My hellfire response to statements likening fatties to dole bludgers (aka welfare recipients)

Well now. I might be a bit behind the times but I have just seen the most APPALLING interview on Today Tonight. Apparently it has caused quite the controversy! It was posted on the book of faces by someone I follow, not necessarily in a promotional kind of way, but more in a "what do you think about this?" kind of way. The girl who runs the page that shared the video seems to be friends, or at least acquaintances, with the people IN the video. They are all trainers on the Sunshine Coast. I do not hold it against her :), but I couldn't help but share exactly what I thought with the poor unsuspecting followers of the beautiful BionicaFit Warrior. I'm not sure if my comment will stay there or if it will be removed, but I think it's really important to share my response to this interview, because I believe that it is so incredibly vital that this ignorant and commonly held opinion of us fatties be challenged. 

You will however, unfortunately, need to watch the interview first, otherwise the rest of this blog post will mean absolutely nothing, and I may even come across a little nutso! So here is the link...

Some common themes you may have picked up on are -

• A medical condition that causes obesity is the ONLY excuse ANYONE has for being overweight, and everyone else just needs to get off the couch and eat better because we are all just lazy gluttons
• We all have a fat person and an athlete inside us and we need to decide which one we want to be (apparently there is nothing in between either of these extremes?) 
• Fat people suck the life out of the people around them (this is not a paraphrase, they actually said this!)
• Fat people are like dole bludgers, we consume the resources meant for people with a genuine need or problem. (I'm honestly really not sure what they were on about with this one, do they mean we steal all the Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers consultants from the people with the real medical problems which cause obesity?)

And here is what I unleashed on the common people (Keep in mind this is a response to a post on a facebook page, so it is basically addressing the administrator of said page. I have edited it only slightly for ease of understanding it out of context)...

I'm sorry but have either of these two ever actually been overweight or OBESE and either not been able to lose the weight or not been able to keep it off? Because anyone who hasn't been through that battle really should just keep their ignorant comments to themselves. I make the assumption that these two haven't because if they had, they would simply never make such small minded generalisations. 

I'm not offended per se, maybe because I know better, but I am bloody angry that people like this are who overweight people go to to try and "fix" their bodies. I'm not saying all fat people are blameless, but seriously, if you can't see that this "epidemic" stems from a societal issue, then you are blind. And if you think it is simply just a matter of calories in and energy out, then you are stupid (Disclaimer for my blog readers, I’m referring to people who claim to be experts here. Unfortunately this theory has been shoved down our throats for so long that it is understandable if you, my dearest reader, actually do believe this. And I would never call you stupid...). If it were just a matter of calories in and energy out, you (BionicaFit Warrior) would be out of a job. THEY would be out of a job, and the multi million dollar diet industry would collapse, because it would be EASY. We would all be thin and fit and beautiful. 

The fact is there are plenty of people who eat absolute rubbish and live a sedentary life who are STILL THIN. This observation alone suggests there is more to obesity that simply diet and exercise. People like this look at Joe Bloggs over there and see him sitting on his couch eating cheeto’s and think "all you have to do is get up and go for a run and replace your cheeto's and your chocolate with celery and an apple". What they don't see is that despite the copious amounts of food he is eating, he is NUTRITIONALLY STARVING. His body doesn't know any better, it just thinks "Im not getting what I need from what you've already eaten so I'm gonna tell you to eat more of it (enter all-consuming junk food craving). I’m also gonna tell you to feel tired so you can conserve what little nutrition you did actually get out of that pizza and not waste it on non-essential JOGGING (enter another season of Criminal Minds). 

Being overweight is not the CAUSE of anything. It is a SYMPTOM. It's not the cause of Diabetes, it's a SYMPTOM. It's not the cause of heart disease, IT'S A SYMPTOM OF SOMETHING MUCH DEEPER. It's not enough to treat the symptom, we need to be looking at the CAUSE. WHY is Joe's mind absolutely CONSUMED by the thought of eating that block of chocolate, to the point where if he doesn't give in he will stab himself with a fork in the eye just to take his mind off it? WHY can he not get off that God damned couch no matter how good he knows a walk would be?! And why, if he DOES manage to make himself do these things despite his body fighting him all the way, and to lose some weight, why will he most likely put it all back on plus some later down the track? 

