Fish & Chip Friday came early at Winterbourne Towers this week. Thursday to be precise. Picture this… I am sat munching away at my tuna salad whilst the present Mrs W and her lovely mother sit tucking in to fish & chips… no biggie I hear you say. Well all was going well until the words “these chips dont taste as good at the moment” ….. TRY MY LETTUCE !!! (yummy….not)
Rant over
After my early start this morning I stuck to my usual breakfast of a Banana and an Apple. Followed by a day taking photographs my usual routine would have been an “express lunch” for example a McD’s or a snack attack. This would incorporate chocolate in some variety which is loaded with sugar and would cause me no end of problems.
So, like a good person I had a chicken salad (illustrated above).
Why wouldn’t I? #LeedsLargestLoser2014
Since I was a young lad with a raging appetite a quick fix was to grab a bowl of Kellogs finest Cornflakes or a trio of Weetabix Biscuits. It was easy, it was convenient and more importantly it was nice. Drowned in cold milk and laced with a spoonful of sugar it was almost like a dessert. I have to say it became something that over the years I just used as a “between meals snack” after all who needed a Milky Way? ““The sweet you can eat between meals without ruining your appetite” .. Whatever !
I quickly adopted this idea that breakfast cereal was good for you. I mean, it had everything you could possibly want and apart from Sugar Puffs and a few other products that were specifically aimed at younger kids it had everything but a huge yellow monster. Don’t get me wrong here I didn’t live off cereal… well, (I might have done when I lived alone whilst working away) but at either end of the day a bowl of Shreddies with hot milk was great. It filled you up too.
All was going well for thirty plus years until a few weeks ago. This is when I was informed about the ways grain (including Wheat) affects you whilst on a diet. Now unlike the rest of this blog where words are predominantly my own, the following is an excerpt from an online site as the theories are very complicated and the wording is far too complex for my simple brain. So, from “Authority Nutrition.com” the following reads (here is the link too)
New studies show that even whole wheat may contribute to serious health problems.
Here are 6 ways wheat can destroy your health.
Gluten is the main protein found in wheat and a few other grains like rye, spelt and barley.
Its name is derived from its glue-like (glu-ten) properties.This protein gives dough its elastic properties and makes it pliable. If you’ve ever handled wet dough in your life, then you will know what I’m talking about.
The problem with modern wheat is that many people are unable to properly digest the gluten in it. The immune system “sees” the gluten proteins in the digestive tract, thinks they’re foreign invaders and mounts an attack… not just against the gluten, but also the digestive wall itself. This is the hallmark of celiac disease, a serious disease which may affect up to 1% of the population.However, there is evidence that a much larger percentage of people may be “sensitive” to gluten. They don’t have full-blown celiac disease, but they do have symptoms when they ingest gluten.
There are studies in people who don’t have celiac disease showing that gluten can damage the intestinal lining and cause symptoms like pain, anemia, bloating, stool inconsistency, tiredness, among others. There is also evidence that gluten can make the lining of the intestine more permeable, potentially allowing partially digested substances to “leak” from the digestive tract into the bloodstream.
Of course, it’s important to point out that not all people are sensitive to wheat. Some people appear to tolerate it just fine. The best way to know if you’re sensitive to wheat and gluten is to eliminate it for 30 days, then reintroduce it and see if you notice any symptoms.
Bottom Line: There is mounting evidence that a significant percentage of the population may be “sensitive” to gluten. Gluten sensitivity can cause various adverse effects.
Refined grain products like white bread get digested quickly, which leads to large spikes in blood sugar. The large spikes are followed by rapid drops which tend to stimulate hunger and call for another high-carb meal. This phenomenon is commonly known as the “blood sugar roller coaster.” However, products made from whole grains that contain more fiber are supposed to lead to slower rises in blood sugar. The problem is that whole grains aren’t always what they’re supposed to be. Often, they have been pulverized into very fine flour, which also gets digested quickly, leading to rapid spikes in blood sugar. The glycemic index is a marker of how quickly foods elevate blood sugar levels. The average whole wheat bread has a glycemic index of 71, the same as white bread.
