BioHax Picks

Sadly, the eighth and final episode of the award-winning HBO “Game of Thrones” series is upon us with over 17 million people tuning-in around the world. However, if you include data from piracy monitoring firm MUSO, the true figure indicates 54 million in the first 24 hours (illegal downloads), plus 17 million through HBO Foxtel.

But how do these actors prepare for their grueling roles, whilst maintaining both physical and mental wellness? There is a lot of pressure on these actors to look a certain way, especially in nude scenes when you know a large part of the world is watching and you’ll be heavily critiqued afterwards.

Not surprising, this has meant keeping a strict diet and workout regime to pull off their fierce looks and stamina.

Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister): Lena has an incredible physique at 45 years of age and advocates eating natural, healthy food and steers clear of anything artificially flavoured or “man-made.” Her diet is similar to Vikings, Spartans, Hunter Gatherers, Samurais and Monks.  She also applies the 80/20 rule when it comes to food to keep a healthy balance and enjoys a vino and McDonalds on cheat days. She also openly talks about her battle with anxiety and depression and how she overcame the “’beast.”

She tweeted: “Globally we see constant destruction of human lives. Which no matter your belief, has an effect. If we scale it back to family and community, it's been lost to greed and aspiration, no wonder we have anxiety, no wonder we overthink ..we're slammed with b******t…”

When the actress was asked for advice on coping with depression and anxiety, she said it was best to “face the beasts” head on.

She wrote: “Anxiety is a beast. You have to talk to beasts. Release them back into the wild. Easier said than done I know but still. Good to practice.

“Anxiety. Depression. It's real and it's chemical. It's also spiritual. We're slammed with bullshit; tricked into thinking you're not enough – well here's the truth. You are enough. In fact you're who you're meant to be which is beautiful.

"Don't be afraid to let someone really see you. Magic happens when you are vulnerable and truthful and human.”

Emily Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen): The English actress highly depends on her nutrition and daily exercise program to see her through the long hours on set. Clarke follows the “clean and lean” diet created by her Australian personal trainer, James Duigan. This diet advocates eating foods in their natural state void of toxins, no processed foods, sugars and only filtered water. This program is more of a holistic lifestyle rather than a diet, and for it to be effective ongoing – it needs to become a part of your daily life and who you are.

The diet recommends three organic elements for each meal: protein (like chicken, lamb, salmon, or prawns), fat (avocado, nuts, seeds, olive/coconut oil), and a mix of veggies (spinach, peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes).

Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister): Peter was a vegetarian for 15 years before going full vegan in 2014. To this day he still uses his platform to advocate for better treatment of animals and is a celebrity ambassador for Farm Sanctuary, the largest animal sanctuary in the world. He has also partnered with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and starred in a youtube video called “Face Your Food” revealing the ugly side of factory farms.

Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei): English actor who plays Missandei, trusted advisor to Daenerys Targaryen, has also been vegan since 2012. Nathalie is an advocate of whole foods and plant-based diets – “I try to stay away from processed foods,” she told Self in August 2017 – but is also a big fan of dairy-free chocolate. “Good vegan chocolate has become a thing with me. The more you silence your cravings, the bigger they become, so I prefer to have a little bit and get on with my day,” she said. She also has an appreciation for yoga and boxing.

Nathalie told Women’s Health Mag she likes to snack on “quinoa, greens, veggies and beans,” and enjoys natural protein shakes including “bananas, almond milk, coconut water, spinach, matcha powder, vegan protein powder.”

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie Lannister): At different times during the show, you’ve probably noticed Nikolag, 48 years old, has had to bulk up and shred weight during varying seasons.

Nikolaj told Men's Health Mag, “You read about how much protein certain people eat and hear people talk about it in the gym. But it’s not until you experience the results that you really understand. I’ve always exercised hard and thought I ate healthily, so I assumed muscle would come. But if you want to bulk up, trust me, you do really need to eat a sh*tload of protein.”

He typically has five eggs for breakfast with loads of green vegetables and salmon, a protein shake for a snack, a lunch containing two skinless chicken breasts with more veggies, and then another protein shake, followed by a dinner of some carbs and more protein.

He added, “It’s the constant eating which I find exhausting.”

When it comes to his diet, though, he admits that he has seen the value of being extreme – an awful lot of protein, all day, every day.

Maisie Williams (Arya Stark): Masie joined Nathalie Emmanuel in advocating for an end to cosmetic animal testing with Cruelty Free International and The Body Shop. She has also spoken out against SeaWorld’s treatment of its captive animals. In response to a tweet that read “How can we tell if our animals are happy? The same way you know if your dog is happy” Williams wrote, “@SeaWorld yes, because dorsal fins look sooooo happy and healthy. #dontbecaptivatedbycaptivity.”

Even young hero’s need a good diet and Maisie shared one of her recipes on Instagram: “The recipe calls for one banana, four dates, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon almond butter, 1 cup of almond milk and some ice. Mostly this is about the taste: It's a great combo, with the dates adding natural sweetness, and the banana and almond butter giving it some satisfying thickness. Personally, I'd add a lot more almond butter, unless this is something you're having more as a beverage than a meal. Her following posts do seem to indicate she was going for the former.

Blend that shit, then drink ur smoothie and try to convince yourself that drinking healthy drinks [will] counter out the fact that u ate a FAT bowl of pad thai noodles for dinner..."

Luckily Maisie still has age on her side to combat not-so-good food.

Here is Maisie’s intense 7-day workout.

Kit Harrington (Jon Snow): Men’s Health have captured Kit’s “Train Like a Bastard” in great detail. “In Thrones, Harington’s body is almost constantly swathed in layers of coats and furs. That they weigh in at almost 10kg is not the point. It’s that underneath the mythical weighted vest stands his naturally slighter physique. “I’m not a 6ft 3in guy who can bulk up and just look like an absolute unit, a tank. My body type has a tinybit of stockiness to it but it’s really quite wiry, so for Pompeii that was the sort of look I had to go for – ‘prison fit’, like Robert De Niro in Cape Fear.

For his roles, Harington has to look as though he could overpower enemy hordes. Building muscle fast means a lot of reps with the fork; for five weeks it was 5000kcal a day. “I was eating all the time: loads of good carbs, like brown rice and sweet potatoes. And lots of chicken.” Go heavy on flavouring to avoid getting bored. Harington’s trainer Dalton Wong recommends Herbamare – a mix of salt and about 15 herbs and it'll quickly pay its way.”

Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth): Christie is 6’ 3” and taller than most men on the set of Game of Thrones. But even considering her natural aptitude for the role, Christie had to put in a lot of work to make the look perfect and get her body into the shape of a committed, lifelong warrior.