We are NOT all Geoff Huegill. We do NOT all have an athlete on the inside. Good for you if you really love working out, if that is your passion, your thing. Being active is one thing but some of us have better things to than to train for hours a day! Hell, I like to read, and learn stuff, is there anything wrong with that? NO! Doing the amount of exercise it would take for an obese person to lose weight and keep it off for good (especially one who has yoyo dieted their entire life and now finds it almost impossible to shed even a kilo), is simply not maintainable for the average fat person. And not frigging desirable either! Fat people have lives too you know! 

It is just NOT a matter of getting off your couch and eating healthy. News Flash! NEARLY EVERY FAT PERSON HAS TRIED THIS AND WE ARE STILL FAT AND GETTING FATTER!!! WE DON'T NEED TO BE TOLD WE ARE FAT! WE KNOW! AND WE ARE FIGHTING A GOD DAMN WAR WITH OUR BODIES AND IT IS EXCRUCIATING!!! These two people and their trivialisation of such a complex issue and the pain it causes so many, quite frankly disgusts and appalls me. If I offend anyone, well, tough. Apologies for the thesis but seriously, wow, I am angry. I notice their book is called "Never Diet Again" but if what they say in this interview is any indication, I'm not quite sure how this title and what they seem to believe fat people need to do to lose weight really mesh. And quite frankly, good luck to them getting anyone to buy and read it after this. You just alienated the majority of your target audience, douche bags.

This was Bianca's (BionicaFit Warrior) incredibly diplomatic response - 

hahahah Jas - "You just alienated the majority of your target audience..." - look I agree with so much of what you said, it is definitely the other side of the conversation that was not presented. IF simply being told you were FAT was enough to make you go out and GO FOR A RUN and THAT was the solution to the world's obesity epidemic then SURE.. don't you think the daily messages in the media would be enough ??? I think the issue here is there needs to be an identification of yes there is 

1. A small percentage of people who are obese completely due to medical factors out of their control. 

2. There are obese people out there who are living in La-La Land of Denial, saying that Big Is Beautiful, and that Fat Can Be Healthy ( No, Even fat over 4.5 kilos creates leptin resistance which causes negative health in the body - but in saying that even I"m 4.5 kilos over my ideal athletic weight). These people need a serious reality check that their health is costing them in more areas than just financially. 

3. There are obese people who have yo-yo dieted all their life and would give ANYTHING for a solution to understand why it is that they can try so hard to lose weight and then it all piles back on in a second as soon as they take their eye off the ball for a moment. 

4. There are slightly overweight people who think that they are obese and are stuck in a cycle of ALL or NOTHING. They know what to do, but it doesn't seem to work for them long term, so they rebound when they go back to a more "sustainable lifestyle"

5. There are people who have a little weight to lose who just need a "J.F.D.I" kick up the backside to put a few healthy lifestyle changes in place and they will get there. 

Julius and Sharny are only talking about The Number 2 Type people, who I believe aren't going to do anything about their weight just because a couple of slim young people tell them that they are fat. ( Think Commando Steve screaming in a ladys face - You got fat because you're been BUSY? Busy doing WHAT ? Eating Chocolate!!! ) And I think that all the other types of people except for number 5 are going to be offended by what they said. 

The only common misconception that I would highlight Jas in your statement is that an obese person doesn't need to do excessive amounts of exercise a day in order to lose weight, 20 minutes is more than enough. And then throughout the day doing things that love their body, and eating foods that allow their body to love them back. Obesity is purely a representation of a lack of self love, and a lack of education, and a lifestyle that contributes to further stressing their bodies so their animal brain thinks that they're not safe - hence the need for protective layers.

With which I replied - 

Haha thanks for not deleting my comment . I understand what you are saying, and that YOU know that they are aiming their comments at type 2 people. That's why I follow your fb page. Unfortunately from what they said in the interview, it is perfectly clear that THEY do not understand this. They said quite plainly that anyone who does not have a medical condition that causes obesity is lazy and it's their own fault etc. THEY made that generalization and split obese people up into only 2 categories, not 5. That displays and perpetuates the same ignorance that pretty much drives everyone else in the diet industry, only these guys managed to articulate their ignorance in a far more insulting manner than the rest of the diet industry usually does. 