Eating a diet that includes a lot of high GI foods is associated with obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Elevated blood sugars also cause complications when the glucose reacts with proteins in the body. This is called glycation and is one of the components of ageing.
Bottom Line: Most whole grain products have actually been pulverized into very fine flour, which tends to raise blood sugars rapidly and can cause all sorts of problems down the line.
Calorie for calorie, wheat isn’t very nutritious compared to other real foods like animals and vegetables. It also happens to contain substances that “steal” nutrients from other foods.
Bottom Line: Wheat contains a substance called phytic acid, which can reduce absorption of important minerals. It may also cause people to burn through their Vitamin D stores faster, contributing to deficiency.
Studies show that wheat consumption is associated with serious disorders of the brain.
Cerebellar ataxia is a motor disturbance caused by lesions in the cerebellum, a part of the brain that controls motor functions. One form of this disease may be caused or exacerbated by gluten consumption. It is called gluten ataxia and involves an autoimmune attack on the cerebellum. Multiple studies show an association between gluten, gluten sensitivity and cerebellar ataxia. A controlled trial has also shown an improvement in ataxia patients who went on a gluten-free diet.
Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder which afflicts about 0.3-0.7% of people at some point during their lifetime. There are strong statistical associations between celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and schizophrenia. Many schizophrenic individuals have antibodies against gluten in their bloodstream. There is also a controlled trial and several case reports showing that some (not all) schizophrenic patients see improvement on a gluten-free diet.
Other disorders of the brain that may be associated with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity are autism and epilepsy. These are just a handful of disorders that have been shown to travel with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Of course, I’m not suggesting that wheat or gluten causes these disorders, only that some evidence suggests that gluten may be a contributing factor in some patients. This definitely needs to be studied more thoroughly, but given that there’s no actual benefit to eating wheat, then I personally prefer to be on the safe side and avoid it.
Bottom Line: Being sensitive to gluten is associated with many disorders of the brain, such as schizophrenia, cerebellar ataxia, autism and epilepsy.
There are some who believe that wheat may be addictive. It is definitely not proven yet, although there are a few interesting observations that allow for some speculation. When gluten proteins are broken down in a test tube, the peptides they form are able to stimulate opioid receptors. These peptides are called gluten exorphins.
Opioid receptors are the receptors in the brain that are stimulated by drugs like heroin and morphine, as well as endorphines that are released naturally when we do something like running.The theory goes like this… the gluten we eat gets broken down into these opioid peptides, which then travel into the blood and eventually into the brain, where they cause addiction to wheat. Gluten exorphins have been found in the blood of celiac patients. There’s also some evidence in animals that the gluten exorphins make it into the body.
At this point, this is only theoretical. No hard evidence proves wheat to be addictive. Personally I find the idea to be plausible. Back in the day when I used to eat wheat I would often crave it. Almost every food that I would get powerful cravings for foods that included both sugar and wheat.
Bottom Line: The digestive products of gluten may be able to stimulate opioid receptors and contribute to addiction. However, this needs to be studied more before we can make any conclusions.
Elevated levels of LDL (the “bad”) cholesterol are associated with a greater risk of heart disease. However, studies show that there isn’t just one type of LDL. The size of the LDL molecules appears to be important. People who have mostly small, dense LDL particles (also called Pattern B) are at a greater risk of heart disease. The association isn’t nearly as strong for people who have mainly large LDL particles, known as pattern A.
One randomized controlled trial split 36 overweight men into two groups. One group was instructed to eat whole oats, the other whole wheat. The study went on for 12 weeks and they measured important risk factors for heart disease. The oat group had reductions in total LDL, small, dense LDL and LDL particle number (LDL-p – another important risk factor).
