January 10th, 2012
Firstly, isn’t he just divine?! No, he’s not mine if you’re wondering. He’s the creation of two of my best friends. His mum was happy for me to ‘exploit‘ his good looks (hope Dad’s OK with it too!) How blissfully relaxed does he look…
How well do you sleep?
I was recently asked to comment in a magazine about the ‘benefits’ of taking melatonin for sleep. It’s not something I’d recommend at all, but is commonly taken by those struggling with insomnia, to help them get to sleep, and/or stay asleep. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-ageing, estrogen dominance, hypoglycemia, milk, sleep, thyroid
Posted in Ray Peat, Supplements, anti-ageing, estrogen, hypoglycemia, insomnia, melatonin, sleep, thyroid | 4 Comments »
December 16th, 2011
The simplest and cheapest hormone balancing tool. No excuses not to incorporate this into your mornings!
As found by Ray Peat Ph.D in the 1970s, with his research into hormones and anti-ageing, a medium sized raw carrot, or its equivalent, eaten daily can lower anti-thyroid and inflammatory substances, reduces liver burden, assists the GI tract and liver to detoxify endotoxin* and estrogen.
Raw carrots (and bamboo shoots also) contain unique fibers that don’t feed bacteria, which means they lower inflammation. They also bind to and eliminate unused hormones like estrogen, lower serotonin and histamine, which in turn lower the body’s need to produce cortisol (catabolic stress hormone). Ultimately this increases the efficacy of progesterone and testosterone. These fibers work much in the same way to bind toxins as charcoal.
A carrot salad daily, aids the body in its natural detoxification process. Apparently when grated length-ways (but not put through a blender) enhances the effects of its fibers. But if you can’t be bothered grating; just eat the darn carrot!
Best eaten on an empty stomach before a meal or snack, preferably before midday: Eaten with a meal can lead to hypoglycemia in some people as it will slow the absorption of nutrients from other foods (raw carrot fibers can inhibit the absorption of certain minerals if eaten with other foods).
Whether you struggle with estrogen dominance (most women are progesterone deficient these days), low thyroid function, inflammatory conditions, bacterial overgrowth, liver issues or the usual repercussions of a stressful life, this should be an essential daily routine, just like brushing your teeth:
Recipe … Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-ageing, breakfast, endotoxin, estrogen dominance, Ray Peat, recipe, thyroid
Posted in Ray Peat, anti-ageing, cleansing, endotoxin, estrogen, gut flora, thyroid, thyroid health | 7 Comments »
November 30th, 2011
There’s been a cheeky photo comparison circulating the internet, comparing these two food-obsessed ladies: Gillian McKeith (age 51) and Nigella Lawson (6 months off 51)
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-ageing, beauty, chocolate, home cooking, real food
Posted in anti-ageing, health myths, nigella lawson | 12 Comments »
October 24th, 2011
Last month I conducted a lunch for the lovely ladies from McGrath Neutral Bay / Mosman at The Hawthorn. We discussed all things food and health related, including how to eat well with a busy office job, while munching down a delicious, nourishing lunch created especially for us (thank you Sean and Scott!).
The menu: house-made Pâté with vegetable crudité for starters then Thai style Salads with grass-fed seared beef or wild king prawn, and bowls of buttered zucchini and yellow squash.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-ageing, eggs, fruit, Lunch seminar, Madison magazine, magazine articles, McGrath, recipe, shellfish, superfoods, sydney, Thai Salad
Posted in Lunch seminar, eggs, pasture-fed, shellfish | 6 Comments »
September 19th, 2011
If your body’s glands were the musicians in an orchestra (and the hormones they secrete the music), then the Thyroid is the conductor. If the conductor isn’t performing at his best, then the music’s not going to sound too crash hot. Optimal thyroid function is essential for optimal health. Hypothyroidism is an all too common issue for women (and increasingly for men also) these days, of all ages. (image 1: me at a Mozart concert in Vienna; the closest thing I had to a photo of a conductor!)
The thyroid is the main gland, and the master regulator of health, anti-ageing and longevity. It’s function is to energize the cell and drive metabolism. A healthy thyroid means healthy cell differentiation (so that all the cells grow with purpose and efficiency, rather than just growing larger). How your thyroid functions literally shapes the structure of the body. I’d describe someone with a robustly healthy thyroid would be energetic, they’d jump out of bed in the morning, have a healthy ‘glow’, a spring in their step and a big appetite while being naturally trim. (image 2: someone like this!)
Recently I’ve been delving deeper into all things thyroid-related, exploring and analysing the fascinating research of physicians like Broda Barnes and endocrinologist Raymond Peat. Because the thyroid affects and interacts with so many bodily functions (an enormous topic) and low thyroid hormone can be caused by so many different factors … and because my new mantra is to keep my blog posts short and sweet … here are just a few nutritional tips and important facts to be aware of, to hopefully inspire you to learn more: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-ageing, coconut oil, eggs, estrogen dominance, milk, thyroid
Posted in anti-ageing, thyroid health | 15 Comments »
July 25th, 2011
I recently returned from a magical trip to Greece (Crete) and Spain. A little jet-lagged but happily sun-kissed and rejuvenated. They’re both such beautiful countries with (most importantly!) delicious cuisine. I have a lot of clients who travel frequently for work and/or pleasure and want advice on how to maintain healthy eating habits when they’re away from home and limited to eating out. I find it easy; it just takes a little ingenuity, a sharp eye to look out for the right things, and a bit of background knowledge of that country’s food culture to know how to get the good stuff and order the right things. In general, if you stick to the very traditional, simple and local dishes, they also tend to be the most nutrient-dense, and delicious too.
