What can you do to help a loved one lose weight?

Perhaps you've already suggested they lose weight, but every time you mention it to them they becomes defensive. So what do you do?

Unless a person has already decided to lose weight and has asked for your support, it’s not going to be easy. No matter how badly you want someone to change their behaviour, the motivation has to come from them. That means, to have a positive influence, you need to tread lightly.

Don’t:

• Pester them. This only makes them become defensive or get angry.


• Patronize them. If they're making an attempt to lose weight, but have the occasional junk food binge, remind them they haven't 'blown it' – and that on the whole, they are doing well.

Do:

• Suggest it's time you both had a routine checkup. Hearing from their GP that their health needs an overhaul can be the kick-start they need.


• Set an example. The idea that food for weight loss is rabbit food is tired and worn out. Encourage them to try new recipes that you love – perhaps start by inviting them to dinner and cooking them healthy meals.


• Have healthy food around the house. This is important if you live with someone who needs to lose weight. Having one rule for them and one rule for you is a no go


• Exercise together. They might respond to coffee and a walk with the dog!


• Try to find out what's contributing to the weight gain. It could be stress, an undetected hormonal condition or depression. Try to help them find solutions.

Helping a loved one to lose weight is a beautiful gift, so GO FOR IT!

Download our new FREE e-book - "7 Secrets of Weight Loss Revealed"

What's gotten into our fish?

I was reading through the wonderful ‘CleanFood organic’ publication (http://www.cleanfood.com.au/) when I came across an article revealing antibiotic levels found in wild Tasmanian fish were 4 times higher than the allowable levels set out by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. Farmed fish are usually quarantined before harvest to reduce antibiotic levels, but the same can’t be said for wild fish.

It seems either wild fish are gaining access to the feed outside the holding pens or the farmed fish are making Houdini proud and escaping. Either way, it’s disturbing to hear that the potential is there for cross contamination, much like what is happening with a lot of GE crops. Once this starts happening, how on earth do we control it?

It’s not a new concept that antibiotics disrupt the balance of healthy bacteria in our gut, which can then go on to adversely affect gut permeability. This is when the gut becomes “leaky”, allowing toxins and undigested particles into the bloodstream. This compromises the liver, lymphatic system, and the immune response including the endocrine system. Here in lies the potential for an immune attack on organs including the thyroid gland, which can affect weight gain and our general state of health.

Beneficial bacteria also break down hormones that are released from the liver. When there are insufficient bacteria to break down these hormones and the intestinal permeability has been altered, oestrogens are reabsorbed in their original state. The body can then make deposits in oestrogen-sensitive areas such as the breast, uterus or ovaries contributing to fibroids, endometriosis and PMS.

Make a point of reducing interference with your body’s natural rhythm and choose organic where possible.

Download my new Ebook “7 Secrets of weight loss revealed” now.

Recipy week (day four)

Fish Salad with Lemon Grass, Chilli and Lime

Serves 4

• 500g trout or white fleshed freshwater, fish, such as barramundi, cleaned


• salt and freshly ground pepper


• vegetable oil


• 1 lemon grass stalk, tender part only, cut in 6cm lengths and shredded finely


• 4 kaffir lime leaves, shredded very finely


• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced


• ½ cup Thai basil leaves


• ½ cup coriander leaves


• 5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice


• 2 tablespoons fish sauce


• 2 teaspoons caster sugar


• 1 tablespoon toasted ground rice*


• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper


• 2 mild red chillies, seeded and shredded finely

Season the fish well with salt and pepper, put on a plate and steam for 8 minutes over simmering water. Set aside to cool. When cool, flake the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the bones and skin. In a wok, heat a tablespoon of oil until hot but not smoking. Fry the lemon grass and lime leaves until softened, then remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.

Add three or four tablespoons of oil to the wok and when hot, fry the garlic until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel. Fry the eschalots until crisp, then drain. Add the fried ingredients to the fish with the basil and coriander. Stir the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, ground rice and cayenne pepper together in a bowl. Taste and add more fish sauce if necessary. Add to the salad ingredients and toss lightly. Divide between bowls and scatter with shredded chillies and a little more toasted ground rice to serve.