She cut out alcohol and completely changed her diet. Christie’s coach Dalton Wong told Looper, “Booze can be a lot of fun, and in the messed-up land of Westeros, it's probably extremely helpful when it comes to getting through the day. But it's also a luxury the best knights must abstain from. Christie, in taking up the mantle of one of the world's strongest, took the idea of abstinence to heart. 

There's no getting around it — alcohol is a killer for diets. Not only are you not getting anything beneficial out of it nutrient-wise, alcohol calories disrupt fat metabolism, inhibit muscle growth, and lock you into a two-steps-forward, one-step-back weight loss routine, at best. Giving up alcohol for the sake of her training was a concession Christie was more than willing to make. "I don't think I've ever wanted anything as much," she said of her motivated mindset at the time. 

Wong also broke down an entire training session with Christie, “We came in at 8 a.m. First thing we do, we start off with water, espresso and a green tea or a ginger tea. That’s our little trio that we have every session. I like having caffeine before a workout because it gets us mentally aware.”

The Meal Plan

Power Breakfast: “An easy breakfast that gives you energy and fills you up with good essential fatty acids and fiber.”

1 cup organic full-fat Greek yogurt

1/4 cup of mixed berries

6-8 crushed nuts

¼ teaspoon of milled seeds

Dash of cinnamon

Performance Lunch: “An ideal lunch that has a rainbow of veggies and will not feel heavy in the stomach.”

1 portion of protein

Salad, grilled veggies or stir fry

Small amount of fat (e.g., salad dressing, olive oil, avocado)

Recovery Dinner: “The perfect dinner to aid in recovery and promote a restful night’s sleep.”

1 portion of protein

Steam, grilled or veggie stir fry

Small portion of complex carbs (side of your fist) like rice or potatoes

Very small amount of fat

The Fitness Show is once again returning in 2019 for its 14th consecutive year running and brings together some of Australia’s biggest fitspo celebrity names, including fitness and wellness brands all under the one roof! The event promotes the latest in fitness education, technology, healthy foods, sports nutrition, group fitness and fitness apparel.

Nationally, Australia has a huge appetite for health and wellness, with research indicating that by 2022/23 the fitness industry revenue will grow by an annual 1.8% to $2.4 billion, currently at $2.2 billion.

Growing at equally staggering rates is also our inability to consume enough nutrition. Official figures show a huge 96% of all Australians eat less than half their recommended daily intake of vegetables an prefer to eat unhealthy options such as cakes, biscuits, take away, chocolate, soft drinks and alcohol.

So what is required to make that transformation into a healthy diet or take it even further to perhaps one day compete and be a world champion bodybuilder?

Introducing Multi State, National, International and World Champion Bodybuilder Kwame Duah who has completed a degree in Nutrition and Food Science, combines theory and practice when planning out his daily meals, allowing him to maintain his lean physique all year round.

Kwame has reaped the rewards of his hard work with not only having a healthy 323,300 followers on Instagram, but continues to build on his successful business by training others how to be healthy on the inside, as well as the outside.

Kwame, who resides in Adelaide, began competing in body builder competitions as a teenager in 2011, while also completing his degree and from there developed an online training program in real time that has helped his clients transform their lives. In 2014 he became the youngest natural body builder to achieve professional status with Muscle Mania and has featured in national and international magazines.  

We asked the question, what does Kwame consume on a daily basis to remain competition ready, “Macros (energy or calories on the food) play a big role in my diet. I personally like to eat meals high in carbohydrates and protein, and lower in fat.”

Here is a breakdown of Kwame’s meals:

• 70-80% of whole foods with a variety of Macro sources.
• Proteins – Eggs, fish, kangaroo, lean beef, lean turkey, chicken breast.
• Fats – Avocado, nuts, seeds, MCT oils.
• Carbohydrates – Rice, sweet potato, brown pasta, quinoa and oats.

Kwame continued “I also ensure that I am getting my micro nutrients as they play an essential role in

overall health, muscle building, weight loss, and strength. Additional health foods like green tea, apple cider vinegar, and lemon water are also something I add to my daily routine. If I have a goal of losing weight and hunger strikes, I focus on having more calorie dilute foods that help to keep me fuller for longer.”

You can meet Kwame along with other successful bodybuilders and fitness influences at The Fitness Show Expo Friday, 12 April through to Sunday 14 April by booking your tickets online here.

The event is open to trade and general public from 10am-5pm daily at the International Convention Centre, Darling Harbour. The Fitness Show will also be held in Brisbane and Melbourne. Check their website for details.

Bone Broth itself has been around for centuries. In Chinese medicine, whose origins date back over 2,500 years, bone broth has always been used to support digestive health, as a blood builder, and to strengthen the kidneys. Then, beginning in 12th century Egypt, physician Moses Maimonides was known to prescribe chicken soup as a medicinal remedy for colds and asthma.

The bone broth diet has had a resurgence in the last ten years and is now a popular eating plan that combines the principles of intermittent fasting and the Paleo diet while also allowing you to take advantage of the benefits of bone broth.

It’s incredibly effective and can bring huge benefits from weight loss skin health, hair texture and even joint function without having to meticulously measure calories or macronutrients like many other eating plans.

What is Bone Broth?

Chicken soup isn’t just good for the soul. There’s a reason that it’s prescribed by doctors and mothers alike when you feel under the weather.

All bone broths — beef, chicken, fish, lamb and more — are staples in the traditional diets of every culture and the basis of all fine cuisine. They’re also now a staple in the Paleo diet and the keto diet. That’s because bone broths are nutrient-dense, easy to digest, rich in flavor and boost healing.

Bone broth or stock was a way our ancestors made use of every part of an animal. Bones and marrow, skin and feet, tendons and ligaments that you can’t eat directly can be boiled and then simmered over a period of days. This simmering causes the bones and ligaments to release healing compounds like collagen, proline, glycine and glutamine that have the power to transform your health.

Nutrition researchers Sally Fallon and Kaayla Daniel of the Weston A. Price Foundation explain that bone broths contain minerals in forms that your body can easily absorb:

• calcium
• magnesium
• phosphorus
• silicon
• sulphur
• and others

They contain chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, the compounds sold as pricey supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis and joint pain.

A study of chicken soup (broth) conducted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center wondered what it was in the soup that made it so beneficial for colds and flu. Researchers found that the amino acids that were produced when making chicken stock reduced inflammation in the respiratory system and improved digestion.

Also, research proves it can also boost the immune system and heal disorders like allergies, asthma and arthritis.

What Is a Bone Broth Diet?

