Podcast Episode #7

By Guy Lawrence

Eat fat to lower cholesterol… What about dairy, is it healthy? Can I run an ultra-marathon or CrossFit on a low carb/ high fat or paleo diet?

These are just some of the questions we cover in this episode of The Health Sessions as we catch up with Nora Gedgaudas, best selling author of Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet. I’ve time coded the bullet points so you jump straight to the bits that interest you most in the video. But when you’ve got the time, it’s well worth kicking back and watching the whole video as the content is invaluable!

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The Paleo Diet is one of the most effective diets in the health world today. It identifies the similarities in the human genome between people who lived in the Paleolithic era and those who live today.

In ancient times, the human diet consisted mostly of meat and wild vegetables with occasional fruit and seeds. Legumes, grains, dairy, sugar and trans-fats were not a part of the Paleolithic diet, and as such are not consumed on the Paleo Diet. Going on Paleo is effective but restrictive, and it can be difficult to know exactly how to snack while still following Paleo guidelines.

Some of the most obvious snacks to stick to when you are following the Paleo Diet are vegetables. Carrot and celery sticks, raw broccoli, cauliflower and green peppers are all excellent snacks to curb your appetite while following Paleo. They are full of vitamins and nutrients, have a satisfying crunch that helps to curb cravings for unhealthy snacks like chips and crackers and are easy to prepare and carry on your person for snacking at a moment’s notice.

Meat based snacks are another great option for Paleo. Beef jerky is beloved by many Paleo followers, specifically jerky that uses low to no sodium or sugar and instead seeks flavors through other spices. Even without salt, spicy jerky like this can be very flavorful. A few ounces of grilled chicken is also an acceptable snack for Paleo. Considering a piece of meat as a snack can take some getting used to, but it has valuable protein which fuels the human body and gives it energy.

Although they should be consumed sparingly, nuts are also a snack that is acceptable on the Paleo Diet. This should be researched carefully, as some nuts are in fact legumes. Legumes are not an acceptable part of the diet. Nuts that are actually seeds are the best kinds to eat. Most notably, peanuts are a legume and should be avoided. Nuts that are consumed on the Paleo Diet should be eaten raw, which generally rules out the consumption of cashews as well.

Snacking on Paleo doesn’t have to be hard with these helpful hints. Veggies, meat and nuts are all packed with nutrients to get anyone through the day and satisfy a hungry stomach. The weight loss and health benefits of switching to Paleo snacks over unhealthy chips and junk food are remarkable.

180 Nutrition offer a superfood that can be used to create a whole host of paleo snacks. With natural ingredients and vegan options our paleo protein powder is free of all chemicals and processed ingredients.

View the video recipe below for ideas on easy paleo snacks:

You can view the full recipe here.

Paleo Protein Bars: The Paleolithic Diet, known commonly as the Paleo Diet, bases on the concept that our bodies are meant to digest produce, fish and grass-fed meat as well as nuts, roots, fungi and other food found in nature. The diet uses the food available to humans during the Paleolithic era, which lasted over 2 million years and ended when agriculture became more developed and commonly available.

Based on the theory that humans are not meant to consume artificially produced food, the diet excludes most dairy products, grains, refined salt or sugar, legumes or processed oils.

While the health benefits of the Paleo Diet remain debated among the scientific community, proponents argue that those who follow the diet are generally healthier and experience fewer illnesses and other health issues such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

The Paleo Diet

Specifically, the Paleo Diet consists of food that can be fished, hunted or gathered. This includes meat, seafood, fruit, eggs, mushrooms, eggs, spices, nuts, vegetables, herbs and seeds. Proponents of the diet encourage eating wild game and grass-fed beef.

Some of the food that is avoided in the Paleo Diet include most foods that humans did not have access to during the Paleolithic era, such as grains, peanuts, dairy products, beans, refined sugar or salt and processed oils. Alcohol and fermented beverages are not permitted and water is encouraged as the primary beverage. Dieters are encouraged to vary their diet with animal foods, plants and foods that are high in protein but low in carbohydrates.

Paleo Protein Bars

While the Paleo Diet certainly makes sense in many ways, primarily that the diet encourages a healthy diet of lean meat and fruits and vegetables, many people might find that following the diet becomes difficult to follow in this busy and hectic world.

