Whole Food Living - Summer 2022

SUMMER 2022 VOL 3 ISSUE 12

Flourishing Through Adversity

Intermittent fasting How to tackle it easily.

Your estrobolome & where you can find it.

Looking to lose weight?

Five great habits that work.

We’re building a community of conscious health seekers who want to improve and restore their health and the health of the planet we share.

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Where we stand THE WHOLE FOOD CONNECTION

Food

Health

Environment

Food is 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 based on solid scientific research and clinical experience over the past 50 years.

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

The third and final factor in the whole food equation is environment. Why? Because the state of our environment is impacted by the food choices we make.

Understanding the connection between food, health and environment is key to developing a more sustainable world.

WFL Optimal Health Guide Legumes Whole grains & starches Vegetables Fruits, nuts & seeds Herbs & spices Oils, sugar, salt Heavily processed foods Eggs & dairy products Seafood Meat & poultry

Vegetarian Vegan

ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü

ü ü ü ü ü ü ü

Plant based

ü ü ü ü ü ü ü

WFPB

ü ü ü ü ü Ë Ë

û ³ û û û ³ û û û ³ û ³Reduce Ë Avoid üOK ûNo

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 five categories on 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

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS

he 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.

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

T

4 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

- Editorial -

A

Staring down the dangers

s Whole Food Living discovers more carcinogenic snarlers to raise funds for trips away – readers in both hemispheres, it's become I was one of them. challenging to produce editorial content Now, understanding the change it’s made in me, that fits equally well at both ends of the planet.

I can easily connect with why Sophie Steevens Down under, we're heading into Summer just as counts her Graves’ disease as a blessing. But what a our northern readers are pulling out their Winter way to wake up! mittens, and of course, different foods too. But If, in the future, you follow down this path there is one unifying factor common to both of us. because of a health issue you can expect two This is the festive season, and I don't know why, outcomes. A shock and a mind shift - that's if you but this year I've caught myself wondering about survive of course. It results in a self-re-education some of the foods we once ate at this time. Wow, of parameters you might never have thought to how different life is now. question. For example, if you’re sick you go to the Food, of course, is the one thing we can control doctor, and the doctor gives you medication to Peter Barclay, Editor make you better, right? Do you think you are cured? in our lives and the great thing about being whole food plant-based is that we can eat as much of it as I’m not here to displace, or denigrate the we like. Does that sound like glutenous overconsumption? Maybe importance of traditional medicine, but we all need to review once perhaps but these days I don't need to hold back because I why we rely on it so much. The hard fact is, as Dr Mythri Shankar know everything on the (home) menu is so good for me. (p.52) makes clear, most people we know are going to die of a Now, I’m so glad we made this change, When I think of things lifestyle disease. Will you? we left behind, however, I find it hard to understand why I never Jokingly, she refers to herself as a Hindu and an Un-do because took a serious look at what food was really doing to me on the she wants us to look hard at our acceptance of traditional ways. inside. Why on earth did it take a stroke to get me here?

As she explains it, we all have the option to “choose a carrot or My discussion with Sophie Steevens (p.10) revived some of my a stent”. She says it is “imperative to understand how you see own hospital memories and made me recall why Catherine and I things concerning your health.” started this magazine.

People like Sophie Steevens, and many others featured in Sophie developed a serious passion for blogging, became good previous editions of this publication, have shown that there is a at it, and it helped her stay on track. It’s been pretty similar for us. better way for us to deal with the chronic conditions of our time.

Thinking about your health, and changing the food you eat, makes Most of these conditions are the result of the way we’ve all been you review, reconsider and change many things. Today, I’m far taught to eat, check out Dr Vermeulen, p.15. more aware of a range of subjects because of my change in diet.

While people like Steevens are a great inspiration to many Understanding health and its broader picture, and the political of us, it's important to note some others simply read about the machinations around health and climate change, fascinate me. things we cover here and just do it. Or, they keep moving in this Look at how the two fit hand in hand. What would be the direction by taking small steps at a time. Good on you! point of having a healthy body if you lose the planet to climate It's proof positive to me that there are those who will stare change? It’s a situation that affects us right down to the sausage down the dangers they potentially face by taking evasive action sizzle at any school, where mums, dads and their kids hand out right now. As Sophie Stevens says: "It just makes sense."

Cover Design

Design Nicole O'Neill Image Lottie Hedley

Viewpoints

Producers

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.

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: Are Direct, NZ Post & Iclay Media Contributions & Assistance Contributions & assistance on this issue is gratefully acknowledged from the following: Innes Hope, Janice Carter, Padman Sadasivam, Karen Crowley, Dr Mark Craig, Dr Martyn Williamson, Nicole O'Neill, Sandy Albert, Sophie Steevens, Katherine Matthews, Vegetables.co.nz, Judy Wood, Cathy Fisher.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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CONTENTS 48

38

30

General Features 10. Sophie Steevens

34. Behavioural Change

Sophie discusses her battle with Graves' disease, and tells how whole food helped.