*Toast four tablespoons of uncooked rice in a hot pan until golden brown, stirring constantly. Cool, then process to a powder in an electric spice mill.

Recipy week (day three)

Chicken biryani

(serves 4)

300g (1 ½ cups) long-grain rice
40ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
1 onion, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
4 chicken breasts, cut into 2cm dice
½ teaspoon ground chilli
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cinnamon sticks
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
6 fresh curry leaves (optional)*
150ml thick plain low-fat yoghurt
2 tablespoons sultanas
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup roughly chopped coriander leaves

Cook the rice in salted water for 8 minutes, then drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a large frypan over medium heat, add the onion and cook for 1-2 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and chicken, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the spices, curry leaves, yoghurt, and sultanas, stir for 1 minute, then reduce heat to very low.

Place the rice on top of the sauce. Cover the top of the pan with a folded tea towel, then place the lid on top of the tea towel. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid, add nuts and half the coriander and stir well to combine. Garnish with the remaining coriander, and offer chutney and sliced tomatoes and onions with the dish.

Recipy week (day two)

Curried Lentil and Pumpkin Soup

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1½ cups dried red lentils
1kg grey pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, and chopped
5 cups vegetable stock
natural yoghurt, to serve

Heat oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until soft. Stir in curry powder and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add lentils, pumpkin, and stock. Stir until well-combined. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly until pumpkin is just tender.

Serve immediately, topped with a dollop of natural yoghurt if desired.

Per serve (yoghurt no included): 1678 kJ; 8.8g fat; 2.6g sat fat; 14.6g fibre; 53.3g carb; 28.6g pro; Omg chol; 593mg sod.

Recipy week (day one)

Beef, Snake Bean and Walnut Stir Fry

Serves 4

500g tender lean beef, sliced very thinly
2 teaspoons kecap manis* or Soy sauce
2 tablespoons shaohsing (rice wine)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 teaspoon grated fresh galangal
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup walnut pieces
4 eschalots, peeled and sliced
bunch (about 300g) of snake beans, trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 large dried red chilli, torn into pieces, or 1 fresh red chilli, sliced

TO SERVE:

Steam jasmine rice

Put the beef in a bowl with the kecap manis, shaohsing, garlic and galangal and toss until coated, then set aside. Heat two tablespoons of the oil in the wok, then stir-fry the walnuts until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Wipe any nut residue from the wok, then place the wok over a high heat. Add a tablespoon of the oil, then stir-fry the beef in batches for about 2 minutes each until it changes colour. Transfer the beef to a bowl as it cooks.

Add the remaining oil to the wok, then stir fry the eschalots and snake beans for 2 minutes. Mix half a cup of water and the fish sauce with any remaining beef marinade, then add to the wok and simmer for 1 minute until the beans are tender but crisp. Return the beef and walnuts to the wok.

Add the chilli and stir gently until heated through. Serve with steamed rice.

Food for thought

We’ve all heard the phrase “You are what you eat” but have you really sat down and thought about what this actually means? Are you aware of the impact the food choices you make has on your health and to a greater extent, the impact this has on the environment? Climate change, sustainability, eco-friendly, carbon neutral, genetically engineered, organic, free-range and natural are terms we’re all familiar with and are becoming common inclusions in our modern day language. It’s something that we all MUST embrace in order to protect our individual health and that of our planet. If you haven’t thought much about it as yet, now would be a good time to start.

I remember backyard veggie gardens being more popular in the past compared to today and I’m sure the main culprit here is time, or a lack of. The supermarket has surpassed the veggie garden in terms of convenience and little thought is given towards how and where our produce is grown. Fast food and pre-packaged meals are all too tempting when it comes to those times when we are exhausted and the last thing we feel like doing is cooking. But are we doing more harm than good in purchasing these things?

We’re all aware of the importance of eating a well balanced diet in order to obtain the right balance of vitamins and minerals to sustain good health. It’s no surprise that convenience foods contain little nutritional value and with the preservatives and additives added to keep the food ‘fresh’, we are left with little else but empty calories. Eating these foods too often can lead to nutritional deficiencies, which over time can contribute to much more severe health problems such as cardiovascular disease, weight gain and obesity, diabetes, hormonal imbalances, chronic fatigue, immune deficiencies and many, many more.