In Crete, although we ate out most of the time, we did have a basic kitchen where we stayed so this made it easy to throw together quick lunches and breakfasts. With some produce from the local farmers’ market, we made salads like this of insanely fragrant tomatoes (unlike anything we get here!), capsicum, freshly cured olives, herbs from the garden, sweet crunchy cucumber and a local sheep’s milk cheese.
Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: farmers' markets, Mediterranean Diet, travel
Posted in Greece, Mediterranean Diet, Natural food, cultured foods, farmers' markets, organic, travel | 4 Comments »
July 1st, 2011
Just a quick post with a few updates:
What I’ve been up to: As well as private consults and research articles, lately I’ve been up to my elbows in food, literally, with a recipe book in the works (more details on that soon!) I’ve been recipe-recreating: simmering, chopping, fermenting, slow-cooking, blending, and farmers’-market-foraging. Lots of fun but all consuming! Feel a bit like Julie following Julia Child!
Who I’ve found: Beautiful Soulla from Bondi who runs Star Anise Wholefoods! If you live in Sydney and you’re not already in the routine of brewing up your own replenishing bone broths or whizzing up nutrient-dense parisian pâté, then lucky you: You can always just pop in to pick some up from Soulla who makes these as well the most delectable coconut chocolate balls. Contact her directly at: soulla.chamberlain@me.com.
Where I’m going: I’m flying off tomorrow and won’t be online for the next 3 weeks. Here’s some clues as to where I’m going… First stop: I’ll be hot and happy, relishing in Gazpacho, raw Manchego, Chorizo, Pimentos and Escalivada … (but no Churos!) Then next stop (pictured): fresh Sheep’s yoghurt, crunchy aggouri, wild fish, slow-cooked local lamb, tomato salads (with tomatoes that taste like tomatoes!) and octopus. Aaaah! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: farmers' markets, Mediterranean Diet, plane travel, sydney, travel food
Posted in Greece, Natural food, Uncategorized, travel | 2 Comments »
June 20th, 2011
This is my favourite thing in my kitchen. (except for the food and one hungry man!)
I use this beautiful cast-iron pot nearly every day. It’s the perfect vessel for slow cooking, much better looking than those modern plug-ins, and also fabulous for weight-bearing exercise! Go here to see my pot in action, with my recipe for slow cooking a happy chook, at a temperature that not only preserves the delicate nutrients, but yields a tender chicken dinner (and left-overs, and a broth).
Also check out page 168 of this month’s (July) Madison Magazine for some tid bits on skin-beautifying foods.
Keep warm!
Tags: GRUB, home cooking, real food, recipe, Slow Cook, sydney
Posted in Traditional, comfort foods, recipe | Comments Off
June 3rd, 2011
I was reading through some interesting research today for an “anti-ageing”-related article I’ve been asked to contribute to. Unfortunately most women’s magazines emphasise only the quick-fixes (generally bottled, expensive and useless) and don’t talk much about the real solutions (related to things they can’t ’sell’ or that people actually have to put a little effort into).
One of the topics being covered is cellulite; a.k.a. orange peel syndrome, cottage cheese skin, hail damage … It’s not something that can be ‘melted’ away from a topical cream, it’s not caused by being too fat (i’ve had many skinny minis show me their dimply thighs too). A french physicist, Bernard Querleux, discovered that cellulite forms in fat deposits that lack adequate connective tissue struts to support a smooth shape. (Cellulite and it’s Treatment. Rawlings, International Journal of Cosmetic Science) So, to put it simply, cellulite is a sign that you’re lacking in collagen (connective tissue); that collagen breakdown is being accelerated (usually due to a pro-inflammatory diet) and is not being replaced. Collagen ‘deficiency’ also shows up in the joints (aching and inflamed) and the face (losing it’s plumpness).
So where can we get collagen from in our foods?
All day today, I’ve had a giant pot of goodies simmering away. I’ll keep this going until tomorrow morning for a deeply nourishing, collagen-rich bone broth. It costs virtually nothing, and needs minimal preparation. My friendly butcher Dom at Grass Roots Urban Butchery in Vaucluse (undoubtedly the best butcher in Sydney stocking only the purest free-range and grass-fed/finished meats), sells bag of chicken carcasses and other bones for next to nix. If you live in Sydney and haven’t been to G.R.U.B. already, go very soon and stock up on the highest quality animal products you’ll ever find.
To make a beautifying Broth: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: anti-ageing, bone broth, cellulite, grass fed and finished, Grass Roots Urban Butchery, home cooking, organic, real food
Posted in Traditional, anti-ageing, pasture-fed | 7 Comments »
May 9th, 2011
In this month’s Vogue Australia (June edition, p 118-125), I’ve addressed some of the particularly important issues (affecting the skin and deeper) that should be addressed during different stages of a woman’s life. For example, minimising bone demineralisation in the 20’s, fertility and nourishment in the 30’s, oxidative stress in the 40’s, and hormones in the 50’s.
When you nourish the body at a cellular level, diligently thoughtfully and daily, your efforts will be reflected in a beautiful, healthy body that ages slowly and gracefully. Actually, ‘effort‘ is the wrong word; it denotes pain and work. I eat deeply nourishing beauty food every day and love every mouthful. If it doesn’t taste amazing, you’re not doing it right!
In addition to the tips in the article, here are a few more thoughts … Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: digestion, eggs, magazine articles, real food, Vogue
Posted in anti-ageing, editorial | 1 Comment »