18. Water Fasting

How does it happen? Dr Mark Rowe chats to Oz lifestyle coach Simon Matthews.

38. Starting Bub on WFPB

Dr Hana Kahleova explains intermittent fasting and the science aroung it.

25. Garden to Table

Lifestyle Medicine Coach, Janice Carter looks at that those critical early stages.

41. On Screen

A short, sharp idea and some great summer garden advice.

26. Sandy Albert

A doco from Geoff Reid and a pithy observation.

42. Dr Bob Lawrence

Five tips on how to fight fat and win the weight battle.

30. The Joy of Soy

Grim findings on Australia's environmental conditions.

Dr Bob recounts and explains his ongoing fight over IFAP.

44. Katherine Matthews

6 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

Have you ever wondered about your estrobolome?

46. NewsBites Check out Eric Adams' effort to change the course of public health in New York City.

56. Dr Mythri Shanka Her new book unveils the dangers we all face from lifestyle diseases.

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-summer-2022

24

The inside goss

"Increasing our knowledge and skills for preparing and cooking a balanced range of plant foods is a joy for most people and very rewarding."

- Innes Hope

42

so far, we have a feeble response on the part of the good guys to counter that."

Recipes A divine dip and an old favourite from featured foodie, Sophie Steevens.

17. Caesar-Y salad A great take on a summer salad that normally would never be healthy.

21. Baba Ganoush Unbelievable, yes you can make it without oil.

23. Vege stock Innes Hope creates both liquid and instant.

27. Mexican potato dish Mexican stuffed potato from Sandy Albert. Nice!

of dollars of marketing by producers of unhealthy food,

20 12. A smoky cream cheese

"We're bombarded by billions

- Dr Bob Lawrence.

33. Soy sour cream Innes Hope delivers a cultured soy sour cream that's much smother than other options.

37. Mushroom gravy

"Nutrition intake is of great importance to your baby’s long-term health. This is

A great add-on in a dry fry breakfast lineup or a dinner main with other options.

especially true for their brain development."

- Janice Carter

44. Leek & carrot soup A much easier retake on an earlier WFL recipe.

49. Crepes, cashew cream A delightful seasonal treat for sometime this Summer.

54. Wholemeal fruit slice It freezes really well and the taste is delightful.

“When it comes to preventing diet-related chronic disease, there is a growing recognition that it’s not our DNA — it’s our dinner.” - Eric Adams.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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WFPB ADVOCATES International

Dr Scott Stoll

Dr Gemma Newman

Dr Kim A. Williams

Dr Shireen Kassam

Dr Michael Klapper

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.

Has a special interest in holistic health, plant based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. Is a senior partner in a UK family medical practice where she worked for 12 years.

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.

Gifted speaker on plant-based nutrition.

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

An Australian doctor based at Loma Linda California. Passionate in empowering people to optimise their health through improving life-style 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 | Summer 2022

WFPB ADVOCATES Australasia

Dr Mark Craig

Dr Heleen RoexHaitjema

Dr Luke Wilson

Dr Coral Dixon

Drew Harrisberg

Hannah Barnes

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.

A registered nurse in Nelson, holds a certificate in plantbased nutrition. She leads workshops and retreats and focuses on helping women to improve their holistic wellbeing.

Robyn Chuter

Dr Adrian Griscti

Dr Thomas Joseph

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.

Based in Invercargill Dr Joseph is possibly the world's most southern WFPB GP. He regularly conducts plant-based retreats for people in his local area and has joined the EBE exec.

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 Peter Johnston

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 Melbourne Australia.

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

An Accredited practising dietitian, lifestyle medicine practitioner & wellness coach based in Melbourne.

Masters in Nutrition & Dietetics & a PHD in Human Genetics.

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

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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Sophie Steevens: eating her way to good health and encouraging others along the way

by Peter Barclay

U

nderstanding the full value of plant-based eating was a process, not an overnight realisation, for Kiwi whole food devotee Sophie Steevens. It was a learning curve, and as her knowledge grew, so did her confidence and a dramatic improvement in her health.

It all began in a state of shock when, at the age of 27, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Graves’ is a nasty immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones.

It can be fatal if not adequately monitored and medicated. Well, that’s the traditional approach, and it works. Calling it a cure though might be a stretch. It depends on your viewpoint or your food addiction.

Sophie wanted something better, and through that process, she inspired thousands as she took a deep dive into whole food plantbased eating and began cataloguing her experience on social media.

Coming to grips with Graves’ is no mean feat. It’s a condition that not only has dire consequences if untreated, but the medicines created to deal with it, although effective, can also have serious side effects.

Graves' disease

As Mayo clinic’s online information explains: “Graves’ is caused by a malfunction in the body's disease-fighting immune system.

It's unknown why this happens.

“The immune system normally produces antibodies designed to target a specific virus, bacterium or other foreign substance. In Graves' disease — for reasons that aren't well understood — the immune system produces an antibody to one part of the cells in the hormone-producing gland in the neck (thyroid gland).

