If you look carefully, you will see the first sign of Spring popping up in the undergrowth. This always fills me with joy after a pretty bleak January. At this time of year it is still important to wrap up warm, stick to warming foods and drinks with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and garlic. My Crockpot is still very much busy piece of equipment in my kitchen at the moment. It is simmering away right now with a vegetable and beef stew for tonight's dinner.
I have noticed that there has been a lot press around weight-loss medications lately. I guess with the new year, diets are in the forefront. If you haven't read my last months post, I recommend you do, as I talk about what I think about "New Year - New You".
It seems that these pharmaceuticals are becoming more popular and there is a growing concern whether they need to be more regulated and given to those only with clinical indications, such as those who are obese.
I am not here to talk about the medicine, as that is definitely out of my remit. However, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss something I am passionate about: Nourishment over Restriction.
Diets and weight-loss schemes have been around for a long time, I believe due to the societal pressure to look a certain way. I think it would be safe to say that we all have felt victim to diet culture at one point or another. What I advocate is that food should be enjoyed and it should be nourishing, both physically and mentally. There is nothing worse than feeling like you must eat something just because it's "good for you". or restricting yourself from enjoying food, what's the point of life without enjoyment! Food should definitely be enjoyed - full stop. There are certain tips below that I have found to be helpful to firstly enjoy food, and secondly to feel full and satisfied.
Opt for whole-foods. Eating a food bar because it's gluten-free/low-fat/vegan/dairy-free doesn't necessarily means it is a healthier choice. You're better reaching for an apple or a handful of berries. Cooking from scratch with whole-foods is a great way to start to enjoy cooking and learning about what you do like. If you have kids, get them involved. Smelling and seeing food is the start to digestion, it's a process humans have done for thousands of years. What are whole-foods? They are foods you would find that haven't been messed with, they have one or two ingredients. eg. fruit, veg, grains, pulses in a tin, sourdough, fresh meat and eggs.
Include protein at every meal. Protein has been popular on socials for a while now, but it seems to be teetering into the extreme, where many are advocating to not eat carbs, only protein. This isn't something I advocate. We need all three macronutrients - proteins, carbs and fats. Protein is a good focus, especially at breakfast, because most people don't have enough. Often they're having toast with jam or cereals which have very little protein in. Which then sets up a day of highs and lows of blood sugar, which can lead to low energy and erratic mood swings. Eggs for breakfast, or granola with full-fat yogurt, berries and seeds are good options. Which leads me to the next point...
Opt for full-fat. Full-fat is how foods should be eaten, they're unadulterated. They also contain more vitamins and they are also more filling. The low-fat options are often tasteless so sugar and flavourings are often added to compensate. Opting for full-fat Greek Yogurt, full fat milk, nuts and seeds is good and healthy - as long as it is in moderation. Having loads every day can eventually lead to excess food intake which can lead to weight gain. Again, it is about balance. For those who may be concerned about cholesterol, the biggest drivers to poor/bad cholesterol is excessively high carbohydrate-rich diets (insulin resistance) and long-term stress.
Have a little bit. What do I mean by that? I think guilt can play a huge role in emotional eating. Often we think, "oh, I shouldn't have ordered those fries/chips...ohh well, I may as well go and have a side and a dessert too now". I think this is a valuable lesson. We can enjoy food, but maybe just having a bit LESS of those foods is a win:win. We get to enjoy it, but we also don't overindulge. It is avoiding that all-or-nothing attitude, which us humans tend to fall for too easily for.
Include more of the good stuff. We all know that vegetables, beans and pulses are good for us. I encourage clients to take the opportunity to include them as much as possible in meals. Yes enjoy your burger, but put in some rocket, onion, radishes and a side salad with it. Making bolognese? Chop up as many veggies as you can: mushrooms, onions, carrots, cauliflower and add some lentils. Bulking out meals with plants actually is one of the best hacks. It increases fibre, antioxidants and makes us feel fuller for longer.
Key nutrition to consider. There are some key micronutrients to consider to help with blood sugar balance and energy. Such as magnesium, chromium, zinc, omega 3, Vitamin D and B vitamins.
Cravings. This is an interesting one. Sometimes cravings can be a sign you're deficient of something eg. chocolate can be a sign of low magnesium. But cravings can also be driven by (bad) gut bacteria. If you get cravings regularly, as well as trying these steps, consider taking a probiotic and seeing if it helps. My trusted brands are Bionutri and Proven.
Drink more water. Sometimes we can mistake hunger for thirst. Next time you're hungry, try having a drink. Try not to drink too much at meal times, as this can compromise digestion. The bulk of water intake is best between meals.
This isn't nutrition related, but sometimes boredom can cause us to eat. Next time you're bored, pop outside for a short walk or grab a book or a cup of herbal tea.
Fragrant Rice Pudding Recipe, sharing by a friend of mine:
1 cup pudding rice
4 cups of whole fat organic milk (or coconut milk)
1/4 - 1/2 cup of demerara/coconut sugar
1 tsp saffron
2 cardamon pods
1 tsp ghee or butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Wash rice
Soak for 2 hours in water
After 2 hours, warm butter/ghee in a large iron based saucepan
Add cinnamon & cardamon
Add milk, rice (discard water), milk, saffron and sugar
Bring to boil
Cook low for 25 mins - keep stirring
Leave to settle with lid on
Serve when ready - great with real raspberries
If you were affected by this topic, please see: https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/get-information-and-support/
By Rosie Rayner, ND
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