By Dr Josh Axe, Functional Medicine Doctor & Nutritionist.

The bone broth diet plan is a meal plan that involves cycling between following a Paleo diet five days per week and fasting for two days weekly over a period of 21 days. The 21-day bone broth diet plan was first made popular by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci, a nutritionist who wrote several bone broth diet book resources, such as “Dr. Kellaynn’s Bone Broth Diet.”

It involves eating one to three servings of bone broth per day each day, alongside a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods for five days per week. During these days, grains, gluten, soy, dairy and sugar should also be restricted. Two days per week, you should fast and consume only bone broth for all of your snacks and meals throughout the day.

Proponents of the plan claim that the bone broth diet results in quick weight loss, better skin, improved gut health and decreased inflammation. Let’s take a look at a few of the potential ways that the diet can enhance overall health.

Health Benefits

1. Supports Weight Loss

Many people use the bone broth diet for weight loss, and for good reason. In fact, there are plenty of bone broth diet reviews out there claiming that it can help shed stubborn pounds and jump-start weight loss within a matter of days.

So how does bone broth help you lose weight? The diet plan swaps out processed foods and unhealthy ingredients for nutritious whole foods while also bumping up your intake of protein, which has been shown to reduce appetite and caloric intake to support weight loss.

It also involves the practice of intermittent fasting, which can decrease levels of specific hormones responsible for controlling hunger while also improving overall body composition.

2. Decreases Inflammation

Although acute inflammation is an important process used by the immune system to protect against invaders and ward off infection, sustaining high levels of inflammation long term is thought to be at the root of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The bone broth diet may help decrease inflammation, which can be especially beneficial for those suffering from autoimmune conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

It works by pairing bone broth — an ingredient that contains anti-inflammatory compounds like collagen — with intermittent fasting, a practice that has been linked to decrease markers of inflammation as well.

3. Promotes Gut Health

Thanks to its anti-inflammatory effects, the bone broth diet can help support gut health and protect against leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut syndrome is a condition caused by changes in the permeability of the intestinal lining, which allows particles and toxins to pass from the digestive system to the blood, resulting in inflammation.

Studies show that collagen, one of the main compounds found in bone broth, helps strengthen the lining of the gut, which could potentially aid in the prevention of leaky gut.

4. May Improve Joint Function

If you suffer from chronic joint pain, swelling or stiffness, adding bone broth to your routine may be beneficial. This is because it’s a great source of collagen, which helps restore cartilage and keep the joints healthy.

According to a study published in Current Medical Research and Opinion, supplementing with collagen was found  to be effective at decreasing activity-related joint pain in athletes within just six months.

5. Keeps Skin Healthy

Bone broth is great for slowing the signs of aging to keep skin healthy and hydrated. In fact, studies show that the collagen found in bone broth could improve skin elasticity and moisture in older women. Although more research is needed, some also report improvements in cellulite and stretch marks thanks to the beneficial effects of bone broth and collagen on connective tissue cells.

Who Should Follow This Diet?

For most healthy adults, the bone broth soup diet is safe and associated with minimal adverse side effects. It may be especially useful for those looking to boost weight loss, improve joint function, support healthy digestion and decrease inflammation. To determine if the diet is right for you, try following a seven-day bone broth diet plan to see how you feel. There are plenty of bone broth diet tips and resources out there that can help ease the transition and maximize its potential effectiveness.

However, the bone broth diet may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant and nursing, for example, should not follow the bone broth diet and should instead focus on consuming a well-rounded, nutrient-rich diet. Those with underlying health conditions like diabetes or kidney disease should also consult with their doctors before considering the bone broth diet.

How to Follow a Bone Broth Diet

The bone broth diet involves following a healthy diet five days per week and consuming only bone broth twice per week, similar to intermittent fasting. The diet should be followed for 21 days in total, with six days of bone broth fasting and 15 days of eating over the course of the entire plan. Fasting days should be separated by at least one regular day of eating in between.

During the days that you do eat, you should consume one to three cups of bone broth per day as snacks and limit ingredients such as sugar, dairy, soy, grains, gluten and processed foods. On fasting days, stick to one cup of bone broth for each meal and snack, plus unlimited liquids such as water or herbal tea.

Here is a sample bone broth diet meal plan for both an eating day and bone broth fasting day to help get you started:

Click here for organic bone broth in both beef, chicken and beef and vegetable stew broth.

Sample Eating Day:

• Breakfast: Eggs Benedict
• Snack: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth
• Lunch: Vegetable Beef Barley Soup with side salad
• Snack: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth
• Dinner: Blackened Salmon with Creamy Avocado Dressing and roasted broccoli

Sample Bone Broth Fasting Day:

• Breakfast: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth
• Snack: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth
• Lunch: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth
• Snack: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth
• Dinner: 1 cup beef or chicken bone broth

Recipes

What can you eat on the bone broth diet? Although the diet involves fasting two days per week, enjoying a variety of nutritious, healthy foods during the days that you do eat is just as important to ensuring success. Fortunately, there are plenty of bone broth diet recipe ideas out there, making it easy to fill your week with delicious meals on the days that you do eat. Need some inspiration? Here are a few bone broth diet recipes to help get you started:

• Moo Shu Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Grain-Free Apple Crisp
• Cauliflower Steak with Italian Seasoning
• Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
• Paleo Protein Pancakes

Risks and Side Effects

While the bone broth cleanse diet can be beneficial for many, with most shedding between 4-8 kilos in the first week, there are several health conditions where heavy medication is being taken that need to be considered, so it’s always best to talk to your doctor before making any dietary changes in those instances.

The bone broth diet is also not recommended for those who have been told by their health practitioner to follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. Also note that the diet is intended to be a short-term plan and should not be followed for long periods of time.

Additionally, keep in mind that not all bone broth is created equal and should come from organically kept animals. So what is the best bone broth to buy if you are on the bone broth diet? Be sure to purchase a product from a reputable retailer and select a supplement that is free of fillers, artificial sweeteners and chemicals. Alternatively, you can try making your own bone broth at home using a simple slow cooker recipe. This puts you in full control of what’s going on your plate to help maximise the potential health benefits of the bone broth diet.

When thinking about what to eat for breakfast, a steaming hot bowl of oats with banana and honey comes to mind or mixed in as granola or muesli with fruit and yoghurt in summer. However you consume them, most people do include oats as a regular, daily intake of nutrition for breakfast. 

Oats are classified as a grain and also rolled and crushed to make fine flour for baking and used in dry pet food for livestock.

They’re rich in fibre, high in protein, antioxidants, low in fat and highly nutritious with many health benefits.