“Normally, thyroid function is regulated by a hormone released by a tiny gland at the base of the brain (pituitary gland). The antibody associated with Graves' disease — thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) — acts like the regulatory pituitary hormone. That means that TRAb overrides the normal regulation of the thyroid, causing an overproduction of thyroid hormones (hyperthyroidism).”

Today, at 35, Sophie sees her autoimmune disease as a blessing.

“It was a massive wake-up call and has taught me how to truly nourish and look after my body, and I will be forever grateful for that,” she says in her book Raw and Free. “We get one life and one precious vehicle to drive us through it, and one of the biggest lessons I have learnt through this experience is to never take my health for granted again."

She also points out that she’s not a qualified nutritionist or a professional chef. Still, she is a dedicated mother who learnt some big life lessons and was “thankfully forced” to teach herself “the importance of true nourishment and, in turn, how to begin mastering the art of plant-based food."

Sophie profoundly believes in the power of food to heal the human body, but our overall health has a broader picture.

“What we eat, drink, breathe, put on our skin, think and feel all affects our health,” she says. And really, after a lot of research, “it

10 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

Above left, Sophie's latest book, Simple Whole Foods and her previous work, Raw + Free. Images and text extracted from Simple Wholefoods by Sophie Steevens published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP: $49.99. Photography by Lottie Hedley. Meet Sophie on Instagram at: instagram.com/rawandfree/?hl=en was just common sense at the end of the day.

“I went down the medical path for the first year and a half after my initial diagnosis. That’s the standard protocol you would take with Graves’ disease and it definitely helped me at the time to get my body into a safe place,” but when she discovered that food could make a difference to her condition, “it was a game-changer,” she said.

But how and why is it that people have seemingly lost the connection between food and health?

“I think it’s happened over the last 50 years, especially because of a lack of education and heavy marketing everywhere in sight.

If you really think about where our food is coming from, people seem to think that a man-made item is superior to something you can gather from the earth. When you really stop and think about that, how does that make sense?”

She believes that over several generations and combined with all the advertising and marketing and the creation of the big corporations that now deal in food, “we’ve just lost perspective and a big part of our natural intuition as the generations have gone by.”

Normal, but not okay

“I think what is accepted as 'normal' now isn’t actually okay.

Even what is accepted in celebrations and traditions, just because it’s been a certain way for generations, it doesn’t mean it’s going to benefit our health, especially long-term. Everything in moderation is ok but as a society, I feel we have become extremely out of balance with what we choose to put into our mouth. A lack of education about the appropriate foods to truly nourish our bodies is one of the biggest hurdles but that’s not entirely supported and so it’s a really tricky area to get around.”

As the mother of three children, Sophie doesn’t only hold her

own memories of the education system she went through but can combine that knowledge with what she sees and hears now.

“I think something we can all agree on is that no matter what the diet, we should all be including more plants into it. So, just providing more education to children about the importance of including a high percentage of plants into your diet would be amazing, and I think it’s slowly beginning to happen.

“I think relatable documentaries are great place to start.

When my children transitioned from standard meat and dairy we watched lots of documentaries and that really helped them to understand why we were making this enormous change in our home. If there was a powerful educational documentary that went through the school system I think that would be awesome, even if it’s not pinpointing a particular diet.

Craving fruit and veggies

Speaking of her transition to whole food eating, Sophie observes in Raw and Free (while on a detox to reverse her auto immune), “I began to crave fruit and veggies, and nothing else. I could finally taste their true flavours and had found a deep respect for the food I was eating and where it came from."

After a period of time, people that become fully whole food plant-based often experience a difference in the taste of their food. Sophie believes our sense of taste becomes conditioned.

“I think the vast majority of our food is so heavily processed – full of added salt, refined sugars and nasty additives, and offers very little, if any, nutritional value.”

“When I stripped back to basics and removed all the unnatural flavourings from my food, I could finally taste the true flavours of the different vegetables like I have never experienced before. Your taste buds adapt overtime, and yes, you truly understand what fruit and veggies can taste like without the overload of unhealthy additives. It’s the ultra-processed food we need to move away from so we can truly appreciate the natural taste of real food.”

For Sophie, the transition happened around the same time, she began a blog on Instagram (@rawandfree).

“I did it to help encourage myself and anyone else who wanted to follow along. I was learning so much about a wholesome, plantbased lifestyle, and I wanted to share my journey and hopefully help and inspire others along the way. In turn, this helped keep me motivated to discover new food and create new recipes."

Food addictions are another area of concern, and it’s something we should all learn more about, Sophie says, especially where processed foods are involved.

Food addiction

Image: Lottie Hedley

“The addiction to the food is so severe, and I feel like it’s not talked about enough. It can be a really tough habit to break. There’s a lot of psychology around food addiction; I think many people use food to get through difficult or stressful times. I personally know people who admit that they are completely addicted to eating a certain way just to get through the day - just as you might use alcohol or another substance.

