Whole Food Living- Autumn 2021

Autumn 2021 VOL 2 • ISSUE 5

GLUTEN FREE OR NOT? The lowdown on oil

PLANT BASED

RECIPES Recovery Stories

Academics call halt on perpetual growth The sandwich press is the WFPB eater’s answer to fast, naturally-sweet, golden-brown food.

Diana Noonan

WHEN YOU SUBSCRIBE We Plant Seeds The germ of an idea is all it takes.

By subscribing you help us get the word out to doctors' surgeries and other professional offices.

For the first four issues, we pledge to donate one magazine per subscription to the surgery or work place of your choice, or anonymously as part of our ongoing promotional efforts.

Subscription Options Print Edition: NZ$32 x four issues. See online for details.

Digital Edition: NZ$25 x four issues. See online for details.

Click or scan the QR Code by phone.

On desktop go to: wholefoodliving.life/subscribe

Where we stand THE WHOLE FOOD CONNECTION

Food

Health

Environment

It all starts with our most basic, primal desire. Even before our need for shelter or our desire to procreate, food comes first. The recipes for the food we talk about in Whole Food Living are all based on solid scientific research and clinical experience gathered over the last 50 years.

Our health, good or bad, is the result of the food choices we make. There are genetic and environmental conditions that can affect our good health but for most of us, our health will be determined by what we put on our plates. For this magazine, food and optimal health is the primary focus.

The third and final factor in the whole food connection is environment.

Why? Because the condition of our environment is affected by our food choices. Understanding the connection between food, health and the environment is key to developing a sustainable world.

WFL Optimal Health Guide

Whole Food Plant Based The WFL Optimal Health Guide is a simplified, visual explanation of different eating styles.

Our policy is to assist and encourage plant-based eating and to explain the significant health benefits available to those that become fully whole food plant-based.

WFPB eating is comprised of foods drawn solely from the first four categories of the table.

Strictly speaking, sugar, oil and salt are off the menu for people who are fully WFPB based, especially those who have experienced serious medical events.

We place sugar, oil and salt along with highly processed foods in the Avoid category as a warning because, unless you prepare everything you eat at home yourself, you are unlikely to achieve a perfect score.

In your quest towards better eating, don't let perfect become the enemy of good.

WFL MEDICAL DISCLAIMER The medical and/or nutritional information covered in Whole Food Living magazine is for educational purposes only.

It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please seek medical advice before using diet to treat disease.

4 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS Critical contents of this magazine, particularly articles that cover medical issues, are referred to our editorial consultants.

Our consultants are: * Dr Mark Craig * Dr Caitlin Randles * Dr Martyn Williamson

Editorial

I

Perpetual growth seriously under fire

t's commonly observed that life on earth depends on a thin layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains. But, for life to be truly sustainable, it also relies on politics and sound economic principles to mitigate our level of greed.

Unfortunately, the distribution of these elements is never even. While rain might fall on both the rich and poor alike, it rarely arrives in even measure for either, and the question of who gets how much often depends on who owns the access rights.

A similar comparison can also be applied to the end price of virtually all the food we now eat. Manna from heaven might have been free for the Israelites, but these days, food mostly springs from a value-added chain. Everyone along the link takes their cut.

You might think, well, that sounds fair, everybody (who's in the chain) gets a piece of the pie, and they all go home happy. Of course, it's not as simple as that. In 2012 a clever English academic named Kate Raworth came up with a diagram that explains why things don't actually work the way traditional economists (and most of the business community) like to think.

Raworth talks about the need for a regenerative and distributive economy.

The diagram she uses to explain it is shaped like a doughnut, giving rise to what many academics now call the doughnut economy.

Very simply, her theory says you can't

count your blessings until you account for all the downstream costs. The export receipts, therefore, don't look as good if we fail to include the cost of dealing with the environmental damage incurred along the way.

According to Raworth, there's an ecological ceiling. When we overshoot this ceiling, we run into all kinds of problems - like climate change, ocean acidification, air pollution, biodiversity loss, chemical pollution etc., etc.

In an article on page 36 of this issue, three professors have made some radical recommendations regarding earth's future and a crucial part of their call centres on our economic approach.

They say we must abolish the goal of perpetual economic growth and reveal the true cost of products and activities by forcing those who damage the environment to pay for its restoration, such as through carbon pricing.

This is the result of their assessment (released in January) which claims that the state of the world looks a lot worse than even most scientists can currently comprehend. It's a bleak picture.

Australian moral philosopher Toby Ord paints a similar scene. In his recently released book The Precipice, the next 100 years are going to be the most dangerous in human history. I like him because he takes a poke at politicians who, he claims, only have a focal range of between now and next week.

Ord is based at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University, a research centre that looks at "bigpicture questions for human civilisation and explores what can be done now to ensure a flourishing long-term future".

He believes that only through collective action will we ever be able to influence the course of political thinking and firmly maintains “that without a groundswell of popular concern, politicians will never find the time to look at issues that won't come to a head until they're retired or dead."

Unfortunately, and not because I don't have sympathy for the important points being raised here, I just can’t help but sense a certain irony. I write this piece on a day when New Zealand dairy farmers celebrate a 7 per cent lift in skim milk prices in the latest overnight auction.

For them, methinks, any idea of abolishing perpetual economic growth is still a long, long way off.

Cover Design

Viewpoints

Producers

NicButterworthDesign

Whole Food Living (ISSN 2624-4101 Print. ISSN 2703-4313 - Digital, is subject to copyright in its entirety. The views expressed in this publication are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of Iclay Media.

No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited material. No liability is accepted by Iclay Media, the publisher, nor the authors for information contained in this magazine.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and veracity of all content in this publication but neither Whole Food Living nor its publisher Iclay Media is responsible for damage or harm of whatever description resulting from persons using any advice, consuming any product or using any services in Whole Food Living's print, electronic publication or website.

www. facebook.com/nicbutterworthdesign

Features Innes Hope Media

Peter Barclay, Editor

Contact us 67 Kayes Road, Pukekohe, Auckland, New Zealand 2120 p. (Peter) +64 27 218 5948 e. editor@wholefoodliving.life w. www.wholefoodliving.life

Editor: Peter Barclay e. peter@wholefoodliving.life

Food Editor: Catherine Barclay e. catherine@wholefoodliving.life

Printer: Inkwise, Christchurch Distributors: NZ Post & Iclay Media Contributions & Assistance Contributions & assistance is gratefully acknowledged from the following people: Nic Butterworth, Dr Mark Craig, Dr Martyn Williamn, Dr Caitlin Randles, Robyn Chuter, Deb Plowman, Dr Malcolm MacKay, Jenny Cameron, Janice Carter, Radha Sahar, Diana Noonan, Taylor Toney, Buffy Ellen, Angela Saunders,

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 5

CONTENTS 44 22 61

General Features 10 Gluten free or not?

Dr Greger examines the ins and outs of going gluten-free.

Is it for you?

14 Facing up to the facts Radha Sahar: It all started with what she thought would be a light read.

22. Denial & divine help Luana Topou explains her journey from a diabetic world.

24. Thinking out loud See our letters page to find out who is heading Queenstown.

26. Oil. It's junk food Dr Malcolm Mackay examines the problem with oil.

6 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

32. The vegan mommy Taylor Toney had some serious health issues, but it went away when she changed her diet.

36. A future view Three academics take a look at the state of the world. It's not a pretty picture.

38. A one-stop answer Diana Noonan explains why a sandwich press is so valuable.

46. Newsbites Does blood type affect your vegan diet?

47. YouTube videos Go QR scanning and check out our YouTube selections..

48. Climate action The first step to changing the world occurs in the kitchen.

Innes Hope explains.

56. Busting nut myths Janice Carter and Angela Saunders explain what makes nuts good for us.

References Many of the articles published in this magazine refer to scientific studies. To view these studies use the QR code or go to the url below.

Click or scan QR image for references.

wholefoodliving.life/references-autumn-2021/

10 32

I didn’t think The China Study would rock my boat.

But it did. This book had far more than the usual populist content. - Radha Sahar

38

Recipes 13. Mustard dill beans Nothing beats fresh beans coated with a lemon, dill & mustard dressing.

18. Plant based fried rice A taste bud sensation, and it's great for leftover rice you don't know what to do with.

19 Sticky rice pudding A winner desert for a cool Autumn night.

21. Brown rice salad Amazing! Easy to prepare, filling and delicious.

25. Autumn roast veges Our cover dish. Just the thing for Autumn.

The inside goss

31. Red lentil flatbread With only two ingredients you can make this useful flatbread. It's so versatile.

42. Glorious Moussaka Quite possibly THE most delicious savoury masterpiece.

Could your next dinner fav.

50. Buttercup dip & spread Spicy, smoky, creamy, and Smooth As! Fodmap free..

53. Asparagus quiche Very filling quiche with an incredible flavour

60. Cheesy sauce Great in lasagna, on pizza, enchiladas or nachos.

The medical profession has a history of dismissing diseases as existing “just in your head.” - Dr Michael Greger When the diabetes nurse took my glucose levels, her reaction was immediate.

"You should be in a coma," she said. - Luana Tupou “For me, slowing the rate of heart disease is not the goal.” - Caldwell Esselstyn Roasted slices of orange, pear, plum and nectarine ooze complex flavours you may never have noticed. Diana Noonan.

Adding oil to a meal adds a lot of calories without any appreciable change in portion size. Dr Malcolm Mackay. wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 7

WFPB ADVOCATES International

Dr Scott Stoll

Dr Michael Klapper

Dr Kim A. Williams

Dr Shireen Kassam

Dr Joel Khan

Dr Renae Thomas

A former Olympian and now is co-founder and chairman of The Plantrician Project and Regenerative Health Institute amounst numerous other organisations.

Gifted speaker on plant-based nutrition.

Teaches other health care professions on the importance of nutrition in clinical practice and integrative medicine

An American cardiologist and currently head of a Chicago medical centre. Vocal on the benefits of plantbased nutrition to cardiovascular health.

Founder and director of Plant Based Health Professionals UK. An honorary senior lecturer at King's College Hospital London. Passionate about plant-based nutrition.

An American cardiologist who believes plant-based nutrition is the most powerful source of preventative medicine on the plant: creator or many books and podcasts.

An Australian doctor based at Loma Linda California. Passionate in empowering people to optimize their health through improving their lifestyle choices with evidence based eating

Dr Michael Greger

Dr T Colin Campbell

Dr Alan Goldhamer

Dr Saray Stancic

Dr Nandita Shah

Founder of NutritionalFacts.org a significant resource in both videos and researched writings on the benefits of eating Whole Food Plant-based.

A biochemist and author of The China Study. He coined the term Whole Food Plant-Based, at age 86 he is still regularly speaking at plant based events.

Dr Caldwell Esselstyn

A chiropractor and founder of the TrueNorth Health Centre based in California. Co-author of best selling book, The Pleasure Trap. An expert in fasting for health.

Author of Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease. Former Olympic athlete now directs the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.

Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis Dr Saray created a movie called Cold Blue showing her wellness journey through adoption of lifestyle medicine.

A registered medical doctor and author based in India, Founder of SHARAN and recipient of Nari Shakti Award for her pioneering work in the field of health and nutrition.

Dr Neal Barnard

Dr John McDougall

Dr Alan Desmond

Dr Dean Ornish

Drs Dean and Ayesha Sherzai

Founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and a very active member of the WFPB Community.

Dedicated to helping people transition to a WFPB Diet. Runs 10 day retreats for people making the transition to a plantbased diet.

Leads a Gastroenterology clinic in Torbay, South Devon UK. Advises plant-based dietary treatment for many chronic digestive disorders.

Founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research institute, California.

Creator of the Ornish program for Reversing Heart disease.

Founders of Team Sherzai, this couple are dedicated to educating people on simple steps to long-term health and wellbeing through their work as co-directors of the Alzheimer's Prevention Program at Loma Linda University in America. They work to demystify the steps to achieving long-term brain health and the prevention of devastating diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.

8 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

WFPB ADVOCATES Australasia

Dr Mark Craig

Dr Heleen RoexHaitjema

Dr Luke Wilson

Dr Coral Dixon

Drew Harrisberg

Stephanie Wynn

A Paediatrician and Co-.Founder and chairman of Doctors for Nutrition. Based in Teringie, South Australia

A GP in Wellington NZ. Co-Founder of Two Zesty Bananas, Board Director of Doctors for Nutrition and co-author of the BROAD study.

A GP in Mt Maunganui, NZ. An advocate of preventative medicine and lives a plant-based lifestyle with her physio husband Brad and their two daughters.

An exercise physiologist, sports scientist, diabetes educator based in Australia who is healthy and thriving with type 1 diabetes.

Qualified in therapeutic massage, WFPB nutrition and life development coaching. Founder of Moving Health Forward and committee member of EBE.NZ

Robyn Chuter

Dr Adrian Griscti

Dr Libby Forsyth

Gerald Haslinger

A GP in Alexandra NZ. Co-Founder of Plant Strong Living, Founding board member of EBE.NZ and Central Otago Health Services Ltd.

A Naturopath, counsellor, EFT therapist and Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner, Founder of Empower Total Health, Australia.

Based in Robina, Gold Coast.

A rural General Practitioner in South Australia. He is a fellow of ASLM, and a Ambassadoc for Doctors for Nutrition.

He counsels and educates on healthy living.

A practising medical doctor. Focused on advocating the benefits of WFPB nutrition for managing and preventing chronic diseases. Member of Doctors for Nutrition.

Is the principal psychologist in the Highlands Recovery Support Centre based in Bowral NSW, he is focused on helping people adopt a healthier food lifestyle.

Emma Strutt

Dr Nick Wright

Dr Caitlin Randles

Dr Malcolm MacKay

Dr Taisia Cech

Dr Wayne Hurlow

An Australian practising Dietitian and Nutritionist.

Founder of Greenstuff Nutrition.

The Queensland Lead Dietitian for Doctors for Nutrition.

A General Practitioner based in Gisborne. Co-Founder of Plantbasedvideos with his partner Morgen Smith.

Co-Author of The BROAD study.

A British General Practitioner based in Auckland. NZ. Passionate about educating on Whole Food Plant-based living.

A General Practitioner based in Nelson. She continues to explore the evidence-based effect of a diet on health and healing through food.

A General Practitioner based Tasman. Is passionate about preventative medicine, promoting wellness by addressing the common underlying causes.

A lifestyle medicine and General Practitioner in Ponsonby, Auckland, NZ. Founder of TrueSouth Medical and founding member and deputy chair of EBE.NZ

Hannah O'Malley A clinical Pharmacist and founder of The Better Base in Nelson NZ. She has an eCornell Cert. in Plant-Based Nutrition.

Dr Martyn Williamson

A General Practitioner based in Melbourne Australia.

Co-Founder of Plant Based Health Australia. He is Resources Advisor for Doctors for Nutrition.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 9

Dr Michael Greger

Gluten free: To be or not to be Y ou’ve probably heard about an autoimmune disorder called celiac disease, in which the consumption of gluten causes adverse reactions, including gastrointestinal problems. Gluten is a group of proteins found in certain grains, including wheat, barley, and rye. Celiac disease is relatively rare, though, affecting less than 1 per cent of the population. (1) For the more than 99 per cent of the rest of us who don’t have the disorder, is gluten okay or, indeed, health-promoting like other plant proteins? In 1980, researchers in England reported a series of women suffering from chronic diarrhoea who were cured by a gluten-free diet. Yet, none of the women had evidence of celiac disease. (2) They appeared to have some sort of non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

At the time, the medical profession expressed scepticism that there was such a thing, (3) and even now there are experts who question its existence. (4) In fact, doctors commonly referred their patients claiming non-celiac gluten sensitivity to psychiatrists because they were believed to have an underlying mental illness.

(5)

The medical profession has a history of dismissing diseases as existing “just in your head.” Examples of these include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ulcerative colitis, migraines, ulcers, asthma, Parkinson’s, Lyme disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Despite resistance from the prevailing medical community, each one of these conditions has subsequently been confirmed as a legitimate disorder. (6) On the flip side, the Internet is rife with unsubstantiated claims about gluten-free diets that have spilled over into the popular press, making gluten the diet villain du jour. (7) And, of course, the gluten-free processed food industry, today worth billions, has a financial interest in the public’s confusion. (8) Whenever that much money is at stake, it’s hard to trust anyone, so as always, stick to the science.

