Fat Shaming – The Struggle of Food Addiction

You’ve probably noticed a trend on social media where it seems ok to fat shame people. As a society we have come to view overweight people as greedy and lazy because if you’re overweight, it’s totally your fault, right? Wrong! For a start, major corporations spend millions of dollars researching how to get us hooked on their products by targeting different areas of the brain and our chemical responses to various ingredients. As I’ve written about before (link) there are so many factors that contribute to weight, such as genetics, illness, culture, hormone imbalance, socio-economic status, education, psychological and emotional distress and more. The last 2 in particular can be some of the hardest to combat, with many people experiencing food addiction due to finding comfort in eating. Like any addiction, it’s not as simple as “just stop doing it”. It’s an ADDICTION! I’m wondering how many people have considered that food addiction maybe be even harder to break than drugs or alcohol? I know that may be hard to accept, but hear me out. Drug addicts struggle to give up drugs, they crave them, they use them as a form of escape, but they don’t physically need them to survive. They won’t die without them, though it may sometimes feel that way to them. The same applies to alcoholics. Yet people who are addicted to food are faced with the stone cold fact that the very thing they are addicted to is essential to their existence. They will literally die without it! They are faced with their addiction every single day! It’s not illegal or restricted, it’s advertised freely. One of the biggest tools for recovery is for addicts to remove themselves from situations or people that may encourage them to relapse, so how is a food addict supposed to utilise this integral step? Is there any hope for recovery? Firstly, I’d like to let you know that if this is an area you’re struggling with, you’re not alone. You shouldn’t feel ashamed if you don’t seem to make any progress. We all need help with things sometimes and it’s ok not to know how to do everything yourself. So, how can you make changes? • Identify the problem. With emotional eating, one of the best things you can do is acknowledge that this is your trigger. Once you have identified this, it will empower you to take ownership and slowly start to make changes. If you know what causes you to reach for comfort food, it makes it easier to put steps into place to combat that.• Seek help. Doing things can be a real struggle. Often we become disheartened, lose motivation or simply can’t find what works for us. A good nutritionist will be able to help you identify problematic patterns, help you find feasible alternatives, prescribe supplements (that may be linked to your cravings) and provide you with support and encouragement along the way. Finding a counsellor or psychologist may help you identify and work through any psychological issues attached to your eating patterns, as well as providing you with added support.• Join a program. There are many programs out there which are designed to help you lose weight without having to sign up for fancy shakes, products or gym memberships. One that I really love is the Eat Fat Get Fit Program (https://www.facebook.com/NaomiFersteraEatFatGetFit/ ), which I am actively part of and have seen many people achieve great results. The program is designed to provide you with nutritional information based on solid science, meal plans, Q and A, exercise plans, interaction and support from other members, support from a Nutritionist, Exercise Physiologist, Dietitian and Personal Trainer who all want you to succeed! One of the things I love most about this program is the private Facebook group where the members can talk abut anything, because there’s no such thing as a stupid question. People are so great at encouraging each other and sharing information, that it’s a super positive community to be a part of.• Spring clean. Some people find that a really effective way to discourage poor eating habits is to simply not stock the fridge or pantry with the usual junk food culprits. Go through the fridge and pantry and ditch all the convenience foods. Often we will think twice if we have to make a special trip to the shop for a treat, with a junk being a less appealing choice if the only options in the house are healthier or something we have to prepare.• Restock. I’m the last person in the world to say no to chocolate! Treats and enjoyment of food are a wonderful thing, so to discourage bingeing, replace your treats with healthier options. Buy chocolate with a higher cacao content, as it will have less sugar. Switch out sweets for frozen berries, ice-cream for frozen natural yoghurt, and crisps for seed crackers and hummus.• Community. One of the biggest struggles with addiction is feeling isolated, misunderstood and unsupported. Joining groups of like minded people can provide a safe place to talk about your struggles, receive support, share ideas, discuss what has or hasn’t worked for you, share encouragement and motivation. There are many groups for this type of thing both in the community and online. They will all have a slightly different approach, so explore your options and see what gels with you.• Take the First Step. While getting the courage up to try again can be the hardest thing, you won’t make any progress if you don’t take the first step.• Believe in yourself. You CAN do this! You may make mistakes along the way and struggle to keep going, but you CAN make changes, you CAN break the cycle and you CAN change your relationship with food. Together, let’s change the attitude around body shaming and encourage people instead, as you never know what they may be struggling with.