“So many people are overwhelmed and confused about what to eat. Some completely disagree with plant-based eating in general. They will often turn to the internet and begin searching for answers, but just don’t know what to believe with the diversity of conflicting information. That’s a question I get asked a lot; they say, ‘I’m just so confused; what do I eat? For me, the biggest thing is just going back to nature. It’s pre-made and ready to eat.

You can make gradual changes to your diet, Sophie says.

“Often, it’s not unless you are diagnosed with something and feel incredibly unwell; you have no choice but to go down this really gnarly detox route. Generally, it's about gradual change and creating new, achievable habits that are healthier and sustainable.

I believe if we all aimed to enjoy a balanced diet of at least 80% whole foods, it would make an enormous impact on our overall health and wellness. It’s about prevention.”

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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MOROCCAN KŪMARA NUGGETS WITH WHOLESOME HEMPSEED TABOULI You can count on this meal for multiple reasons: it’s easy, delicious, not too heavy, not too light and really nutritious.

by Sophie Steevens - Recipe from her book Simple Wholefoods | Makes 20 nuggets | serves 3-4 INGREDIENTS - Moroccan kumara nuggets 500 g kūmara, peeled (I use a combination of orange & purple)

2 x 400 g cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups cooked chickpeas) 1/2 cups almond meal (ground almonds) handful fresh parsley, finely chopped 2 spring onions, finely sliced 1/3 cup pitted black olives, sliced 1/4 cup chopped pistachios (or almonds) 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp sea salt (optional) 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp mixed spice 1/8 tsp ground white pepper sprinkle of ground cinnamon sprinkle of hempseeds or sesame seeds (optional) INGREDIENTS - Hempseed tabouli 1 cup hempseeds 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley handful fresh mint, finely chopped 1/2 cup finely diced telegraph cucumber 1/2 cup finely diced red onion 1 cup finely diced tomato 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp lemon zest 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional) 12 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

METHOD 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan-bake.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Bring a saucepan half-filled with water to a boil.

Place the kūmara in a colander over the water, cover, and steam for 15 minutes, or until just tender.

3. Add the kūmara and chickpeas to a large bowl and mash until mostly smooth, leaving a few whole chickpeas and small chunks of kūmara for texture.

4. Add all remaining nugget ingredients except cinnamon and hempseeds or sesame seeds, and mix to combine.

5. Using your hands, shape the mixture into 20 rectangular or oval nuggets. Place each nugget on the prepared tray and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon and hempseeds or sesame seeds, if desired.

6. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden and slightly crispy.

7. For the Hempseed tabouli, place all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.

8. To serve, divide the nuggets evenly between four shallow bowls.

9. Add a serving of Hempseed tabouli and sliced avocado.

10. Garnish with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for a pop of colour, if desired.

SMOKY SPINACH CREAM CHEESE This divine dip is an old favourite that resembles the popular spinach and feta filling, but with a twist. Absolutely chock-full of chunky green spinach immersed in a creamy mix of smoky, cheesy and lemony flavours, it’s the perfect accompaniment to all things comforting.

by Sophie Steevens - Recipe from her book Simple Wholefoods | makes about 3 cups INGREDIENTS 750 g fresh spinach leaves, (1 lb 10 oz) roughly chopped (or 1 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves) 3/4 cup raw cashews, presoaked 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup nutritional yeast 4 lemon juice 1 1/2 tsps garlic cloves 1/2 tsp smoked paprika sea salt (optional) METHOD 1. Heat an extra-large saucepan over medium–high heat. Add the spinach along with a tiny splash of water and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the spinach is completely wilted. Remove and let cool.

Squeeze out excess water and set aside.

2. Place all the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Remove and pour into a bowl. Add the spinach and mix to combine well.

3. Store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

"Plant-based, gluten-free and refined sugar-free, these familyfriendly recipes all use ingredients as close to their natural state as possible.

As well as new scrumptious recipes, Simple Wholefoods includes invaluable tips to broaden your wholefood, plant-based lifestyle, emphasising how easy it can be to make healthier lifestyle choices for both you and your family.

Whether you’re at the beginning of your health journey, needing the inspiration to stay motivated or purely seeking simple, mouth-watering nutritiousness to add to your repertoire, you’ll find yourself using this book time and time again."

Images and text extracted from Simple Wholefoods by Sophie Steevens published by Allen & Unwin NZ, RRP: $49.99. Photography by Lottie Hedley. wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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ROASTED EGGPLANT DAHL Easy Indian Dhal. A filling and attractive dish.

This has been cooked in a pressure cooker but can easily be created in a large pot.

by Catherine Barclay | serves 4 INGREDIENTS 2 1 cup 1 4 2 tsp 1/4 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 cup 1 cup 4 cups 1 can 3 Tbsp

roasted eggplants, diced frozen pea and corn mix onion, diced roasted garlic cloves ginger turmeric coriander cumin ground mustard seed garam masala dried red lenil dried brown lentil vegetable stock crushed tomatoes lime juice

METHOD 1. In the pressure cooker, saute the onion, roasted garlic and ginger until onion is transparent.