And what sort of evidence is there for the existence of a condition presumed to be so widespread?

The first double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled gluten challenge, was published in 2011. Patients complaining of irritable bowel-type symptoms who claimed they felt better on a glutenfree diet—despite not having celiac disease—were tested to see if they could tell if bread and muffins they were given contained gluten or were gluten-free.

All the subjects started out gluten-free and symptom-free for

10 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

The following excerpt from Dr Michael Greger's book, 'How Not to Die', centres on the growing discussion around gluten free. If you are wondering whether you should be gluten free then some of the points raised here are worth considering. Please see our online references page (link on Page 6) for the studies cited here.

two weeks, and then were challenged with one of the two types of bread and muffins. Even those who ate the gluten-free placebo products felt worse, meaning they started on a gluten-free diet and continued on a gluten-free diet, yet they reported feeling crampy and bloated. This is what’s called the nocebo effect.

The placebo effect takes place when you give patients something useless, and they feel better; the nocebo effect occurs when you give someone something harmless, and they feel worse. Nevertheless, the subjects who received actual gluten felt even worse. The researchers concluded that non-celiac gluten intolerance may indeed exist. (9) However, this was a small study, and even though the researchers claimed the gluten-free products were indistinguishable from those containing gluten, it’s possible that the patients were able to tell which foods were which. So, in 2012, Italian researchers created a double-blinded test with 920 patients diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

Each was given capsules filled with either wheat flour or a placebo powder. More than two-thirds failed the test: Those on the placebo got worse, or those on the wheat felt better. But for those who passed, there was a clear benefit to staying on the wheat-free diet, confirming the “existence of non-celiac WS [wheat sensitivity].” (10) Note that they said wheat sensitivity, though, not gluten sensitivity. In other words, gluten itself may not be causing gut symptoms at all. Most people who are sensitive to wheat are sensitive to a variety of other foods too. For example, two-thirds of people with wheat sensitivity have also been found to be sensitive to cow’s milk protein. Eggs appear to be the next leading culprit. (11) If you put people on a diet low in common triggers of irritable bowel symptoms and then challenge them with gluten, there’s no effect, calling into question the existence of non-celiac gluten sensitivity. (12)

Interestingly, despite being informed that avoiding gluten was apparently not helping their gut symptoms, many participants opted to continue following a gluten-free diet as they subjectively described “feeling better.”

This led the researchers to wonder if avoiding gluten might improve the mood of those with wheat sensitivity and, indeed, short-term exposure to gluten appeared to induce feelings of depression in these patients. (13) Regardless of whether non-celiac gluten sensitivity is a disease of the mind or the gut, it is no longer considered a condition that can be dismissed. (14) The next question, then, is what percentage of the population should avoid wheat and other gluten-containing grains? About one in one thousand may have an allergy to wheat, (15) and nearly one in one hundred have celiac disease, (16) which appears to be on the rise.

Still, there’s less than a one-in-ten-thousand chance that an American will be diagnosed with celiac disease in a given year.

(17) Our best estimate for the prevalence of wheat sensitivity is in the same general range of celiac disease: slightly higher than 1 per cent. (18) So only about 2 per cent of the population appears to have a problem with wheat, but that’s potentially millions of people who may have been suffering for years and could have been cured by simple dietary means, yet were unrecognized and not helped by the medical profession until recently. (19) For the 98 per cent of people who don’t have wheat issues, there is no evidence to suggest that following a gluten-free diet has any benefits. (20) In fact, there is some evidence suggesting that a gluten-free diet may adversely affect gut health in people without celiac disease, wheat sensitivity, or wheat allergy.

A month on a gluten-free diet was found to adversely affect gut flora and immune function, potentially setting up those on gluten-free diets for an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in their intestines. (21) This is due, ironically, to the beneficial effects of the very component’s wheat-sensitive individuals have problems with—such as the “FODMAP” fructans that act as prebiotics and feed your good bacteria, or the gluten itself, which may boost immune function. (22) Less than a week of added gluten protein may significantly increase natural killer cell activity, (23) which could be expected to improve the body’s ability to fight cancer and viral infections.

The greatest threat gluten-free diets may pose, though, is that

they may undermine our ability to diagnose celiac disease, the much more serious form of wheat intolerance.

Doctors diagnose celiac by looking for the inflammation caused by gluten in celiac sufferers. But if patients complaining of digestive problems come to the doctor having already eliminated much of the gluten in their diets, physicians might miss the disease. (24) Why would getting a formal diagnosis matter if you’re already on a gluten-free diet? First of all, it’s a genetic disease, so you’ll know to test your family. More significantly, though, many people on so-called gluten-free diets are not actually on truly gluten-free diets. Even twenty parts per million can be toxic to someone with celiac. Sometimes, even foods labelled “gluten-free” may not be safe for celiac sufferers. (25) What’s the best course of action to take if you suspect you might be sensitive to gluten?

First off, do not go on a gluten-free diet. If you suffer from chronic irritable bowel-type symptoms, such as bloating, abdominal pain, and irregular bowel habits, ask your doctor about getting a formal evaluation for celiac disease.

If you have celiac, then go on a strict gluten-free diet. If you don’t have the disease, the current recommendation is that you first try a healthier diet that includes more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, all the while avoiding processed foods. (26) The reason people may feel better on a gluten-free diet—and therefore conclude they have a problem with gluten—is because they’ve suddenly stopped eating so much fast food and other processed junk. In other words, if you eat a deep-fried Twinkie and your stomach aches, it may not be the gluten. If a healthy diet doesn’t help, I suggest you try to rule out other causes of chronic gastrointestinal distress.

When researchers have studied PWAWGs—that’s what they’re called in the medical literature: People Who Avoid Wheat and/ or Gluten—they’ve found that about one-third of them didn’t appear to have gluten sensitivity but instead had other conditions like an overgrowth of bacteria in their small intestines, were fructose or lactose intolerant, or had a neuromuscular disorder like gastroparesis or pelvic floor dysfunction. (27) After each of these is ruled out as well, then I’d suggest people suffering from chronic, suspicious symptoms try a gluten-free diet.

No current data suggest that the general population should try to avoid gluten, but for those with celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or wheat sensitivity diagnosis, gluten-free diets can be a lifesaver.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 11

12 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Mustard Dill Beans Nothing beats fresh beans coated with a lemon, dill & mustard dressing. Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS 500 grams 4 tsp 1 tbsp 1 tbsp 1 tsp 1/4 tsp

METHOD

green beans trimmed chopped fresh dill minced shallot lemon juice wholegrain mustard freshly ground pepper

1. Steam the green beans over a pot of water for 7 mins until tender yet still crisp. Remove from heat.

2. In a large bowl mix all other ingredients.

3. Arrange the beans on a serving plate and pour over the blended mixture. That's it. Enjoy!

Mashed potato with caramelised onions Take mashed potatoes to the next level with these easy additions. Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS

METHOD

1.1 kg Uukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered 2 large onions, finely diced 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1. In a large pan, cook the onions in a small amount of water, stir frequently to avoid burning but you're aim is to brown and caramelise so don't add to much water. As they brown add a little more water to help mix in the brown forming in the pan, once again, only a little. Add garlic at the last and cook through.

2. In a large saucepan boil the potatoes until soft for mashing, drain but reserve 1 cup of liquid.

3. In the saucepan add the onion mix, nutritional yeast, and mustard and mash until smooth adding in the reserved liquid when needed. Serve immediately.

Moroccan Roasted Carrots You have to try this delicious combination! The taste is incredible. Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, diced 700 grams carrots, peeled cut length ways into quarters 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/8 tsp allspice 1/4 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp maple syrup 2 garlic cloves 1/4 cup fresh coriander (optional) ground pepper to taste

METHOD 1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C 2. Mix all the spices into a small bowl.

3. Layout the carrots onto a lined baking tray and toss with half of the spices.

4. Bake for around 20 mins, until tender, tossing half way through.

5. While cooking the carrots, combine the rest of the spices with all other ingredients.

6. Remove carrots from the oven and allow to cool before mixing in the dressing. Can be served hot or cold.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 13

Radha Sahar Innes Hope Media

R

A light read and a good distraction?

ich soil, settled in smooth fields between snow-capped mountains and the sea, beckoned us to the Horowhenua in 2012. Being plant-based eaters, my husband and I wanted to grow a satisfying amount of our own fruit, veges and protein. We had a lot to learn, so we studied organic horticulture while our new home was being built.

Every season, every storm, drought, crop, pest, root, stem, leaf and fruit, revealed more about the boggling, invisible forces at work around us. Which now sees me increasingly thinking about climate change. What steps can I take to lower my carbon footprint? What can I do in our garden? What steps can I take towards food justice? How can I be more resourceful in the kitchen?

This morning I gathered fallen feijoas, and I want to plant some kale seedlings. But now, as I write, it’s too hot to be gardening; for me anyway. Despite several generations of my family having lived here in Aotearoa New Zealand, my Scottish genes still have not adapted to the harsh sunlight. Throw a hole in the ozone into the picture decades ago, and me unknowingly sunbathing in it, and it’s no wonder I had a health crisis. Melanoma.

There I was, about ten years ago, in the library looking for something to read while I recovered from major surgery. One book, The China Study, caught my eye. ‘A light read and a good distraction,’ I thought. And I smiled, recalling events that saw me living an alternative lifestyle ...

In my early twenties while at art school, I was exploring new ideas, comparative religion, and music. I worked part time at a very odd place – a health food shop! The people were strange: nice, but strange. They were vegetarians. Nutters! The manager informed me about all those weird foods, herbs, and potions so I could answer customers’ questions. Each day she’d give me a different ingredient to take home, cook and eat, so I could speak from experience. Chickpeas, lentils, black turtle beans, tofu ... odd indeed! But I was enjoying the taste adventure, (along with my usual dairy favourites, especially cheese). A few weeks later, I found I hadn’t missed meat, fish or eggs at all.

Then I read Diet for a Small Planet. I was shocked to learn that we grew enough protein to feed the world’s starving millions, but we were feeding it to cattle instead. I realised that we, in overconsumption countries, could live a healthy life eating those crops, no need for steak. There was no going back. I was now ‘a nutter’ myself – a vegetarian!

14 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

New ideas swept me along. I was saying ‘Wow!’ and “Gosh, I never knew that!”. It was easy to believe anything friends and alternative-health people said.

Over the years I’d developed asthma and was determined to find a way through. I kept reading American food-gurus but started doubting their motivation and people’s claims in general.

I became, and still am, sceptical of dramatic, preacher-style statements - ‘absolutes’. I questioned, and still do, how extensive and trustworthy is the research? who funds the science? and what are the exceptions? I began believing more in science and in my own experience. I experimented a lot with dairy and gave it up.

Asthma has not bothered me since.

People decided I was vegan, which was the popular term for anyone eating the way I now did. By the time melanoma hit me, three decades of ‘lose weight, and miracle-cure’ diets had gone by. ‘Vegans were supposed to be skinny,’ I thought. I was rather overweight. But I felt fine.

“Your card?” the librarian asked. I checked the book out and slipped it into my bag. Sobering thoughts returned; ‘I feel healthy but I’m facing a possible death sentence! Will I take the path of chemotherapy or the alternative?’

A plant-based diet was the alternative. I’d heard of chemo successes, and plant food successes and respected they each had a place.

Hospital. Overwhelming gratitude for the health system here in New Zealand; free, life-saving treatment from highly skilled and caring doctors and nurses. Surgery behind me, test results would reveal whether the cancer had spread or not. Then I’d have to decide. Being vegan, (except for honey & leather, etc), I was strengthening my resolve to ‘go alternative.’

Home. And at last I had the strength to read. I didn’t think The China Study would rock my boat. But it did. This book had far more than the usual populist content. It was written by an Emeritus Professor at Cornell University - an academic whose comprehensive nutritional research had been funded by both the American and Chinese governments. T. Colin Campbell had a lifetime of professional experience high in the echelons of the mainstream establishment.

Turns out The China Study was the most comprehensive epidemiological nutritional research ever undertaken. It took place in the eighties, where rural Chinese still ate the traditional, simple, largely plant-based diet. It was so thorough it took around

ten years to analyse the data. Conclusions stacked up. When I read that Campbell’s team, and others, had been turning cancer on and off in rats according to how much milk protein they were fed, I was fascinated.

Buried somewhere in the book, a citation piqued my curiosity.

I searched the internet on my laptop and found Colin Campbell listed as an advisor on a vegan website. I emailed a question to the site and was surprised they responded, referring me to Campbell himself. I emailed him. You can imagine how moved I was that this person, so busy and important, took the time to answer my emails several times with informed advice that helped me through.

Meanwhile I’d also discovered that a growing network of American doctors, dieticians and scientists were standing by each other’s different approaches under the plant-based umbrella.

Their path to health was not another ‘absolute’ lauded by one doctor or self-proclaimed expert also selling dietary supplements.

‘Other people would benefit from hearing about Campbell’s work,’ I thought. So I emailed him again asking if he’d be willing to be interviewed on Radio New Zealand if I could arrange it. He said yes.

Next day I was in contact with Kim Hill’s producer. I told him briefly about The China Study. I also mentioned I had watched media interviews with President Clinton who, on a whole food plant-based diet supervised by Dr Dean Ornish, had reversed his heart disease, had his stents taken out and was back to the weight

other in the future. But so far, my ‘numbers’ are normal, and I feel healthy, inspired and energetic. Which is good because there’s a lot I want to do.

I’m a ‘creative.’ I write and record songs and I paint. Like many people, I’m driven by a desire to ‘make a contribution,’ to ‘make a difference’ whatever way I can.

And here I am writing, gazing momentarily out the window. The sun is low.

‘Good time to plant those greens,’ I think. But the seedlings will have to wait another hour or two. I want to finish this article ‘Yes,” I muse. ‘It took a health crisis to wake me up.’ And the knowledge that I can do a lot to prevent another one, helps keep me on track.

“Why does it take a damn crisis to wake us up?” I growl. “And why does it have to be at our doorstep, in our bellies, about to take our lives before we act?”

Now we have climate change, a crisis of existential proportions.

Following the science, I’m very concerned. Reacting when it’s at our doorstep, in our bellies and about to take our lives will be too late. What will help us make the massive changes needed now to save us from extinction?

Eating plant-based, in most situations in privileged countries, seems the easiest ‘I could do that now’ step we can take. Thanks to Vitamin B12, any reasonably healthy person who can get it on a regular basis can do it. That’s pretty well all of Australasia.

I love the plant-based lifestyle.

People come to it and live it in different ways.

Images: Charles Bagnall he was in his younger years.

The Kim Hill Show wanted to go ahead. They bought The China Study, I gave them Colin Campbell’s email address, and the producer said he’d take it from there.

They decided at Campbell’s suggestion that Kim would interview his colleague, Dr Caldwell Esselstyn, a Cleveland Clinic heart surgeon, also a proponent of whole food plant-based eating. He was due in New Zealand to attend a heart surgeons’ conference.

The interview aired in November 2010 if I recall correctly. It was radical stuff, and I wondered if anyone would have a strong enough will to follow Esselstyn’s ‘Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease’ diet. Over ten years I only ever knew a couple of friends who tried it, and a few who went plant-based inspired by the Forks Over Knives doco. So I didn’t get to talk food with many people. I’m thankful my family is so supportive, as it has been hard, socially. I felt like an island in the middle of a sea of people replacing sugar and bread with as much fat, meat, dairy or eggs as desired - and rapidly losing weight! I had welcomed my initial weight loss too; 13 kgs. Pretty good!

Ten years have now passed, and the weight has stayed off. The doctor advised I take vitamin D, but I’m not needing to be on any medication. I imagine I may have to take pills for something or

But will we? What does it take to inspire change?

“No one is too small to make a difference,” says Greta.

Maybe I could put my fifty years’ experience not eating animals to work to inspire others? Maybe I could write more?

