Medication Spotlight

I always work with my clients to achieve the most optimal health possible for them.

One very important aspect of this includes consideration of the MEDICATIONS they are using.

All too often we take our doctor's words and advice as gospel, and often forget that we know our bodies better than anyone...

It is definitely possible to reduce and even eliminate the number and types of medications you are taking. Without doubt, any clients I work with who ARE taking medications, drastically reduce or get rid of these all together. Of course I work with an individuals GP to co-ordinate this process! See note below

The impact of diet, lifestyle, stress, love and happiness on our health and well being are incredible and can completely change a condition from present and serious to miraculously gone....If you look at my website in the Success Stories you will read how many clients have realised this for themselves :)

So...next time you head to the Doctor's, or indeed if you are currently taking medications....consider this article and arm yourself with some questions...

You just may discover that there is more power within your hands than you realised :)

Enjoy your day!

Mwah! xoxoxo

BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultant
www.newleafnutrition.com.au
http://bridgetjaneguru.blogspot.com
http://bridgetthompson.blogspot.com
http://bridget-jane.blogspot.com


Mob 0421332243
Sunshine Coast, QLD

"Your health is everything...Discover your TRUE health potential"

N.B Always discuss options with your Doctor first. This article in no way recommends or encourages you to take medications and dosages into your own hands. It merely encourages you to become more educated about WHAT you are taking and WHY. It also encourages you to pursue and explore any possible ALTERNATIVE options- particularly LIFESTYLE options such as diet, exercise, stress management, etc.

What about French Fries?

To WHITE POTATO, or not WHITE POTATO- That is the question :)

(this article taken from http://www.newleafnutrition.com.au/page/41415/default.asp)

In response to Jeremy’s question re French fries, and to give some answers on the commonly asked question re WHITE potato, here’s a little more info:

It is the COMBINATION of foods eaten at any one time that determines how your body metabolises what you feed it and ultimately the impact that then has on your body.

Let me explain. If you eat a classified “High Glycemic Index” carbohydrate food (e.g. white potato) and you COMBINE it with a source of FIBRE (vegies), healthy WHOLE FOOD fats (e.g. avocado), or even a source of good protein (e.g. egg, lentils/beans, lean chicken, fish-tinned or fresh, etc), then the response in your body will be QUITE different compared to if you simply ate the high GI food on its own.

If, for example, you sit down to a meal of MASHED potato, depending on your current physiology (determined by your weight, health, gender, genetics, etc), your body might:

Rapidly digest the carbohydrates in the mashed (a form of PROCESSING) potato, leading to a HIGH insulin response, which in turn leads to a rapid uptake of the released sugar into the cells leaving your blood sugars LOW soon after eating

Result? Low blood sugars can trigger cravings, low moods, etc which may lead to after dinner nibblies... The high insulin response also encourages your body to STORE the excess energy that has come in which your body has no immediate need for (unless you have just exercise, are about to exercise, or are having for lunch in which case you may use the energy throughout the afternoon)

However, if you take the potato (a small-medium sized one) and bake it WHOLE in its skin (source of FIBRE), and serve it with low fat natural yoghurt and low fat cheese (both sources of PROTEIN), then your body may:

Slowly breakdown the carbohydrate in the potato, leading to a slow and steady release of sugars in the blood stream, which leads to a lower (normal) insulin response and greater fat burning potential

Result? You are satisfied for longer and more likely to tap into fat stores (IF you need to lose weight that is AND if your overall daily calorie intake is BELOW your requirements :) )
If this sounds complicated and confusing then you know why I always prefer to deal one on one with clients. There are just WAY to many things about you that make you incredibly UNIQUE :)

Ok!

So bottom line on the ‘Tato:

Eat a small-medium size one only (unless you are having a baked potato as the MAIN meal)

Keep SKIN ON (FIBRE)- mmm crispy! :)

Add minimal FATS – preferably NO butter, oil, sour-cream, mayo, full fat cheese, etc, unless you are adding a SMALL amount of a WHOLE food fat (e.g. avocado)

Serve with an EXTRA source of fibre (additional vegies-; a low fat coleslaw is an awesome compliment to a baked ‘Tato! Quick and easy too! Simply buy pre-shredded cabbage mix from supermarket; add low fat natural yoghurt and low fat mayo. Done! Yum!)

Add a good source of PROTEIN to complete the meal- skinless lean chicken breast, game meat, lentils/beans, low fat natural yoghurt and/or low fat cheese (small amount!)

Go for VARIETY! If you currently eat potato 5-7 days a week, mix it up! Introduce sweet potato, cobs of corn, or other nutrient-rich grain options to the evening meal (e.g. quinnoa, brown rice)

Oh! And re French fries, Jeremy, remember that to make these “tasty” (not to me anymore! haha) products they are cooked in OILS which thin strips of potato soak up like a sponge! Also, many of the common fats in deep fryers are “trans fats” which are INCREDIBLY dangerous to your health. They have been linked to heart disease, diabetes and many other HEART/HEALTH afflictions.