There are also several types of oats to choose from including rolled, steel-cut and quick (instant) cooking oats and vary slightly in their nutrient profile.

However, you may be wondering whether oats and oatmeal contain gluten.

This article explains how best to include oats in a gluten-free diet.

What’s the problem with gluten?

Gluten-free diets have become very popular as more people in general are suffering the daily effects of IBS and have been tested positive for celiac disease.

In fact, surveys state that as many as 15–30% of the population try to avoid gluten for various health reasons.

Gluten is a family of proteins found in grains, such as wheat, rye, and barley. These proteins give bread and pasta their stretchy, chewy texture (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

Most people can eat gluten without any side effects, but these proteins can cause serious health problems for some individuals.

Gluten may cause digestive issues in certain populations because its unique amino acid structure may hinder the digestive enzymes in your gut (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source).

If you have celiac disease, your body launches an autoimmune response to gluten, damaging your intestinal lining (5Trusted Source).

If you’re intolerant to gluten, even a tiny amount is harmful, making a gluten-free diet the only way to avoid serious health issues (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

Are oats gluten-free?

Studies by Healthline. 

Pure oats that have not been contaminated or grown alongside other crops that contain gluten are gluten-free and safe for most people with gluten intolerance.

However, oats are often contaminated with gluten because they may be processed in the same facilities as gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye, and barley.

This is why we have sourced oats that have been gluten tested, to ensure its safe for those who suffer from a gluten intolerance. Please read further below for testing results.

Studies show that most people with celiac disease or wheat allergy can tolerate 50–100 grams of pure oats per day without adverse effects (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source).

One 8-year study in 106 people with celiac disease revealed that half of them ate oats daily — and none experienced negative effects (10Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).

Additionally, some countries recommend including oats in a gluten-free diet. A few studies note that people with celiac disease living in these countries had better intestinal healing than people in countries that did not (10Trusted Source, 15Trusted Source).

So in summary, pure, uncontaminated oats are also safe for people who have a wheat allergy.

Oats are often contaminated with gluten

Although oats themselves don’t contain gluten if grown and processed in a pure environment, they’re often grown alongside other crops.

The same equipment is typically used to harvest crops in neighbouring fields, which leads to cross-contamination if one of those crops contains gluten.

The sowing seed may also be impure, harbouring a small amount of wheat, rye, or barley seeds.

Additionally, products made with oats are usually processed, prepared, and packaged in the same facilities as gluten-containing products.

Therefore, it’s unsurprising that studies analysing regular oat products identified levels of gluten far exceeding the standard for gluten-free foods (16Trusted Source, 17, 18Trusted Source).

One study in 109 oat-containing products on the market in North America and Europe found that the products contained over 200 parts per million (ppm) of gluten, on average (16Trusted Source, 19Trusted Source).

Just 20 ppm of gluten may be enough to cause a reaction in someone with celiac disease (16Trusted Source). Our gluten-tested oats have come back as <5ppm making them safe to consume.

This high risk of contamination means that it’s unsafe to include conventionally grown oats in a strict gluten-free diet.

Notably, a number of companies have begun to process oats with clean equipment and grow them in fields designated gluten-free. These oats can be marketed as gluten-free and must contain less than 20 ppm of gluten (20).

Still, even gluten-free labels may not be completely reliable. One study discovered that gluten levels exceeded safety limits in 5% of products labelled gluten-free.

However, 100% of the oat products passed the test, implying that labels certifying oats and oatmeal as gluten-free can be trusted in most cases (16Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

Why you may still not be able to tolerate oats?

It is always best practice to avoid eating foods that cause any adverse side effects including the more common side effects of bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, lethargy after eating, headaches and flatulence. A very small number of people with celiac disease (and possibly other auto-immune diseases) may still not be unable to tolerate pure, uncontaminated oats.

This is why…

Pure oats contain a protein called avenin, that may cause problems because it has a very similar amino-acid structure as gluten.

The majority of people who are sensitive to gluten do not react to avenin. They can eat pure, uncontaminated oats with no problems (22Trusted Source).

However, a tiny percentage of people with celiac disease may react to avenin. For these few people, even certified gluten-free oats may be unsafe (16Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

One study discovered that most people with celiac disease had the potential to react to avenin. However, only 8% of the participants had an actual response after eating a large amount of oats (24Trusted Source).

In those cases, the responses were small and did not cause clinical symptoms or relapse. Therefore, the researchers concluded that people with celiac disease could still eat up to 100 grams of pure oats per day (24Trusted Source).

Additionally, two other small studies found that some people with celiac disease experienced a small immune response and more intestinal symptoms while eating oats than those on a traditional gluten-free diet (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

Despite these effects, none of the people in these studies experienced any intestinal damage from oats (25Trusted Source, 26Trusted Source).

Oats have many health benefits

It sucks sometimes to be forced to lead a gluten-free lifestyle, as it becomes very limiting in food choices and avoiding foods you once loved, especially in terms of grains and starchy foods.

Including oats and oatmeal to your diet (if you can tolerate them) can add much-needed variety and sustenance.

What’s more, several studies show that following a completely 100% gluten-free diet may result in an inadequate intake of fibre, B vitamins, folate, and minerals like iron, magnesium, selenium, manganese, and zinc (10Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source).

Oats happen to be a good source of all of these vitamins and minerals. They’re also a fantastic source of fibre, which makes them the perfect natural supplement.

Additionally, oats provide several impressive health benefits:

• Heart health. Oats can help improve risk factors for heart disease by lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol and raising HDL (good) cholesterol (30Trusted Source).
• Weight loss. Oats and oatmeal can aid weight loss by helping control appetite and increase fullness (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source).
• Diabetes control. Oats can help improve blood sugar control, blood fat levels, and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes (34Trusted Source).

Since it’s not possible to know whether you’ll react to avenin, you might want to consult your medical practitioner before adding oats to a gluten-free diet.

However, the vast majority of people can safely enjoy oats and all of the delicious foods made with them.

More About BioHax Organic Rolled Oats - Gluten Tested

We’ve soured sustainably grown and 100% organic, wholegrain rolled oats from Finland.

Oats are a good source of protein and dietary fibre, including soluble beta-glucan. They’re also a complex carbohydrate with a low glycaemic index and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.

While these oats are considered low gluten (<5ppm) or ‘uncontaminated’ under Europe and USA regulations, the Australian Food Standards Code prohibits the use of a ‘gluten-free’ claim on oat containing products. Therefore, due to these “regulations” we must state that these oats “may” contain gluten and “may not be suitable for those with coeliac disease.”

No GMO. Preservative free.

Product of Finland. Packed in Australia.

What are Gluten Tested Oats?