I’ll keep learning from our garden and taking what steps I can towards food resilience in the kitchen. Which reminds me, I want to use those feijoas I gathered this morning.

I love the plant-based lifestyle. It’s not ‘one size fits all.’ People come to it and live it in different ways. For vegans, the main focus is animal welfare. For many people it’s health. Others eat simply, motivated by humanitarian concerns. Some eat plant-based organic for the environment. And now another good reason has emerged; eating plant-based significantly reduces one’s carbon footprint. It fires me to do more.

I’m pleased to learn, thanks to this magazine, there are a lot more people living the wholefood plant-based lifestyle in the Southern Hemisphere than I thought. I’m delighted that GP’s and dieticians in New Zealand and Australia are starting to recommend it to their patients.

There are many people like me who want to make a difference.

I look forward to reading their stories.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 15

Whole Grain Brown Rice 16 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

B

rown rice is a complex carbohydrate that slows down sugar release. It is an unrefined and unpolished whole grain and is far better for us nutritionally than white rice.

When germinated or sprouted, brown rice has high nutritional value. White rice loses some of these nutrients through the milling process.

Many people will ignore brown rice because they follow a low-carb diet, but for whole food plant only eaters, this rice is an essential ingredient to many meals.

The antioxidants found in brown rice help prevent cell injury caused by unstable molecules called free radicals and reduce inflammation in the body.

Studies suggest that the antioxidants found in rice may be the reason for the low prevalence of certain chronic diseases in areas of the world where rice is a staple food.

Brown rice is exceptionally high in manganese, which is vital for bone development, wound healing, muscle contraction metabolism, nerve function, and blood sugar regulation. Manganese deficiency has been linked to a higher risk of developing metabolic syndrome, bone demineralisation, impaired growth, and low fertility.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 17

Plant-Based 'Fried' Rice This dish is a taste bud sensation, and it's great for leftover rice that you don't know what to do with. Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS 3 cups 1 3 cloves 2 tsp 1/2 1 1 cup 1 can 1 tsp

cooked brown rice (cold) medium brown onion, diced garlic, minced fresh ginger, minced cabbage, shredded red capsicum, diced frozen pea and corn pineapple crushed in juice, drained ground turmeric ground fresh black pepper 1 tbsp soya sauce 1 tsp sriracha sauce 1 block firm tofu

18 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

METHOD 1. Take the tofu and press out excess water, leave pressed as you do the following steps.

2. With a little water, 'fry' the onion, garlic & ginger.

3. Once onion has softened add in the cabbage and capsicum and cook for a further 6 mins, 4. Add in the peas and corn, pineapple, turmeric and pepper. Stir through and heat. If sticking add a small amount of water.

5. Add in the brown rice and mix before adding in the two sauces.

6. Take the tofu, drain and pat dry, Crumble the tofu over the rice mix, stir through then heat before serving.

Sticky Rice Pudding This is a real winner and so quick to prepare, Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS cooked brown rice maple syrup shredded almonds vanilla extract mixture of apricots, sultanas, cranberry 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk 2 tsp ground cinnamon pinch of nutmeg zest from one lemon

4 cups 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 1 tsp 1 cup

METHOD 1. In a large pot add all ingredients except the lemon zest and simmer on medium for around 10 mins or until thickened.

2. Add the lemon zest just before serving.

3. Any leftovers can be put into an airtight container and kept in the fridge for around 5 days.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 19

Spanish Paella A delicious combination of flavours that make this dish a family favourite. Serves: 5

INGREDIENTS 4 cups 1 tsp 1 1 2 5 1 1 1/2 cups 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 2 3/4 cup 2 tbsp

vegetable stock, low sodium turmeric powder medium onion. diced red capsicum, cut into strips medium portobello mushrooms cloves garlic, minced large tomato, diced cooked brown rice smoked paprika paprika sprigs fresh tyme frozen peas and corn, thawed nutritional yeast

20 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

METHOD 1. Take a small amount of the stock to a dutch oven or medium pan and saute until the onion and capsicum soften. Add the garlic and mushroom, saute for a further minute.

2. Add the tomatoes, smoked paprika, turmeric, paprika, Saute for 2 mins.

3. Add the rice, peas/corn mix and the stock. Mix through then leave to heat through on medium heat, stir occasionally for five minutes.

4. Finally add in the fresh thyme and nutritional yeast and slowly mix through.

5. Remove from heat, cover with tin foil and let sit for around 6 minutes before serving.

Brown Rice Salad An amazing, easy salad to prepare. It's also filling, and delicious. Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups 1/4 cup 4 1/4 cup 1 2 1 1/3 cup 1/4 cup

brown rice, cooked cranberries or saltanas cherry tomatoes, halved walnuts, finely chopped red capsicuim, diced large handfuls of lettuce small red onion, diced fresh dill, roughly chopped fresh mint, roughly chopped

Dressing 3 tbsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 2 tsp

lemon juice wholegrain mustard dijon mustard whole gherkin, diced maple syrup

METHOD 1. Simply combine all ingredients into a large salad bowl, breaking up the lettuce before tossing through the dish.

2. Combine the dressing and pour over the salad then gently mix through.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 21

Born of a European mum and a Tongan father, Luana Tupou of Hamilton is a deeply religious person and completely credits her successful struggle against diabetes to God and daily prayer for victory over appetite. From knowledge she gained at a free health expo in Auckland, and a big effort during New Zealand's first lockdown, Luana emerged a winner and is now living a much healthier lifestyle.

Diabetes, denial and divine help

W

hen the diabetes nurse took my glucose levels, her reaction was immediate. "You should be in a coma," she said. They read 23.5 I was raised by my mum, who is European, and my dad is Tongan. I met him later in life.

Growing up, we were taught to eat what was put in front of us, and we weren't allowed to leave the table until we were finished. If we didn't like what was served, we missed out.

If we went to someone else's house for dinner, we had to eat whatever was put in front of us as it was classed as rude not to. Meat, potatoes and bread was our staple diet. Whatever was cheap, we would eat.

My eating habits and lifestyle certainly caught up on me!

In August 2016, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. There is an eating lifestyle history in the family, so it was not a surprise to me, however. I still refused to tell any of my family or friends.

I continued living my life eating, drinking, smoking and was in denial. I had diabetes to the extreme. I refused to check my levels daily and threw out the glucometer my nurse gave me.

At that time, my doctor and nurses struggled to get hold of me for regular check-ups because I would always make up excuses not to go. I hesitated to go to the doctor's because I always felt judged.

This carried on for a few years until a close friend of mine, a nurse, convinced me how important it was to get my bloods done.

I finally went and, on January 25th 2019, my HbA1c was 105.

I knew that I was in the danger zone, but the nurse was amazing.

She did not judge me or growl me. She was so supportive and said to me,w "we are on this journey together". She made me feel so comfortable, and I was encouraged to try and change my life.

I tried to eat healthier and exercise, but it was not consistent.

Months passed, and my next two HbA1c results were still in the 100s. I knew I wasn't disciplined enough and needed to really change my lifestyle.

But I was over trying, and my levels were not improving. I would

22 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

check them every morning, and they were ranging from 12-18. It was so discouraging, to the extent I wanted to chuck it all in and go back to my old lifestyle.

Then, on July 21st 2019, my older sister was going to Auckland for a free health expo, and I decided to go with her. This is where those words "you should be in a coma!" came from. I shrunk in my seat when the nurse said that to me. My glucose levels were 18.5.

She said to me diabetes is a "silent killer". You may look fine and feel fine, but your insides are rusting away.

This really sunk in and gave me a bit of a wakeup call.

The last thing I wanted was to end up in a coma or have limbs amputated, especially when it was my fault that my health was in this situation.

I never wanted to burden my family, so I really needed to take my health seriously.

So once again, I got back on my health journey and tried to get healthier. My levels started to come down between 11-14 but still needed to be in the 7's. My next HbA1c was on October 29th 2019, and it was still 104. By this time, I knew I had to start praying harder to God. I always pray daily for victory over appetite, but I never fully surrendered it all to Him. So, I started to pray each morning and fully surrender it all to Jesus and saying I need you as I have tried doing this on my own, and you are the only one that can help me through this.

So, during the first COVID-19 lockdown on April 28th, 2020, I began a 10-day detox and a sugar fast. I was vegetarian at that point, but I decided to go plant-based. I had to give up bread, as that was one of my biggest weaknesses, and it was not good for my glucose levels. I began eating two meals a day and exercised at least four times a week - mainly walking on the treadmill in my garage.

Lentils and chickpeas were my main source of protein, along with plenty of vegetables and salads. I enjoy the plant-based substitute

meats in Chow Mein, casseroles and curries. I do not eat a lot of fruit because of the sugar content, so I mostly eat vegetables and salad.

My sisters have been plant-based for years, so it was not hard to adjust to a plant-based lifestyle with their delicious plant-based cooking and baking.

Two of my successful diet changes were: 1. Exchanging sugar with date puree. I would use date puree in my cooking, baking, on my cereal and in desserts.

2. Exchanging bread with corn thins. I would have corn thins for breakfast as my toast and even used corn thins as buns for when we had home-made burgers.

I began eating only two meals a day. So, I would have a big breakfast at 5:30 am, lunch at 12:30 pm, and that was it for the day. If I needed to eat something at night, it was corn thins.

Eating two meals gives your stomach the chance to digest the food fully.

I had a lot more energy in the mornings compared to eating dinner late and sleeping on a full stomach. I felt the difference, and it contributed to my glucose levels decreasing and weight loss.

My new lifestyle, with prayer, was working because my glucose levels had dropped under 8. I was fully in the zone, and through God, I was given victory over appetite, especially bread. Bread had always been my biggest weakness, and going from 6 slices a day to none, I knew God had his hand all over it.

On the 5th of July 2020, my nurse rang me excited to tell me

my HbA1c had dropped to 66 from 105. I was ecstatic to hear the news, and she just said to me, "Whatever you are doing, keep doing it". I told her all Glory to God! Not only did my levels drop, but I had lost 8kgs. Losing weight was a bonus.

I stayed on my healthy journey and started to share my testimony to my staff, customers and at church. Through this, I encouraged many to jump on the health wagon.

My lifestyle changes and plenty of prayers were making a difference, especially when I got my next HbA1c results on the 3rd September 2020. My levels had dropped to an amazing 51, which is 2 from being pre-diabetic. Once again, my nurse and doctor were blown away with my results.

My glucose readings were now between 7-8.

On the 25th October 2020, I had the opportunity to attend the same health expo in Auckland, where I had another health assessment. The results compared to July 2019 were as follows: My glucose went from 23.5 to 6.9.

I had lost 9.6 kgs.

I had lost 14cm off my waist.

My health age went from 55 years old to 44 years old, which is 4 years younger than my current age.

I never thought this would ever be possible, but once I gave it to God, I knew all things are possible if you surrender all to him. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13).

Corn thin suggestions: Make them savoury The topping options you have with corn thins area almost endless. Well, as endless as what's in the cupboard or the fridge anyway!

• • •

Try cutting a few cherry tomatoes, add some green and a little pepper, perhaps.

Banana and peanut butter is always a favourite with the kids and some adults too.

And then there's always the sliced or mashed avocado option. Yummy!

Corn thin suggestions: Make them sweet Of course, the thing about corn thins is that they're an anytime option. Who says you can't have one for breakfast, after school or later too.

• • •

Open a can of peaches and arrange a few slices with crushed nuts and banana.

Sliced plum and blueberry is another option. Or, maybe some diced apple and cinnamon?

An old favourite is to mix up a little avocado and Marmite. Try it with pine nuts on top.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 23

Thinking out loud......................

If something you've read in Whole Food Living has set your mind in motion, then don't hesitate to tell us about it. We'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions or views.

Just email us at letters@wholefoodliving.life.

Thanks for giving potatoes the thumbs up Thank you so much for such a valuable magazine! I really appreciate how informative and encouraging the focus is on health changes we can be empowered to make.

The article on gut health, was clear and helpful to understand more of what’s actually going on and what we can do to support it. I find it so incredibly pertinent that our immunity relies on our gut health; immunity being one of the most sort after things in 2020!

Also, I liked the article on the evil sugar drug! A teacher of mine used to call it

‘white death’, and I too, can vouch for lifechanging benefits when I stopped sugar.

The recipes are looking good, and keen to try a few. And last but not least, I am so grateful you’ve given potatoes the thumbs up!! My favourite.

Can you please perhaps include some material sometime, however that explains more of the science behind why WFPB say to avoid oil? So many different views that say olive oil and coconut oil etc are good for you. However, I do wonder.

Ratna Dyer

Are the Covid-19 vaccines safe for vegans?

I think details of the Covid vaccines is worth mentioning in the magazine.

As I understand, the Pfizer Moderna and Oxford Astra-Zeneca vaccines do not contain any animal products.

The cholesterol in the ingredients of the vaccine is not derived from animals.

Plant sterol is modified in the laboratory as cholesterol.

This is not a live vaccine and has the genetic material of the virus. The Human body recognises this genetic material as a foreign body and produces antibodies and generates T-Lymphocytes, which are the soldiers of the human body to fight infection.

However, both vaccines have been tested on a small number of mice and macaque monkeys.

Oxford Astra-Zeneca has disclosed that a total of 86 animals have been tested upon. Pfizer Moderna has not disclosed the total number of animals used.

Raja

Thanks Raja. I'm sure such information will be of interest to many vegans and should be part of the informed decision we all need to make in this area.

I note from PETA'S Australian web site that the vaccines that are likely to be available initially – those made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca – do not contain any animal-derived ingredients, but it’s possible that future COVID-19 vaccines will.

An example of such an ingredient is shark squalene – an oil derived from the livers of sharks – which is sometimes added to make a vaccine better at stimulating an immune response.

It should be possible to know whether a future vaccine contains animal-derived ingredients if and when it is approved for use, and at that point, it may be possible to opt for a vaccine that does not contain them on ethical grounds.

Any information regarding the vaccines is something you should discuss with your health-care provider. - Ed.

Yes! Thank you Whole Food Living No. That is not a picture of Wendy M from Auckland frolicking in the Queenstown snow after winning our summer subscriber holiday competition.

Wendy isn't a great snow lover, but the picture does illustrate how she felt on opening our email to find she'd won four days for herself and seven friends plus pets in one of NZ's most popular holiday spots.

All her bookings are set, and she's planning to head away in April.

"I haven't been down that way for a number of years but actually spent a bit of time over Christmas looking at options in the area. I am very keen to do some of the cycling and hiking trails, and it looks like the perfect spot for this," she said.

It sure is Wendy. Enjoy! - Ed

Stroke article needed more 'meaty' explaination I’ve just read the stroke article (Spring, 2020) by Dr Rita Krishnamurthi. I was hoping for information that I could action.

I’d like to make two points about it - and this is simply my opinion and may not be shared by other readers.

She talks a lot about the “potentially modifiable risk factors”, but nowhere identifies how to modify those risks.

Anyone reading the article and wanting to learn something helpful they could start doing today - wouldn't find it - apart from

24 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

learning the stroke symptoms under the headline.

Secondly, some of her statistics would have been more powerful if they hadn’t been so vague “a large proportion (4570%) also responded .....”

“Rates of stroke are 30-60% higher for Pasifika and Maori ...”. It makes a reader not take them seriously.

I’d like to have learned more than just the info about how much most people don’t know or the suggestion to download

an app to find out what I could do.

I felt the article was numbers without ‘meat’ if you’ll excuse the phrase. (Numbers without chickpeas doesn’t have the same impact, LOL).

Barbara Point taken, and I had hoped to have a much more meaty response for this issue, but unfortunately, Summer holidays and two lockdowns have gotten in the way. Look for an update in our next issue. -Ed

Autumn Roast Veges This dish is packed with nutrients, fibre and good carbs. Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS 1/2 1 8 12 1 1 cup 1/4 cup 2 cups 1 cup 1/4 tsp

pumpkin, cubed beetroot, peeled and cubed brussel sprouts, halved gourmet potates, halved if big large kumara, cubed raw cashew nuts cranberries baby kale leaves vegetable stock dried rosemary

METHOD 1. Preheat oven on bake at 180°C. 2. Place the first six ingredients into a roasting pan and pour over the vegetable stock.