If they thought alienating type 2's was going to bring them more of the other types then they seriously misjudged themselves and their audience. I'm far from a type 2, I'm a cross between a 3 and a 4 who knows exactly what is going on with my body but still finds it all too hard and overwhelming, but their message still alienated me because quite frankly it is an insult to my intelligence and my knowledge of basic biology. Maybe there is more to what they believe than what they managed to convey in their interview, but I for one am never going to find out because after that little display, there's no way I would even open their book. 

And you know, I don't even blame all type 2's for being that way. I know how hard the fight is, and if the choice is between learning to love yourself the way you are and telling yourself that "big is beautiful" and you can have "health at any size", and fighting constantly with your own body and being miserable, then I get it. I've been there and I've tried it but unfortunately it didn't stick. If they can manage, and they're happy, then good on them. It is their life and their choice and no-one has the right to tell them otherwise.

To which I was told “Very well put Jas, it's a complex issue definitely :)”.

**As for Bianca's comment regarding exercise and 20 minutes a day being sufficient, I won't dispute that. Perhaps it is enough, and maybe she knows the magic formula. Honestly though I think it is different for everyone. The fact is, I have heard over and over again how people will do this, exercising regularly, and then get to a point where they plateau and won't lose any more weight. I believe it also has to do with the TYPE of exercise. From what I understand, consistent cardio like running is one of those types of exercises that your body sees as a chronic stressor, which causes it to hold onto fat. Weight training and HIIT (high intensity interval training - which is basically resistance or weight training interspersed with periods of high intensity cardio), seems to be the way to go for fat loss, but I cannot attest personally to it's effectiveness because I'm still watching Criminal Minds from the comfort of my couch :).

I would just like to say, kudos to Bianca for being so tactful and diplomatic, not once did she really say anything that would offend Julius and Sharny, or me, or anyone else who commented on her post. Not an easy thing to do with such a controversial topic. Clearly, I did not succeed at this, but as I don't know Julius and Sharny, I didn't feel a particular need to try...

I am interested in your thoughts so please feel free to comment, but if you are a douche like the two unpleasant people in the interview, I will just delete you. This is not a place for bagging out anyone. Except douches. I know, I really should stop using that word... and having double standards... Oh well.

Also, if you'd like any more information on the ideas myself or Bianca have presented about the reasons behind obesity and why it can be such a vicious cycle, I would strongly recommend reading a book called "The Gabriel Method" by Jon Gabriel. While I haven't stuck to what he suggests for various reasons (though I think I will revisit his research very soon and give it another crack), logically, biologically, and anthropologically, he makes a great deal of sense. He also comes from the perspective of being MORBIDLY obese, yoyo dieting his whole life, and does actually understand what some of us go through to try and lose an incredible amount of weight, and the frustration and hopelessness that can come with the seemingly endless battle. Also Bianca of BionicaFit Warrior has programs, as she mentioned, which may be for you, so if you have the money to spend on a coach, you might want to contact her!

Jas xox

Cheese and Bacon Muffins

I AM SOOOOOO SICK OF EGGS!!!

Poached eggs, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, baked eggs, hard boiled eggs, omelettes... I can't handle them any more! So I wanted an alternative SAVOURY breakfast recipe that I could grab and run, and that would not make me GAG!

I also had a craving for savoury muffins. Mmmmm... cheesy ones...

So I made these!

Cheese & Bacon Muffins

Ingredients:

3 Rashers of bacon

1 Medium Zucchini, grated

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 and a 1/2 cups of Grated Cheddar Cheese, loosely packed

2 cups Almond Flour/Meal

3 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder 

100mls Milk

3 eggs

Paprika to sprinkle

Substitutions - 

Vegetarian - leave out the bacon and add more zucchini, or spinach

Cheese - Due to the bacon and the cheese, these babies have the potential to be quite salty. If you are concerned, substitute half, or even all, of your cheddar for mozzarella. Also if you are using pre-grated cheese from the supermarket, you may want to use a bit less.

Nut Free - use 1 and a 1/2 cups of GF flour or wheat flour, or coconut flour. If you use coconut flour you will need to increase the wet ingredients as it is much more absorbent. Try adding extra milk and some oil, preferably coconut oil. I will try and make a nut free version soon and post the recipe, as it will be a bit different!

NB: I make my own baking powder to avoid the aluminium and additives in the commercial stuff. It's basically just 1 part Baking SODA to 2 parts Cream of Tartar.