Have You Had A Tune Up Lately?

My partner often jokes that he’s been fortunate enough to own a Ferrari, Porsche and Maserati, but I’m his Lamborghini – because I have a heart that roars, a curvy rear end, will cost him his wallet and have stolen his heart and soul. Now, I know it’s only a joke, but it got me thinking about how we treat beautiful things like fancy sports cars.  You don’t see Lamborghinis driving down the street covered in mud, shabby paint, thick smoke and fumes pouring out of the exhaust, because if you have such an amazing piece of machinery you’re going to want to look after it.  You would spare no expense on servicing, use only the best quality oil and fuel and ensure that she received the best treatment.  Your Lamborghini would be polished, and while you might floor it (it is a race car after all), you would still treat it with care. So why is it that we treat our bodies with any less respect than we would give a Lamborghini?  Why do we expect to put nasty fuel into our body and then seem surprised when we don’t achieve peak performance?  Why do we wonder why things are starting to fall apart when we skimp on servicing?  Our bodies are some of the most amazing equipment, yet we so often treat them with enormous disrespect.  You are worth so much more than a $500k+ car, so here’s your reminder to start treating yourself like you’re a finely crafted Italian race car that’s just been driven off the showroom floor. Vroom vroom xo Peace, love and wellness,  Mandah xo

Oils Ain’t Oils

Oils ain’t oils Ahhhhh!  That’s me exhaling stress while surrounded in a fragrant cloud of relaxing oils from my diffuser.  I love essential oils and think they can be an amazing part of treatments, excellent for relaxation, a healthy alternative to perfume and a wonderfully natural way to clean the home. Oils help me think and provide mental clarity.  Oils are my go to whenever I have a cut or bite to treat.  I use oils instead of moisturiser.  I wear at least 4 different types of oils on a daily basis, so it would be safe to say that I LOVE OILS!!! BUT, I’m often asked what I think of certain brands and to be honest, many fall short. One brand in particular repeatedly comes up and though my opinion may be unpopular with those who are converts, I’m going to meet this head on. DoTerra.  There, I said it.  Most of you have probably heard of it, may even sell it, use it or know someone who does.  So, as someone who is passionate about sharing my knowledge so that people can make informed choices, here are a few things you should be aware of. Price – to be quite honest, there are better quality oils out there that won’t require selling your organs on the black market to purchase them.  Because of the way DoTerra and other Multi Level Marketing (MLM) brands are structured, their prices are highly inflated so that each person receives their piece of the pie. A while back I attended a DoTerra party.  Just like a Tupperware party, but with more oils and fewer cocktails.  I was interested to learn about the brand and see what was on offer, but not without first doing some research of my own.  The party was pretty much what I expected, but there were a few things that were shared as fact that simply didn’t stack up.  Thanks to a mobile phone and Google, I was able to verify (debunk) some things on the spot. Firstly, the consultant very proudly stated that DoTerra oils are “the purest on the market”, and that this had been verified by independent testing.  Well, unfortunately, this isn’t true. A simple Google search revealed that true independent testing showed DoTerra oils to be of poor quality, contain contaminants, often did not contain the ingredients claimed and in some cases were actually synthetic! It’s important to note that some of the impurities and contaminants are very small, but the fact is that they are still there and claims of purity are false and misleading. Consultants are taught that DoTerra oils are “better than organic”.   Firstly, no! As the above outlines this is far from true, but secondly, what does that even mean? Better than organic? Certified Organic, which is a label that DoTerra hasn’t obtained, means that a product is not genetically modified, wasn’t sprayed with pesticides, soil has been tested to ensure it’s not contaminated with non-approved chemicals and is definitely not synthetic. So, not really stacking up so far, is it? One point that greatly amuses me is the awards that DoTerra has received. While most of us are proud of any awards and achievements we attain, most of us don’t create and bestow those awards upon ourselves, yet this is exactly what DoTerra has done.  The awards they “won” were given to them by a company they created themselves.  And the real kicker? Nobody else was in the running!!!!! Ummmmmmm… Another claim the consultant made is that all of their oils are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade (CPTG).  Just so you’re aware, this is a term coined by DoTerra, which they have subsequently trademarked.  CPTG is NOT an FDA or TGA term and it’s important to understand that essential oils are NOT approved for ingestion/ internal use, no matter what your oil rep tells you. So while this term sounds very fancy and official, it means diddly squat. So now you’re probably wondering why you’re being lied to? Don’t be angry at the rep, they are only repeating the information that they’ve been told and aren’t even aware that what they’re telling you is untrue.  Many of them are not practitioners and don’t have any formal training and therefore don’t know any better.  In addition, they should absolutely NOT be prescribing for anything.  Just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s safe!  Without proper training and knowledge, treatments of any kind can do more harm than good. I am currently treating a patient, let’s call her Miss X, who was selling DoTerra and with her permission I’d like to share how it has destroyed her health.  Miss X is a healthy woman in her early thirties who is physically active, has a good diet and no major health complaints.  Always looking for natural products to use around the home and being a lady who likes beautiful smelling things, Miss X decided to look into DoTerra after a few friends invited her to a party.  This is when she started to get excited, thinking she had found the golden ticket to guilt free health and cleaning!  So, embarking on the essential oil (EO) journey, Miss X bought the kits and invested thousands into her new found passion.  Sounds pretty great so far, right?  The only problem is that Miss X was “trained” by the person above her in the MLM food chain, who was trained by the person above them, and so on. Now, many businesses work this way and it’s not the issue per se, however, when unskilled people are dishing out health advice and prescribing things that they have no training in, it opens everyone up to danger, but more on that further down. So, Miss X has in good faith repeated the information she has been fed by her team leader, not stopping to question or research for herself.  There’s no judgement here, because while I love research and my career depends on it, it’s not something that motivates everyone, and that’s perfectly