3. Sprinkle with dried rosemary.

4. Cover and bake for 1 hour.

5. Remove from oven and pierce the pumpkin and potatoes with a fork to check if soft, if not cook, for a further 10 mins.

6. Sprinkle with the cranberries and toss through.

7. Serve on a bed of baby kale leaves and add cracked pepper for taste.

8. Optional: Pour over a small amount of mint sauce.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 25

SHOPPING LIST

T

hese days, few of us doubt the long-term dangers of cigarette smoking. We understand the damage it causes isn't immediately apparent but accumulates over time. Something similar happens with food, but why don't we think that way when we go shopping? Science has now proven that today's lifestyle illnesses are clearly linked to the food we eat. Think about it the next time you go shopping. All the diseases listed below are on offer; it's just a question of what you put in your trolley.

Heart Disease

Breast Cancer

Bowel Cancer

Ulcerative Colitis

Crohn's Disease

Prostate Cancer

Asthma

Osteoporosis

Multiple Sclerosis

Inflammatory Arthritis

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Constipation

Type 2 Diabetes

Menstral Pain

Alzhiemers

Ovarian Syndrome

Acne

Hypertension

26 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Looking at

Bowel Cancer Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Dr Caldwell Esselstyn Australia

New Zealand

Bowel cancer is the second most common type of cancer in Australia. It sits behind lung cancer and ahead of prostate cancer. 15,325 Australians are told they have bowel cancer each year (296 a week), including 1,531 people under the age of 50.

Bowel cancer claims the lives of 5,336 Australians every year (103 a week), including 272 people under the age of 50.

Fifty-five per cent of people diagnosed with bowel cancer (also known as colorectal cancer) are male, 45 per cent are female.

It pays to know your family medical history. For around 30 per cent of all bowel cancer cases, there is a family history of hereditary contribution.

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world. More than 3,000 people are diagnosed with it each year and over 1,200 will die from the disease.

Approximately eight New Zealanders are diagnosed with bowel cancer each day.

Bowel cancer is the second highest cause of cancer death in New Zealand. It kills as many New Zealanders as breast and prostate cancer combined, and it can affect anyone at any age.

It is estimated that one in every 18 New Zealanders will develop bowel cancer in their lifetime Men are at increased risk of bowel cancer compared to women. The most recent NZ data shows men 44.8 per 100,000 with females 35.2 per 100,000.

Two steps you can take to reduce your colorectal cancer risk Two of the simplest steps you can take to protect against colorectal cancer start on your plate: Eliminate red and processed meat—such as bacon, ham, and hot dogs—and fill up on fibre, says the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The World Health Organization has determined that processed meat is a major contributor to colorectal cancer, classifying it as “carcinogenic to humans.”

Just one hot dog or a few strips of bacon consumed daily increases cancer risk by 18 per cent. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) have also found that “the evidence on processed meat and cancer is clearcut.”

Colorectal cancer rates are on the rise in young people.

According to a study published by the National Cancer Institute, adults born around 1990 have twice the risk of colon cancer and four times the risk of rectal cancer compared with adults born around 1950.

American Cancer Society guidelines now recommend that screening begins at age 45. The guidelines attribute rising rates to diets high in processed meat and low in fruits, vegetables, and other dietary fibre as risk factors.

To reduce your risk, focus on fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, which are high in fibre and other protective nutrients. Eating just three servings of whole grains per day can reduce colorectal cancer risk by 17 per cent.

by Dr Malcolm Mackay & Jenny Cameron wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au

Oil: The ultimate junk food weight gain, nutrient displacement or both?

V

egetable oils, including olive oil, are energy dense and nutrient-poor. Foods with these qualities are defined as junk foods and, when consumed in significant amounts, cause weight gain and/or nutrient displacement.

Vegetable oil is almost pure fat and has the highest energy density of any food, more than twice that of sugar. One Australian tablespoon (20ml) of oil provides 160 calories (670kj), the same number of calories as a can of Coke.

Adding oil to a meal adds a lot of calories without any appreciable change in portion size. Most people continue to eat the same portion sizes, but the calorie content of the meal is higher, leading to systemic weight gain over time. Recent olive oil research in Australia (Sarapis et al 2020) had subjects consume 60ml of olive oil per day – that's 480 calories (2000kj) which is about 20-25% of an average person's daily energy needs. The study observed that energy intake increased by 428 cal (1800kj) per day when subjects added 60ml of olive oil to their diet. However, in the long term, subjects may partially compensate by eating less of other foods, which leads us to the other half of the junk food problem.

Vegetable oils contain very few nutrients. Most have some vitamin E but virtually zero protein, iron, calcium, dietary fibre, and very little omega 3 fats. The extraction of oil from olives, seeds, etc., is a form of food processing that removes most of the nutrients – this includes cold-pressed oils. Vegetable oils 'displace' nutrients from the diet. When we eat more calories from one source, we tend to eat less calories from other sources: eat more low nutrient 'junk', and you are likely to eat less nutrient-rich whole foods. If 20ml of olive oil were to displace equal calories of wholemeal wheat pasta, the nutrient 'displacement' would include 4.9g fibre, 2mg iron, 31mg calcium, 0.7mg zinc and 42mg magnesium.

Consuming vegetable oil adds a lot of calories but very few nutrients. If you reduce food intake to compensate for the extra calories, you will have less nutrients. If you maintain food intake to conserve nutrients, you will gain weight. It's either weight gain, nutrient loss or a combination of both.

'Good fats' The term 'good fats' is often applied indiscriminately with little consideration to its meaning. One could call ground flaxseed a 'good fat' because it is in the context of a complete whole food package, and its fatty acid composition is favourable. But what about olive oil? Olive oil consists predominantly of omega 9 monounsaturated fats which are a source of calories but are not a

28 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

There is no place for oil in a whole foods, plant-based diet. Olive oil, coconut oil and other vegetable oils are processed foods that do not support good health. If that sounds controversial, then consider the following facts: • Vegetable oils contain almost no vitamins, minerals or fibre.

• Vegetable oils are extremely energy-dense and lead to weight gain.

• Whole plant foods contain all the essential fats that our bodies require.

Mediterranean diets are healthy because of their whole plant foods required nutrient. It may surprise you that olive oil is moderately high in saturated fats – 15% – and therefore, no amount of olive oil added to the diet will bring the proportion of saturated fats down to a target of less than 10% of calories.

We need some dietary fats – the omega 6 and the omega 3 essential fatty acids. The omega 6 series are abundant in grains, nuts, seeds and seed oils, and it is thought that the Australian diet provides far too many omega 6's relative to omega 3's compared to the suggested optimal ratio of 4:1 or less. Olive oil contributes excessive omega 6's with less than 1% omega 3's and an omega 6 to 3 ratio of 13:1.

Coconut oil Coconut oil deserves a special mention because its one of the few plant fats that are made up of predominantly saturated fats – fats that tend to raise cholesterol and promote insulin resistance.

The MCTs (medium chain triglycerides) in coconut oil may not have the same adverse effects but represent only 15% of the fat content.

Vitamin E Olive oil contains vitamin E. Many vegetable oils are high in vitamin E because it's a fat-soluble vitamin that is retained when the fats are extracted from their whole plant-food source.

Vegetable oils appear higher in vitamin E than the plants from which they are made because it has been concentrated by the removal of water, fibre and protein.

Many whole plant foods, including whole grains, are rich in vitamin E, and it's not a nutrient associated with deficiency states.

Absorption of fat soluble vitamins

FOOD

Polyphenols mg per 100g/ml

Polyphenols mg per 100 calories

We do not need to add oil to our 1528 286 meals to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and Flaxseed meal phytonutrients. Nutrition research has Blueberries 218 1077 overturned the decade's old belief that 235 904 fat-soluble nutrients are only absorbed in Strawberries association with large amounts of dietary Wholegrain wheat flour 201 57 fat. A 2014 nutrition textbook stated 136 234 that the carotenoids in a salad would Apple not be absorbed without the addition of Spinach 119 496 a high-fat salad dressing and gave one 62 7.6 reference to a study that was funded by Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) a salad dressing manufacturer (Brown Olive oil 20 2.5 et al 2004). When the subjects ate the Source: Perez-Jimenez et. al. (2010) low-fat salad alone, with no other food, blood measurements suggested that the carotenoids in the salad were not absorbed without the dressing. have to worry about getting enough fat to form chylomicrons as This concept has led some dietitians to recommend adding olive a low fat, whole foods, plant-based diet still provides about 10% oil to vegetables and salads to boost the absorption of fat-soluble of calories from fats (>20g per day), which is more than enough.

Other fat-soluble vitamins/phytonutrients are likely to follow a nutrients. similar pattern. Enterocytes have 'cholesterol transporter' proteins Research in the Phillipines (Ribaya-Mercado et al 2007) found on their surface that transport a broad range of fat-soluble that only 2.4g fat per meal was needed for optimal utilization of nutrients, including vitamin E, carotenoids, vitamin D, vitamin K, phytosterols and lutein. Hopefully, future nutrition education will recognize that large amounts of 'healthy fats' are not necessary for nutrient absorption, and Australians can stop pouring olive oil on their salad and vegetables.

Polyphenols

A 144g serve of cooked brown rice has the same number of calories as a 20ml tablespoon of olive oil which contains 160 calories. vitamin A and concluded that the "poor or marginal vitamin A status observed in the study participants at baseline cannot be attributed to insufficient fat intakes, but rather to insufficient intakes of food sources of vitamin A." Just to put it into context, 2.4 g fat can be provided by the whole grains alone in a meal of rice and vegetables, or oats and fruit.

We have become aware of more recent research that found vitamin E was just as well absorbed whether or not it was accompanied by fats and oils (see Reboul 2019). Traber et al 2019 showed that after gaining entry into the enterocytes (cells lining the small intestine), vitamin E is kept in storage until there is enough fat to package it into chylomicrons (fat/cholesterol particles) and release it into the blood. Short term studies such as the salad dressing study missed this delayed appearance in the blood and mistakenly assumed that none was absorbed. We don't

Polyphenols are phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that are found in many different plants.

Oleocanthal, the main polyphenol in olive oil, has been the subject of much research in isolation from the broader context of other plant sources of polyphenols. It is the polyphenols in olive oil that are alleged to give it cardioprotective qualities.

Not all olive oil has a high polyphenol content. In a recent Australian study (Sarapis et al 2020), the 'high polyphenol olive oil' had 36mg/100g polyphenols while the 'low polyphenol olive oil' had only 8.6. (These values are lower than the analyses listed in the table). The public health message that 'olive oil is good for you' (because of the polyphenols) is at odds with the reality that most of the olive oil consumed in the community is the cheaper low polyphenol products.

The polyphenol content of olive oil needs to be put into perspective and compared with other food sources. The table above compares the polyphenol content of common plant foods – olive oil compares poorly with many whole plant foods. 100g of strawberries have 235mg of polyphenols compared to only 12mg in a 20ml tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. The inferior polyphenol content of olive oil becomes more pronounced when we adjust for its ultra-high calorie content and express polyphenol content in milligrams per calorie. 100 calories of strawberries has 960mg polyphenols, whereas 100 calories of EVOO has only 7.6mg. The oleocanthal in extra-virgin olive oil would need to be orders of magnitude more biologically active than other polyphenols for olive oil to qualify as a good source of polyphenols.

Mediterranean diet & olive oil industry Much of the 'evidence' for olive oil comes from Mediterranean diet studies. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular and other diseases. But the key qualities that make a Mediterranean diet are not olive oil, fish or red wine but rather the whole plant foods – legumes, whole grains, vegetables and fruit. It is these components that are most strongly associated with better health outcomes. Follow up studies

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 29

Oil: The ultimate junk food of the people of Crete found that individuals who consumed the most olive oil had the most heart disease (Vrentzos et al. 2007).

The PREDIMED study has been misrepresented as evidence that a Mediterranean diet with olive oil or nuts is more heart healthy than a low-fat diet. However, the 'advice to eat a low-fat diet' group was not low fat (at 37% calories from fat), received less counselling than the other groups, and at the end of the study averaged less legumes, vegetables and fruits than the other groups (although not statistically significant). Whenever we read of studies that report benefits from a particular diet, we ask "compared to what?" PREDIMED found no significant reduction in cardiac events or mortality but did find a reduction in strokes, particularly in the nut eating group. No Mediterranean diet studies have demonstrated the regression of heart disease observed in research by Ornish and Esselstyn which used a low fat, whole foods, plant-based diet.

The booming olive oil industry has become a major sponsor of nutrition research (and Lifestyle Medicine). Research seems to have been focussed on drawing out the benefits of olive oil rather than comparing it to whole plant foods or putting the findings into context – for example, investigating the pharmacological properties of oleocanthols (phytochemicals in extra virgin olive oil). Some studies report statistically significant benefits that are of little clinical significance. For example, an Australian study that found a minimal improvement in blood pressure for EVOO (extravirgin olive oil) compared to lower quality olive oil (Sarapis et al 2020). A recent study from Greece had an abstract that reported great improvements in cognitive function in subjects with early dementia but had used a dozen measure of cognition, most of which showed no significant improvement (Tsolaki et al 2020).

The 'processed food' label could damage the image of olive oil, but industry has found a solution – a new term has emerged, 'ultra-processed food', which does not seem to include olive oil.

Saturated fats, unsaturated fats & carbohydrates The vegetable oil saga began in the 1960s when the association between saturated (animal) fat intake and heart disease became widely accepted. The first error was to attribute the entire blame on a single nutrient – fat – rather than the 'whole' animal product 'package'. The second was to try and solve the problem by simply adding more fat to the diet in the form of polyunsaturated vegetable oils. The polys had a favourable effect on blood cholesterol, but long-term heart outcomes did not reflect this, and they were implicated with cancer. Enter the monounsaturated fats, particularly olive oil, the answer to the quest to find a fat we could add to our food without compromising our health.

Large observational studies often crunch the data set to try and tease out individual foods or macronutrients. Some studies suggest that unsaturated fats are healthier than carbohydrates.

This may be true when the 'carbs' are sugar and processed food, but the comparison is irrelevant when the carbohydrates are whole plant foods.

Effects of oil on arteries

Laboratory studies suggest that the consumption of vegetable oils, even olive oil, cause arteries to become stiff and narrowed and impairs blood flow through the smallest capillaries.

Endothelial function: Dr Robert Vogel's (2000) research on the effect of vegetable oils on blood flow showed olive oil reduced blood flow by 31% and canola oil by 10%. This suggests that olive oil adversely affects the capacity of endothelial cells (lining arteries) to produce nitric oxide (relaxes and widens arteries).

30 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Oils are the most energy dense foods, they contain minimal nutrients and are discretionary in that they do not belong to any of the five food groups.

Lipemia: High-fat meals, both saturated and unsaturated fats, result in many hours of lipaemia, blood that is so laden in fat that serum appears opaque and milky. Under these conditions, the red blood cells clump together and the blood flow through the smallest capillaries slows or stops—the potential for thrombosis increases due to activation of clotting factor VII.

Cholesterol Olive oil and polyunsaturated oils raise HDL cholesterol, however changing the value of a biomarker for disease does not always translate into reduced disease risk. For example, a clinical trial of an HDL raising drug was stopped prematurely due to an increase in cardiac events. Past animal studies, a research method that is no longer considered ethically acceptable, found that olive oil was just as bad as saturated fat for promoting heart disease in monkeys (Rudel et al 1995).

Adding vegetable oil may raise cholesterol by causing weight gain and also by displacing fibre-rich foods that block the absorption of cholesterol.

Australian Dietary Guidelines The Australian Dietary Guidelines do not support the high intake of olive oil that many of our health professionals are advocating.

The guidelines recommend that we choose foods from the five food groups, none of which include vegetable oil.

In respect to weight gain the guidelines state that “Foods with a higher energy density encourage energy intake above requirements”, and that Australians limit the consumption of “energy-dense, nutrient-poor discretionary foods”. Vegetable oils, including olive oil, fit all these criteria – maximum energy density, nutrient poor and discretionary in being outside of the five food groups.