You can read more about Trans Fats at the Heart Foundation website.

Ok! So that’s me!

Over and out, until next time!

Mwah!

BridgetJane

Food Body Lifestyle Guru

Writer, Speaker, Consultant
www.newleafnutrition.com.au
bridget@newleafnutrition.com.au

"Your health is everything...Discover your TRUE health potential"

Hot off the Press: "New-Onset Diabetes in Older Adults Largely Attributable to Lifestyle"

Some new research to reinforce and congratulate all of you out there making an effort :) Also some nuggets of inspiration for those of you contemplating lifestyle changes :)

This study was conducted over a 10 year period and included 4,883 men and women 65 years of age or older. They found that if all older adults fell into low-risk categories in terms of the factors examined, 8 out of 10 new diabetes diagnosis could be prevented. When not being overweight or not having a waist circumference over the recommended measurements was factored in, they found that 9 to 10 out of 10 cases attributed to lifestyle, could be prevented!

Here are some snippets from the research article:

"Even among older adults, a healthy lifestyle, one that includes physical activity, healthy dietary habits, smoking cessation, and light or moderate alcohol use, is associated with a significantly lower incidence of new-onset diabetes mellitus. Researchers showed that 80% of new cases of diabetes are attributable to these risk factors, a number that increases when obesity is included as a risk factor.

"Our findings suggest that, even later in life, the great majority of cases of diabetes are related to lifestyle factors," write Dariush Mozaffarian (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA) and colleagues in the April 28, 2009 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Our results support the need for emphasizing healthy and achievable physical activity and dietary goals among older adults, including moderate leisure-time activity and walking pace, higher intake of dietary fiber and polyunsaturated fat, and lower intake of trans fat and easily digestible carbohydrates."

Basic lifestyle risk factors, according to the researchers, strongly predicted diabetes incidence, with individuals cutting their risk in half when they were physically active and had good dietary habits. Overall, the risk of diabetes was 80% lower among individuals with physical-activity levels above the median, healthy dietary and smoking habits, and moderate alcohol use. When healthy BMIs and waist circumference were added to the model, the risk of new diabetes was reduced by 89%."

[Mozaffarian D, Kamineni A, Carnethon M, et al. Lifestyle risk factors and new-onset diabetes mellitus in older adults. Arch Intern Med 2009; 169:798-807.]


This says much for our power to choose our future, especially in terms of health.

What can you do today to optimise your future health? :)

Until next time, love living well!

Mwah!

BridgetJane
Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultant
www.newleafnutrition.com.au
http://bridgetjaneguru.blogspot.com
http://bridgetthompson.blogspot.com
http://bridget-jane.blogspot.com


Mob 0421332243
Sunshine Coast, QLD

"Your health is everything...Discover your TRUE health potential"

Creating a Healthier Food Culture for Less Money

LOVE this article!!!! Wanted to share it with you all.

Read by clicking the link below and consider todays post :)

Lets do it guys! SO SIMPLE!!! People balk at the time/effort required to do this....all I can say is look around you....see the result of this attitude and try on a NEW ONE :)
If we don not have the time NOW to invest in our health and happiness, we won't have the health later to enjoy our time!!

Small, simple changes....make weekends about bonding with the family, nurturing yourself and creating amazing, delicious and wholesome food! Perfect time of year too...as the seasons get cold....mmm...warm, fresh bread baking in the kitchen....home-made pumpkin scones....hearty veggies stews and soups....get into it guys!! :)

Tell me your favourite home-cooked experiences so I can share them with others in my next newsletter.

Email bridget@newleafnutrition.com.au or send an instant request through my website www.newleafnutrition.com.au

Click here to read the article I love

Mwah! xoxoxo

Christmas is the PERFECT time to define, refine and clarify your health goals!

You may be wondering how this could be so?

How could this possibly be a good time for me to think about my health when there are so many parties to attend, so many holidays to have, so much good food to eat and so many drinks to enjoy?!

Surely you are crazy Bridget?!

No. I certainly am not. In fact, I tell my clients that this is the PERFECT time to get a HEAD START on their 2009 New Year’s Resolutions!

Get in before everybody else and start ahead of the pack!

Last year many of my clients LOST weight over the Christmas break which is COMPLETELY against the statistics which tell us that, on average, most people gain somewhere between 3-5 kilos over the festive season!

Wow!...imagine that after 10 years.....

What I mean by the above statement, is that if you can really commit to a few small changes over this time, and only a few small ones, you will be amazed at how much of a difference you will notice over the period, and so PROUD of yourself that it will empower and inspire you to continue strong in the New Year!