Ashy Bines – Modern Day Saviour, or Cult Leader?

Now that I have your attention, I want to be clear that this isn’t a personal attack against Ashy Bines, but I do want to explore the reasons behind needing to understand how to read food labels so we don’t fall for common marketing ploys. As a culture we have a tendency to obsess over health, often elevating celebrities to cult-like status, but is what they’re promoting actually healthy, or are we blinded by the air-brushed bodies that appear in the distorted reality of social media photos? So, let’s start with some background. My best friend has recently been making a huge effort to get healthy for a number of reasons and I’m super proud of her efforts.  Unfortunately, she’s fallen into the trap of buying into clever marketing rather than fully understanding how to read food labels objectively. She’s a bright, educated woman who is by no stretch a dummy, so it’s made me wonder who else has fallen prey to marketing tricks. Let’s make this simple by using one of Ashy’s real products and analysing the nutrition panel for Chocolate Clean Treats (Real Treat Mix), as pictured above. 30.8g of sugar per 100g? That’s enormous! Sure, it’s not cane sugar, but your body still processes dates, vanilla powder and rice malt syrup the same way. To read more about how your body processes sugar, head to this link. In accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO), most experts would recommend that we consume no more than 25g (6 teaspoons) of sugar per day.  So just 1 of these balls (at 11.3g sugar per 29.5g serve) is HALF your daily intake! Coming in at 42.7g per 100g serving, this “clean” treat is through the roof with its carb content. While the sugar accounts for part of the carbs, this is still an exorbitant amount of each and eating this product certainly isn’t going to do you any favours if you’re trying to lose or maintain weight or reduce inflammation. While I’m all for rewarding yourself with a small treat every now and then, it’s important to recognise that these are still treats, or to quote Elmo, a sometimes food. The use of words such as “clean”, “refined sugar free” and quotes like “lets keep the treats REAL clean and nutritious because healthy food is an act of self love and a healthy life style”, is incredibly misleading and is designed to trick people into forgetting that these are in fact a treat. These words are made even more effective when paired with a pretty face and photo-fit body that, let’s face it, most of us wish we had. But what we’re really buying into is a dream, not genuine health.  It’s so easy to convince ourselves that it’s ok to have more of these because they’re “healthy. Products like the one we’ve looked at above are healthier in the sense that they don’t contain added colours, preservatives and other numbers, but when the first ingredient on the list is sugar (for which there are many names ), maybe think twice before including this in your diet. Don’t forget to also look at the nutrient panel to help you figure out if something is healthy or not, as other words for sugar are often used to confuse us. Marketing is designed to hook us in, but it’s up to us to take the time to read the labels and analyse them objectively.  A good rule of thumb when it comes to nutrition is that fresh is best, with things becoming more complicated when we have ingredient lists to consider.  As far as that list is concerned, a wise person once taught me that if you don’t recognise an ingredient, the chances are that your body wont either, which is a guideline I have tried to live by. The next important step in analysing whether something is healthy or not is learning to understand your nutrient panel. Current science shows that following a LCHF way of eating can be beneficial for managing many health conditions, weight management and general wellbeing.  In accordance with this, it is recommended that on average we consume less than 50g of carbs per day and increase our good quality fat intake to around 70g per day and our protein to 45-60g daily*.   With this in mind, the next time you reach for a treat I encourage you to take the time to look past the buzz words and assess things for yourself. Peace, love and wellness, Mandah xo *Please note that these recommendations are intended as general information only. This site is unable to provide information tailored to each individual and is not intended to replace the advice of your health care professional.  It is important to consult with your own treating practitioner for individual advice regarding your own specific circumstances, especially when considering major changes to diet or lifestyle.