Organic Oats – Gluten Tested are oats that have been grown and processed in a dedicated mill to ensure the entire production chain remains free of contamination from gluten products. They have been tested for gluten and no gluten was detected within the limits of the test (<5ppm). They are sustainably grown and harvested from certified organic, non-GMO seed.

Organic Oats – Gluten Tested are not able to be labelled as ‘gluten-free’ in Australia or NZ. We can call them ‘low gluten’ or ‘uncontaminated’ (also referred to as ‘wheat free’ or ‘pure’) or as we have ‘gluten tested’ to confirm that they are free of contamination from wheat, rye or barley.

What does "Gluten-Free" mean?

Gluten-free means that gluten is not detected in a product, however, the levels of detection are different depending on where you live in the world. This difference in international standards has contributed to a lot of the confusion around the definition of ‘gluten-free’ foods.

In Australia & NZ we have quite strict standards and for a product to be labelled as ‘gluten-free’ this means that the product contains ‘no detectable gluten’. Current testing methods can only detect as low as 5ppm. In the USA and Europe, their standards are more flexible, where foods that contain up to 20ppm of gluten can be labelled as ‘gluten-free’.

What does testing at less than 5PPM mean?

The quantity of gluten in a product can be expressed scientifically as a certain number of parts of gluten contained in every million parts of the product. For example, a product that has no gluten detected at less than 5ppm means that the product has less than 0.0005% gluten content.

Restrictions on "Gluten Free" claims on product labels

The FSANZ code prohibits the use of a ‘gluten-free’ claim on oat containing products, so given this, we are not able to label any oats as "gluten-free". However we can say that they have been "gluten tested" and are less than 5PPM, which should be more tolerable for this with intolerances.

Oats that have been gluten tested and free of contamination, may be better tolerated and digested by those with gluten sensitivities. While the majority of people with Coeliac disease can tolerate uncontaminated/wheat-free oats, we recommend consulting your doctor before consuming any oats or oat containing products. If you do not have a gluten allergy but are looking to minimise gluten in your diet, then gluten tested oats are here for you.

Dr. Terry Wahls stunned the medical community by reversing painful symptoms of MS. The foundation of her protocol: food.

DR Wahls is truly a medical marvel and is a prime example of what it means to use food as medicine.

In 2000, Dr. Wahls was diagnosed with a chronic neurological disorder, secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, which confined her to a tilt-recline wheelchair for four years. As a physician who was initially very skeptical of using wellness interventions to treat her disease, Dr. Wahls found herself exploring all options to heal and minimise the pain, as conventional medicine had zero effect given there is no cure for MS.

In 2007, Dr. Wahls discovered Functional Medicine and based on clinical studies completed on animals; she then applied those findings and outcomes to treat and manage her disease using the power of food and lifestyle changes.

Today, Dr. Wahls has gone from being virtually bedridden to completing an 18-mile bicycle tour.

With this inspiring story and further developing her own protocol, Dr. Wahls has been helping people all over the world to treat their autoimmune conditions.

Dr. Terry Wahls is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa. She is also the author of The Wahls Protocol: “How I Beat Progressive MS Using Paleo Principles and Functional Medicine” and the cookbook “The Wahls Protocol Cooking for Life: The Revolutionary Modern Paleo Plan to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions.”

The foundation of her protocol focuses on food and includes a whopping 18 servings of vegetables a day. This dietary protocol is so nutrient dense that it was able to help her body and immune system heal.

This video highlights the plant foods, proteins, and fats that Dr. Wahls incorporates, how she developed this disease and the overall remedy. She also discusses lifestyle changes including meditation, stress reduction, movement, and much more.

Image credit: Sunrise on Twitter

Dr. Wahls’ story is an incredible story of hope and proof that what we eat and how we live matters, especially when it comes to optimizing health and improving quality of life.

So, if you have an autoimmune disease or know someone that does, this video is truly inspiring and definitely worth the time to find out how we can reduce symptoms of these diseases. 

Dr Mark Hyman has dedicated his life to tackling the root causes of chronic disease through the power of function medicine and believes we all deserve a life of vitality. He is also the Medical Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Centre for Functional Medicine, Fonder of The UltraWellness Centre and a ten-time #1 New York Times Bestselling author.

Dementia is a very big problem that’s becoming bigger every day.

Statistics from the US show 10% of 65-year-olds, 25% of 75-year-olds and 50% of 85-year-olds will get dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. It’s predicted that Alzheimer’s will affect 106 million people by the year 2020 and is the seventh leading cause of death in the world.

Type 3 diabetes is a term used when Alzheimer’s is triggered by insulin resistance in the brain. This condition is used to describe people who have type 2 diabetes and are also diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Diabetes itself refers to a condition where the body has difficulty converting sugar to usable energy and there are two other kinds of diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes - is a chronic health condition in which your body doesn’t produce enough of the hormone insulin. There is currently no cure for diabetes. Neither type 1 (juvenile onset or insulin-requiring) diabetes or type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes ever goes away.

Type 2 Diabetes - is a chronic condition in which your body develops resistance to insulin, and your blood sugar level becomes very high as a result. Both genetics and environmental factors such as being overweight and inactive are contributing factors. If you have prediabetes lifestyle changes such as eating healthy organic foods and being active can slow or stop the progression.

What’s the link between Alzheimer’s and diabetes?

New research shows insulin resistance, or what Dr Mark Hyman calls “diabesity” (from eating too many carbs and sugar and not enough fat) is one of the major factors that starts the brain-damage cascade, which robs the memory of over half the people in their 80s, leading to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Here’s the bad news/good news from Dr Hyman:

“Eating sugar and refined carbs can cause pre-dementia and dementia. But cutting out the sugar and refined carbs and adding lots of fat can prevent, and even reverse, pre-dementia and early dementia. Sugar causes pre-diabetes and diabetes, which often leads to significant memory loss.

Chronic stress takes a toll on your body and brain. Stress shrinks the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain. So, find your pause button every day and make time for some stress relief. Relaxation isn’t a luxury if you want to prevent or reverse dementia. Whether that involves deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, find something that helps you calm down.

Lack of sleep can cause impaired brain function, leading to CRAFT syndrome, which stands for “can’t remember a _____ thing.” Studies show poor sleep becomes a risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Aim for at least 8 hours of quality sleep every night.

We now know that physical activity can prevent and even slow down the progression of cognitive decline and brain diseases like dementia. Even a 30-minute walk can help. More active readers might want to incorporate high-intensity interval training or weightlifting.”

