Banana! Frozen banana, melted dark chocolate and homemade macadamia nut butter. Heavenly, and gluten free and dairy free. Give it a whirl, it is amazing.
Cheers to you and good health!
Jan
27
Why Is Type 1 Diabetes Rising Worldwide?
We’ve gotten sadly accustomed by now to warnings about obesity and its effect on health: joint damage, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and its complications such as blindness and amputation. We almost take for granted that as obesity increases worldwide, diabetes will also, and it is. That is, type 2 diabetes — the kind that is linked to obesity and used to be called adult-onset diabetes — is rising as obesity does.
But here’s a puzzle: Type 1 diabetes — the autoimmune disease that begins in childhood and used to be called juvenile-onset diabetes — is rising too, around the globe, at 3 percent to 5 percent per year. And at this point, no one can quite say why.
I have a column in the February Scientific American, on newsstands now and live on the web, exploring this conundrum. There is a raft of researchers exploring the issue, but so far there is only one thing they can say for sure: The increase, which began in the 1950s and accelerated in about the 1980s, is happening too fast to be due solely to genetic change. Something in the environment is driving the increase. But what?
The challenge for explaining the rising trend in type 1 diabetes is that if the increases are occurring worldwide, the causes must also be. So investigators have had to look for influences that stretch globally and consider the possibility that different factors may be more important in some regions than in others.
The list of possible culprits is long. Researchers have, for example, suggested that gluten, the protein in wheat, may play a role because type 1 patients seem to be at higher risk for celiac disease and the amount of gluten most people consume (in highly processed foods) has grown over the decades. Scientists have also inquired into how soon infants are fed root vegetables. Stored tubers can be contaminated with microscopic fungi that seem to promote the development of diabetes in mice.
None of those lines of research, though, have returned results that are solid enough to motivate other scientists to stake their careers on studying them. So far, in fact, the search for a culprit resembles the next-to-last scene in an Agatha Christie mystery — the one in which the detective explains which of the many suspects could not possibly have committed the crime.
One of the best-elaborated hypotheses suggests that lack of exposure to infections in childhood keeps the various components of the immune system from learning how to hold themselves in balance. If this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a version of the “hygiene hypothesis” (past posts here, here and here), which says that a too-clean childhood can lead to allergies later in life.
The diabetes version of this hypothesis explores whether conditions that are a proxy for exposure to infections — not having older siblings in the house, not attending day care, being born by Caesarean — can have an effect on the occurrence of diabetes. No clear culprit has been found yet.
Some researchers say it is possible that obesity may play a role. In type 2 diabetes, tissues in the body that receive the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar, become insensitive to it. In type 1, the body destroys the insulin-producing cells. But an “overload” hypothesis is now suggesting that if a child is obese to begin with, that could prime the insulin-producing cells for failure, with the autoimmune attack pushing them over the edge.
If obesity is an explanation, it’s not a comforting one. As the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics noted today, a whopping percentage of United States adults — 36 percent — are obese. And the trend is not reversing. By 2048, according to Johns Hopkins researchers whose work is discussed in my story, every adult in America will be at least overweight if the current trend continues.
That’s a lot of potential diabetes cases: a lot of glucose monitors, syringe jabs and inevitable blood sugar swings, if you care for it well, and a lot of kidney disease, heart disease, amputations and blindness if you don’t. (Not to mention effects like this image of insulin lipohypertrophy published in the New England Journal of Medicine this week, from years of administering insulin injections.) Let’s hope we find, if not a cure, at least a cause for rising type 1, before the trend gets out of control.