The Truth About Cholesterol

My dad is pretty motivated when it comes to staying healthy and is often a great source of questions because of this (thanks Dad!).  One of the things he asked me about recently was cholesterol, because the misinformation surrounding this topic is something I often like to rant about.  I know, how unlike me!  Dad isn’t the only one with questions though. Cholesterol is a bit of a hot topic in my clinic at the moment, especially with my patients over 50, so I figured with all these questions coming at me I’d take some time to set the record straight.  It seems to be something that doctors love testing and medicating for, but what’s the truth behind cholesterol?  It’s pretty standard these days for medical practitioners, the media and government sources to promote all the perils of elevated cholesterol, including increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.  We’re usually told that elevated cholesterol, particularly LDL, accumulates in blood vessel walls and over time will lead to clots, blockages, strokes and heart attacks.  We’re encouraged to focus on reducing our “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and increasing our “good” cholesterol (HDL) to reduce our risk of these conditions. But is there any truth to this? It might surprise you to learn that in truth, there’s no such thing as “good” and “bad” cholesterol. Cholesterol is a fat that we not only consume from animal products, but create naturally within our body.  Every cell, with the exception of the gonads and adrenal cortex, has the ability to create cholesterol.  It is imperative for our cell health as it ensures that our cells maintain their fluidity.  Without this fluidity our cells lose the ability to regulate what passes in and out of our cells and will eventually lead to cell death (cue dramatic music).  Cholesterol also plays an essential role in transporting fat around our blood, creating new cells, producing and regulating our hormones, and aiding in food digestion. Our body is pretty switched on, and is designed for homeostasis, which essentially means it regulates things within our body to maintain happy levels.  This includes cholesterol!  If we increase our dietary intake of foods rich in cholesterol, then our body naturally adjusts to produce less.  If we eat fewer cholesterol rich foods, our body will produce more!  So, this means that vegans and vegetarians will generally produce more cholesterol than meat eaters, simply because it isn’t part of their diets! HDL are generally classed as good cholesterol due to the fact that they are smaller and their primary role is to collect fat molecules that have accumulated in blood vessels and transport them to the liver and other organs to be reused (talk about upcycling!).  But, what you may not know is that LDL are larger and transport fat molecules to the cells throughout our body so they can be utilised for hormone production, generating new cells, energy production and more.  That doesn’t sound so bad in reality, does it? This paper from the British Medical Journal is just one of many that demonstrates that elevated LDL does NOT increase risk of mortality.  It links to 19 other research papers that collectively studied over 68,000 subjects, which ALL concluded that elevated LDL was associated with a DECREASED risk of death. WHAAAAATTTTT??? When we experience prolonged or chronic inflammation, there is a breakdown of structural integrity in the blood vessels.  This results in thinning of the blood vessel walls, and in order to protect the damaged areas, they attract deposits of cholesterol.  Inflammation can be caused by things such as a diet rich in processed and high sugar foods, high carbs, high oxidised fats (this is where fats are broken down into smaller particles, which results in our body being unable to utilise them for energy), rich in grains, elevated blood sugar levels (BSL), insufficient antioxidants and many other factors.  Unfortunately, these can lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, stroke, dementia and more.  If you want to truly reduce your risk of these conditions, it’s important to address the real causes of the inflammation. If you have what is deemed to be high LDL cholesterol levels, it’s likely that you will have been prescribed statins by your GP in order to drop those levels back down.  The problem with statins is that they don’t treat the underlying cause and only succeed in masking the symptoms you are experiencing, as well as coming with a whole variety of nasty side effects such as liver damage, increased BSL resulting in risk of diabetes II, and muscle pain and weakness.  Studies have shown that “statins may be causative in coronary artery calcification and can function as mitochondrial toxins that impair muscle function in the heart and blood vessels through the depletion of CoQ10 and haem A and thereby ATP generation. Statins inhibit the synthesis of vitamin K2, the cofactor for matrix Gla-protein activation, which in turn protects arteries from calcification. Statins inhibit the biosynthesis of selenium containing proteins, one of which is glutathione peroxidase serving to suppress per oxidative stress.”  But aren’t these the very things statins are trying to prevent? There are literally thousands of in vitro clinical trials surrounding the safety and efficacy of statins, so how have they got it so wrong?  There is no contest that these studies have consistently demonstrated their ability to effectively reduce LDL, but what the study above has established (and the others have failed to examine) is that statins also deplete CoQ10.   This may not seem like a big deal until you realise that low levels of CoQ10 have been attributed to increased risk of HEART DISEASE, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, brain disorders, diabetes and cancer.  I’ll let that sit with you for a moment. So if we take into account the fact that LDL isn’t the problem and we’re also depleting CoQ10 stores, what does this mean for our health?  In a nutshell, we are creating an environment that is perfect for the development of CVD, not the prevention!  Is it