As such, there are food products available that follow the Paleo Diet philosophy but offer added convenience for a busy lifestyle. This includes protein bars, often based on old recipes of Native Americans. After all, Native Americans often needed to bring food with them on long hunting trips or to move due to weather or other conditions. As such, they created primitive protein bars that mixed lean meat with berries and a fat source as an easy food and energy source.

Paleo protein bars are designed specifically to avoid any thickeners, fillers, preservatives or sugar. These bars also offer natural sources of antioxidants, micronutrients and fibre. Ingredients include some or all of the following:

• Flaxseed
• Whey protein (grass fed)
• Sunflowers
• Almond meal
• Natural cocoa
• Coconut flour or shredded coconut
• Chia seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Sesame seeds
• Inactive brewer’s yeast
• Psyllium husks
• Stevia

Paleo protein bars are natural and provide good, healthy sources of energy and nutrition for those who are following the Paleo diet as well as anyone seeking to avoid artificial ingredients and preservatives and eat a healthy diet. For more information, visit www.180nutrition.com.au

By Guy Lawrence

You maybe sitting there wondering what the Paleo diet is, or as I like to say, a Paleo way of eating. So if you haven’t heard of the Paleo diet then chances are author Nora Gedaudas would have slipped under your radar too. And that’s ok as diet’s and fads come and go all the time, so who’s to know what is another bunch of baloney hype or the real deal! It can get a little confusing that’s for sure.

But from where I’m standing, I’m very excited to be going to see Nora Gedaudas on Nov 12th. It is being held at the Matthews Theatre, University of NSW in Randwick. The seminar is entitled :- Continue reading →

Are you following a Paleolithic diet (Paleo diet for short) and struggle to get your hands on nutritional clean food?

If you are in agreement with us and most health conscious people, you would appreciate the need to eat more like our ancestors have for thousands of years. Whether you are following a paleo diet, Mediterranean diet or any labeled “diet” for that matter. The one thing we can agree on is that the processing of foods (amongst other things) in westernised populations over the last century is having a dramatically negative effect on overall health.

Imagine a GLUTEN FREE protein powder that contains ONLY PURE NATURAL 100% RAW INGREDIENTS , completely free of all fillers, thickeners, sugars & preservatives (this a must for anyone who suffers from celiacs disease). A protein powder that contains essential micro nutrients, antioxidants and fibre to assist metabolic rates and keep your digestive system functioning at optimum levels, a supplement that is a CONVENIENT MEAL REPLACEMENT THAT’S ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOU!

How Does 180 suit those following the paleo diet?

• It’s 100% natural and raw
• It’s Gluten free
• It can be used as a convenient healthy meal replacement
• High in protein
• High in fibre
• Contains all your natural omega 3′s & 6′s
• It’s free of all processed sugars and sweeteners
• It’s free of all artificial flavourings/preservatives
• It Increases metabolism due to it’s high fibre content contributing to weightloss
• All it’s nutrients are derived from raw natural ingredients
• The whey isolate protein powder is cold filtered ensuring the highest quality
• Free of any bulking agents and thickeners
• Our difference is PURE!

We also encourage you to watch this video: 5 things you should consider before buying a protein supplement.

What’s The best way to take 180 protein?

Our favourite method is to make a smoothie, as it won’t dissolve like regular protein powders, due to the fact it’s real raw protein food at it’s finest. We recommend making a smoothie or simply shake/stir or drink! Or you can sprinkle it on salads, make muffins, as it’s a raw product it’s very diverse! View the videos here.

The Key To Better Health

First of all, you must not think of the word “diet” as a restriction. Generally when people “diet”, they reduce the quantity of the food they eat, and this can have a very negative effect on the body. They may lose some weight, but it is not necessarily body fat they will lose, it is what makes up the rest of the body, which is known as fat free mass. Our muscle tissue, organs, water, blood and bone mass.

So our body gets compromised, and our muscle mass atrophies (breaks down). The end result is less overall weight, but the same amount of body fat and less muscle mass, and a persons health under stress.

We like to encourage a healthy life style and all the health benefits from that. 180 SuperFood is designed for those who want to make a difference to their daily diet with a grounded common sense approach. So whether you are following a paleo diet, Mediterranean diet or any other “diet”, 180 SuperFood is a great resource to eat at your convenience, and it tastes delicious too!

What else should I be eating?

In plain English, eat protein, natural fats and low glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates for each meal. It should be high fibre, organic when possible, all your garden vegetables, especially greens, certain low GI fruits (berries are good), unprocessed meats, nuts, seeds, little starch and NO SUGAR!