2. Add all other ingredients except the roasted eggplant.

3. Select curry from the pressure cooker options or manually cook for 20 mins.

4. Depressurise and have a taste, if lentils are still too crunchy cook under pressure for a further 15 mins.

5. Stir through the eggplant, and serve with potato flatbread (p21) Option: Top with fresh coriander or parsley and a dollop of plant-based sour cream p.33

To roast the eggplant and garlic.

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 2. Cut the eggplant in half, place face down onto a lined baking sheet along with the unpeeled garlic.

3. Bake in the oven for 20 mins then turn over the eggplants and roast for a further 10 to 15 mins until the eggplant is soft.

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Samoan villagers achieve extraordinary outcomes using a WFPB diet and some sage advice

A

firm belief in some simple but Ten years ago, Dr Vermeulen’s team wise advice has driven the work started to link up with the women’s of Samoan-based medic, Dr committees in order to include as many Walter Vermeulen, for over forty years, people as possible in treating nonand his faith in it has resulted in several communicable diseases. Trained to carry remarkable achievements. out health monitoring tasks, they are His organization, Matuaileoo critical partners in providing continuous Environment Trust Inc (METI) is changing care. lives and transforming health, inspiring Dr Vermeulen only has a staff of 20 so it and educating those that live there to has been essential to include people from transition to a whole food, plant-based the community to expand the programme.

(WFPB) diet.

These people, known as “path breakers,” As with much of the world’s population are trained as coaches. today, Samoans have many lifestyleAn essential component for making this related health issues: 85 per cent of a successful program is the inclusion of Samoans are either obese or overweight, a buddy system. Dr Vermeulen has seen and they have seen an increase in a marked difference in the success rate conditions and diseases such as diabetes, of someone with a buddy compared to high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, someone on their own, so each participant and chronic arthritis. has a buddy to assist them through the Dr Vermeulen attributes this situation process.

The buddy is there to advise on to the huge influx of unhealthy foods, Dr Walter Vermeulen areas such as the preparation of food as such as vegetable oils, white flour, sugary drinks, and animal products, introduced to the islands in the last well as to provide words of encouragement and support.

50 years. He has calculated that consumption of these relatively The focus is on coaching those going through the programme, affordable, convenient foods means islanders now consume an rather than teaching them. Coaches build a strong bond with additional 500 calories daily. participants and following up with them regularly means they can Dr Vermeulen’s team initially set up their program in two villages. provide support and monitor progress.

They saw a 75 per cent reversal rate in participants’ chronic and A participant’s ability to succeed and achieve their goals can lifestyle-related diseases, including heart disease, colon cancer, also be affected by their confidence. Coaches encourage selfand asthma. This figure is astonishing but maybe not so surprising efficacy, whereby an individual believes it is within their capacity to those who already know how health-promoting and healing a to act in a way that is necessary to reach their goals.

WFPB diet can be. In his experience, Dr Vermeulen believes that a Participants are encouraged to share their successes, which 100 per cent WFPB diet is the only way to reverse heart disease, may even include taking part in traditional dancing in the clinic! early-stage prostate cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Many participants are so happy that they have been able to Thanks to a grant provided by the Centre for Nutrition Studies, transform their health in such a profound manner, especially after, plus funds from the Samoan government, the program has now in some cases, being told by their healthcare provider that there been rolled out to 10 villages, but Dr Vermeulen’s work doesn’t was nothing more that could be done for them. stop there. He has an impressive goal of wanting to reach all 300 What can also be very impactful is having a respected figure villages in Samoa! in the community encouraging others to follow the diet; in one Between the two world wars, New Zealand was still the village, the pastor spoke to his congregation about a WFPB diet, administrator for Samoa, and responsibility for primary healthcare and 93 per cent of programme participants with diabetes saw a was assigned to the women’s committees. The women’s committee is a traditional entity, bringing the women together reversal in their condition.

Oh, and about those words of wise advice Dr Vermeulen has within each village.

The Ministry of Health provided them with drugs to administer. lived by all these years. They came to him from his late wife, a Essentially, these committees were self-sufficient, treating 80 per nurse and politician, who often repeated the following quote: cent of the population’s ailments. But since the 1960s, because of True happiness comes from helping others. “This is what drives changes in health services, their roles started to decline. me,” he says.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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SPICED CAULIFLOWER Spice and cauliflower are a great match and make a delicious side dish. by vegetables.co.nz | serves 6 INGREDIENTS 4 onions, peeled and roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 5 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1 red chilli, or ¼ red capsicum, deseeded and finely sliced 2 green chillies, deseeded and chopped 1 Tbsp ground coriander 1 Tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp turmeric 2 tsp garam masala 1 lrg cauliflower, washed and sliced into florets

Variation: Leave the cauliflower whole, trim the base, and rub the masala over the cauliflower.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

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METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 150°C. 2. Prepare the masala by placing all ingredients in a food processor and add 2 Tbsp of water if necessary.