Jan
22
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-22
- Soccer tonight! #
- A year ago today I moved to Melbourne! #
- Yup kids, it's that kinda day- take 2 showers to cool down bc it is so HOT!!! #cravingAC #
- @stekko merci! It's been a good year and u r one of the reasons! #
- @iukris21 I love my bouncy ball! Don't second guess how much fun I had on Greville w it. #
- @leannemci thanks me love! I like ur relo as well
# - Who showered w a spider this morning? This girl. #livinginAustralia #
- @_sarahwilson_ check out http://t.co/aMNWeHaN. Cheers, @KellyOC #paleo #autoimmunedisease #
- @tudiabetes check out the paleo diet. As a type 1 it's been phenomenal. Paleoinfused.com #
- So proud if the melbournians – Di many runners and bikers in the park this morning. #fitness #
- Whoops! Last tweet auto correct did me wrong. #
- Free coffee at D'Snack Bar. #TGIF #
- Pub lunch! #
- Dr Oz drives me bonkers…is any of his advice accurate? #
- #Obama u need to release an album w that voice. #
- @BL11Hannah you are such a great role model. Thx for ur positivity and being so real! #
Jan
20
What? That is Breakfast?
Have you ever put strawberries in an omelette? Have you ever put fruit in your eggs?
I know, I know. Sometimes I surprise myself with what I eat…
This morning and for the past week or so, I have come up with something pretty creative in the kitchen. Anyone willing to give a try?
Straw-crazy Breakfast:
Begin by heating a skillet with coconut oil
Throw in 2 free-range eggs, over easy style but more done than not
While eggs cook, add in fresh ginger, sea salt, sliced mushrooms and 2 sliced strawberries
Viola. Try it. trust me. It is good. And good for you.
Cheers to you and good health!
Jan
18
Client’s Paleo Transition – @shanan_g
For today’s post I am sharing one of my client’s experiences on his paleo journey. To say the least, I am impressed. Well done Shanan! I have also made some comments for Shanan and others to consider.
Please paint a picture of who you are:
Shanan – I’m an active male, aged 28 that enjoys running, cycling and swimming -I occasionally compete in cycling and triathlon events. I’ve always led a fairly active lifestyle with the exception of when I lived in England for 4 years, did do some cycling there but mainly only to commute into work. I work as an IT support/implementation consultant so this does involve sitting at a desk for the good part of a week and also means I’m in the car a bit also. Find me on twitter for more info @shanan_g
What inspired you want to do Paleo?
Shanan – I’m always watching what I eat and I am up for trying new things -I didn’t see Paleo as a diet or being hard to do, I was more interested to see what benefits came from it. So I guess that’s what made me want to do it. I’d also heard successful professional athletes were attributing their success to Paleo, such as tennis player Novak Djokovic.
Kelly – I could not agree with you more Shanan. It sounds like a tough task but in reality it is not that hard and the benefits are felt within a short time, i.e. more energy, better sleep, better performance, etc. I am also pleased that athletes are talking about how they are doing paleo. I hope their media attention around this diet inspires other active people to overlook the myth of having to “carb load” and fuel their activities off carbs.
What are your goals for eating Paleo? Have you met any of them thus far?
Shanan – Feeling less bloated and having my energy levels spread more evenly over the course of the day were my main goals. I hate that feeling of coming down after eating heavy carbs or something high in sugar! I have already achieved these goals with Paleo after just two weeks. There was some concern I would not have enough energy for my physical activities but so far I haven’t noticed any change here… although I have yet to do any extreme distances on the bike -that will be a test! Also, another goal is to stop shopping at supermarkets and just buy produce from markets and more local retailers -I did start doing this before Paleo but I’m even more motivated for this now!
Kelly – These are great goals, especially the one in regards to shopping at markets more. That is something outside of the box thinking that many others would not put down. As for feeling less bloated and more even energy throughout the day – I am not surprised you have met them in this short of time. If you were to say you have not felt a difference, I would challenge you or anyone else in a similar situation to scrutinize everything they are eating and to ensure there are no sneaky ingredients creeping into their snacks/meals. Let us know how it goes after your long-distance bike ride.
How long have you been doing a strict Paleo diet? What are the challenges? Any other surprises worth mentioning?
Shanan – I’ve been doing strict Paleo for two weeks. I think the biggest challenge that arises is in social situations, for example, work lunch on Friday at the pub there were limited options for Paleo so I had to improvise, not a big issue but could be tricky for some. I’ve heard breakfast is a big issue for many starting Paleo but for myself this hasn’t been an issue as I’m very fond of eggs. I think the surprises that come from Paleo is how any meal basically can be shaped into a Paleo meal. After reading through the Primal Cookbook I was surprised to see how many easy changes you can make to incorporate great eating Paleo style -I love cooking with fresh produce so Paleo has been easy to integrate into my daily routine.
