cholesterol

A diet high in fibre will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As a bonus, because fiber helps you feel full longer, it’s a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources. Try throwing some beans in your salad. Fresh, frozen, or dried are the best. You can use canned, but they tend to be higher in sodium.

EASY TIP: For a delicious, fibre packed, accompaniment to a piece of lean meat, fry one diced onion in a teaspoon of olive oil until softened. Add a teaspoon of three of your favourite ground spices such as paprika and cumin. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring so the spices dry roast but don’t burn.  Add a can of white beans, chick peas and kidney beans and some black pepper and simmer for ten minutes. You can add ½ a cup of orange juice for a citrus zing!

Tea — Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer

The overall antioxidant power of black tea is the same as green tea,” says Kulze, “but green tea does have ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that we really do think is quite special. A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn’t. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

EASY TIP: Set yourself a goal of replacing sugary soft drinks with tea for a week and see how much better you feel!

Calcium

Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss.

EASY TIP: For a good non-dairy source of calcium throw some bok-choy, broccoli and almonds into your next stir-fry!

And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet … Dark Chocolate

New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. Look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that’s our kind of health food!

EASY TIP: If you usually follow your evening meal with a sugar filled desert, enjoy a square or two of dark chocolate instead. This will curb your sweet craving whilst keeping your daily calorie intake in check.

Finally – A natural alternative!

Finally, a natural, low calorie sweetener is here!

Natvia is a healthy alternative to artificial sweeteners.

Natvia comes straight from nature, tastes great and  is low in calories.

A natural switch – why Natvia over other sweeteners?

You may already know about artificial sweeteners – the two most widely available are made from Saccharin and Aspartame. These artificial or chemical sweeteners are used to sweeten low calorie products including soft drinks, desserts, yoghurts, chewing gums and other ‘diet’ products. They are commonly associated with an unpleasant, bitter after taste.

Did you know…

• Saccharin was discovered by a professor while working in a lab with coal tar derivatives.
• Aspartame is the methyl ester of the dipeptide of the natural amino acids L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalaninie. Under strongly acidic or alkaline conditions, aspartame may generate methanol by hydrolysis. Under more severe conditions, the peptide bonds are also hydrolysed, resulting in the free amino acids.

To find out more about Natvia, visit the natvia website: www.natvia.com.au