Another important factor to consider is where exactly is our food coming from? Our meat and produce supply often travels quite lengthy distances to reach our dinner plate and during transportation, freshness and nutritional quality can often be compromised. Fruit and vegetables are often picked early and chemically ripened to ensure they are looking bright and fresh when they hit supermarket shelves. Add to this the fuel costs, the burning of fossil fuels and the resources used in production and transportation and you’ve got yourself an expensive, nutritionally challenged food source.

Synthetic chemicals have gained popularity in modern farming practices to ensure maximum results for minimal time and effort. Poultry and livestock are pumped full of growth promoting hormones and chemicals and our fruit and vegetables are sprayed with an assortment of pesticides to keep those pesky critters out. As these practices are only relatively new, we are unsure of the long term health and environmental effects this will have but we do have evidence of the short term effects.

These synthetic hormones and chemicals mimic our natural hormones and can contribute to greater hormonal dysfunction. Xenoestrogens, man-made oestrogens found in plastic products and synthetic hormones, add to our natural oestrogen pool and can contribute to an oestrogen dominant environment. This has implications with stubborn and persistent weight gain, fertility (for both males and females), endometriosis, uterine fibroids and possibly some forms of cancer[1]’[2]. They have also been detected in the offspring of some animals that have been exposed[3]. Don’t you think it’s reasonable to question the logic of releasing large amounts of chemicals into the environment without fully understanding the effects on ecology or human health? The same argument can be made for genetically engineered foods.

It’s not just important, but absolutely imperative, to be aware of these things and equally important to know it’s not all doom and gloom. Keep the following points in mind next time you are shopping and you will be putting a foot in the right direction. Change has to start somewhere so why not with you?

• Buy local and organic wherever you can. This will ensure your food is fresh and free of synthetic chemicals-better for your health and hormonal well being. Local produce cuts down on transportation costs, which will make your purse and the environment happier.
• Have a look around for farmers markets in your area and don’t forget to take a re-usable shopping bag.
• Always read labels to be aware of genetically modified ingredients, additives and preservatives.
• Plant a veggie and herb garden. If you don’t have much garden space, get creative with containers and pots.
• Supermarket produce needs to be labelled with its place of origin so keep an eye on this.
• Always buy local or Australian grown produce that is in season.
• Eat as much raw, fresh foods as possible. This should be easier to do now that the weather is warming up and will provide you with essential nutrients to sustain good health.
• Reduce your exposure to plastics to avoid unnecessary hormonal disruption and to reduce the environmental impact these products have. Always re-use shopping bags, recycle and carry a non-plastic water bottle that you can re-fill as you go.
• Limit your consumption of fast foods and pre-packaged meals. Keep a range of nuts, seeds, legumes, fresh fruit & vegetables, fish and lean meat on hand to prepare your meals. They don’t have to be 3 course masterpieces; a salad, stir-fry or omelette is quick, easy and nutritious.
• Walk to the shops instead of driving. You’ll save on fuel costs, save fossil fuel emissions and get fit at the same time. Exercise is also a great way to help your body eliminate excess toxins and hormones that can impact on your health.
• Look after your liver to ensure it is able to process toxins and excess hormones. Limit alcohol consumption and increase your intake of bitter foods such as endive, chicory, silverbeet, radicchio, outer leaves of cos lettuce, dandelion root, and grapefruit.
• Choose natural household and beauty products.

We are beginning to see the impact our food choices are having on our health and the environment. As consumers, we have a big say in what and how our food is farmed, produced and delivered and this is just one of the ways we as individuals can make a difference. What are you waiting for?

Emma Scasni is a qualified naturopath at MassAttack Health Clinic and has a keen interest in women’s health. Emma is passionate about all aspects of natural health and is happy to offer support and advice to new and existing MassAttack members. MassAttack specializes in natural treatment programs for women with hormonal imbalances such as PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis & thyroid imbalance. Narelle Stegehuis, CEO of MassAttack, is the recipient of the Australian Naturopathic Excellence Award 2006 and can be contacted at narelle@massattack.com.au

[1] http://www.fwhc.org/health/xeno.htm
[2] http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/65/1/54
[3] http://topics.scirus.com/Behavioral_effects_of_Xenoestrogens.html