Here are the symptoms, diagnosis, causes and prevention methods outlined by Healthline:

Symptoms of type 3 diabetes

The symptoms of type 3 diabetes are the same as symptoms of dementia or early Alzheimer’s. These symptoms include:  

• memory loss that affects daily living and social interactions
• difficulty completing familiar tasks
• misplacing things often
• decreased ability to make judgements based on information
• sudden changes in personality or demeanour

Diagnosis of type 3 diabetes

There’s no specific test for Alzheimer’s or type 3 diabetes. Your doctor will ask several questions about your family history and your symptoms. Brain imaging, like MRIs and CT scans, can give your doctor a picture of how your brain is working. Cerebrospinal fluid tests can also look for indicators of Alzheimer’s.

If you have the symptoms of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s and haven’t been diagnosed with either one, you may be sent for a fasting blood sugar test and a glycated hemoglobin test.

If you do have type 2 diabetes, it’s essential that you begin treatment for it. Treating type 2 diabetes could minimize damage to your brain and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s or dementia.

The average life expectancy for a person with Alzheimer’s is 8 to 10 years from the time that they’re diagnosed. But some people with Alzheimer’s can live as many as 20 years post-diagnosis.

Causes and risk factors for type 3 diabetes

People who have type 2 diabetes may be up to 60 percent more likelyTrusted Source to develop Alzheimer’s or dementia. One studyTrusted Source of over 100,000 subjects with dementia pointed out that women with type 2 diabetes had a higher probability of developing vascular dementia than men.

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes include:

• a family history of diabetes
• high blood pressure
• being overweight or obese
• certain chronic health conditions, such as depression and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

Preventing type 3 diabetes

If you already have type 2 diabetes, there are ways that you can lower your risk for developing type 3. Here are some of the proven methods for controlling type 2 diabetes and minimizing organ damage:

• Exercise four times per week for 30 minutes per day.
• Eat healthy foods rich in protein and high in fibre.
• Carefully monitor your blood sugar according to your health team’s recommendations.
• Take any prescribed medications on schedule and with regularity.
• Monitor your cholesterol levels.
• Maintain a healthy weight.

Type 3 Diabetes: The Connection between Alzheimer’s and Metabolic Syndrome

Scientists now calls Alzheimer’s disease “Type 3 diabetes.” What’s the link between Alzheimer’s and diabetes? Dr Mark Hyman explains how new research shows insulin resistance - diabesity (from eating too many carbs and sugar and not enough fat) is one of major factors that starts the brain-damage cascade, which robs the memory of over half the people in their 80s, leading to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Mark Hyman, MD released his original series of 8 documentaries called “The Broken Brain.”  In this series he interviews over 50 experts who explain the sweeping epidemic of broken brains, manifesting as anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, Alzheimer’s, bipolar disorder, even traumatic brain injury, and a host of other mental disorders.

Dr Hyman is one of the worlds most recognised functional medical practitioners and is also the Medical Director at Cleveland Clinic’s Centre for Functional Medicine, Founder of The Ultra Wellness Centre, and ten-time #1 New York Times Best-selling author.

The second docu-series aptly called “Broken Brain 2,” goes into even more details about the food, gut, heart and brain connection.

Subtle symptoms that can lead to broken brains poor memory, poor quality of sleep, difficulty with concentration, brain fog, etc. Even if you think you are healthy, you might be ignoring these signs and could improve and optimize your well-being through awareness and action.  

He believes everything you do to your body; you do to your brain and other vital organs. That the body is an intricate designed and connective system:

“The epidemic of broken brains is not getting any better. Alzheimer’s disease will affect 30 percent (and some experts say 50 percent) of people over 85 years old. Psychiatric disorders affect 26 percent of our adult population or over 60 million Americans. These are just some of the statistics. It’s time we put a stop to this epidemic,” Dr Hyman states.

Below is an extract from the highlight reel of Broken Brain 2:

“How is it that over 26% of adults in America are suffering from a diagnosable mental disorder? Or that over the last decade depression rates rose 18% and now its estimated 322 million people around the WORLD suffer from depressive disorders? Almost 18% of Americans are affected by anxiety disorders and by all accounts – it’s on the rise especially in the younger generation. Something is very wrong here! With all the advancements in modern medicine, why are we still seeing a growing number of broken brains?

Every other part of the body affects the brain – our digestive health, hormonal health, they quality of our gut bacteria, the strength of our mitochondria, and our immune system all effects the brain. The brain and heart have always been connected and there’s constant messages being sent both ways, so as it turns out the heart is also a key player in how well the brain functions.

Depression is not necessarily a chemical imbalance, its caused by inflammation and any kind of systemic inflammation is going to affect every system in the body. There’s been numerous studies to show that when we’re eating a lot of refined carbohydrates and a lot of sugary foods, we’re at a much higher risk of depression and anxiety but were also able to see negative changes in the brain. We also know that we can ramp up the inflammatory process in our body by just eating one meal!

So often my patients ask me “how can I transform my health and wake up feeling good every single day?” I tell them it takes inspiration; it takes intention and practical tools that we can use every day. I’ve lead thousands of patients to a life of joy and vibrancy and I want this for you to. I want you to wake up every single morning and give your highest gifts to the world – we’re taking a hands-on approach to brain health and I know you’re going to love it!”

Register here for free viewing of this ground breaking 8-part documentary series: BrokenBrain.com.

Lukey Baylis, CEO of Sumo Salad, has seized the opportunity to take control of the entire Coles Deli section located in their flagship, Westfield Eastgardens store.

For the first time ever, Sumo Salad, serve 5 million customs nutritious take away meals each year), will now also be available in the Deli section of Coles Eastgardens Pagewood in Sydney, with a 10-week trial that commenced Monday, February 4.

The local Sumo Salad franchise will be managing and running all deli salads during the trial, with plans to make it a permanent fixture if the trial is a success. This is history in the making as it is the first time Coles has invited an external brand to manage the Deli Salads in one of their stores.  

Picture: Commando Steve, Jerone Fleming (Fit By Six), Joel Costello, Luke Bayliss

An event was held last Saturday, 30 April to promote the launch of this new partnership between Coles and Sumo Salad. Commando Steve, Australia's most recognised and respected fitness expert is also ambassador for Sumo Salad and was MC for the event, which included free personal training sessions, food sampling, book signing and photo opportunities.

“We are delighted to provide our customers with easier access to Sumo Salad classics during their weekly shop. It’s great to see the positive reaction and we are looking forward to developing this opportunity further.” said Sumo Salad CEO, Luke Baylis. 

The trial has already generated an overwhelmingly positive response, with Sumo Salad and Coles beginning discussions on the possibility of rolling out the range in more stores across Australia. 