The 5 Star Health Rating Why You Should Avoid It Like Your Life Depends On It… Because It Kinda Does

Recently I’ve had an overwhelming number of clients bring up the 5 Star Health Rating as one of the tools they are using in an effort to getting their health on track. Obesity and health are major problems in the western world, so kudos to the government for attempting to do something about it.Unfortunately, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and may actually be preventing you from achieving your health goals. Ok, so you’re probably wondering if I’m just being an uptight nutritionist who is high on kale, cacao and self importance, or if there’s really something to my claims. Let’s break it down. The idea behind the star rating is pretty simple – the fewer stars, the worse it is for you, whereas 5 stars will have you glowing with health and smug satisfaction. Apparently. Health Star Ratings are based on: This was pulled straight from the government site FAQ  For those of you who have been reading my articles for a while now, you’ll know how passionate I am about fighting the war against fat and promoting it as a healthy part of our diet.  As I’ve referenced in these articles, good quality fat – including saturated fat – is an important part of our diet and promotes satiety and weight management, improved mental health, better quality sleep, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, increased cognitive function and much more. Saturated fat is the first thing on their watch list, yet is effective at reducing the risk of a number of risk factors mentioned in their brief. Salt is also an essential part of our diet, especially for those of us living in tropical and subtropical climates.  It’s important to ensure that we are getting this from proper food sources such as sea salt and not processed foods or the nasty salt that seems to grace the tables of every food court in the world, but more on that another day. Sugar. Well, at last I have found something I can agree with!  As people are becoming aware, sugar is responsible for weight gain, inflammation, promoting disease, hyperactivity, energy crashes, inability to focus and more. I was excited to see sugar on here and thought this might be a redeeming feature, but it doesn’t really seem to add up with the health ratings being doled out. For example, did you know that Milo has a 4.5 health star rating?  While my inner 8 year old jumped for joy at reading that and had flashbacks to hiding in her Nanny’s pantry to secretly eat milo straight from the tin, the nutritionist in me couldn’t help but die a little inside.  At 27.3g of sugar per 100g, this is hardly a low sugar option, while Nutrigrain gets a 4 star rating and has a staggering 32g of sugar per 100g. Up & Go also comes in with a 4.5 star rating and while it is relatively low in sugar (3.3g per 100g), it has a whopping 67g per 100g of carbohydrates. A further issue is that Up & Go has 3.3 serves per unit, though most of us would consume the entire contents in one go. Just like the Heart Foundation tick of approval that was thankfully discredited, this rating system doesn’t accurately demonstrate which foods are healthy, only how they stack up against other foods in their category.  “The system allows us to quickly compare the general nutritional profile of foods within the same category of packaged and processed goods. And it’s simple to understand and use.”   It’s one saving grace is that it’s not a rating that is bought, though it is left up to manufacturers to create their own rating in accordance with some very confusing and flexible guidelines.  So while it’s great that they’re comparing apples with apples, it seems they’ve forgotten to rate apples at all! Sadly, unprocessed foods such as fresh meat, fruit and vegetables don’t get a star rating at all.  Yet isn’t this what should comprise the majority of our diet? So, scrap the star rating, the heart foundation tick and any other gimmick they pitch at us and just get back to basics.  Shop the outside of the supermarket, eat predominantly fresh food and stick to items that are low in sugar and don’t have more than a handful of ingredients in them.  Simples! Peace, love and wellness,Mandah xo

