My Take On Dairy

Dairy has become quite a controversial topic over the years, particularly as the Paleo movement spreads. There is certainly a lot of conflicting research and difference of opinions surrounding the topic. Conventional medicine says dairy is essential for bone health. Alternative health practices claim dairy actually CAUSES osteoporosis!  It’s not surprising so many people are confused about nutrition.

Weighing up the scientific evidence and looking at the production of milk and dairy, here are my opinions…

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Is Your Gut Health Affecting Your Performance?

Ever heard the saying that great abs are made in the kitchen? Whilst this is only partially correct, it does have some truth in it. It's saying that there are other factors such as diet that either enhance or hinder your goal of washboard abs. The same principle applies with your performance. There are a few key components of your health and lifestyle that you need to consider, not just what you do in the gym or training. Nutrition and recovery methods are obviously a huge component but there is something else that isn’t often considered and that’s the health of your gut.

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My Top 5 Chai Lattes In Melbourne

For those that know me, its no secret that I’m in love with chai lattes. I find them so comforting and warming, particularly in the artic conditions of Melbourne’s winter (which are thankfully now over). I love the whole ritual of stirring the cinnamon into the creamy froth and then straining the piping hot milk from the little pot filled with spices. If you can get two cups out of it, even better!

I love a weekend brekky and the café culture of Melbourne. But my decision to go to a café is generally dictated by 1. If they have almond or coconut chai’s (I don’t drink soy, but that’s another post) and 2. If it’s any good!  

So how did this obsession come about? Well, I once was a latte lover. Just one a day, but it was my little treat and something I looked forward to on a daily basis.  After suffering terrible digestive issues and a gut infection, it meant no coffee or dairy for 6 weeks. It wasn’t really a choice to stop drinking coffee, it was a necessity. It turns out though, I felt so much better without dairy or caffeine! No tummy upsets, no jitters, no racing heart or edgy feeling. I felt calm, alert and just..stable without coffee.

I’ve always loved the social aspect of coffee though. Enter the chai latte! Although there is still some caffeine from the black Ceylone tea leaves, it doesn’t give me any of the effects that coffee used to. Until I’m ready to give coffee a crack again, I’m happy to work my way around the Chai havens in Melbourne. Here are my faves. You will notice they are mostly in the Elwood/St Kilda vicinity, as I don’t travel far for my chai’s. I’m so spoilt for choice with a number of places in my area that are just a walk or bike ride away. All chai’s listed are made with fresh, wet chai blends – no powdered rubbish here!

1.    Miss Alex & Co., Elwood   – Almond Milk Chai (made with Almond Milk Co.)

My all time favourite. It comes on a wooden board with a hot pot of chai and a jar of honey so you can add as much or as little as you like. Using Almond Milk Co. almond milk, Lina makes the best chai I’ve ever had. All the staff are ace too.

2.    Garage Espresso, St Kilda - Coconut Milk Chai (made with Pure Harvest Organic Coco              Quench)

They also offer homemade almond milk but the coconut ones are the way to go here. For some reason I like to get this one in a take away cup. Strange I know.

3.   Little Sunflower Café , Elwood - Almond Milk Chai  (made with Almond Milk Co.)

Finally, a decent cafe on Ormond Road! Little Sunflower is an absolute winner, providing organic, seasonal and nutrient dense food with loads of gluten and dairy free options. It has a really nice relaxed ambiance, with a whole wall covered in a hanging garden. Their chai comes in a huge yellow mug with the creamiest froth I've ever tasted. . 

4.    Fitzrovia, St Kilda - Almond Milk Chai (made with Almond Milk Co.)

Also using Almond Milk Co almond milk, this chai is the perfect balance of spices and sweetness. A great place to grab the lappy, find a quiet corner and tap away.

5.    Next of Kin, Elsternwick – Almond Milk Chai

This little gem in  has a lovely relaxed vibe and offer up a perfect chai. They serve their chai my favourite way, in a silver pot with  strainer and cup. The food is absolutely delicious here too with lots of different but healthy options. 

I DON'T COUNT CALORIES - HERE'S WHY

This is a conversation I have with many of my clients that want to lose weight. I desperately want to free you of this arduous and largely ineffective process that sucks the life of, well, living.

We’ve all been told that weight loss is a very simple equation. If you eat less and exercise more (i.e burn more calories than you consume), you will lose weight. But for many of us, this doesn’t work. So what do we do? Blame ourselves, thinking we aren’t trying hard enough. We then eat even LESS and exercise EVEN MORE, leaving us exhausted and hungry but still the weight isn’t budging.

So what’s going on? Why isn’t it working?

The calorie equation was created way back in 1918, almost a century ago. It is becoming more and more questionable as evidence emerges to show that all calories are not created equal. 

This means that two types of food might contain the same number of calories, but go through very different biochemical processes and trigger different hormone response in the body. These responses will either PROMOTE or DISCOURAGE fat storage.

Let’s compare 500 calories of white bread (a refined carbohydrate) to kale, a high fibre vegetable.

When you consume the white bread (about 6 slices equals 500 calories), it quickly breaks down to glucose and is absorbed into the blood stream, causing a surge in your blood sugar levels.  This stimulates the release of insulin, a hormone that tells the body to store glucose as fat. Triglycerides are raised, inflammation is triggered and the hormone leptin is blocked. Leptin is our satiety hormone that signals to our brain that we are full. Without leptin, you won’t feel full and are likely to continue on eating.

When you eat 500 calories of fibrous kale (this equates to 15 cups, which would be a feat in itself!), there is no spike in blood glucose and insulin (which promotes fat storage) is not released. It would also be very difficult to consume this amount of kale as leptin would be triggered and give you the feeling of being full. As you can see there is a very different effect on the body and fat storage with these two different foods. Not to mention the amount of the of nutrients there are in kale compared to white bread!

Another example would be to look at fats. Fats contain more than double the amount of calories in carbohydrates, but again, fat does not stimulate the release of insulin. Fat also triggers the release of leptin, meaning you will feel full and won’t be able to continuing eating. This appetite control is the key to weight loss! Fats like avocados and olive oil are excellent examples of extremely healthful foods that are an important part of a healthy eating plan.

Weight loss and weight maintenance therefore comes down to simply eating real food. By letting go of the calorie counting and focusing on wholesome food with plenty of good fats, high quality protein and vegetables, you will optimize your health and wellbeing, whilst feeling completely satisfied. Many of my clients find that they are eating more calories than before but the weight continues to drop off.

To start the process, cut out the processed and packaged foods. Think about choosing foods that come from nature – ask yourself, “has this come from a tree, out of the ground or from an animal?” and if the answer is yes, then go for it. Focus on food quality and quantity will take care of itself. When was the last time you overate on kale, anyway?