Food is not meant to be processed, it should be eaten at it was designed – Natural. Anything with an extra long shelf life is probably processed, be suspicious. Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with the advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man.

If you follow these simple rules to food, and combine them with exercise, you’ll be amazed with the results. Your body will be extremely grateful.

• 

  Tania Flack – Naturopath, Sydney

  In a market flooded with protein powders and supplements that are filled with artificial flavourings and chemicals it is great to find a product that I can reccomend to my patients that is based on quality natural ingredients and manufactured to the highest standards. The usual Australian diet is high in refined carbohydrates which encourages an unhealthy muscle to fat ratio which ultimately contributes to many disease processes. Helping patients balance their protein to carbohydrate intake makes a big difference in their health as does the extra boost in nutrients, essentials fatty acids and natural fibre that 180 nutrition provides.

  I would recommend 180 nutrition to anyone who is interested in maintaining a balanced diet and achieving optimal health. Visit Tania’s site here.

180 is a Functional Food

Functional Food: Provides more than just nutritional value to a person’s diet and can help protect the human body from disease & improve health & well being.

Today in Australia, most people are starving themselves in an over abundance of food.

Well, What Do We Mean By That?

We eat what we want, not what we need- So we actually starve ourselves of the vital essential nutrients over time, and our body becomes at dis-ease. And the most common one of course is putting on fat.
We have a phobia against fat, and this usually leads to a high carbohydrate (high sugar) intake, which of course is depriving them of essential fats and proteins.

We don’t have enough recommended protein in our daily diet. Proteins are responsible for tissue repair and prevent muscle breakdown and aid growth.

We deprive ourselves of essential fatty acids. Essential fatty acids help balance blood sugar levels, transport essential vitamins around the body, maintain body temperature and manufacture sex and adrenal hormones.

What is the Glycemic Index?

The glycemic index (GI) is a value based around the quality of carbohydrate foods. Using a reference value (usually pure glucose), it tells us how quickly the carbohydrate from a particular food source enters the blood stream. Glucose is given a value of 100 points, as it is a pure sugar and is considered to enter the blood stream at the fastest rate. Now, glycemic index is a very powerful tool for those with diabetes and people trying to control their weight, as it helps to define the role of a powerful hormone- insulin.

A Brief Summary of Insulin

• Insulin is a powerful hormone, which regulates levels of sugar present in blood.
• It is secreted by islet cells located within the pancreas; and when released causes carbohydrates to be consumed within the body.
• Carbohydrate (glucose) is converted to glycogen and stored within liver and muscle cells.
The body can only store a limited amount of glycogen the excess is converted to triglyceride and stored as fat.
• Insulin prevents the current fat stores being used as energy.

Eating For Optimum Health

We encourage a low GI diet. So the first thing to be done is to reduce the high sugar-starch-carbohydrate intake, thereby increasing the consumption of proteins and good fats. This is why 180 is so effective. It is Low GI, high protein, gluten free,high fibre and packed full of nutrients. Protein has minimal effect on your insulin levels and fat has none at all. In fact, fat inhibits insulin levels if eaten with Carbohydrates.

The best option for those seeking low GI foods is to return to a ‘traditional’ diet, one free of processed and refined foods. And 180 is an excellent resource that helps many people.

So let’s look at the top of the range of processed carbohydrates-

• Most supermarket bread
• Pastries
• Cereals
• Biscuits
• Most Pasta (processed flour is used)
• Most Rice (stripped of nutrients)

What you have to understand is, practically all commercial wheat, rice, oat products etc have been refined. So what was once nutrient rich when grown, have now had the main properties stripped from them, which are the fats and proteins. This leaves just the concentrated carbohydrate/starch, which is simply sugar. We can begin to see how this is a problem in Australia as these simple sugars form the staple diet of the Western World.

So if you are someone who has high intake of these, then a good solution is to start replacing them with more nutrient rich (complex) carbohydrates.

Some alternatives are-

• Spelt bread.
• Traditional stone ground baked bread.
( you can make these from home too with stone ground flour. So it still has all it’s properties).
• Unprocessed oats. Eg- Groats oats. (Has husk still on them)
• Steel cut oats
• Rice alternative (Lentil & Chic Peas. Small amounts of brown rice with plenty of lentils added)
• Quinola (South American)
• All raw vegetables
• Organic Fruit

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