Nutrition

“One of the greatest impacts you can have on your health is to improve the quality of your diet.”

Nutrients are involved in the creation of every molecule and the maintenance of every system in the body. The body requires more than 45 nutrients to maintain health. The nutrients provided by the foods we eat are essential for growth, development and repair of the body. They help regulate metabolic functions, assist in the formation and functioning of bones, tissues and organs, as well as the production of hormones, nervous system chemicals, and genetic material.

Nutrient deficiencies ultimately contribute to the development of degenerative diseases. The rising incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, high cholesterol, Infertility and many types of cancer have been positively correlated to the Western diet. Nutrition therefore plays an important role in virtually every medical condition.
Today’s consumers are flooded with information about what they should be eating to improve their health, this overload often leaves people confused and unsure about what to eat.

So here are some free general guidelines for a healthy balanced diet. More specific health conditions require a consultation with our practitioner for appropriate nutrition guidelines.

In General:

Your diet should consist predominantly of foods that are fresh and if possible organic.
Increase intake of raw foods.
Increase intake of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.
Increase intake of deep sea oily fish such as Salmon.
Limit intake of red meats.
Do not eat if you are upset, tired or in pain.
Do not overeat and do not eat too close to bedtime.
Eat slowly and in a relaxed manner.
Chew your food thoroughly.
Do not skip meals.
Do not drink with meals as it dilutes the digestive juices.

Fruits and Vegetables:

Try to have fruit 3 times daily.
Have 2 platefuls of vegetables daily, one preferably raw (ie: salad)
Eat a wide range of fruits and vegetables, especially those that are dark green, red or orange coloured.
Increase intake of garlic, ginger and onions.
Do not overcook or boil vegetables – this can destroy vitamins and minerals in plants. Instead lightly steam, stir-fry, bake or make to a soup.
Include sprouted grains, seeds and pulses in salads.

Wholegrains:

Replace white rice with brown rice.
Increase intake of millet, corn, spelt, quinoa, rice and buckwheat.
Limit intake of barley, rye, oats and especially wheat – these contain gluten and are a common source of food allergies or intolerance.

Seeds and Nuts:

Buy unroasted and unsalted. (Health food shop is best source).
Eat at least 2 Tbsp of seeds like Flaxseed, sunflower, sesame and pumpkin daily – good source of beneficial omega 3 and 6 oils.
When cooking nuts, use low heat so as to avoid damaging oil content.
Store fresh nuts in the fridge or freezer – Keeps them fresh and retains nutrients.

Pulses:

Increase intake of soy beans, black eye peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto and lima beans, lentils, tofu and tempeh. These are healthier options for obtaining protein than red meats, dairy and eggs.
Sprouting pulses increases their nutrient content. Lentils and mung beans are especially easy to sprout.

Fish, Meat and Dairy:

Limit the intake of these items, restrict animal protein to once per day.
Have deep sea oily fish 3 times weekly.
To retain nutrients, best method of cooking fish is to poach, steam or bake.
For meat, try organic.
Use free range chicken and eggs.
For healthier alternative, replace cheese and yoghurt made from cow’s milk with that made from goat or sheep’s milk.

Natural sweeteners:

If using honey, buy organic or wild honey.
Another alternative to sugar is molasses – it is full of vitamins and minerals.
Other alternatives to sugar are rice syrup, maple syrup and stevia.
Instead of chocolate opt for carob – more nutritious and does not contain caffeine.

Natural Flavourings:

Flavour foods with healthy options such as herbs, garlic, ginger, parsley, lemon grass, yeast extract, tahini, tamari, lemon, cider vinegar and vanilla.

Foods to avoid where possible:

Processed and refined foods: white flour, white rice, pearl barley, corn starch, sugar, commercial cakes, biscuits, pastry, white bread, crumpets, waffles, packaged sugary cereals, doughnuts, sweets, chocolates, ice cream, jams, sweetened yoghurts, flavoured milk & processed cheese.
Additives: flavourings, colourings, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and dyes.
Chemically extracted oils: margarine and whipped up cooking fats.
Rancid foods: Old butter and grains, old seeds, nuts and oils.
Excessive salt and fast foods.
Canned drinks, squashes and sweetened juices.
Processed meats like bacon, salami, sausages and ham.
Deep fried foods.

Restrict:

Alcohol – if necessary stick to red wine and have it with food.
Coffee and tea

Located on the Northern Beaches in Sydney at Frenchs Forest