Let’s Talk About Mental Health

Managing anxiety and depression can be tough! And while mental health affects approximately 25% of the population, it’s still something that many people struggle to talk about.  It can leave you feeling isolated and alone. Not everyone wants to take medication, or sometimes it simply isn’t enough and you still find yourself struggling.  In this video you’ll learn some practical tips to use at home and discover how diet can help support your journey to wellness. So join us for some real talk about mental health and practical tips for managing depression and anxiety. Because you don’t have to do this alone… And if you’re experiencing mental health issues, be sure to check out support networks such as Beyond Blue and Life Line. And don’t forget that we’re also here to help you through. So head to our contact page and book an appointment with our experienced nutritionist.

Never judge a book, or a snack, by its cover…

Confused by food labelling? Sugar free, no added sugar, natural sugar…. what does this all mean? Understanding food labelling can be confusing, and besides, who has the time to try and decipher them? Watch our video below to learn all the tricks used by manufacturers, and how you can recognise them. Don’t forget to check out our resources section for other helpful information.

Being a Healthy Vegan or Vegetarian

What’s the deal with a plant based diet? Miley Cyrus, Joaquin Phoenix and The Terminator himself are all advocates for a plant based diet. And as it becomes more common, you will probably notice that more people are gravitating toward a plant based diet.  But did you know it’s not as simple as just cutting out animal products? Being a healthy vegan or vegetarian can be tricky! There is so much conflicting information out there that it can leave you wondering what’s what. So we’ve created these quick guides to help you navigate a vegan or vegetarian diet. Besides, who doesn’t want to be healthy and have access to great nutritional information! Animal products contain so many great nutrients, but does that really mean you can’t be healthy if you choose a plant based diet? And whether you’re new or well acquainted with a plant based diet, you’ve probably experienced the same old questions… Are you getting enough protein or iron? You may not be, but you absolutely can! This information teaches you how to effectively calculate your intake requirements and combine foods so that you can always answer ‘yes’ with confidence! How much protein do I need and how do I get it? What do I need to be mindful of? How do I get sufficient iron without supplementing? You’ve probably asked yourself all of these questions and more. Now you can take the guess work out and ensure that your body is getting everything it needs. Discover the key nutrients and best food sources for healthy vegans and vegetarians in these guides. Need some inspiration?  Make sure you check out the recipes we share here and on our Facebook page! If you still have questions or need some further guidance, contact us for an appointment today!