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Remove the rind (or not, if you particularly like it) from your bacon and dice. Fry over medium-high heat until it starts to brown. Squeeze the moisture our of your grated zucchini. I spread mine out between two paper towels, then between two folded tea-towels and press down firmly until the paper towels are soaked through and the tea-towels are a bit wet.

In a mixing bowl, combine your dry ingredients well. Mix together eggs and milk, and then stir into almond flour mixture until well combined. Add bacon, zucchini, cheese and chives, and mix gently but well. Drop heaped dessert-spoon-fulls into a prepared muffin tin or paper muffin liners, sprinkle the top with paprika (trust me on the paprika), and bake for about 40 minutes. My oven is quite slow so please check yours earlier than this though as I don't want the responsibility of yours burning! :). I use a slicon tray which pretty much nothing sticks to. If you're using a metal one I would suggest lining with paper muffin/cupcake liners just to be safe, as almond meal muffins won't come away from the edges like wheat flour ones do.

Makes 12 medium sized muffins.

Enjoy WARM! You can freeze these individually so you can grab one when you want it and zap it in the microwave or pop it in the oven for a few minutes to warm and crisp up!

Jas xo

Banana Bread

Ahoyhoy! (I always hated that greeting simply because it reminded me of someone who I didn't want to be reminded of, but it is cheerful, and I am in need of some cheer today, so I have decided to attempt to make friends with it...)

Soooo... I went to the gym last night. Great hey? Except that I made it as far as the car park and couldn't bring myself to get out of the car. I sat there in the drivers seat, with a view to the inside of the gym, watching all the better looking, better bodied fit people doing their thang, and I just couldn't bring myself to face their judgement. I do realise they probably wouldn't have judged me at all. Maybe some of them started out where I am, but it's just one of those joys of being overweight and hating it. It's a catch 22 really. To get to a place where I like my body and feel healthy, I have to get active. Diet alone just isn't going to cut it. But to get active, I have to face my fears of being silently judged and show my jiggly bits off to the world. Yay! Not.

I also lost my job last week. Technically I resigned, but you know, I wasn't really left with much choice. A (big) part of me is actually relishing the time off. I mean after all, now I have the time to do all the things that I have been putting off due to lack of time, like sorting my house out, crafting, cooking, GOING TO THE GYM. It's amazing how quickly a whole day can go by before you realise you haven't really done anything and it's over! But I will get motivated tomorrow. Really I will.

In the meantime, I needed some comfort food, STAT! But I reeeeeally didn't want to feel guiltier than I already did about not going to the gym. Entrer (that's french for "enter", not a typo ;) Banana Bread!

After researching a lot of "paleo" style banana bread recipes online, I came to the conclusion that I needed to develop my own. I am really surprised with what some people are calling "paleo"! Buckwheat? I don't think so lady! Coconut flour based recipes... well yeah, but I always find coconut flour based recipes to be dry and banana bread should be moist... (apologies to those of you who hate that word, but there really is no other that conveys the same meaning when talking about banana bread). And I know what I like in a banana bread, and none of these recipes had it. So I kind of wung it (that's the past tense of winging it in case you missed the link...). Here we go!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 mediums sized ripe bananas

1/2 cup melted coconut oil (or melted grass fed butter)

1/3 cup of nut butter

3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

3 eggs

1 and 2/3 cup of almond meal

1/3 cup of coconut flour

1 tsp of baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup of chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans

NB: The following substitutions can be made...

Sweeteners - You can sub the maple syrup for honey if you like, just keep in mind that honey is a tad sweeter. If you would like to omit the extra sweetener completely, or you like a stronger banana flavour, you can add another banana.

Nut butter - I used Woolworth's Macro brand Almond, Brazil and Cashew nut butter. They also have a DELICIOUS plain cashew nut butter, but I like to save this one for eating straight our of the jar...

Toasted nuts - I actually used a mixture of pine nuts, sunflower seeds and pepitas that you can get in a little tub in the fruit and veg section of woolies. These toast up beautifully and add a really nice texture, but walnuts are a bit more traditional and not as strongly flavoured as pine nuts. Basically just add whatever you like!

Method

Preheat Oven to 180°C.