We recommend that you aim to eliminate all vegetable oil from your diet including oil in food products. A ‘little bit of oil’ can add a lot of calories and displace important nutrients. Using oil at home may desensitise you so that you do not notice the high oil content when eating out. We need more people to request no oil or minimal oil so that restaurants know consumers want this option.

Research & resources NOTE: Use the QR code to the right or, on a desktop computer, go to the web address below to view an extensive list of peer reviewed studies and resources covering olive oil, coconut oil and the Mediterranean diet.

wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au/no-oil

Red Lentil Flatbread - only two ingredients!

Oh yes, you read it right. With just two simple ingredients you can make this amazing flatbread. It's so versatile and can be used as tortillas, wraps and naans. Serves: 8 INGREDIENTS 1 cup red lentils (split or whole) rinsed and drained.

2 cups water

Optional extra ingredients: 1 tsp curry powder 1 clove garlic ( added when blending) 1 tsp turmeric and some ground pepper

METHOD 1. Combine the lentils and water into a medium bowl and loosely cover. Leave to stand on the bench for at least one hour.

2. Now here is the trick, do not drain out the liquid just pour it all into a blender and blitz until smooth.

3. Heat a nonstick frying pan on medium.

4. Pour around a 1/4 cup of the batter into the center of the pan and use a metal spoon to spread the batter into a circle (around 15 cm).

5. Cook until bubbles apear and the surface seems dry, then flip. Cook for a further minute.

6. Transfer to a rack to cool and repeat until all batter is used.

7. Can be eaten immediately or stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 31

youtube.com/themommyvegan

Before

After 32 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Vegan mommy explains why she changed M

y name is Taylor Toney, but you might also know me as The Mommy Vegan on YouTube. I follow The Starch Solution, which is a high carb, low fat, oil-free, whole food plant-based diet. In less than a year, I lost 32kg and reversed all the health issues I had before becoming plantbased.

On my YouTube Channel, I share simple vegan recipes and weight loss advice. I also educate others about this wonderful lifestyle. I currently have over 16,600 subscribers that I am helping on their plant-based health and weight loss journey.

My mom, Trica, who is 48 years old, has lost 25kg following the same lifestyle. We have done this entire journey together, which has been such a blessing. We have both been able to support and help one another along the way.

My journey started when I got pregnant in 2018 with my now 21-month old daughter, Adaya. Before pregnancy, I had an average weight of 70 kg. That said, I wasn’t eating healthy or taking care of my body whatsoever.

The first 20 weeks of my pregnancy were filled with extreme sickness. At 28 weeks, I was diagnosed with Gestational Hypertension (high blood pressure during pregnancy). Doctors were concerned that I would give birth early or develop preeclampsia. Thankfully, I made it to 37 weeks before the doctor decided it was in my best interest, as well as my baby’s, to be induced.

After giving birth, I suffered a severe haemorrhage and lost two litres of blood, coming close to death. I am so grateful that I was able to overcome such a traumatic health scare. Unfortunately, doctors could not give me an explanation as to why I developed gestational hypertension or had a haemorrhage after birth.

After some research, I found it was linked to the foods I was consuming before and during my pregnancy. For the next seven months, I continued to eat the way I always had. Initially, I lost weight after giving birth, but it quickly came creeping back.

I had terrible chest pains that couldn’t be explained. I had multiple tests done, even wearing a heart monitor to perform mini EKGs at home. I also developed slightly higher cholesterol. I was turning 24 at the time and knew that having health issues at this age was not normal.

After going to the doctor for a check-up, I found I was 87kg, the most overweight I had been in my life. I decided something needed to be done about my weight but, most importantly, my health.

My mom, who had always been slim, started gaining weight over the years as she entered into pre-menopause. She had developed dizzy spells and unexplained foot pain. My mom knew that she also had to change her lifestyle for her health. That’s when we came across the documentary What The Health in February 2020. It instantly changed both our lives. We both turned vegan immediately and have never looked back.

For two months, I ate plant-based but still consumed processed vegan foods and cooked with oil. I lost just over 12kg from solely being vegan but didn’t see any major changes in my health.

Fortunately, my mom and I came across The Starch Solution by Dr John McDougall in April, 2020.

I started eating only whole foods, focusing on starches and eliminated oils. To my surprise, the weight quickly came off with

minimal effort. During my weight loss journey, I kept my meals extremely simple and still do today while maintaining my 32kg weight loss.

My meals consist of mostly potatoes, rice, beans, and corn, as well as non-starchy veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussel Sprouts, and salad. I also educated myself about calorie density and only nourished my body with low-calorie density foods.

I have lost a total of 32kg since February 2020, now weighing 54.5kg at a height of 1.7mtrs. This weight loss took only eight months to achieve. This fantastic lifestyle has changed mine and my mom’s life. It has reversed all of our health problems.

We are both in the best health we have ever been. I highly recommend this lifestyle to anyone who wants to reclaim their health and be at their desired weight. This lifestyle is for everyone, no matter your age.

Although my mom and I are 23 years apart in age, we have both seen great success. All it takes to have success on this diet is to have willpower and stay consistent.

This has become so much more than just a diet for me. It has become a way of life. I look forward to the future, knowing that I am in great health and can participate in activities with my little girl, Adaya, something I was unable to do before my journey.

I would love for you to join me over on my YouTube channel, The Mommy Vegan so that I can help you along your journey and answer any questions you may have.

I believe that you will gain knowledge through the content I share and be able to start your journey to health and wellness. My hope is that everyone has great success in their weight loss and health journey.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 33

34 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Sculptureum: A world of sheer delight L

ocated about an hour north of Auckland, the Sculptureum is nothing less than a fascinating world of sheer delight for young and old alike - but there's one thing that would make it better.

If you've already come across this space, then you'll probably be aware of the point I'm about to raise.

For now, though, let's consider the essential purpose of this place.

It's a gallery - both outdoor and indoor. It's a reflective space where your thinking will be challenged. It's an amusement park for the mind. It's a great place to go.

Sculptureum has captured some great Kiwi and international art and located it in a world apart. A place where friends and family can gather

to share the delight of their own good company.

Many previous travellers here have ranked its exhibits "world-class" and "an inspiration to us all."

And one visitor commented on Trip Advisor that Sculptureum was simply one of the most original and enriching experiences they'd ever encountered anywhere.

Sculptureum shows us how the ordinary can become extraordinary when we expand our imagination beyond box boundaries. And it doesn't take much. As we say in other spheres, it's the thought that counts.

But there's always a but. My but has nothing to do with the art on show.

It's all to do with the cafe menu - not a vegan option in sight - PB.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 35

Prof Corey J A Bradshaw

Prof Daniel T Blumstein

Prof Paul Ehrlich

Worried About Earth's Future?

The outlook is worse than even scientists can grasp Fundamental change is required to avoid a ghastly future. Specifically, we and many others suggest abolishing the goal of perpetual economic growth.

A

nyone with even a passing interest in the global environment knows all is not well. But just how bad is the situation? Our new paper shows the outlook for life on Earth is more dire than is generally understood.

The research (published January 13th, 2021) reviews more than 150 studies to produce a stark summary of the state of the natural world. We outline the likely future trends in biodiversity decline, mass extinction, climate disruption and planetary toxification. We clarify the gravity of the human predicament and provide a timely snapshot of the crises that must be addressed now.

The problems, all tied to human consumption and population growth, will almost certainly worsen over coming decades. The damage will be felt for centuries and threatens the survival of all species, including our own.

Our paper was authored by 17 leading scientists, including those from Flinders University, Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles. Our message might not be popular, and indeed is frightening. But scientists must be candid and accurate if humanity is to understand the enormity of the challenges we face.

Getting to grips with the problem First, we reviewed the extent to which experts grasp the scale of the threats to the biosphere and its lifeforms, including humanity.

Alarmingly, the research shows future environmental conditions will be far more dangerous than experts currently believe.

This is largely because academics tend to specialise in one discipline, which means they’re in many cases unfamiliar with the complex system in which planetary-scale problems — and their potential solutions — exist.

What’s more, positive change can be impeded by governments rejecting or ignoring scientific advice, and ignorance of human behaviour by both technical experts and policymakers.

More broadly, the human optimism bias – thinking bad things

36 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

This article was jointly compiled by Corey Bradshaw, Professor of Global Ecology and Models Theme Leader for the ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage at Flinders University, Daniel Blumstein, Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at the University of California and Paul Ehrlich, President, Center for Conservation Biology, Bing Professor of Population Studies at Stanford University. It was first published by theconversation.com and is republished here under the Creative Commons Licence. are more likely to befall others than yourself – means many people underestimate the environmental crisis.

Numbers don’t lie Our research also reviewed the current state of the global environment. While the problems are too numerous to cover in full here, they include: •

•

•

a halving of vegetation biomass since the agricultural revolution around 11,000 years ago. Overall, humans have altered almost two-thirds of Earth’s land surface about 1,300 documented species extinctions over the past 500 years, with many more unrecorded. More broadly, population sizes of animal species have declined by more than two-thirds over the last 50 years, suggesting more extinctions are imminent. about one million plant and animal species globally threatened with extinction. The combined mass of wild

The diagram at left indicates major environmental-change categories expressed as a percentage relative to intact baseline. Red indicates percentage of category damaged, lost or otherwise affected; blue indicates percentage intact, remaining or unaffected.

•

•

mammals today is less than one-quarter the mass before humans started colonising the planet. Insects are also disappearing rapidly in many regions 85% of the global wetland area lost in 300 years, and more than 65% of the oceans compromised to some extent by humans a halving of live coral cover on reefs in less than 200 years and a decrease in seagrass extent by 10% per decade over the last century. About 40% of kelp forests have declined in abundance, and the number of large predatory fishes is fewer than 30% of that a century ago.

A bad situation only getting worse The human population has reached 7.8 billion – double what it was in 1970 – and is set to reach about 10 billion by 2050.

More people equals more food insecurity, soil degradation, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss.

High population densities make pandemics more likely. They also drive overcrowding, unemployment, housing shortages and deteriorating infrastructure, and can spark conflicts leading to insurrections, terrorism, and war.

Essentially, humans have created an ecological Ponzi scheme.

Consumption, as a percentage of Earth’s capacity to regenerate itself, has grown from 73% in 1960 to more than 170% today.

High-consuming countries like Australia, Canada and the US use multiple units of fossil-fuel energy to produce one energy unit of food. Energy consumption will therefore increase in the near future, especially as the global middle class grows.

Then there’s climate change. Humanity has already exceeded global warming of 1°C this century, and will almost assuredly exceed 1.5 °C between 2030 and 2052. Even if all nations party to the Paris Agreement ratify their commitments, warming would still reach between 2.6°C and 3.1°C by 2100.

The danger of political impotence Our paper found global policymaking falls far short of addressing these existential threats. Securing Earth’s future requires prudent, long-term decisions. However, this is impeded by short-term interests, and an economic system that concentrates wealth

among a few individuals.

Right-wing populist leaders with anti-environment agendas are on the rise, and in many countries, environmental protest groups have been labelled “terrorists”. Environmentalism has become weaponised as a political ideology, rather than properly viewed as a universal mode of self-preservation.

Financed disinformation campaigns, such as those against climate action and forest protection, protect short-term profits and claim meaningful environmental action is too costly – while ignoring the broader cost of not acting. By and large, it appears unlikely business investments will shift at sufficient scale to avoid environmental catastrophe.

Changing course Fundamental change is required to avoid this ghastly future.

Specifically, we and many others suggest: • •

• • • •

abolishing the goal of perpetual economic growth revealing the true cost of products and activities by forcing those who damage the environment to pay for its restoration, such as through carbon pricing rapidly eliminating fossil fuels regulating markets by curtailing monopolisation and limiting undue corporate influence on policy reigning in corporate lobbying of political representatives educating and empowering women across the globe, including giving them control over family planning.

Don’t look away Many organisations and individuals are devoted to achieving these aims. However, their messages have not sufficiently penetrated the policy, economic, political and academic realms to make much difference.

Failing to acknowledge the magnitude of problems facing humanity is not just naïve; it’s dangerous. And science has a big role to play here.

Scientists must not sugarcoat the overwhelming challenges ahead. Instead, they should tell it like it is. Anything else is at best misleading, and at worst potentially lethal for the human enterprise.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 37

by Diana Noonan

Saved by the sandwich press F

or anyone contemplating a switch to whole food, plantbased (WFPB) eating, the thought of living without processed oils and refined sugar can seem overwhelming.

In fact, our fondness for ‘sticky-sweetness’ and ‘goldencrunch’ is usually so pronounced, that even long-time WFPB adherents who haven’t discovered how to replicate these tastes and textures, can feel hard done by. But forget all that, because thanks to a simple, inexpensive, every-day cooking appliance, WFPB diners can now enjoy what the rest of the population craves – but minus the harmful side effects.

Sweet surprises Harnessing the natural sugars in vegetables

Anyone who thinks fruit is the only source of unrefined sugars, is seriously uninformed. Not only are vegetables rich in natural sweetness, but many of them actually contain a similar amount of sugar (if not more) than some fruits.

Take a cup of cooked sweet potato, for example, which contains around 2.5 teaspoons of sugar (that’s very similar to a cup of sliced peach), or a cup of cooked peas which contains 1.5 teaspoons of sugar (very similar to a cup of halved strawberries). So why do we regularly not recognise the natural sweetness of vegetables?

The answer lies in the way we prepare them. If we boil vegetables, much of their sugar leaches into the cooking water (just take a sip of the cooled liquid and you’ll soon see this for yourself). If we team vegetables with tart ingredients (such as vinegar) we disguise their sweetness. Even if we eat vegetables raw, we’re still not making the most of their sugar content.

To get the full sugar-hit from vegetables, we need to up-theheat on them. The most common way to do this is to douse them in oil and roast them. This sets in motion the Maillard reaction and caramelisation, processes which deliver up the longed-for browning and intensifying of natural sugars.

Of course, it’s possible to achieve similar results by dry roasting (roasting in an oven without oil), but the problem with this, is that it takes forever for the oven heat to penetrate the food, and a hungry tum, especially one intent on a sugar-hit, isn’t prepared to wait!

Enter: the sandwich press!

The sandwich press is the WFPB eater’s answer to fast, naturally-sweet, golden-brown food. Unlike its cousin, the indoor grill, the simple sandwich press lacks deep metal ridges designed to help drain away the fats found in fish and meat. Instead,

38 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

the sandwich press has flat upper and lower plates. Once your vegetables are trapped between these, the heat immediately begins to penetrate.

Centimetre-thick slices of sweet or regular potato are cooked in minutes. The same with beetroot, carrot and parsnip. Courgette strips, broccoli and cauli are done in the blink of an eye; kale and edible seaweed chips in seconds! Röstis cook to crisp crunchiness in less time than if it was oil-fried in a pan. Combine your sandwich-pressed veges, and in no time at all you have a delicious, sweet selection of savoury snacks, or a golden roast vegetable medley that can be doused in your favourite WFPB dressing.

Fruit just got sweeter!

In the same way that your sandwich press brings out the best in vegetables, so it also dramatically intensifies the sweetness and characteristics of fruit. Roasted slices of orange, pear, plum and nectarine ooze complex flavours you may never have noticed before. Slices of apple and pineapple bubble and brown. Mango and apricot cries out to be paired with sandwich press-toasted tempeh or grilled firm tofu. What’s more, the sandwich system of cooking is so simple, you can brew up your breakfast by grilling everything together in one quick hit!

Going up!

Au naturel isn’t the only way to enjoy your sandwich press fruit and vegetables. This super-convenient machine will also cook and brown whole food fritters containing leavening agents such as baking powder. That’s because, although the sandwich press is designed primarily to press down firmly on the food between its jaws, most models also have a clever catch on one side which

allows the user to lock open the plates at various heights. With room to expand, the rising fritters puff up in minutes.

Flat out

The handy sandwich press also delivers up perfect flat breads and fermented pancakes from an eclectic range of ethnic cuisines.

