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SALLY-ANN
CREED
Touches
on MSG, Obesity and The Omega Wave.
As an increasing number of students bring snack-size bags of chips to school in their lunch boxes, the MSG-obesity link demands parental
caution!
That begins with
you. By avoiding foods with MSG, you are
not only protecting your health and your family's health, you are also
protecting society's health by not supporting companies that use MSG. Use
your buying power to show that you don't accept manufactured foods that
use MSG or any of the other hidden forms of MSG such as yeast extract,
hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and autolyzed proteins.
The
experts speak on MSG and obesity:
Humans lack a blood-brain barrier in the
hypothalamus, even as adults. It is for this reason that Dr. Olney and
other neuroscientists are very concerned about the widespread and heavy
use of excitotoxins, such as MSG and hydrolyzed vegetable protein as food
additives. (Olney, J.W. "Brain Lesions, Obesity, and Other
Disturbances in Mice Treated with Monosodium glutamate." Sci.
165(1969): 719-271.)
In his experiments Dr. Olney found
that in essence, these excitotoxins can cause severe
pathophysiological changes in the central endocrine control system. Many
of these dysfunctional changes can occur with sub-toxic doses of MSG. One
can speculate that chronic exposure to these neurotoxins could cause
significant alterations in the function of the hypothalamus, including its
non-endocrine portions. Yes, I know these are all big impressive words –
but take the time to look them up and find out how important all this is
for your body – oh, and avoid MSG from now on!
Sally-Ann suggests:
- Exercise daily.
Simply walking for 20 minutes early in the day will bring you a huge
dividend of improved mood and ability to focus.
- Eat three nutritionally sound meals a day.
Include lean protein and complex carbohydrates together at each meal -
the body uses protein very quickly under stress - along with fruit,
vegetables and whole grains.
- Take at least 30 minutes every day for an
activity you enjoy. Listening to classical music, for example, not as background noise
but by putting your feet up and paying attention, has been shown to be
as relaxing as 10 mg of Valium. Prayer and meditation, of course, also
does wonders for anyone.
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The Omega-3
Wave
Many Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids In Britain now, it’s actually known as “The Omega Wave!”
– more and more articles are being written, more journals are reporting
and more programmes are being aired on omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil!
Everyone in the know it seems is now discovering the amazing benefits of
taking fish oil and they are realising it is only pharmaceutical
grade fish oil, which is the answer to prevention and treatment of so
many common diseases. (Pharmaceutical
grade is the term used to show there is no mercury, PCB’s or DDT present
in the oil).
Omega-3 fatty acids, found in abundance in fish oil, are
used by every cell in the human body. This has led countless experts to
believe that many health issues, mental and physical, can be related back
to the body’s omega-3 fatty acid status. Seemingly every day additional
scientific research emerges to support the therapeutic benefits of
omega-3s, and further solidify their position as essential nutrients for
optimal health.
To illustrate their broad influence on numerous body
systems, the list below provides just a small sample of the many clinical
applications of omega-3s.
Infant Neurodevelopment
Research indicates that infants whose diets include plenty
of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, seem to have an
advantage in terms of early growth and brain development. A recent study
also found that infants born to mothers with higher blood levels of DHA
during pregnancy had advanced levels of attention spans well into their
second year of life. Conversely, omega-3 deficiencies or imbalances have
been associated with childhood developmental and psychiatric disorders
including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and
autistic spectrum disorders.
Cardiovascular Health
Even though the ways that omega-3 fatty acids reduce the
risk of cardiovascular disease are still being studied, previous clinical
and epidemiological research has shown that they may:
* Decrease
the risk of fatal arrhythmias
* Decrease
triglyceride levels
* Decrease
growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque
* Lower
blood pressure slightly
* Decrease
the chance of stroke
Joint Health
Several studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can
reduce joint pain and morning stiffness in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
patients, and perhaps lessen their need for non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and other RA medications. In addition,
there is mounting evidence that suggests that diets rich in omega-3 fatty
acids may benefit people with other inflammatory disorders, such as
osteoarthritis.
Be sure to select your fish oil supplements from
only pharmaceutical-grade
manufacturers for safety’s sake (read the labels!). Pharmaceutical grade MEANS that there is NO mercury, PCB’s
or DDT present as it has been molecularly distilled.
Diabetes
Diabetics suffering from non-insulin dependent
diabetes or type II diabetes benefit from fish oil supplementation.
Research show that persons who consume 5-10 percent of their dietary
energy consumption in the form of fish or fish oil, have less insulin
resistance, which causes diminished glucose uptake and glucose metabolism
in non-insulin dependent diabetics. Fish oil enhances insulin secretion
from beta-cells in the pancreas, regulating blood sugar levels. DHA plays
a protective role in diabetic neuropathy in all forms of diabetes.
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PEACH
& APRICOT CRISP WITH CASHEW OAT TOPPING
The secret here is to keep the crisp thin, with a
layer of juicy fruit topped by a crunchy topping nearly equal in depth.
Sweet summer stone fruits (peaches, apricots, and plums) of all kinds are
wonderful this way and need no sugar!
5 cups
peaches, apricots and plums, sliced
½ cup organic butter
¾ cup xylitol
½ cup almond flour (or ordinary flour)
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 cup rolled oats
½ cup coarsely chopped raw cashews
(Serves 6)
Preheat
oven to 180ºC. Pit
and slice the fruit, then place it in a 9-inch square baking pan.
In
a small saucepan melt the butter. Stir
in xylitol, almond flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, and cashews.
Sprinkle
the mixture over the fruit. Bake
for approximately 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the
juices are bubbling.
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NutriCentre:
Constantia (8.30-5 weekdays)
Email:
sally@sallyanncreed.co.za
www.sallyanncreed.co.za
P.O. Box 540, Constantia, 7848
Tel:+27 (21)
794-3052 (3 lines) Fax: +27 (21) 794-0635
2nd
Edition of my book, “Let Food Be
Your Medicine” is available from a bookshop near you, or order
direct from us (bulk discounts available)
You
can also order it from www.kalahari.net
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