Combine bananas and the rest of the wet ingredients in a food processor. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients well (except for toasted nuts), then add to food processor and process until smooth. It shouldn't be runny, but should be more the consistency of.... mashed potato? You know, like you need to spoon it instead of pour it. If it seems too runny, add 1/2 a tablespoon of coconut flour at a time until it looks right. Too firm, just add some more oil, or banana, or even some water.

Mix in the toasted nuts/seeds and spread into a loaf pan (I use silicon which is non-stick but if you are using metal or glass make sure you grease and maybe even line the tin). Mine was quite a small loaf pan so it ended up rather deep, and as a result took about an hour to bake. But basically, if you spread it thinner, it will take less time. Best to just keep an eye on it the first time and it will be finished when it is brown and firm when you poke it lightly but firmly it in the middle. Make sure the oven isn't on too high or it will be cooked on the outside but doughy on the inside. If in doubt, lower temp and longer cooking time is better. You can put it in a slice tin or even a muffin tin if you like.

Let it cool a little and set properly before you take it out of the loaf pan. Remember there's no gluten so it's a little bit more fragile than a traditional banana bread, especially when it's still hot.

Slice and enjoy warm as is, with a dob of butter, or wrap it up cold and take it to work for morning tea! It's a great breakfast full of protein and healthy fats. You can wrap the pieces individually and freeze, so you don't need to eat it in a hurry either. My absolute FAVORITE way to eat it though is fried with bacon and maple syrup ;). That's tomorrow's brekky for me. I'll take a photo! oh I can't wait... :)

Jas xx

Kid's Snacks Minus the Sugar - Part 2

Hey y'all!

If you haven't read my last post on avoiding sugary snacks for your kids (and in general), you can find it here. This post will talk about the alternatives to snacks containing high amounts of processed sugar.

It's not all bad news... I promise! While avoiding sugar as much as possible in any form is the ideal, let's face it, not that many of us are going to give it up entirely unless we have particular reason to, or the strength and willpower of a bull. So what do you do when you want a healthier snack? What do you put in your kids lunch boxes?

One of the most common go-to, healthy snacks is fruit. Fruit is seen as a good snack option as it's natural, and generally nutrient rich. A common misconception however is that because it is natural, it's ok to eat as much as you like. While it's true that fruit contains vital nutrients, it is important to keep in mind that it also contains a whole lot of sugar, and the nutrients found in fruit can also be obtained from other, less sugary foods, such as vegetables. As long as you are not diabetic or pre-diabetic, fruit should be fine, though I certainly wouldn't recommend eating it for every snack.There are also other factors to take into consideration such as activity levels. For example, if you or your family members play a lot of sports or are expecially active, more fruit is probably ok as your body will use the excess sugar (fructose) for energy. And kids are generally pretty active by default. If however, you or your children are primarily sedentary (for example, if you have an office job which doesn't allow you to be active, and you don't go to the gym every day), then you might want to consider keeping your fruit intake to a moderate to low level. If you would like more information on fruit and fructose (the sugar found in fruit), have a look at Dr Mercola's articles on why large amounts of fruit may not be healthy and at the extreme end, the health hazards of an all fruit diet.

If you do decide to give your kids fruit as snacks, there are options that are lower in sugar, such as rasberries, cranberries, strawberries, blackberries, passionfruit, prunes, cantaloupe (rockmelon), blueberries, pineapple, and nectarines. Fruits such as oranges, bananas, grapes, mangoes and cherries are very high in sugar, and honestly (sorry guys), if you are going to give your kids dried fruits, you may just as well give them lollies. A) If a fruit is dried, you are likely to eat more of it than you would it's hydrated equivalent because it doesn't fill the belly with it's water content. B) The sugar in dried fruit is condensed, and it is EXTREMELY sticky. It adheres to teeth like glue (I'm sure you can remember eating dried fruit and picking at your teeth for hours afterwards with your tongue), creating the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive. This bacteria is what causes cavities, as it increases acidity in the mouth. I read a very simplistic explanation of this phenomenon which made me giggle. It said that the bacteria "poops" acid. Haha yeah that's right. Sugar increases bacteria poop in your mouth ;P. If you want your kids to eat less sugar, maybe just tell them that? ;) Seriously though, it is as bad for your kids teeth (and blood sugar levels) as lollies and soft drinks. Just ask your dentist next time you go! If you're going to give them fruit, pleeeease give them real, fresh fruit. It's just as easy, and far better for them.