3. Heat a heavy based frying pan and add the masalawith a little bit of water. Dry fry over low heat for about 20 minutes (adding small amounts of water where needed).

4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

5. Mix the masala into the cauliflower florets.

Place in an oven dish and bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until tender.

6. Remove from oven and serve garnished with lemon wedges and capsicum or spring onion.

Note: the vegetable.co.nz website uses oil instead of dry frying, as we are an oil free magazine for health we have removed the oil and added water for dry frying.

For more recipes visit vegetables.co.nz

CAESAR-Y SALAD Caesar salad is traditionally made with many ingredients that are not particularly health-promoting, including eggs, cheese,oil , salt, anchovies and oil-baked croutons. This recipe below shows you that you can still enjoy the tangy, sweet flavours of this beloved salad in good health.

by Cathy Fisher | serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS - Dressing 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup unsalted cashews 2 Tbsp lemon juice 2 Tbsp dijon mustard 1 Tbsp raisins 1 med garlic clove, finely chopped 1 tsp dried italian herbs INGREDIENTS - Salad 1 Lrg head romaine lettuce, coarsely chopped 1 med red capsicum, seeded & chopped 1 avocado, chopped 1 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup unsalted cashews or walnuts for garnish

METHOD 1. Place the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the cashews can soften).

2. Place the lettuce, capsicum, tomato and avocado into a large salad bowl.

3. Transfer the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour half of the dressing over the salad and toss, adding more dressing to suit your taste (save any leftover dressing in the fridge for up to five days). Season to taste with freshly ground pepper.

Note: To achieve a finely grated parmesan cheese look, use a rotary cheese grater to add a dusting of walnut or cashews to the top of each salad. When tomatoes are in season I often use 2 cups of halved cherry tomatoes instead of the red capsicum.

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17

Dr Hana Kahleova

How to tackle intermittent fasting E

"When we pull together all the randomised clinical trials there is a linear relationship between the eating window duration and changes in body weight.

The sweet spot seems to be at six hours."

ndocrinologist and researcher, Dr Hana Kaleova, has spent many years examining the value of intermittent fasting.

Now, and with a massive number of research hours behind her, she has become one of the world's foremost exponents of short term fasting for health. She says the easiest way to do intermittent fasting is to start with a periodic fast.

“You just take a certain day, you can do one day a month or you can decide to do five days in a row or more days in a row,” she says. “You can do it as a onetime thing or you can do it one day a month periodically. That would be a less frequent form of intermittent fasting.”

The fast can be a water only, or you can also include vegetable and fruit juices. You can also do a modified fast where you eat raw fruit and vegetables with a super small caloric intake, about 500 calories a day, she says.

But, does it have any impact on fatty liver disease if you have it?

“One study of almost 700 people looked at the effects of fasting for an average of 8.5 days on liver fat. The study found that after only 8.5 days the liver fat content dropped by 30 per cent which was pretty effective.

“As you would expect the reduction in liver fat correlated with the number of fasting days. In other words the longer the fast, the bigger the change in liver fat and also with the change in BMI. The more weight you lose the more liver fat you lose.”

But, she says, “if eight days seems like a long time for you to fast, I’m completely with you. I recently finished a three day water fast and it felt long.

“You know, the food we eat is such an integral part of our life. We don’t even realise until we go through the withdrawal symptoms and we’re like, oh I feel like eating something, but oh I’m fasting, ok, never mind, let me do something else.

Amazing results possible

“But I also have some good news for you. You don’t have to do eight days. Even a smaller amount will give you some amazing results. It can make a huge difference not only for your liver but also for your immune system.

“If you want to fast more frequently, you can. Let’s say you do one day a week. A maximalist approach would be alternate day fasting where you fast every other day, which would be

18 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

In her address to the recent International PlantBased Healthcare Conference held in California in September, Dr Hana Kaleova presented the latest research on the effects of fasting. Dr Kaleova is director of clinical research with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and coauthor of 19 articles in peer-reviewed research journals. This article covers part of her address. To purchase access to all videos and slides from this conference go to: pbnhc.com challenging for many people though.

“You would eat normally on the non-fasting days and you would not eat at all or you would do a modified fast and eat only a third of what you eat on the fasting days. It’s fairly challenging because you are changing your habits constantly and studies with alternate day fasting have a large drop-out rate.”

Alternate day fasting However, it works for some people, she said. One study looked at liver and alternate day fasting. Forty three people were randomly assigned to follow alternate day fasting or they stayed on their usual diet for eight weeks.

“The alternate day fasting reduced the elasticity of the liver by 15 per cent and liver fat by 20 per cent so it was fairly effective.

But again, it’s fairly challenging to stick with this regimen in the long term. That’s why many people seek simpler options. One of them is time restricted eating or time restricted fasting.