Diet is a Dirty Word

Diet is a Dirty Word Most people have been on a diet or 3 at some stage of their life.  We start off with the best of intentions, throw out half of the food in the pantry and renounce junk food forever, well, for this afternoon at least.  I mean, chocolate’s not really that bad for you, is it?  Just a square?  Before you know it, you’ve forgotten all about your plans to lose 10kg by Friday lunch time. Besides, who wants to count calories or weigh every. single. bite.? Sigh!!!! Surely I’m not the only one who has been through this!  So, why is dieting so hard?  Well, the answer is pretty simple really.  Because we aren’t designed to deny ourselves pleasure!!!  Guess what?  It’s ok to like food!  It’s ok to eat for pleasure and to enjoy every morsel that you put in your mouth.  You don’t have to live on lettuce and purified water in order to have a body you love.  Firstly, let’s ditch the word diet, I can feel you cringe at the very mention of it.  Instead, embrace a way of eating (WOE) that is sustainable.   Most diets fail because they’re not enjoyable and therefore, not sustainable.  The trick is to find a WOE that you can embrace because it’s delicious, satisfying and good for you. Oh, is that all? Yep.  Is there really any such thing?  You bet!  So let me explain what I’m talking about, but before I do, let me walk you through some of the more common detoxes and diets. The Lemon Detox – this detox contains maple syrup, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and water, and promotes drinking this concoction for up to 30 days, with no other form of sustenance.  This detox has been around for decades and promises everything from drastic weight loss to curing cancer. Does it work? While people may initially experience weight loss, there are some pretty major problems with this one.  Firstly, the sugar.  Modern science agrees that sugar, especially fructose, is the major dietary culprit for making us fat.  I could bore you with a major lesson in science, but instead you can check out the research here and here done by people far smarter than I.  Fructose places an enormous amount of pressure on the liver, causing issues with hormone production and regulation, which in turn affect our weight.  Fructose also creates insulin resistance, and can lead to conditions such as diabetes. Fructose is also known for tricking our brain into thinking we are still hungry, even when we’re not. What a kicker!!! Sure, you might lose some, or even a lot of weight initially, but that will always happen when you significantly reduce your calorific intake, but keeping it off is another story. Once you start eating real food again your body is going to store everything it can in case you decide to starve it again!!! High Protein Diet – On the surface, this sounds pretty good to a lot of people. I mean, eggs are good for you, right? Sure, except for the fact that unless you’re an athlete, you don’t need anywhere near as much protein as these diets suggest.  Too much protein also puts a lot of pressure on the kidneys (uh-oh) and may even contribute to weight gain.  As I learned in many lectures as a student, taking unnecessary protein supplements often just creates super expensive wee. Oh, and our kidneys are kind of important since they’re responsible for detoxing our blood. No biggie. Isajunkix – This one makes all sorts of claims which they stand steadfastly by, despite being repeatedly proven false (such as being non GMO and sugar free). That may not sound like the worst thing in the world, but is it actually any good? The short answer is no.  Isagenix uses nasty oils such as canola, which contains a long chain fatty acid called erucic acid and has strong links to cancers, cardiovascular diseases and neurological disorders. Canola is generally agreed to be toxic. Another nasty ingredient in these products is soy lecithin. Firstly, soy is only effectively digested by our system if it is fermented.  Unfermented soy has been linked with problems such as auto-immune disorders, cardiovascular disease, allergies, reproductive issues, cognitive function and more.  Unfermented soy is difficult to digest because it is high in enzyme inhibitors, meaning it blocks the production of enzymes such as protease and amylase lipase, which are produced to break down food and release the nutrients into our body for effective absorption. You would think that would be enough to scare anyone off, but there’s more. SUGAR!!! This one is usually under the name of agave syrup in these products.  This is fructose, so has all the same issues as mentioned earlier in the article. Is this really the type of thing you want to be putting into your body?  For a more in depth overview of Isagenix products, check out this great article.  This is not the only misleading brand on the market, many others such as Juice Plus, Yor Health, Herbalife etc. present similar issues. Grapefruit Diet – there are many variations of this diet, but you might be surprised to know that it’s not too far from the mark when it comes to a diet that actually works. Wait, what? Yep, you read that right. Traditionally, the grapefruit diet promoted eating grapefruit before all other food because it has magical properties, um, because it supposedly creates chemical reactions that increase metabolism.  However, the real reason this diet yields results is because it promotes reducing carbs and sugar while increasing protein and good quality fat.  There is a lot of science, such as this article  and this one, this one too and don’t forget this one, to support reducing carb and sugar intake, moderate protein intake and high fat consumption.  So, am I suggesting that fat is good for you?  Read on, MacDuff! Low Carb High Fat (LCHF).  You may have seen variations of this one around the traps and it may even sound like a really bad idea.  Don’t worry, I totally feel you.  There has been a war on fat since the 50’s, drumming into us the perils of cholesterol and that eating fat will make us less than waifish.