Spanish tortilla (made from unleavened cornmeal), and Indian wholemeal chapati (made from a whole food flour called ‘atta’) are easily prepared by rolling the dough between two sheets of baking paper. For best results, keep the rounds (or oblongs) 2-3mm thick. Pop these, baking paper and all, into the sandwich press to cook and brown (a few minutes is all it takes). Remove from the press when done, peel away the baking paper, and stuff with your favourite whole food filling.

To cook fermented pancakes such as Ethiopian injera (made from ‘teff flour’) or Indian dhosa (a combo of lentils and brown rice), lay baking paper on the lower surface of the press, ladle on the fermented batter (which is usually pancake-mix-like in consistency), and spread it out with the back of a spoon. Lock the sandwich press to prevent it closing completely, and wait for the magic bubbling to happen!

Going crackers

Whole food crackers are one of the most delicious ways to enjoy a range of unrefined toppings, from avocado to salsa, and hummus to pesto. But commercially-available varieties can be super-expensive – and also frequently broken to shards due to their fragile nature.

WFPB diners-in-the-know will already be using their ovens to make their own supplies of crackers from seeds and grains – but heating an oven comes at a cost. What’s more, whole food crackers lack the oils that keep their commercial cousins crisp, so even if you plan on making a big batch to save on electricity, there’s no guarantee they’ll keep fresh and crunchy. Fortunately, the sandwich press offers a convenient alternative.

Because the sandwich press cooks crackers gold brown and crispy in minutes, you can brew up a batch as you need them.

Simply keep your cracker mix in a sealed container in the fridge, take out a spoon as required, roll it between two sheets of baking paper, and pop in between the plates. You’ll never have chewy crackers again – and if you’re making a plateful for guests or to take to a party, they will stay fresh for several hours.

Top tips for sandwich press cooking

When heading to a BBQ, grill your WFPB vege-kebabs, rissoles and fritters at home on the sandwich press. When you get to the party, pop them into a metal dish that can be placed on the BBQ plate to heat up (well out of reach of meat fats and cooking oils!).

If your veges are a little on the dry side, splash a few drops of water on them once they’re on the sandwich press. Close the lid and let them steam to perfection.

Watching your weight? Stick to vege instead of seed or grain crackers by toasting 3-4cm-thick potato slices in the sandwich press until gold-crisp. Cool thoroughly, and top with your favourite spreads. Eat immediately (these crackers are not ‘keepers’).

Use sandwich press rösti (see burger recipe below) as pizza bases. Remove the cooked rösti from the sandwich press, and place it on a heat-proof oven tray. Add you favourite toppings to the rösti, then bake in a regular oven.

If you’re heading away on holiday or business, finding WFPB meals can be near impossible. So don’t forget to pack the sandwich press! It’s light and compact enough to fit in your luggage, and easy to use, no matter what accommodation you find yourself in.

WFPB eaters deserve a sandwich press to themselves (that way, there’ll never be any oils to tarnish the surface of the press’s non-stick hot plates). But if you do find the surfaces are no longer non-stick, simply cook your food between two sheets of ecofriendly, compostable baking paper.

Sweet Potato & Silverbeet Rösti-burger

by Diana Noonan

INGREDIENTS 1 med sweet potato 3-4 lrg leaves silverbeet freshly ground black pepper METHOD 1. Wash the vegetables.

2. Slice the silver beet leaves from their stems.

Finely chop the leaves, and steam or microwave for 3-4 minutes to wilt them.

3. Grate the sweet potato (skin and all) into a bowl. Stir in the wilted silver beet leaves.

4. Heat the sandwich press. Spread out the vegetable mixture evenly onto the lower plate of the press, and close the lid.

5. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until the upper plate of the press comes easily away from the rösti without sticking. Use a heat-proof fish-slice to lift the rösti onto a cutting board.

6. Slice the rösti in half, place half on a serving plate and top with your favourite salads and whole food dips and spreads.

7. Slice the rösti in half, place half on a serving plate and top with your favourite salads and whole food dips and spreads.

8. Drizzle over an avocado dressing (see recipe pg.

40), and top with the second half of rösti.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 39

Roast Vegetable Salad with Creamy Avo Dressing

by Diana Noonan

Very quick and easy to prepare meal stacked with nutrition and oil free. Serves: 2 INGREDIENTS - Roast Vegetables Carrot and parsnip (peeled and cut lengthwise into 4mm thick slices) Beetroot (peeled and cut into 4mm-thick rounds) Zucchini (unpeeled and cut lengthwise into 1cm-thick Sweet potato (cut into 1cm-thick chunks) Cauliflower and broccoli florets (cut into 1.5cm-thick slices) Sugar snap and snow peas (ends and ‘strings’ removed) Creamy Avo Dressing (recipe opposite) METHOD Place prepared vegetable into the sandwich press in batches. Cook until sweet and tender. Remove to a bowl using a heat-proof slice. Once the vegetables are completely cool, gently coat with the Creamy Avo Dressing.

40 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

INGREDIENTS - Creamy Avo Dressing 1 medium, ripe avocado 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk (little more if required) juice of one lemon freshly ground black pepper of any of the following: ground 1/2 tsp cumin, ground coriander, curry powder, smoked paprika 1/8 tsp powder chilli (optional) METHOD Place the first 3 ingredients in a kitchen blender or Bullet. Blend to combine thoroughly. Leave for 5 minutes. Dilute the mix with a little more non dairy milk (if required) to bring the dressing to the desired consistency. Ad your chosen spice (and the chili if using) and blend again to combine. Store in the fridge until required (keeps, chilled, for 2-3 days).

Potato slices

by Diana Noonan

As mentioned in the article on page 39 instead of crackers you can make delectable potato poppers that can be creatively topped with an endless array of options.

POPPER IDEAS

Here are just a few options:

Slice potatoes into 3-4 cm thick rounds, place in the sandwich press until golden brown.

Avocado guacamole spread with tomato and spring onion and some fresh ground black pepper.

Then this is when you can go wild. There are so many options that can top the potatoes to bring out the flavour of both.

Hummus spread with a tomato, mushroom, onion salsa. Topped with parsley or coriander.

Avocado spread with red onion and cherry tomatoes.

Salsa spread topped with Mexican bean mix.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 41

Glorious Greek Moussaka Created by Buffy Ellen from begoodorganics.com

Looking for a new fav dinner go-to? This is it!

Quite possibly THE most delicious savoury masterpiece I’ve made all year, and oh so easy.

No need for meat or dairy either when you’ve got fresh thyme, oregano, basil, kidney beans, toms, spinach, eggplant, spuds, and a creamy cashew cheese sauce in the mix. Servings: 4 INGREDIENTS 2 cup spinach baby or thinly sliced 2 potatoes - sliced 1 eggplant - sliced Tomato bean sauce 2 cloves garlic - sliced 1 onion - diced 400g can tomatoes 400g can kidney beans handful fresh herbs 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional) 1/4 tsp nutmeg pinch chilli 1-2 drops oregano/thyme essential oil (optonal) Cheese sauce 1 cup cashew nuts soaked 1-2 hrs 1 cup water 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 1 Tbsp mustard 1/2 tsp sea salt METHOD 1. Slice and par-boil the potatoes (about 15 minutes).

2. Make tomato bean sauce: With a little water, sauté onion for 1 minute, then add garlic. Add tomatoes, bean, herbs, spices and salt and simmer on low for 10 minutes until slightly reduced. Add the oregano or thyme essential oil and stir through.

3. Make cheese sauce: Blitz all ingredients together in a blender until smooth (while the tomato bean sauce is cooking).

4. Assemble: Add 1/2 of the tomato bean sauce to cover the bottom of your dish, add a layer of spinach, then layer the sliced potato, add the other 1/2 of the tomato bean sauce, sliced eggplant, then cover with the cheese sauce.

5. Bake at 180 degrees C (350F) for 30 mins until golden brown on top.

6. Top with fresh herbs. Be sure to let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving so it holds together when sliced. Will keep in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for 2 months.

42 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Smoky BBQ Kale Chips Created by Buffy Ellen from begoodorganics.com

INGREDIENTS 300g kale cavolo nero or curly 3/4 cup filtered water 1/2 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked overnight 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 2 clove garlic 2 tsp liquid smoke 1 tomato 1 shallot 2 tsp miso (optional) pinch cayenne pepper (optional) METHOD 1. Drain soaked cashews and sunflower seeds, rinse and add to blender along with all other ingredients bar cavolo nero/kale. Blend on high speed for one minute, until you have a wellblended and creamy sauce.

2. Pour sauce over your kale and lightly massage into the leaves.

3. Place on a lined baking tray and into the oven at 150°C (300°F) for 10-15 minutes, until dried and crispy but not brown. Alternatively, you can keep these 'raw' by dehydrating for 6-10 hours (or overnight) at 41°C (105°F) until dry and crunchy.

4. Enjoy!

Recipe notes •

•

•

•

I dehydrate these in my Excalibur dehydrator which I absolutely love, we stock the exact, same one I use in my store. I have the larger 9 tray in black with the clear door, but the 5 tray would also be great if you're just starting out and don't think you'll be a high-user like me. I absolutely love mine and use it more and more the longer I have it. It's so great for healthy chip recipes like this one, as well as making cookies, bars, pizza bases, or just plain activated nuts and seeds (much cheaper than pre bought ones). If you're thinking of getting one but have some questions, feel free to ask me.

To make these nut-free, simply use 100% sunflower seeds. Likewise, if you only have cashews handy you can just use these as well. Watermelon seeds would also be fantastic in this recipe.

If you don't have a tomato on hand, half a red capsicum is also delicious. The shallot can also be replaced with half a brown onion.

I love the addition of cayenne powder in these, but it's entirely optional. Mila loves these with it in though (and she’s only 2), but you can always omit if you have spice-declining kiddos.

If you don't have liquid smoke in your cupboard yet (and if not you really should - it's amazing), you can replace this with 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika. The

•

•

flavour won't be quite as strong, but it'll still be delicious.

Soaking is ideal to remove enzyme inhibitors on the seeds, and start the sprouting process. You can, however, also use a quick soak method – soak cashews/sunflower seeds for 5-10 minutes in hot or near boiling water, then continue as above for rinsing and draining.

I've used cavolo nero (Italian kale) in these photos, and do like it for kale chips as it holds together well. Regular curly kale (or even red kale) however will taste just as good, just be sure to keep the pieces as big as possible as they reduce in size quite a bit on heating and can be a little more fragile.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 43

Berry Chia Jam Servings 13 Tbsp / 200g jar

Created by Buffy Ellen from begoodorganics.com

"A simple recipe. To make for loved ones. To show people they’re loved.

To spread love to all. "

INGREDIENTS 1 cup 1 Tbsp 1-3 tsp

1/2 tsp 1/2 cup

fresh or frozen fruit chopped (eg. raspberries, blueberries, plums, golden kiwifruit) chia seeds coconut nectar this depends on your sweet preference, and the sweetness of your fruit. optional addins: vanilla powder freeze dried berries

METHOD 1. Blend your chia seeds in a food processor til they form a powder if you don’t want them stuck in your teeth (this is entirely optional – you can leave them whole).

2. Add fresh fruit and sweetener, vanilla powder and freeze dried berries (if using) and blend for another 30 seconds until combined.

If you need to add a tablespoon of water here to create enough liquid, you can do that.

3. Pour into a jar and leave to set in the fridge overnight. Will last in the fridge for 4-5 days.

44 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

If you don’t make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.

The science is now abundantly clear. For most of us good health is not a matter of good luck, it is something we must constantly work towards. Eat food that truly nourishes your body, exercise regularly, get a good night's sleep, make friends and enjoy their company.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 45

Newsbites

See wholefoodliving.life/ref-autumn2021 to view references cited below.

Plant based plant set to change milk production

O

at milk processing is set to join dairy as one of Southland's key industries.

Dunedin’s Otis Oat Milk, which commenced operations just on a year ago, has plans for a purpose-built factory capable of producing 25 million litres a year. It is making the move because “unfortunately,” as its website explains, “little old New Zealand lacks infrastructure to produce plant-based food and beverages. Funny that. The fact we've been such a good dairy producing country hinders a plant-based brand such as Otis when it comes to looking for clean, nondairy infrastructure to produce world leading products.”

Otis wants to open up a pipeline to other start-up brands, by providing access to a facility that could produce at scale, Kiwi grown and made plant-based goods and export them worldwide.

It has decided to build The Plant Plant; New Zealand's first purpose-built dairy alternatives factory, with options to include plant-based ice creams, creams, flavoured milks and yoghurts. But, as Oatly's website explains, doing it right takes a bit of time.

"In the meantime, we have partnered with some lovely people over in Sweden (who just so happen to be ex-Oatly) and have over 50 years’ experience producing oat based products.

"They are - in the short term - helping us produce our 1 ltr boxes on exactly the same machinery The Plant Plant will have.

The smell of fried tofu, maybe with some tomato, onion, mushroom and a delicate sprinkling of your favourite herbs might tempt your taste buds, but it's still a fry-up.

Fried foods linked to higher heart risk C

onsumption of fried foods was associated with a higher risk for heart disease, according to a meta-analysis published online in the British Medical Journal.

Researchers compared fried food intake and heart disease in 17 studies that encompassed data for more than 500,000 participants. (1) Consumption of the highest amount of fried foods such as fried fish compared to the lowest consumption of fried foods increased the risk for major cardiovascular events, coronary heart disease, and heart failure by 28 per cent, 22 per cent, and 37 per cent, respectively.

Results showed additional weekly servings of fried foods increased the risk by two percent to three percent.

High consumption of saturated fat and sodium, increased energy intake, and other dietary habits associated with fried food consumption may account for the elevated risk and associated chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.

Blood type no influence on benefits of vegan diet

B

46 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

This also helps us to train our staff on the machinery and help us figure out exactly the scope for our Plant Plant back in New Zealand,” the company says.

"Demand has exceeded our expectations so we're going to expand our productive capacity and distribution to make oat milk more accessible to Kiwis and then take it to the world," says the company’s managing director.

He told online site Stuff they see significant growth potential in the Asian markets, especially given the prevalence of lactose intolerance in those regions.

Oat milk sold at a premium and was the fastest growing plant-based milk category in a global market expected to be worth more than US$38 billion (NZ$53b) by 2024.

New Zealand-grown oats are high in beta glucan, a natural fibre, that lowers cholesterol, improves blood sugar and boosts the immune system.

Beta glucans do not have a direct affect on cancer cells but, according to Dr Michael Greger, they do boost antitumour immunity by activating immune cells. Adding nutritional yeast to your diet is also recognised for its ability to boost the immune system, he says.(1) A 2006 study found that oral beta glucan administration stimulares proliferation and activation of peripheral blood monocytes in vivo in patients with advanced breast cancer.

lood type does not influence the health benefits of vegan diets, according to a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Researchers with the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine compared weight, body composition, and cholesterol levels with blood type in participants who either followed a vegan diet or made no dietary changes from a randomized control trial previously published in JAMA Network Open.

There were no differences observed in these health outcomes between blood types A, B, or O.

Those who followed a plant-based diet increased their metabolism as measured by an increase in after-meal calorie burn of 18.7%, on average, when compared to the control group.

These results debunk the “blood type diet” by finding that blood type was not associated with the effects of a plant-based diet on body weight, body fat, plasma lipid concentrations, or glycemic control.

The authors note that there is no clinical reason to limit the potential health benefits of plant-based dietary interventions for chronic disease prevention and treatment based on blood type. (1)

The YouTube selections below cover food and climate issues and provide quick access to a deeper understanding of what whole food eating can achieve. There's a quick tip on how to grow ginger and Professor Matthew Walker explains why a good night's sleep is so essential.

Can we eat to starve cancer?