How long do you intend doing Paleo, if not for a lifetime?
Shanan – I’d like to continue with Paleo as a lifestyle change. I admit there will be times it will be impossible to do it 100% but I hope to do it, say 90%. I am enjoying the benefits thus far and look forward to seeing the benefits as time goes on.
Kelly – I love the motivation and inspiration with your answer. I myself love food; all types of food, and strive to be 100% paleo and accept only making it 90%. Ironically too, many people will find an extreme difference when they have a non paleo food and naturally lose their old cravings. I look forward to hearing of your future positive results from the lifestyle.
Any advise for those thinking about trialing this lifestyle?
Shanan – My advise for people thinking about giving Paleo a go is simple: Be prepared! By that I mean make sure you have lots of fresh produce available and to have your fridge well stocked. Other advice I would say is if you have a partner, ask them if they’re interested in joining you -this will definitely make the initial stages much easier. I share my house with one other who isn’t currently doing Paleo -one thing I’ve done to make things easier for myself is I’ve divided up the pantry into accepted Paleo foods and non-Paleo foods -this makes things much easier come food prep time.
Kelly – Could not agree more with your tips.
Any additional comments?
Shanan – I’ve only been doing Paleo a short time but in this short time I’ve definitely noticed the benefits – I’m feeling motivated, energised and alert! My mum is also trialling Paleo at the moment, her goals are different from mine in that she is trying to help fix her sinuses and lose weight. Like myself, she too is feeling the benefits already. I’d definitely recommend anyone giving Paleo a go as I’m truly amazed by how fantastic I’m feeling already by simply eliminated things out of my daily food intake. Good luck for anyone starting out and enjoy what will come to you!
What does an average day of Paleo eating look like for you?
| Friday 6th of January | |
| Breakfast | Eggs, tomato, spinach |
| Morning snack | Mixed nuts |
| Lunch | Chicken stir-fry (leftover dinner) |
| Afternoon snack | n/a |
| Dinner | Roast lamb with sweet potatoes |
| Exercise (morning) | 30 min run with dog |
| Exercise (lunch) | 20 minute walk |
| Exercise (evening) | n/a |
Jan
15
No Excuses
Whether or not you are on the Dukan Diet, the Paleo Diet, Weight Watchers or Take-away (Fast Food) only, you are in the power of your own wellbeing. No one can defend your health better than yourself. Not your doctor, not your partner and not your mom. You know your body better than anyone and you cannot neglect the opportunity to feel your best, perform your best, sleep your best and more. It is not easy, but overall teh effort is well worth it.
If you think you could tweak your state of health in any way (diet, fitness, sleep, stress), I empower you to make change now. If time is the problem, start small by adding a little more fitness in your day, staying hydrated, putting aside time for enough sleep, surrounding yourself in a positive environment and more.
Clearly everyone’s needs are different including fitness patterns and eating regimes. Yet, it is not as clear to know what exactly works for our individual DNA. This takes a conscious effort to understand and time.
If I could offer one piece of advice it is to do a personal experiment to figure out what food ingredients make you feel your best. How? There are various ways of doing this but the quickest results can be revealed with an elimination diet. This includes the removal of dairy, legumes and/or grains (including all sugar) from your diet for 3 weeks. If this is too much, try removing just one of the 3 listed above.
Am I crazy? Yes. But I care about your health just as much as mine. I certainly get pushback with this 3 week idea but, more often than not, by the end there is always some sort of success through the transition. Are you sold?
Maybe some background information can serve as inspiration. Once upon a time I attended a convention, Food As Medicine, put on by many credible health and medical experts. During the seminar, at some level, the practitioners preached a gluten and dairy free diet. As a dietician I sat in my chair taking notes thinking 1) these GPs are nuts, who would avoid whole grains and cheese, and 2) thank goodness I am not intolerant to these foods, I could never imagine living without them….