“We know that our body has completely different needs based on our activity. If we are physically active our bodies needs are much different than when we sleep. When we are physically active we want to maximise the caloric intake and when we sleep we scale down the caloric intake right?

“Periodic time restricted eating basically limits the caloric intake into an eating window of a few hours. So, now the question is;

what’s the ideal length of the eating window?

“To illustrate what I mean by the length of the eating window let’s say you eat breakfast as six, lunch at noon and dinner at 6pm that would be a 12 hour eating window. If you want to reduce your eating window you could eat dinner at five which would be an 11 hour window, if you were to eat breakfast and hour later you would reduce your eating window to 10 hours.

“When we pull together all the randomised clinical trials there is a linear relationship between the eating window duration and changes in body weight. The sweet spot seems to be at six hours.

Six hours is the ideal spot where you lose the most amount of weight and that would be most beneficial for fatty liver as well.

Reducing it to four hours does not further reduce the body weight but prolonging the eating window will have less pronounced benefits for body weight. That would mean say breakfast at seven and lunch at 1pm. Are there any studies that have looked at such a model?

Fasting impact on pre-diabete

“One study looked at cardio-metabolic health in people with pre-diabetes who were randomised to either follow a 12 hour eating window, which is easy, or a six hour eating window shifted early in the day. People were done with lunch by 3pm. They were done with eating for the day by 3pm.

“It was a crossover trial so after five weeks the participants switched over to the opposite diet.

“This study found that the early time restricted eating has metabolic benefits that are independent of weight loss. Early time restricted eating increased insulin sensitivity, improved beta health functions, reduced blood pressure, reduced oxidative stress and also reduced appetite in the evening, which is huge.”

One group of people who are recommended to eat many small meals during the day and eat all day are those with type two diabetes. What would happen if their eating window were restricted to six hours?

“We conducted a randomised clinical trial which was published in Diet Pathalogia. The results are presented on six meals a day and on two meals a day. Both diets had the same caloric intake and the same macro-nutrient composition – they just differed in the timing.

Two meals a day, or six?

“People lost more weight on two meals a day, liver fat was reduced more on two meals a day, insulin sensitivity went up more on two meals a day, HbA1c as a marker of glycaemic control improved about the same on both, fasting plasma glucose was reduced more on two meals a day, and so was fasting insulin which is a good finding.

“We know that people with diabetes have a higher fasting hyperinsulinemia and then they lack the early postprandial secretion of insulin so reducing the fasting hyperinsulinemia is a really good finding.

“What was fascinating is that on two meals a day the depressive symptoms were reduced more and guess what, hanger was reduced more on two meals a day which is like unbelievable for most people. In fact, most of our study participants when they were about to join the study were like. ‘I don’t know if I can do this! Like, two meals a day! That sounds like I will be starving.’

“But nobody dropped out because they weren’t able to do it.

In fact it took only a few days to adapt to this new system and at the end of the study people loved the two meals a day. They lost more weight, their diabetes got better and they just felt better and less hungry.

“Also its so convenient. You only prepare two meals a day instead of worrying about what you are going to eat six times a day. It makes your life so much easier. Aligning you meals with your circadian rhythms really pays off in terms of your metabolism and it’s good for your fatty liver as well.”

The case for a breakfast feast

H

ana Kahleova is a firm believer in having a big breakfast every day. She says it helps you burn more calories during the day and points to a randomized clinical trial in 23 obese people which compared eating breakfast every day to fasting until noon for six weeks.

Eating breakfast daily resulted in a 76 percent greater physical activity thermogenesis during the morning compared with fasting during that period, despite no difference in energy intake.

Morning fasting resulted in partial dietary compensation (i.e., greater energy intake) later in the day. Furthermore, insulin sensitivity (the way your body responds to ingested carbohydrates) increased with breakfast relative to fasting.

So, starting your day off with a nice quality breakfast is like jump-starting your day, she says.

Other doctors are also taking note.

The American Heart Association has endorsed the principle that the timing of meals may help reduce risk factors for heart disease, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The group issued a scientific statement emphasizing that skipping breakfast — which many of us do regularly — is linked to a higher risk of obesity and impaired glucose metabolism or diabetes, even though there is no proof of a causal relationship.

Fasting signals to the body to start burning stores of fat for fuel, researchers say.

“It seems our bodies are built to feast and fast,” Dr Kahleova told The New York Times.

EAT BREAKFAST LIKE A BILLIONAIRE

Available at selected New World, Pak‘nSave, and health food stores nationwide

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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NO OIL BABA GANOUSH An East Mediterranean dip similar to hummus but instead uses eggplant as its main ingredient instead of chickpea. A very delicious smooth dip.

by Catherine Barclay INGREDIENTS 2 lrg 3 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 4 1/4 tsp

eggplant tahini miso paste mint leaves garlic clove smoked paprika juice from 1/2 lemon sml drop liquid smoke (optional)

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. 2. Cut the eggplant in half, place face down onto a lined baking sheet along with the unpeeled garlic 3. Bake in the oven for 20 mins then turn over the eggplants and roast for a further 10 to 15 mins until the eggplant is soft 4. Once baked, peel the garlic and scoop out the inside of the eggplant and add to a high speed blender with all the other ingredients.