Anyhoooo! Enough about fruit. In essence, if you are trying to lower your kids sugar intake (which is what prompted this blog series in the first place), don't JUST look at processed sugars, but consider limiting thier fruit if you think you might be giving them a bit too much. You can also try giving them lower sugar fruits instead of higher sugar fruits and dried fruits.

Some other ideas for snacks or lunches you can give your children (or yourself) which are low in sugar are: -

• Hard boiled eggs
• Devilled eggs
• Curried eggs
• Pigs in blankets (prunes wrapped in bacon)
• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Cucumber sticks
• Zucchini slice
• Vegetable Frittata
• Quiche
• Chicken and salad rice paper wraps (if you eat grains, rice paper wraps are gluten free and pretty healthy), or nori wraps
• Crispy Chicken Strips
• Salmon Cakes
• Salami Sticks
• Cheese
• Celery (or carrot) sticks with Cashew Nut butter (instead of peanut butter which is highly inflamatory and a common allergen).
• Apples with nut butter such as almond or cashew
• Almonds, cashews, macadamias... (any nuts bar peanuts)
• Pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
• Salads
• Cream cheese wrapped in thinly sliced cucumber (YUM!)
• Roasted pumpkin or sweet potato wrapped in caramelised zucchini (YUM!)
• Vegetable chips such as kale, zucchini, sweet potato or beetroot, done in a dehydrator or oven on low temp. (you can easily google recipes for vege chips - unfortunately I don't have one of my own)
   

If you or your kidlets are partial to baked goodies, there are some ways you can reduce the total and/or processed sugar content, if you choose to bake at home. Fruit is a good sweetener, and goes a long way. For example, my Banana Apple Muffin recipe has no added sugar, and only 1 banana will sweeten about 10 muffins. Banana is a great sweetener, and even though it is a high sugar fruit, when you use it for sweetening desserts and baked goods, one ripe banana will go a long way! Natural apple sauce would work similarly, though you may need to use more as it is not quite as sweet. Fruits also make for really moist baked goods.

Honey is a good alternative to processed sugar, but must be raw (unprocessed/unpasteurised) for you to really reap it's benefits. It contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and C, along with minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. It is also an antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral and has traditionally been used in the treatment of gut and digestive issues like ulcers and diarrhea. In addition to it's health benefits, of which processed sugar has NONE, it is about twice as sweet as white sugar, which means you only need to use about half as much (or less). Like fruit though, beware of over-using it, and keep in mind that the supermarket stuff has been pasteurised (heated to a high temp. and then cooled rapidly), which destroys alot of the beneficial bacteria, enzymes, and nutrients.

Pure organic maple syrup is also a good swap, as it is natural and full of nutrients. More research needs to be done I believe, but it seems to have similar benefits to raw honey. You can find some more information on the health benefits of pure maple syrup here or here, though I can not vouch for the validity of the information on these websites.

The best sweetener by far is stevia, as it is completely natural and approximately 200 times sweeter than sugar. It is derived from the stevia plant (if you ever come across one and take a bite of one of it's leaves, you will understand!), and if you have a green thumb, you can actually grow it yourself and grind up the leaves. If you use the liquid, 2-3 drops equals the sweetness of a teaspoon of sugar. It has virtually no calories, and does basically nothing to affect blood sugar. Beware of the supermarket varieties though as they are generally full of additives or mixed with other sugars. You're best getting stevia from a health food or organic store and checking the ingredients to make sure it is pure. Xylitol is another good one that many mistake for an aritficial sweetener, which it is not quite. It is a sugar alcohol sweetener which has about 33% fewer calories than sucrose (table sugar), and much less of an effect on blood sugar. It does occur naturally but the kind that you can buy is very processed, however it is far less damaging that sucrose (table sugar) and unlike other sweeteners, it is actively beneficial for dental health, and is commonly known to reduce the occurence of cavities. (I actively seek toothpaste, or tooth soap to be precise, with xylitol because it is so good for teeth).

Just a quick comment on Agave Nectar - it is sold in health food stores and touted to be a "natural" and "raw" and therefore "healthy" sweetener, but, well, it's not. It is actually highly processed (raw agave is not sweet AT ALL), and has about the same sugar content and effect on blood sugar as table sugar. I would not recommend it as a sweetener option at all.   So anyway, I hope this helps you figure out some lower sugar snacky options for you and your family. If I have forgotten anything, if you have any questions (or suggestions), or want me to expand on anything, please comment below or on my Facebook Page.