Fast-forward to today – if I had as much of a crumb of bread I am put out for at least 2 days. I may bloat, I get skin blemishes, I become depressed (and I am happy person), I get endless food cravings, sleep disturbances and more. On the flipside, my blood sugars are much more stable on a gluten free, dairy free and legume free diet AND I require less than half of the insulin I needed on a ‘balanced diet’. This is amazing, especially since many endocrinologists find type 1 diabetics require more insulin with age. Most days I average 9 units of insulin (Novolog) and thinking back to my high school days, I used to require 20-24 units per day.
Regardless of present symptoms or lack of, these foods can cause inflammation in our bodies, which lead to bad things and poor health outcomes. Three weeks of an elimination diet can help put the proof in the pudding and help you understand what really make you feel your best.
This personal inclusion is to help demonstrate how food can affect us. Proponents of a ‘balanced diet’ of whole grains, low fat dairy and legumes, argue that consumption of novel Neolithic and Industrial era foods is responsible for the current epidemic levels of obesity, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer in the US and other contemporary Western populations.[1]
Have a think about it. This is just an idea for anyone looking to feel better. If you think it is something you want to give a shot, it is important to be strict for the whole 3 weeks, allowing for no variables. Once the 21 days expire, slowly add in any of the restricted foods you have missed and ask yourself how you feel. If you notice any intolerance, reach for many other nutrient dense foods like seasonal vegetables, grass fed meat, seafood, coconut milk, berries, dark chocolate, fruit and more.
Food is one of the best pleasures in life; just make sure the choices you make are worth it.
Cheers to you and good health!
——————————————————————————–
Jan
10
Legumes, Why Should I Stop Eating You?
Legumes, also known as hummus, refried beans, chick peas, black beans, peanuts, soy beans etc, all contain lectins (specialized proteins). Indeed, all plant foods contain lectins but the lectins in grains (such as wheat), dairy and legumes cause an inflammatory response in your body and are resistant to cooking and digestive enzymes.
Overall, research on legume lectin is young and there is a lot more to be explored. However, for this post I have pulled some data for those of you trying to eat paleo day in and day out while ‘digesting’ the biochemistry of Neolithic food.
Lectins are inflammatory, toxic or could be both. Mark Sisson writes in his new book, “Lectins are natural plant toxins that suppress immune function, interfere with normal protective gut barriers, and promote inflammation (skin, joint, reproductive, allergies and more health related issues) by allowing undigested protein molecules to infiltrate your digestive tract and trigger an autoimmune response – a situation characterized by the familiar term, leaky gut sydrome.”
But what if I have just a small portion of beans or a spoonful of peanut butter, would there be much harm? Yes.
In the Lancet, Dr. Wang and colleagues revealed that lectins can get into the bloodstream in as little 1-4 hours after subjects ate a handful of roasted, salted peanuts, and these lectins can cause damage beyond the gut – commonly in joints, brain, and skin of affected individuals.
But I already have type 1 diabetes and I am grain intolerant; the damage is done. Can I not possibly have a little bit of peanut butter? No.
Research supports the strong possibility that mild stimulation (inflammation) can further worsen gut injury and autoimmune disease. Avoidance of certain food lectins can help achieve optimal health and heal a damaged gut. This serves as a basis for ongoing research and probable success of the paleo diet.
There you have it, “Goodbye peanut butter. I will miss you but challenging my health just is not worth it.”
Regardless if you have an autoimmune disease or a food intolerance, dairy, legumes and grains contain toxic ingredients (lectins) and intolerance can be asymptomatic (silent). If eating paleo is not suiting you at this time, just try your best to eat your best. More great research on the paleo diet in relation to inflammation, disease and performance can be reviewed here.
Cheers to you and good health!