What Rip Esselstyn eats in a day

Dr William W Li, founder of the Angiogenesis Foundation talks about beating cancer with food. http://tiny.cc/6ractz

Rip Esselstyn has followed a PLANTSTRONG lifestyle for more than 33 years. Here's what he eats in a day. http://tiny.cc/b2bbtz

Making heart attacks history

Good for you, good for the planet

Dr Caldwell Esselstyn says heart attacks are a "food borne illness", and you can fight them off with diet. http://tiny.cc/b3bbtz

Dr Dean Ornish, preventive medicine researcher, explains why what's good for you is also good for the planet. http://tiny.cc/35bbtz

The next generation of doctors

Why sleep matters

Dr Michael Klaper aims to see the next generation of doctors treat their patients differently. http://tiny.cc/j7bbtz

After 20 years of research, Professor Matthew Walker, can now explain why a good night's sleep is so essential. http://tiny.cc/0gbbtz

I love nutritional science

How to grow and powder ginger

Dr Joel Furhrman is a recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing. He explains the nutritarian diet. http://tiny.cc/9zkbtz

Ginger is so versatile in the kitchen. Its such a rewarding experience and is shockingly easy to do. http://tiny.cc/30lbtz

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 47

Climate action in the kitchen

by Innes Hope Media

I

t is said, ‘You are either a part of the problem or part of the solution.’ If only it were that simple. It is not. We are both in terms of climate change.

Many New Zealanders and Australians had no idea we were part of the problem until the movie An Inconvenient Truth screened in 2006. Even then, the seriousness of the situation didn’t sink in.

Fifteen years on and we have not reduced our greenhouse gas emissions one iota. We’re increasing them to some of the highest levels per person in the OECD. Clean ‘n green? - Yeah right!

So where does that leave us? Urgently needing to get our act together.

We in high consumption countries need to shift away from a diet heavy in meat and dairy.

Martin Bloem of Johns Hopkins University points out that, in contrast, countries such as India, Indonesia, and those in Africa, are eating so low on the food chain they may need to dramatically increase their emissions and water use for health reasons. Various aspects need to be addressed.

No one can save the world on their own. But we can make a difference together.

Many studies show that eating lower on the food chain reduces our emissions significantly.

We do our best to source reliable information. New data are being released all the time. Most ‘numbers’ fall within a range . A big shout out for climate scientists We and our children may well owe you our lives.

48 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

How Much Lower C0²? - Says Who? “The food system as a whole, which includes food production and processing, transport, retail consumption, loss and waste is currently responsible for up to a third of our global greenhouse gas emissions.” Eduardo Calvo Buendía, IPCC report, 2019, commissioned by the UN. If every New Zealand adult consumed a vegan diet and avoided food wastage, emissions saved would be equivalent to a 59 per cent reduction in annual light passenger vehicle emissions, according to a 2020 University of Otago study, (author, Dr Alex Macmillan).

“A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use and water use.” Joseph Poore, University of Oxford, UK. ‘There’s one lifestyle change that slashes dietary greenhouse gas emissions in half: Veganism.’ Huffpost re report in the journal Climatic Change.

Transitioning towards a more plant-based diet could reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 70 percent, according to the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

"We're not telling people to stop eating meat. In some places people have no other choice. But it's obvious that in the West we're eating far too much." Prof Pete Smith, Aberdeen University, UK. 'Greenhouse gas emissions of equicaloric diets are 29% less in a vegetarian diet, and 47-60% less for vegetarian/vegan diets than non-vegetarian/meat-eating diets.' Health and sustainability outcomes of vegetarian dietary patterns: a revisit of the EPICOxford and the Adventist Health Study-2 cohorts - Gina SegoviaSiapco , Joan Sabaté Source: Eur J Clin Nutr 2019.

Estimated Carbon Footprint in tonnes: Meat Lover = 3.3, Vegan = 1.5 (2018, Ekos NZ)

Awesome Autumn!

H

arvest time! Whether you grow some of your own fruit and vegetables or buy them, roll up your sleeves – autumn is always a busy season in a plant-based kitchen.

Watch out for an overabundance of any given produce, as this is the cheapest time to buy it to make relishes, chutneys, and jam.

Summer squashes are bursting with flavour just asking to be cooked or grated raw in salads.

Our favourite is Buttercup, a ‘Foddyfriendly’ pumpkin, also known as ‘Kent.’

With its dry, rich-flavoured flesh easy to digest, it can also be made into a delicious dip.

Feijoas are ripe when they easily come

away from the stalk when you touch them.

Or collect them from under the tree.

Did you know you can eat the skins?

They are soft, and if the fruit is ripe and spray-free, try one and see what you think.

Rhubarb is delicious at this time of year.

Being so ripe, it doesn’t need sugar.

Try it in a fresh fruit crumble, sweetening it with bananas instead.

Apron on yet?

Get ready to try the delicious recipes featured in this issue.

Enjoy knowing that you’ll be reducing your C0² footprint as well!

Footprints from Thoughts Before Forks

by Innes Hope

'Take only memories Leave only footprints …’

Chief Seattle’s teaching Right now, more than ever, is Pertinent, far-reaching.

His footprint, light and thoughtful, Barely left a trace.

Our footprint, now in carbon Wrecks havoc from earth to space.

So, from this meal onwards May our choice of food be part Of leaving a smaller footprint With the greater good at heart.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 49

Buttercup Dip ‘n Spread Spicy, smoky, creamy, and Smooth As! Fodmap free.

by Innes Hope Buttercup pumpkin/squash is known by many names – Kabocha, Japanese or Kent pumpkin, and Burgess Buttercup.

It is easy to grow over summer and it stores for a few months into winter. It is a favourite for people who prefer Low Fodmap foods.

INGREDIENTS 700 gm 2-3 tbsp 1 tsp 1/4 tsp 1/2 tsp 1 dstsp

buttercup / squash (approx) lemon or lime juice smoked paprika (heaped) chilli or cayenne powder salt (optional) smooth, salt-free peanut butter

TIPS If the buttercup is organically grown, most of the peel can be left on. This darkens the colour of the spread a little, but it looks as appetising as ever.

If you don’t have a food processor, this spread can be made by hand, mashing & whipping it with a fork in a bowl.

Don’t roast the buttercup - the flavour is too intense. Steaming gives the best result, saves time, and uses less electricity.

50 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

METHOD 1. Cut the buttercup, and peel if you prefer, (see tips). Steam the buttercup until soft, then transfer into a food processor or bowl.

2. Add the lemon juice, paprika, chilli & salt, then whizz or mash into a smooth paste.

3. Add peanut butter, and a little more spice or lemon to suit your taste, then whizz.

4. Do a final stir with a fork or slim spatula to ensure everything is blended well. Yum! Unless you have a peanut allergy, use peanut butter, not other nut or seed butters. The flavour blend is delicious. Peanut is also low Fodmap, for those who need it.

If you want both a savoury and a sweet spread, divide the steamed pumpkin in half and mix two separate batches.

If the dip dries out a bit, just give it a stir. Store in a covered container. Best eaten fresh, and it will keep in fridge for 2 – 3 days.

For a sweet spread, replace the paprika, chilli and salt etc, with maple syrup and cinnamon.

Fresh Fruit Crumble Sugar free, no oil or butter … and you’d never know!.

by Innes Hope INGREDIENTS - Filling 1 kg 1 lrg 1/2 cup 1 cup

fresh fruit (approx) ripe banana (if fruit is tangy) sultanas water

INGREDIENTS - Crumble 1 cup 2/3 cup 1/3 cup 1 tsp 1 lrg

rolled oats sweet flour of your choice* desiccated coconut cinnamon or cardamom ripe banana

*Sweet Flour = any finely ground wholegrain flour, other than savoury ones like chickpea. Gluten-free flours, such as rice, corn and buckwheat are good in their wholegrain form. Avoid nut or seed ‘flours’ such as coconut, almond or sesame, as they won’t bind the crumble together.

METHOD 1. Wash the fruit and peel if you prefer. Chop into chunks about thumb width. Place in a saucepan with the water and sultanas. Stew for a few minutes until slightly soft. Taste, and if you want it sweeter, mash or finely chop the banana, add and stir.

2. Heat oven to 180°C then stir the dry crumble ingredients together in a bowl.

3. Mash a banana into the dry ingredients to form a crumbly texture. Then mix using your hands, scrunching it into an even, crumbly texture.

4. When the oven is hot, pour the stewed fruit into a baking dish, (Pyrex or ceramic is good), and scatter the crumb mixture loosely and evenly over the top.

5. Bake approx. 30 mins; (watch after around 20 mins until you get used to how it behaves in your oven.).

When golden on top it is ready. Serve with plant milk, or plant-based yoghurt – (not coconut as it overwhelms the delicate flavour).

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 51

Autumn Fruits - Ideal for the crumble Tangy Feijoa Wash, top & tail the feijoas. No need to peel them unless they’ve been sprayed. Chop into chunks about thumb width.

Put in a saucepan with the water, banana, (finely chopped or mashed), and sultanas. Stew for a few minutes until the skins change colour. Follow the rest of the instructions for Fresh Fruit Crumble, using cardamom.

Tips. Yes, you can eat feijoa skins!

Feijoas in their skins have a stronger flavour and they’re more nutritious, since most plants carry a store of micro-nutrients in and under the skin. The skins are smooth and soft – easy to cut & eat.

If you want less tang, scoop out the insides from some of the feijoas. If you prefer a sweet, syrupy dessert, scoop out the inside of the fruit only. Try it both ways and see what you prefer …

Using locally grown fruit in season lowers your carbon footprint, supports the local economy, and helps with your budget.

Rhubarb Wash the rhubarb then chop into chunks about thumb width.

Put in a saucepan with the water, banana, (finely chopped or mashed), and sultanas. Add a punnet of chopped strawberries if you’re in a ‘treat’ mood. Follow the rest of the instructions for Fresh Fruit Crumble, using cinnamon.

ch t i k g e i n t he

52 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

en

Cl

ima te ch an

Asparagus Quiche

by Janice Carter

A very filling quiche with an incredible flavour, the pie crust base can be used for so many other dishes. Serves: 4 INGREDIENTS Versatile pie crust base

3/4 cup ground almonds 1/4 cup ground sesame seeds (the milling component of a Nutribullet is excellent for grinding these) 1 1/2 cups quick cook rolled oats - ground to flour after measuring 1/4 - 1/2 cup water Quiche topping

300 g 1/2 cup 1 tbsp 1/2 tsp 2 tbsp 2 tsp 2 tsp 3/4 tsp 1 1 tsp 1 1 tin

block of firm tofu cashews lemon juice turmeric yeast flakes massell vegan stock powder chicken or vegetable cornflour salt (optional) lrg clove fresh garlic peeled basil medium onions drained asparagus spears

METHOD 1. Make the crust base and place in a well-greased 23cm (approx) pie dish. Then turn on oven to 180°C. 2. Blend all topping ingredients except the basil, onion and asparagus until smooth.

3. Stir in the basil.

4. Saute (in a little water) the onion until tender.

5. Cover crust base with the onion and asparagus.

6. Fill pastry dish with blended tofu mixture.

7. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm to touch and light golden on colour.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 53

Hot Cross Buns

by Deb Plowman - plantbasedfamilydownunder.com

What is Easter without the traditional hot cross buns. Deb has successfully made a plant-based option. Serves: 12 INGREDIENTS 730 g wholemeal flour 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice pinch of freshly ground nutmeg 50g raw brown sugar 7g instant yeast 270 ml warm water 150 g mixed dried fruit & peel - any combination you like. extra: plain flour rolling, for making crosses; & sugar for glazing METHOD 1. In a very large bowl whisk the dry ingredients together then slowly stir in the water. It will suck up the water very quickly and seem quite dry but keep mixing until all the flour is incorporated and then add a splash more (tablespoon at a time) until the dough is soft and a little sticky. It should be a little wetter than a regular bread dough. Tip it onto a floured working surface and knead in the dried fruit. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough becomes springy and elastic and all the fruit is incorporated.

2. Wash out the bowl and place the dough inside, cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for an hour or so or until doubled in size.

3. Tip the dough back onto a floured work surface.

4. Line a large baking tray (as wide as a regular oven) with baking paper.

5. Here is where digital scales are very useful.

54 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

If you're at all like me, you want 12 buns exactly the same size. The only way to achieve this is to weigh each ball of dough. So weigh the entire amount, divide by 12 and then pull off balls of dough that weight, roll in to a neat ball between your lightly floured palms and place on the tray. Repeat! You want 3 x 4 on the tray, even spaced. They will grow as they rise so allow a good 3-5 cm between each bun.

6. Spray a piece of cling wrap with oil (otherwise they will stick and deflate when you pull off the wrap). and place over the buns and return to their warm spot until they have risen sufficiently to be stuck to each other.

7. Preheat the oven to 200°C. 8. Make the cross paste: Mix 2-3 tablespoons of flour in a little bowl with enough water to make a thick but runny paste (like single cream). Pour it into a little ziplock bag.

9. Remove carefully the cling wrap and take your bag of flour and water paste. Snip off a tiny corner off of the bag and carefully drizzle in long lines across the middle of the buns, then back the other way. It's easier to do this in one continuous motion rather than individually.

Plan your route before you set off!

10. Once you've finished, place in the hot oven for 1520 minutes or until golden brown.

11. Make the glaze: Mix 2-3 teaspoons of sugar in a small bowl with boiling water and stir until it dissolves.

12. Once the timer goes off check that they're cooked by cutting one open (use tongs!), it should be firm and not wet inside.

13. Brush the glaze over the hot buns and leave to cool.

Healthy Easter Eggs

by Robyn Chuter - empowertotalhealth.com.au

A delicious combination of flavours that make this dish a family favourite. Serves: 5

INGREDIENTS 50 g 40 g 60 g 100 g 50 g 30 g 1 tsp

almonds macadamias walnuts dates dried figs cacao powder vanilla

METHOD 1. Grind all ingredients together in food processor until the mixture forms a sticky wodge (yes, that’s a technical term).

2. Roll into egg-shaped balls (or press into a silicone Easter egg mould). Leave plain, or roll in additional cacao mixed with desiccated coconut.

3. Wrap in foil squares. Refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm up.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 55

by Angela Saunders Senior Dietician, Sanitarium

Busting the myths on nuts N uts are healthy! They are the perfect nutrient-rich snack and oh so tasty. So, when it comes to eating a healthy diet, why are so many people guilty of ignoring nuts? It all comes down to the big fat myth.

The myth that eating nuts can make you fat is a hangover from the low-fat diet obsessions of the 80s. It all began because nuts are a rich source of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, but we now know these healthy fats can actually help to keep the kilos at bay.

Eating nuts has actually been shown to help suppress hunger and regulate appetite. They’re also a source of fibre, which helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer.

In fact, a large number of studies show that people who include a handful of nuts in their diet actually weigh less. So, consider the myth busted!

Here’s five more ways nuts help to keep you lean: 1. Crunching on nuts sends signals to your brain — the more you crunch, the less you eat 2. They’re high in protein and healthy fats to keep you fuller for longer and help control your appetite.

3. Not all the fat from nuts is absorbed by the body.

4. They boost metabolism by 5-10 per cent 5. Nuts are yummy, making it easier to stick to a diet that includes snacking on nuts.

As well as helping to manage your weight, regularly eating nuts has been associated with looking after your heart, living longer and they are great brain food too.

While nuts are a great, nutritious snack, it doesn’t give us free reign to guzzle back kilos at a time. Nuts contain loads of good nutrients and they are also energy dense, so like all good things in life — moderation is key. A handful or 40g of nuts is the perfect portion size to get all the benefits from these nutrition powerhouses! To get the best health benefits snack on raw and dry roasted nuts — leave the chocolate coated ones for treats.

So how many nuts are in a handful? It varies for each variety but as a guide:

56 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

• • • • • • • • • • •

20 almonds 10 Brazil nuts 15 cashews 4 chestnuts 20 hazelnuts 15 macadamias 15 pecans 2 tablespoons of pine nuts 30 pistachio kernels 10 walnut halves a handful of mixed nuts

BRAIN HEALTH: They are a good source of essential fats for brain health with the added benefit of vitamin E which helps to protect brain cells from oxidative stress. The B vitamin package in nuts and seeds help to improve neural health and reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Folate is another added bonus of consuming nuts and seeds.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: A healthy immune system requires zinc, selenium and vitamin E which are all key nutrients found in nuts and seeds and help boost the immune system.

HEALTHY WEIGHT: Nuts and seeds, although higher in calories, can promote healthy weight loss. Why? you may ask! It doesn’t sound logical! Well the good news is, nuts and seeds are satisfying. They are a high satiety food and are metabolised slowly by the body due to their fibre content and good protein content.