In the coming weeks I'll be posting some recipes for low sugar snack options, like quiche, fritatta, muffins, and slices, and I'll also talk about how you can make the sugar content even lower by reducing the carbohydrates from ingredients like grains and white flours, so keep an eye out!

Jas xo

Kid's Snacks Minus the Sugar - Part 1 - Why Dodge the Sugar?

Yesterday I went with my bestie Jules of Sconnie and Jam to pick up her son from school. He's a little tyke and is only in prep (the grade before first grade).

While we were getting the kids stuff together, one of the other mums asked Jules if she had any ideas about sugar free snacks for the kids, and Jules handballed the question over to me (little bit chuffed I am about that actually, she's one of my biggest supporters and I couldn't be more thankful for her ;). So anyway, we had a little chat about natural sweeteners and the best ones to use, but it got me thinking that perhaps I should do a post and expand on my recommendations a little bit. Then I got thinking some more and realised that there is so much to say on the subject, that I will need to do a series of posts... Maybe just 2. We will see ;).

First of all, sugar, in any form (eg. sugar that comes from sweets and/or high carbohydrate savory foods such as breads, pasta and other grains), is just not really necessary. If you are an athlete, or simply have a healthy metabolism and are not diabetic or insulin resistant (aka pre-diabetic), then it's ok in moderation and will probably not do you any significant harm (in the short term at least). However, unlike other debatable sources of nourishment, it's potential (/non-existant) benefits simply do not negate or outweigh it's risks. The fact is that the other nutrients and substances found in high carb foods (even "Low-GI" ones), can easily be obtained from other, less "carby" sources.  Even if you have a healthy metabolism now, if you eat too much sugar, it will most likely not always be the case. For example, I used to metabolise sugar ok when I was younger, but years of eating too much have caused insulin resistance, which, if I do not get under control, will lead to Type 2 Diabetes in a few years at most. Unless you are born with Type 1 Diabetes, we all start out metabolising sugar well, but after years of over exposure to glucose in the blood, our bodies become "deaf" to it (like your ears become deaf if you listen to loud music for too long). Once the body is incapable of metabolising it properly, in comes Type 2 Diabetes. Of course this doesn't happen to everyone,  but it is happening in increasing, if not epidemic proportions compared to generations past, and you have to decide if you really want to take the risk, or put your kids at risk.

Some will argue that we need dietary sugar to provide us with glucose for energy. However, this is not the whole truth. There is a whole lot of scientific research (and first hand experiences), that suggest that our bodies run equally well, if not BETTER, using ketones as a fuel. Without getting into too much detail and giving you a biology lesson, ketone bodies are a byproduct of fat burning, and they are what your body uses as fuel when glucose is unavailable. So actually, your body does not need to use glucose as fuel. Despite everything that you have been told by the mainstream health and diet industries, IT. JUST. DOESN'T. Scientific fact. If you doubt me, just google it. I know google doesn't know everything but it will take you to the information you need if you care to forage for it. "But the brain needs glucose to run!" I hear the doubters doubting.... ;). Well, your body is an amazing machine that is actually quite capable of producing enough glucose for the little energy that the brain needs which it doesn't get from ketones. This phenomenon is called gluconeogenesis. Shock horror, they actually taught me about this little gem in nursing school! And if you know anything about latin, you can easily break the word down and get the drift. Gluco = glucose. Neo = new. Genesis - the start. The brain is actually quite happy to get 50-75% of it's energy from ketones, and the remaining energy that it needs from glucose, the liver can produce it in an of itself. And there are a HECK of a lot of people who have experienced the massive power of the human brain running primarily on ketones. Pretty much every one of them will tell you that they experience greater clarity and brain function when cutting out the glucose, not to mention more energy overall. If you would like more information on this particular topic of the brains energy requirements, there is a great article by Mark Sisson here at Mark's Daily Apple.

Anyhoo, if you are eating anything, the above may be a moot point anyway, because you will likely get plenty of carbs (and therefore glucose) just from veges, nuts, and fruit. Fruit I will talk about in my next post. Being that it is quite high in sugar, it deserves some exploring...