If you can start to commit to a few small changes during this time, you also KNOW that you are on the path to becoming the person who does the things that get the RESULTS you are after.....think about that....

There is a real difference between truly BEING versus APPEARING to be, the person who gets the results you want. Let’s take this through an example....

Say your health goals are to have LOADS of energy, LESS weight on board, and BETTER fitness.
In order to HAVE these results, there are certain things that you need to do, yes? For example, let’s look at the goal to have LOADS of ENERGY. You might read Bridget’s Energy Killer series and take on board the advice to:

- drink LOTS of water,

-control your caffeine intake,

-get active everyday and

-avoid concentrated sources of sugar.

If you did all of these things there is NO DOUBT you would have LOADS of energy.

The key, however, to DOING the above things, is THINKING in a certain way; having a certain attitude; BEING a certain type of person.

So if you think, “Oh, I HAVE to exercise today...bugger...I hate it, I’m so tired, I’m too busy and I really can’t be bothered”, the process STOPS there! You are GUARANTEED NOT to get the results you are after.

If you have these thoughts you are very unlikely to establish the habit of being active long term... you may have bursts of it because you force yourself...and during these bursts you’ll probably have more energy (you may APPEAR to be a person with LOADS of energy..)...but as long as you have these thoughts, you will not be able to SUSTAIN the lifestyle that accompanies the results you desire....make sense?

Alternatively, if you change your thinking to, “I LOVE getting out after a hard, stressful day, into the fresh air, to clear my head, unwind, reflect on all that is good in my life and really appreciate the amazing place I live in and how fortunate I am to have all that I have. I cannot WAIT for my afternoon walk!”

You will be AMAZED at how easily the results you seek will come to you....SO, SO EASILY!!!

You may now be thinking, “Yes, that’s great for you to say, Bridget. Congratulations, you are so positive. That is wonderful for YOU. But YOU are different. You ARE fit, young and healthy. What would you know? You don’t have kids, a stressful job or a husband! You have no idea what it’s like to be ME!”

(Apologies if you are NOT! Haha- it’s just many people who don’t know my background INSTANTLY think this.... :) )

The thing is guys, the only way I got to where I am today is by DOING the very thing I am speaking of now. I made a decision to BE a different person. I looked at the changes I was going to make in an exciting and empowering way and I made it FUN for myself!

Most of all though, I was NICE to myself. I did not FORCE myself to do things... I got INSPIRED and worked out how I could WANT to do the things I needed to do to get the results I wanted. (For those of you who don’t know, I was an overweight, unfit and unhealthy child all my life).

Furthermore though, it’s NOT ALL ABOUT ME!

I KNOW this works as I have seen, not only clients, but HUNDREDS of people around me achieve things they once thought impossible, simply by DECIDING and BELIEVING in themselves!

They made a true commitment to BEING the person who DOES the things that gets the RESULTS they wanted. Results they DECIDED they MUST HAVE! :)

So guys, I’ll leave you with this.....
BE DO HAVE

It is a formula that CANNOT be proven wrong, trust me :)

Have a sensational Christmas! Eat, drink and be merry and MOST OF all, be TRUE to YOURSELF and what is really important to you in life.....You will be rewarded 100 fold......

Love to you all!

Sincerely,

BridgetJane

Food Body Lifestyle Guru
Writer, Speaker, Consultantwww.newleafnutrition.com.au
Mob 0421332243Sunshine Coast, QLD


"Your health is everything...Discover your TRUE health potential"

I would like to share with you a very special gift that was shared with me earlier last week. I truly valued receiving this email from a very beautiful friend of mine and I wanted to share it with all of you! :)

Please take the time to visit the link below and allocate 2 minutes for appreciating it's message. If it resonates with you, be sure to add your details to receive the free gift afterwards. I did, and I can tell you it honestly filled me with inspiration, love and reassurance. It is a resource I will refer to often!

Life is an amazing gift and journey! Sometimes it can seem scary and lonely. We all have these moments.

Consider the 5 Secrets to Life from those in the know....... :) I LOVE this and am excited to share it with you!


http://www.bkconnection.com/thefivesecrets/

I would love to hear from any of you as always, and please send me your feedback :)

Miss you all and looking forward to connecting with you again soon!

Yours in energy, inspiration and passion,

Bridget-Jane
Food, Body, Lifestyle Guru

"Lead by example, Inspire, Be happy"

bridget@newleafnutrition.com.au
http://www.newleafnutrition.com.au/
0421332243

Picture of Health

Latest Media Coverage

You can read about some of what I have been up to here

http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/oct/05/diet-your-way-optimal-energy/

Life is LOTS of fun at the moment and I am enjoying working with many awesome people from my individual clients, to fellow business colleagues, to students in the community....more to come soon! :) xo

Bridget Jane

http://www.newleafnutrition.com.au/