Kim Wiggin, Development Chef and Project Manager of the trial is aiming to replicate the Sumo experience inside Coles. “ The range of leaf-based salads has been developed to give customers an authentic Sumo experience from their Coles deli.”  

“The salads are made fresh in store every day, with the Deli section featuring many Sumo classics. Shoppers can mix and match up to four salads, with delicious flavour combinations and options for all dietary requirements, including keto, vegetarian, and vegan.” 

Limited Offer

“And to make the offer even better, for a limited time, customers can get 40% off any Sumo Salad with a purchase of any RSPCA approved Coles hot roast chicken.”  

Sumo Salad and Coles are both aligned with their vision to offer more healthy meal options to their customers, with excitement building for the potential long-term fixture.  

So now your toughest decision will be whether to purchase healthy take-away direct from Sumo Salad via the Food Court on Level 2 - or visit them in their new digs at the Coles Deli section for a Commando chicken cesar or a gut loving kombucha.

Both open 7-days.

Both healthy options.

Not really a tough decision.

Sir David Attenborough defects from BBC to Netflix to convince Donald Trump of climate change and warm millions of ecological disaster.

The most famous naturalist and presenter on earth, Sir David Attenborough at 92 years-of-age, will attempt to save the world by switching from the BBC to Netiflix in order to reach over 200million people. This eight-part serious called “Our Planet” will launch on April 5 to prove to viewers how critical it is that we act now to save the planet from irreversible damage due to climate change.

Under China, the United States is the second largest global GHG (greenhouse gas) emitters, where if not urgently reduced will increase the global temperature preventing the worst impacts of climate change. Sir David Attenborough has taken up the challenge to try and convince climate denalist, Donald Trump that climate change is a real threat.

The legendary veteran and environmental advocate said he would not shy away from confronting the US president over his refusal to admit the impact of climate change, which stems from receiving large donations from big business to maintain this stance.

Sir David said “it would be cowardly not to try and convince Mr Trump that the future of the planet was precarious,” but conceded that those blind to the facts may not want to see the truth, as it would mean they would need to action. This action could impact on donations if forced to comply with implementing strategies for renewable energy, less development, less deforestation and less emissions.

The presenter has also stated “the impact of climate change could be halted and reversed rapidly if there was the political will to enforce environmental measures.”



Sir David said: “The BBC, powerful and pervasive though it is, can’t reach 200million people overnight, simultaneously. This particular ambition — of reaching the vast majority of TV sets in the world — is very important and the message is urgent.

The natural world is in crisis. Let’s not mince words. It really is in crisis. We are in trouble. There is no point saying, ‘We will do that or pass that’ or, ‘We will have another meeting’. We want people to know what is happening NOW.”

Sir David has spoken to the press regarding Donald Trump and his upcoming series Our Planet, which marks a departure from the BBC to Netflix after a 67-year partnership.

“I would certainly take the challenge and I would think carefully about what I actually said. There’s so many bits of evidence I would use.

“I would be using the increase in the human population for starters, as to where we’re all going to get fed. Where are we going to do it? How do you make the arithmetic work?

“But I mean what you say to him in the face of what is visibly happening – the climate of the United States of America – it’s perfectly clear.

“There are none so blind as those who will not see.”

The Netflix series took four years to make, with 600 crew travelling to 50 countries to record our impact on wildlife, from tiny insects and dazzling tree frogs to mighty whales and solitary tigers.

It shows how polar bears and walruses depend on ice which is disappearing due to global warming.

A note of hope is sounded too. One sequence in Antarctica shows the amazing feeding methods of whales driven to the brink of extinction by hunting but saved by changes to international law.

“Share the wonder of the extraordinary place we call home. Utilizing the latest technology Our Planet was filmed entirely in Ultra High Definition in over 50 countries. From exotic jungles to the deepest seas, open your eyes to the connections we all share. Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, Our Planet launches worldwide April 5th.”

One element missing from most people’s diets is a bit of roughage to help with removing waste. Fiber is essential to normalise our digestive health, as it feeds the good bacteria in you GI tract, which assists beyond adequate bowel movements.

What most people don’t know is the ketogenic diet (or keto diet) has been practiced for more than nine decades since the 1920s. It is known for being a low carb, high fat diet, based on a solid understanding of physiology and nutrition science.

When you eat food that is high in carbohydrates the body will produce both glucose and insulin in the following manner:

• Glucose is the easiest and first molecule for your body to convert and use as energy
• Insulin is also produced and is used to process the glucose in your bloodstream by taking it around the body.

Given glucose is the main source of energy, the body doesn’t tap into fats as an energy source and are therefore not stored. This means the higher your diet is in carbohydrates; the body will always go to glucose for its main source of energy rather than fat. When you lower the intake of carbs it forces the body into what is known as a state of ketosis.

Ketosis is there from when we’re born and are only able to feed from our mothers’ milk. It helps the body survive when food intake is minimal. When in ketosis, we produce what’s known as keytones, which assists in breaking down fat in the liver.

The main purpose of maintaining a keto diet is to force the body into a metabolic state through starvation of carbohydrates – NOT calories. When the body has a higher rate of fat than carbohydrates it will begin to burn ketones (fat) as opposed to glucose as the primary source of energy.

So by changing our “fuel source” (from sugar to keytones) the body remains energized. This assists greatly with our general health, weight loss and both physical and mental performance.

Image credit: Perfect Keto

The National Institute of Health (NIH) recommend 25-31 grams of fiber per day, which is also dependant on age and gender.

The keto diet has been successful for millions of people around the world as it specifically targets the, underlying causes of weight gain. Dr Axe explains how this includes “hormonal imbalances, especially insulin resistance coupled with high blood sugar levels, and the cycle of restricting and “binging” on empty calories due to hunger that so many dieters struggle with. In fact, these are some of the direct benefits of the keto diet.”

Dr Axe continues, “Making that switch will place your body in a state of “ketosis,” when your body becomes a fat burner rather than a sugar burner. Fortunately, if you’re new to this type of eating plan, a keto diet for beginners, or keto basics, is surprising simple to follow. Here’s how to do the keto diet:

1. Reduce one’s carb intake.
2. Increase your consumption of healthy fats, which help create satiety.
3. Without glucose coursing through your body, it’s now forced to burn fat and produce ketones instead.
4. Once the blood levels of ketones rise to a certain point, you officially reach ketosis.
5. This state results in consistent, fairly quick weight loss until your body reaches a healthy and stable weight.”