Now, I would like to point out that I am not getting all judgey on people who eat sugar. I eat sugar in various forms. I shouldn't, because my body can't metabolise it properly, but I do. I am simply presenting you with some information, pointing out that it is not an essential nutrient, and that it has many risks. What you do with that is entirely up to you and will not make you a better or worse person or parent. Also keep in mind that my rant on sugar does not mean I won't be giving you all some delicious, sweet and indulgent recipes ;). We'll just be exploring ways to do it healthily, and in the next few posts I'll give you the best natural alternatives to processed sugar, which will satisfy the taste buds of the most discerning sugar addicts, without raising the blood sugar to ridiculous levels and resulting in sugar crashes and mood swings and brain fog. I'll also attempt to source some good savoury recipes for those of you (and your families) who don't have a sweet tooth!

Until then!

Jas xo

A Name Change is a Game Changer!

HELLO THERE!

Just a quickie post to tell you all that I have changed the name, URL and contact email address of my blog from "Made by April Born" to something a little more appropriate for the topics presented here.

"Made by April Born" will still be used for my arty crafty exploits, but right now I am focussing on my health and nutrition interests, so it was time for a bit of an update.

I will also be doing more posts on nutrition and health in general, rather than just recipes, so I hope you will stick around and be inspired! I would love your comments and questions, as I believe we all have something to learn from each other and would love this to be a community of like minded people where all can find support and understanding. So please feel free to contribute by commenting on posts or flicking me an email!

Cheers!
Jas xo

Paleo San Choi Bau (AKA the Asian Caveman)

Hey y'all. Ok so I know it's been AAAAAGES since I posted...  I kind of fell off the wagon. Big time. But I am back on it! Hopefully to stay this time. But you know me... Well I do. Life is a journey of falling down and getting up again... right?

So it's the 5th day of the new year. I didn't make any new years resolutions because I hate them and never stick with them. Plus I am a commitment phone, and NY resolutions are just entirely too committed for me! But the lovely Gerilyn Burnett, who is somewhere over the other side of the world (in Boston I think?), and who I have been following for some time now, kindly offered her 30 day Jumpstart Program for free, starting on the 1st. The eating isn't particularly different from what I've been trying to practice for some time now (except maybe for advocating a bit more fat?), but the support is amazing, and it's great to have a community of people (including Gerilyn herself), to ask questions of, bounce ideas off of, and share the journey with. Thanks Gerilyn!

So I am back, posting this recipe because I uploaded a pic onto the groups Facebook page (exclusive for members... sorry y'all! ;), and thought I'd better put the recipe out there in case anyone needs some more meal ideas! Will try and do some more over the next month, it's as good a reason to play in the kitchen as any right?!  Enjoy!

Paleo San Choi Bau (AKA the Asian Caveman)

Ingredients

500 grams of Chicken or Pork Mince

1 onion of choice, diced

1 small can of sliced water chestnuts, diced

1 zucchini, sliced and diced

2 tsps of minced ginger (approx.)

5 garlic cloves, minced (approx.)

2-3 Tblsps or Coconut Aminos or Tamari

1-2 tsps Fish Sauce (optional)

Juice of 2-3 limes

small handful of toasted chopped cashews or peanuts

Iceberg lettuce leaves for serving

Chopped Coriander (cilantro) for serving

Fry up the onion, garlic and ginger over medium high heat in a couple tablespoons of healthy fat of your choice, until fragrant and translucent. I use a mixture of butter and coconut oil. Butter for flavour, and the addition of coconut oil makes the butter more stable at high heat and prevents it from burning.

Add mince and fry until about half cooked, then add your chopped zucchini (you can add any vegetable you like here really, as long as it's cut up pretty small. Carrot would be great.. Damn why didn't I think of that?!)

Toast your chopped nuts in a separate frypan over medium heat (dry - no added oil). Make sure to stir frequently and keep an eye on them as they burn easily! This should only take a couple of minutes.

Once meat mixture is cooked, add your sauces, lime juice, and water chestnuts. Check the taste and add more flavourings if necessary. If you feel like you need a bit more ginger or garlic, just clear a space in the middle of the pan, add a bit more oil, and fry off a little until fragrant, then mix through the meat mixture. Stir through the nuts when the flavour is right and your ready to go.

Scoop spoonfuls straight into lettuce cups, top with as much chopped cilantro as you like (I like A LOT, as you will know if you have read any of my previous blog posts! :).

TA DA! Yumm...