Jan
08
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-08
- What was your fav movie of 2011?? #
- @IntuitiveRD thx for the follow! Hope it's a healthy one! #
- Too cute- our neighbor is teaching his lil boy how to ride a bike. #thosewerethedays #
- Just listened to ur podcast w @livinlowcarbman! U couldn't have positioned #paleo & #autoimmunedisease any better @juliannejtaylor Congrats #
- Can't wait to get my hands on #ThePaleoAnswer #
- @livinlowcarbman thx for the RT and appreciate your work! #
- I think could have kangaroo for lunch every day. Satisfying and tasty. #
- Did spinning this morning. Did I like it? Still deciding… #
- Ha coworker emailed me, "You are so sweet, but #lowcarb " #healthjokes #
- @angelaminelli thanks for the follow! I was born in OH- good people there. #
- Coffee w my best friend @ChiSchmidtty #
- Sometimes I love running in the rain. Getting back into it! #
- What a good day #
- @stekko @sarahgalbally merci!! #
- @stekko @sarahgalbally I think I am going to pass on bootcamp. I am to ADD for classes. Only enjoy it sparingly. #
Jan
07
Food Log – I Have Not Forgotten About You
Happy New Year. I do not know about you, but I have been feeling a little fluffy since the holidays. I did not go too far off the paleo diet but I certainly had too many bites of food on too many occasions. That is okay because I am back on the horse and motivated to eat right and feel good.
Breakfast: 10AM
I woke up around 7:30AM and told myself, “You are not getting out of bed,” and slept another good hour or so.
2 free range, omega 3 eggs
Sauteed mushrooms
11:30AM – Prahran Market
Sampled some preservative free sausages (oh they are so good)
Had an organic long black
Samples some spicy and garlic olives
A fresh date
Exercise: 1PM
bike ride to the coast (9 miles total), a few plyorometric drills
Snack: 3PM
I threw some almonds in a food processor with some macadamia nut oil and himilayian sea salt
6-8 prunes
Exercise: 4:30PM
30 min run through the local park
Dinner: 6PM
Grilled seafood salad (prawns, calamari, white fish and greens)
Snack: 8:30PM
1 oz of leftover beef
Salsa and homemade guacamole
Jan
03
Monday Mover – What I Have Learned in 2011
How has 2011 treated you? Are you wishing it away and itching for the new year or are you trying to hold onto every last bit?
I am indifferent about 2011. It has certainly been the most courageous year of my life. I left my amazing family in the States to relocate with my now husband in Melbourne, Australia, got hitched, started a new career in a new industry, broadened and nurtured relationships and friendships, became an aunt, traveled to New Zealand, had a rough accident, and more. All in all I do not have a single regret.
Melbourne is one of the best cities I have ever been to, let alone lived in. The cafe lifestyle, the friendliness, the amazing wine and sexy-delicious food is irreplaceable. I have become more patient as a person with this city and I have grown to appreciate the smallest things- like shops being closed on Sundays or my boss suggesting I go for a run on my lunch break. I am obsessed with Australia’s nature, I love my daily walks, and biking (when I can) and more.
Getting married has been wonderful too. That is an understatement; I love being married. It is a sureal feeling and blessed relationship. Ask me this again in 5 years…kidding!
Shortly after we stated our vows I got in an unfortunate accident. However, I am on the mend and learned a lot about myself. There are so many things that can be handled better when you put your mind and positive focus to it. This accident crushed me but with the support and prayers from home, I have held my head high and am forever grateful for friends, family and personal capabilities. For a span of this time I was not able to speak. From having to write and motion everything to my nurse husband, I finally was able to talk but then could not smile. My smile is almost back and a simple thing like this is something I took for granted.
Oh 2011 you were a joyous one and a challenging one. I have learned to live in the moment from you and you have made me excited for the bright year ahead. In 2012 I want to be my best person and continue to grow. But please, play nice.
I would love to hear your thoughts about 2011.
Cheers to you and good health!
About Kelly
Changing the world one day at a time is the motto Kelly lives by. Following a passion of wellness and nutrition as a (paleo) Registered Dietitian and a type one diabetic, Kelly openly shares her knowledge on health, food allergies and disease prevention. She wishes walking was a profession, always willing to make a trip to the market, signs up for just about any race and loves hosting (healthy) dinners for friends.
Kelly O'Connell, RD
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