HEART HEALTH: Nuts and seeds, being high in fibre, help to reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol and contain good quantities of healthy monounsaturated fats. Nuts also contain good quantities of Arginine, an amino acid, which converts to nitric oxide in the body and in turn relaxes the blood vessels.

SKIN HEALTH: Vitamin E, an antioxidant, found in nuts and seeds nourishes the skin and helps to improve the skin’s circulation.

IN SUMMARY – GO NUTS!! Nuts and seeds are highly nutritious, and very protective of the human body.

Dr Esselstyn offers:

A caution on dealing with heart disease D

Nuts are essentail in all types of diet

by Janice Carter Certified Wellness Coach & Lifestyle Medicine Educator

W

hether you prefer plant-based food only, are a vegetarian or still eat traditional western fare, nuts are an essential food group and should be part of your diet.

Nuts contain many healthy components such as a good range of vitamins, minerals and trace elements essential for keeping the human body finely tuned.

They contain unsaturated fats in the form of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are protective fats for your heart and brain. Nuts also contain healthy omegas – 3,6 & 9, which are also protective of the brain and heart.

Because they have rich sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, they protect cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals.

And they’re also beneficial in helping reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and raising good HDL cholesterol, particularly Brazil nuts. Two Brazil nuts a day provides your recommended daily intake of Selenium – a mineral that is low in New Zealand food because it is extremely low in our soils.

Selenium is an essential mineral for many body functions and, interestingly, helps hormones required for metabolism.

Brazil nuts are excellent at lowering bad cholesterol too.

Nuts can be consumed whole, chopped, flaked, ground or slivered. The oils in nuts oxidise and go rancid quickly, so always look for very fresh clean looking nuts and store them in airtight jars away from light and heat sources, preferably in the fridge or freezer.

Try these different ways to incorporate more healthy raw nuts (not roasted salted nuts) into your eating plan: 1. Sprinkle a handful of different nuts chopped up over your cereal each morning. Having nuts in the morning helps you to use their calories during the day instead of snacking on them at night and storing the calories.

2. Put nuts in a smoothie.

3. Use them to make healthy dips and spreads.

4. Sprinkle chopped nuts of any type over a salad.

5. Use soft nuts like cashews to make healthy salad dressings and cheesy sauces. (see page 58-60 for recipes) 6. Use nuts in pastry, baking, stir fry, desserts.

7. Make nut butter.

8. Make your own almond milk for a fraction of shop bought (see page61) for recipe.

r Caldwell Esselstyn admits to being "a bit of an outlier" on nuts and seeds, especially when it comes to treating heart disease.

The dietary solution he eventually adopted to halt and reverse heart disease was based on "mimicking" people's diets in cultures where cardiovascular disease was virtually nonexistent.

His approach got rid of oils because they contained fat, and patients were reduced to consuming around 11 per cent of fat in their diet.

In an online forum in 2019, he said he had no problem with people who don't have heart problems eating nuts and seeds.

"But, he said, "here's my problem. I know there have been a number of studies clearly showing in the last decade and a half that, in a comparison group, the people on nuts seem to be getting their heart disease more slowly.

"You have to understand, I am very competitive for my patients, and I hate failure. So, for me, slowing the rate of heart disease is not the goal.

"And a couple of points about nuts. How many people do you know will ever eat one nut? Nuts are highly addictive. And also, I have a problem that many of the studies that have come out were funded by the nut companies.

"Then there is the other problem. I have yet to see a single study where patients that are seriously ill with heart disease, where you give them peanut butter, nuts or cashew sauce and you see their disease halt, evaporate and go away.

"This is where I see nuts working against me in terms of compiling the nutrients that are going to injure the endothelial cells.

"When I see that study that says you can give these patients that are seriously ill with heart disease that you can give them all these nuts, then I will stand corrected.

"In the meantime, we have data that we will compete with anyone on the planet for our patients to do what we ask them to do.

And, if I am proved wrong, then I will not have hurt my patients."

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 57

Melty Cheesy Sauce

by Janice Carter Great addition to pasta, salad, sandwiches and quesadillas. Makes 3 cups

INGREDIENTS 1 cup 1/2 cup 1 tsp 1 tsp 1/4 cup 1/3 cup 2 tbsp 1/2 cup

water wholemeal flour salt (optional) onion powder savoury nutritional yeast tahini lemon juice chopped yellow pepper or 2 tbsp tomato paste

METHOD 1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

2. Add ingredients into 2 cups of boiling water. Stir constantly until thick.

For the photograph below I boiled a packet of San Remo peas, lentils, chickpea & borlotti beans pasta as per the packet instructions, In a pan I cooked onion with garlic and mushroom using a little stock.

Then I drained out the water from the cooked pasta, added in a can of pasta sauce with the onion mix, mushroom, broccoli, and one courgette, simmered then added in the Melty Cheesy Sauce. Very very delish!

Pizza Cheese

by Janice Carter A creamy sauce to add to your next pizza

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup 3/4 cup 1 tbsp 2 tbsp 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 1 1/4 cup

water sunflower seeds tahini savoury nutritional yeast salt (optional) garlic powder large yellow capsicum, chopped lemon juice

METHOD Blend all ingredients until smooth and drizzle over pizza's. Add more water if you want a thinner consistency.

Can cover up to four pizzas depending on consistency

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 59

Cheesy Sauce

by Janice Carter Add that little bit extra to your dishes with this simple yet versatile sauce. Great for Lasagna, Pizza, Enchiladas or as I have done place on top of Nachos.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup 1 tsp 3 tbsp 1/3 cup 2 tbsp 1/4 cup 3/4 cup 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 2-3 tbsp

cashews salt (optional) savoury nutritional yeast yellow capsicum, finely chopped lemon juice sunflower seeds water onion powder garlic powder tahini

60 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

METHOD Blend all ingredients until smooth When capsicum is ridiculously expensive, I buy a jar of roasted red pepper and use that. It gives a beautiful flavour. Although there is not quite the same nutrition as fresh capsicum, it fits the budget better.

Almond Milk

by Janice Carter Although shop bought packaged plant-based milks are convenient, making them yourself is super simple, fun and costs a fraction of shop bought packages.

Source your quality nuts from bulk food stores as they work out a lot cheaper.

Make sure you buy really fresh nuts, organic if possible and get creative!

What you will need:

METHOD

• A high-powered blender (900w minimum) • Sterilised glass bottles • Muslin or cheese cloth for straining or a very clean dish towel. You can also buy purpose built bags.

1. Drain and rinse almonds and place in the blender with salt and dates if using.

2. Add the 5 cups of water.

3. Blend on high speed for two minutes.

4. Strain using the muslin or nut bag or a thin sanitized dish towel. If no nut bag available, lay the clean dish towel over a mixing bowl, pour over the almond milk then carefully gather the corners, and lift up. Then squeeze until all of the liquid is extracted.

The pulp can be discarded or used in other ways such as home made crackers.

5. Transfer milk to a sterilised covered bottle and refrigerate. The milk will keep for up to 4-5 days, although it is best when fresh. Shake milk bottle well before using, as it tends to separate.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup Raw almonds, soaked in cold filtered water overnight.

5 cups Filtered water (try not to use tap water).

2 Pitted dates (if you want it sweet).

A pinch of salt, optional

For variations in flavour, try adding 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

This recipe has approx. 10 grams of calcium per half cup serve and no cholesterol.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 61

Books to Consider

From the groundbreaking results of his twenty-year nutritional study, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn illustrates that a plantbased, oil-free diet not only prevents the progression of heart disease but can also reverse its effects.

Lisle and Goldhamer offer unique insights into the factors that make us susceptible to dietary and lifestyle excesses and present ways to restore the biological processes designed by nature to keep us running at maximum efficiency and vitality.

T. Colin Campbell and his team at Cornell University, in partnership with teams in China and England, embarked upon the most comprehensive study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.

Their results still astound.

Why rely on drugs and surgery to cure you of life-threatening disease when the right decisions prevent you from falling ill to begin with? How Not to Die gives effective, scientifically proven nutritional advice to prevent our biggest killers.

Suzy Amis Cameron environmental advocate, former actor, and mom of five, presents an easy guide for you to improve your health and shrink your personal carbon footprint.

Just swap one meat- and dairy-based meal for a plant-based one every day.

John A. McDougall, MD, and kitchen savvy wife, Mary, prove that a starch-rich diet can help us lose weight, prevent a variety of ills, and even cure common diseases by fueling the body primarily with carbohydrates rather than proteins and fats.

The film's companion cookbook, The PlantPure Nation Cookbook brings a powerful, science-based approach to nutrition from the big screen to your kitchen with some of the same mouthwatering recipes that kick-started a revolution.

Dr Dean Ornish's research has proven that lifestyle changes can reverse undo! The progression of many of the most common and costly chronic diseases and even begin reversing ageing at a cellular level.

Several insurance companies cover his programme.

Neal Barnard, MD, a leading authority on nutrition and health, offers insight into how dietary changes can alleviate years of stress, pain, and illness.

What's more, he also includes delicious and easyto-make hormone-balancing recipes.

Sophie Steven's stunning cookbook is packed with over 100 delicious, vibrant plant-based, gluten-free and refined-sugar-free recipes. Some great recipes and taste sensations to try.

A book that will benefit the whole family.

This is a book that will let you live longer, reduce your need for medications, and improve your health dramatically. It is a book that will change the way you want to eat. Follow the Eat to Live diet, and you will lose weight faster than you ever thought possible

Colin T Campell's Whole is an absolutely eye-opening, paradigm-changing journey through some cutting-edge thinking on nutrition. It is a scientific tour de force, that has powerful implications for our health and for the future of our world.

Want to eat healthily, but worried it will cost too much? Looking to save on grocery bills, without compromising on nutrition value or flavour? This book will answer all your questions. Great if you need to keep the food bill tight.

Great inspiration here.

Before Dr Barnard's scientific breakthrough, most health professionals believed that once you developed diabetes, you were stuck with it. We know now that this is simply not true. Barnard has shown it is possible to tackle type 2 diabetes.

Rip Esselstyn arms readers with the knowledge they need to win any argument with those who doubt the health benefits of a plant-based diet and to convince any number of curious carnivores to change their diets once and for all.

62 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Movies to Watch The Big FAT Lie Produced by Kiwi documentary filmmaker, Grant Dixon, this movie traces his efforts to discover why he wasn't told about problems with meat and dairy. If he'd known he could have saved himself a heart attack. He asks why he wasn't told about WFPB. On iTunes

What The Health A 2017 documentary film which critiques the health impact of meat, fish, eggs and dairy product consumption, and questions the practices of leading health and pharmaceutical organisations. Is there a conspiracy here? Check it out on Netflix.

The Game Changers A documentary film that follows several elite vegan athletes. It gives a broad overview of the benefits of plant-based eating and contains great personality interviews with people that have made the change. A must for all sports coaches. Available on Netflix

Forks over Knives The seminal film of the WFPB movement that has impacted millions the world over. Forks over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the chronic diseases that afflict us, can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. Available on Amazon & iTunes.

TakeOut This movie highlights how corporate greed, global food consumption, and political corruption create conditions that are irreparably harming earth's ecosystem. Created by Emmy nominated filmmaker, Michal Siewieski, TakeOut is available on Amazon and from iTunes.

Diet Fiction This film calls to attention the most popular diets on the planet and draws together several misconceptions about weight loss and nutrition.

Filmmaker Michal Siewierski presents a punchy case and followed it up TakeOut. Bottom line message, go WFPB. View on Amazon.

Code Blue Code Blue reveals lapses in the current state of medicine and provides a common sense solution by featuring the practise of lifestyle medicine to prevent, manage and reverse chronic diseases. It covers hurdles to such a change and looks at the barriers. View on Amazon.

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 63

Take a break

64 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

Healthy crossword

Across 1. spice (6) 7. sever (3) 8. capital of Shaanzi Province (4) 9. small projectiles (6) 11. wheat protein, pg10, (6) 13. chemically inactive (5) 15. remove (6) 16. an amount of (7) 18. Johns ... University, pg 48 (7) 19. postgrad degree (1,1,1) 20. greek dish, pg42 (8) 21. spanish rice dish, pg20 (6) 22. auto immune disease, pg10 (6) 25. stop sleeping (6) 26. mushroom ring-shaped part (7) 27. type of pumpkin, pg50 (9) 29. green fruit, pg52 (6) 30. bitterly pungent (5)

Down 1. snack items (4) 2. conversion to toxic form, pg36 (12) 3. root spice (6) 4. .... press, pg38 (8) 5. part of digestive system, pg26 (5) 6. consumed (3) 7. Jenny ... pg28 (7) 10. Michal ... pg63 (9) 12. fermented soybean, pg38 (6) 14. ... Sahar, pg14 (5) 17. samples food (6) 18. the quality of being humane (8) 19. stategise (4) 21. fine grains (6) 23. mexican black cherry (7) 24. courgette, pg40 (8) 28. cue game (4) 29. clock front (4)

Go to link below for solutions Click or scan QR image for references. wholefoodliving.life/references-autumn-2021/

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 65

Recipe index

BREAKFAST

MAINS

SAUCES

Berry Chia Jam..................................................44 Almond Milk.......................................................61

Mustard Dill Beans..........................................13 Mashed Potato, Caramelised Onions.......13 Moroccan Roasted Carrots..........................13 Plant-Based Fried Rice...................................18 Spanish Paella.....................................................20 Autumn Roast Veges.......................................25 Glorious Greek Moussaka............................42 Asparagus Quiche............................................53

Creamy Avo Dressing.....................................40 Buttercup Dip n spread..................................50 Melty Cheesy Sauce........................................58 Pizza Cheese.......................................................59 Cheesy Sauce.....................................................60

LIGHT MEALS / SNACKS Brown Rice Salad..............................................21 Red Lentil Flatbread........................................31 Sweet Potato & Silverbeet Rösti-burger.39 Roast Vegetable Salad....................................40 Potato slices........................................................41 Smoky BBQ Kale Chips..................................43



SWEETS Sticky Rice Pudding........................................19 Fresh Fruit Crumble........................................51 Hot Cross Buns.................................................54 Healthy Easter Eggs........................................55

Tried our Recipes? Show us your creation!

Mention @wholefoodliving.life and tag #wholefoodliving.life

66 wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021

WFPB's Food Groups Based on the guide developed by PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) in 1991

LEGUMES

FRUIT

2 or more servings a day

3 or more servings a day Full of vitamin C and beta carotene, fruit is also rich in fibre. You should include at least one serving of fruit per day. Fruits are full of flavour, make a welcome afternoon filler and are great as a night time desert. They're best eaten whole because your gut benefits from their soft fibre.

Serving sizes: 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup cooked fruit, 4 ounces juice.

Beans, peas and lentils are your key source for good fibre, protein, iron, calcium, zinc and B vitamins. In this group you can also include items such as chickpeas, baked and refined beans, soy milk, tempeh and vegetable protein.

Serving sizes: 1/2 cups cooked beans, 4 ounces tofu or tempeh, 8 ounces Soy Milk.

NUTS AND SEEDS 1

or more servings

Serving: 1/4 cup nuts or seeds

WHOLE GRAINS 5 or more servings a day

The wholegrain list is large. Here is a sample: barley, freekeh, whole rye, brown rice, oats, wheat, buckwheat, bulgur, quinoa, whole wheat couscous, corn, millet. Build meals around hearty grain dishes. They’re rich in essential fibre, complex carbohydrates, protein, B Vitamins and zinc. Great for breakfast.

Serving sizes: 1/2 cup hot cereal, 1/4 cup dry cereal, 1 slice bread

VEGETABLES

4 or more servings a day Vegetables are your essential nutrient injection. Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory or bok choy are all good sources of important nutrients. They provide vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fibre and more. Extra beta-carotene comes from dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrot, squash, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Don’t be afraid to eat generous amounts. Load up your plate!

Serving sizes: 1 cup raw vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked vegetables

wholefoodliving.life | Autumn, 2021 67

Last of the Summer Light Karioitahi Beach, New Zealand

www.wholefoodliving.life