Image credit: My Know Brainer

THE BENEFITS OF THE KETOGENIC DIET

In today’s video, Dr Axe (Doctor of Functional Medicine) has shared the benefits of a ketogenic diet. Ketogenic diets can actually help weight loss, cancer (as cancer feeds off sugar), and even Alzheimer’s disease. When you are on a ketogenic diet, you are putting your body into a state of ketosis, which means your body is burning fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. The ketogenic diet could be the best diet for fat loss, however he doesn't believe anyone should be on this diet for more than 3-6 months. The reason why this diet works so effectively is your body stops feeding on sugar and starts burning fat. The diet consists of about 80% fats, 10% carbohydrates, and 10% protein.

The question is: what’s more important - counting calories or the effect food has on your hormone levels when consumed?  And it seems the modern-day educated health and wellness consumer has already made that decision.

Weight Watchers International Inc (now known as WW), have suffered their worst week since going public more than 18 years ago after trading analysts have turned on the companies’ earnings and sustainable long-term vision.

On September 25, Weight Watchers (now 57-years-old) slimmed down its name to just “WW,” with the tagline “Wellness that works,” in the hope it cold fatten its customer base, however the company WTW, + 2.47% reported fourth-quarter results that vastly missed expectations and profit that was less than half of what was projected.

CEO of WW, Mindy Grossman stood firm on her stance regarding Keto saying “crazes” and diet fads come and go, so the company was not going to change its DNA based on calorie counting. The keto (or ketogenic diet) is approximately 70% high quality fat, 20% adequate protein and 10% low carbohydrate intake, which forces the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates.

“We’ve lived through this [competition from trend diets] for 57 years and we’re not going to play a game and we never have,” Grossman said on the post-earnings call, according to a transcript provided by FacSet.

“We’re going to be science informed and we’re sustainable for the long term,” she said.

Current investors in WW are undecided if the brand has a strong future in keeping up with the wellness marketplace, or it’s just a case of the world’s greatest brand influencer (Oprah Winfrey, major shareholder), using her celebrity status to save this old-school weight-loss company that no longer connects with its core demographic being middle-aged female customers.

Dr Jospeh Mercola talks us through how ketones mimic and support benefits of fasting:

‘’It is more than arguable that the ketogenic diet as another “craze” destined to eventually fade away, as there is now plenty of evidence in functional medicine to suggest nutritional ketosis is a most natural way of eating for health and weight management. However, this cannot be said the reverse for the WW program.

As noted in a 2014 article on ketotic.org, “Newborn infants are in ketosis. This is their normal state.”3 The article makes a compelling argument for ketogenic metabolism being “normal and desirable” because babies are in ketosis when born, and breast milk is ketogenic, so they remain in ketosis for as long as they’re breastfeeding.

Ketones — water-soluble fats your liver produces when converting fats into energy — appear to be particularly crucial during brain development.4 The article also presents the hypothesis that:

“… [E]xtending the period of ketosis after breastfeeding, by weaning onto ketogenic foods such as homemade broth and fatty meat, rather than cereal, fruit and starchy vegetables, would further promote brain development and reduce risk of disease.”

Moreover, research has confirmed that many biological repair and rejuvenation processes take place in the absence of food, and this is another reason why all-day grazing trigger biological dysfunction. In a nutshell, your body was designed to:

1. Run on fat as its primary fuel, which you do on a ketogenic diet, and
2. Cycle through periods of feast and famine, which you do when intermittently fasting

Indeed, we know that ketones mimic the life span-extending properties of calorie restriction (fasting), which includes improved glucose metabolism, reduced inflammation, clearing out malfunctioning immune cells, and reduced IGF-1, which is one of the factors that regulate growth pathways and growth genes and is a major player in accelerated aging and cellular/intracellular regeneration and rejuvenation (autophagy and mitophagy in the mitochondria).’’

OUR ECO-SYSTEM IS UNDER THREAT AND HIGHLY VULNERABLE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE

From extreme heat, to bushfires to floods. This is what the climate council is calling Australia’s angriest summer on record in a report that was released last Thursday. And if you were unlucky enough to live in Port August (Adelaide) this season, you would have experienced numerous days of record-breaking 49.5 degrees heat.

"This summer was so hot we witnessed fruit cooking on trees," Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie said.

“The record-breaking heat in Australia over the 2018/19 Summer is part of a long-term warming trend from the burning of fossil fuels and land clearing.

For many years’ scientists have warned that climate change is driving worsening extreme weather. The Angry Summer is another example of the consequences of climate change today.

Protecting Australians from worsening extreme weather requires phasing out fossil fuels and accelerating the transition to renewables and storage technologies.”

The Federal Government has no credible climate change policy to drive down greenhouse gas pollution from fossil fuel or anything in place to assist industry with the necessary changes.

Former Commissioner of Fire and Rescue NSW Greg Mullins said in a statement that severe fire seasons are “now happening almost every year”. Mr Mullins said, due to the longer seasons, there wasn't enough fire services to defend Australia.

A new advocacy group has also emerged, Bushfire Services for Climate Change Action, demanding Parliament acts immediately and put climate change on the top of their priority list.   

"There is a clear link between climate change and the frequency and destructiveness of bushfires," the website reads.

"The government can no longer ignore the way their climate change denial is hurting our communities and putting lives at risk. They must take Australia beyond fossil fuel projects like Adani and move to 100% renewable energy for all."

From a wildlife perspective, possums, koala’s, bats and other animals have been found dead on mass at the bottom of trees or not far from their habitat. In an article posted today from The Guardian reported more than 100 dead and injured ringtail possums were found along a stretch of beach in Victoria due to extreme heat.

**Image credit: The Guardian

The article states 127 ringtail possums were found along the shoreline and even in the water at Somers Beach on the Mornington Peninsula after an extreme heat wave and bushfires.

Aware Wildlife rescuer and foster carer, Melanie Attard, indicated the animals had become so desperate and dehydrated they had left their normal habitat in an attempt to find water.

“We assume they’ve come out due to the heat stress heading for the water in desperation,” she said. “It’s not nice seeing a possum throwing itself into the beach and drinking seawater. It’s really desperate.” Out of the 127 animals found, only 27 had survived and would be released back into the wild when they had recovered.

Euan Ritchie, an associate professor of wildlife ecology and conservation at Deakin University’s Centre for Integrative Ecology, said “the extreme weather that had been predicted for decades was now affecting several species.”

“These recent heatwaves have been a disaster. The spectacular flying foxes. The bogong moths. This just really adds to that story,” he said.

“It’s not just we’re talking about endangered species. This is a common species and it’s falling over.

“That’s a pretty big reality check.”

Will you be a climate change voter in this upcoming election?

Send a clear message through the Australian Conservation Foundation to both majors parties now — “If you want my vote you must #StopAdani, end digging up and burning coal and switch to 100% clean energy.