However, the wheat group had increases in LDL by 8%, increase in LDL particle number by 14.2% and a whopping 60.4% increase in small, dense LDL particles. The wheat group also had increases in total cholesterol and triglycerides, but the difference was not statistically significant. According to this study, wheat should drastically increase your risk of heart disease… and keep in mind that it’s “heart-healthy” *cough* whole wheat we’re talking about here.
How much you read in to this, and whether you choose to believe it or not it does offer some food for thought (pardon the expression). Having avoided grains, specifically wheat to the best of my ability for the last 5 weeks I will be sticking to the rule.
Thanks for reading.
Nearly two-thirds of the human body is water. Water is an essential nutrient that is involved in every function of the body. It helps transport nutrients in and waste products out of cells. It is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, and excretory functions as well as for assimilating water-soluble vitamins. Water also helps maintain proper body temperature.
Always drink plenty of water. You can live without food for several weeks, but you can go less than a week without water. Water must be continuously replaced in the body. On average, you lose 250 millilitres of water daily just through breathing. The old rule of thumb, eight glasses (or 2 liters) of water a day, is a good minimum. While experts have not agreed on one universal amount, it is accepted that performance declines with dehydration. By drinking an adequate amount of water each day, you can ensure that your body has all it needs to maintain good health. The best way to get water into your body is by drinking plain water. Other beverages, such as fruit juices, milk, and decaffeinated drinks, can hydrate the body because they contain a high percentage of water. In addition, fruits and vegetables can be good water sources. If you work out in high altitude or a desert environment, both of which will have very low humidity, or if you work out on an exceptionally hot day, remember to boost your minimum intake of clear fluids.
Starting out hydrated is a good choice for morning exercises. Drink water before your workout; you lose water while you exercise even without heavy perspiration. Ingesting at least a glass of pure water shortly after rising is a good way to hydrate your system. Adding a small squeeze of lemon for taste also helps stimulate the bowels to evacuate soon thereafter, which will help you feel more comfortable during your workout routine.
Many of you are probably morning coffee or tea drinkers. If you must have some caffeine in the morning, go for it—but consider having a large glass of water first. Although many physicians consider caffeine a diuretic, some recent studies have questioned this belief. As with any fluid, coffee may send you to the bathroom a little more frequently, but a major report by the U.S. government’s Institute of Medicine concludes that coffee quenches thirst as effectively as water and does not deplete bodily fluids (McAuliffe 2005). And, because coffee reduces muscle fatigue and boosts speed and endurance, enjoying a cup of Joe before your workout may enhance your efforts. Sport psychologists attribute these benefits to caffeine’s potent ability to release adrenaline, which in turn strengthens muscle contractions and fosters the creation of energy from fatty acids. So, enjoy your cup of coffee or tea in the morning, and get your a.m. boost. It seems to have no negative effect on your hydration, and you can always have a glass of water first just to be sure.
Hydration is particularly important for the morning workout enthusiast. Remember, you’ve just awakened from a 8-to 10-hour fast. Because proper hydration improves the quality of your workout, reduces fatigue, reduces recovery time, and increases your level of satisfaction, it is especially important for you to hydrate yourself before as well as after your workout session. Keep in mind that thirst is not the best scale by which to measure whether or not you are well hydrated. If your urine is the color of lemonade, you’re doing well; if by chance it is leaning toward the color of apple juice, you need to reach for another glass of fluid. Also, some symptoms of dehydration are headache, poor concentration, tiredness, and constipation. If you happen to feel you need extra electrolytes because you were sweating excessively, you can mix your own electrolyte cocktail using 1 cup (237 millilitres) plain water, 1 cup orange juice, and a pinch of salt. I personally like those Emergen-C packets by Alacer Corporation. They come in a variety of flavors; they are full of electrolytes, B vitamins, and vitamin C; they taste good; and they are easily portable .
Where is my skeleton? 