5. Process until smooth adding a little water if needed.

6. Chill before serving. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to seven days.

NO OIL POTATO FLATBREAD This two ingredient flatbread is very easy to put together and requires no oil or yeast

by Catherine Barclay | makes 16 breads INGREDIENTS 2 cups mashed potato 2 cups whole wheat flour handful of herbs, like parsley, chives, and rosemary (optional)

METHOD 1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and pack into a nice dough ball. If it is sticky add a small amount of extra flour to help combine.

2. Sprinkle a little flour on your counter and place the large ball on top. Use the palm of your hands to roll it out into a long log.

3. With a serrated knife cut the log into large pieces.

4. Using more flour on the bench, roll each piece into a ball and then flatten by hand. Use a rolling pin to roll them out as thin round bread.

5. Heat a non-stick frying pan and cook the flatbreads for two minutes on either side.

6. Transfer each cooked flatbread into a tea towel lined plate, this helps keep them hot and soft before serving.

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VEGE STOCK - LIQUID & INSTANT Liquid stock as well as Instant Powder stock – you’re covered! by Innes Hope

Any scraps. Excess stalks & some

Asian Greens

 leaves, pre-juiced.

Asparagus

 pre-juiced.

Beans

 Stringy runner-bean pods, & broad bean

Beetroot & Red Cabbage



Broccoli & Cauli

 Stalks, scraps & over-tired heads.

LIQUID VEGE STOCK 1. Save any water used to steam or boil vegetables (yesterday’s - from the fridge - is OK too). Put it in a large saucepan and add any clean vege scraps you’ve saved, chilled, or frozen from previous days, and/or scraps from the meal you’re currently preparing.

2. Add your choice of the following: dried mushrooms, dried onions, kale powder, dried herbs, dried tomatoes, (small amounts if you’ve not made stock before). The liquid needs to cover the veges. If it doesn’t top it up with water.

3. Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. The liquid will reduce while it’s simmering but top it up only if it’s getting low.

4. Taste it, then add spices, fresh herbs, or seaweed to suit your taste. Simmer for another 10 minutes or so, then take it off the heat. Let it cool for about 5 minutes.

5. Separate the liquid stock from the veges by straining it through a sieve into a jug. If you want to dissolve miso, soy sauce or yeast into it, do so now. Then it’s ready to use or store in glass bottles in the fridge. Put the waste into the compost. Over the next few days, start collecting more vege scraps for your next batch.

Cabbage, Kale & Brussels

 flakes can be stored year-round – just

Capsicum & Chilli



Carrots & Parsnips

 tops are good, but not parsnip tops.

Celery

 leaves can make the stock too strong &

Cucumber



Peelings & scraps. Can be pre-juiced.

Eggplant



Peelings. Flesh scraps give a pleasant, slippery texture.

Globe Artichokes

 in.

Leeks & Spring Onions

 Any scraps, especially leaf ends.

Lettuce

 pre-juiced.

Mushrooms

 Fresh stem scraps.

Onion & Garlic

 Dried onions.

Peas

 Pods

INSTANT VEGE STOCK 1. Pulverise any of the following in a nut grinder or coffee grinder until each is in a fine grit or powder form: Dried assorted mushrooms, dried onions, dried kale flakes, dried thyme & bay leaves, dried seaweed.

2. Mix together and stir in some nutritional yeast, maybe some turmeric and spices of your choice.

3. Test the flavour as you go by dissolving a little in boiling water and tasting the result. I found myself refining the taste over several batches.

4. Test the flavour as you go by dissolving a little in boiling water and tasting the result. I found myself refining the taste over several batches.

Potatoes



Puha & Cress

 leaves

Pumpkin & Kumera



Silverbeet

 pre-juiced

Swede & Radish

 it is strong

Tomatoes

 cooking, or dried.

Yams



Zucchini

 produce.

B

uy a jar of vegetable stock and you know what you’re getting – essentially, expensive flavoured salt. The flavour is consistent, but the health downsides are too.

Make your own liquid stock and your health benefits. The flavour varies, season to season, but after a while, you’ll get to know what ingredients you prefer, and how to balance the flavours to suit your taste. When making powdered stock, experiment as well. Start with mild flavours, and graduate towards stronger, more complex tastes.

Discarded ends of the stems. Can be Ends, scraps & over-tired green beans. pods, (not juiced).

Gives a red/pink look. Turns green stock into brown. Use a little at a time if balancing the colour of your stock.

Outer leaves & scraps. Pre-dried kale grab some from the pantry!

Doesn’t enhance the taste.

Peelings and thin scrappy ends. Carrot Excess carrot juice.

Stem scraps & a few inner leaves. Outer bitter. Can use excess celery juice.

Use the water you cooked the chokes

Any thoroughly washed scraps. Can be Pre-soaked dried assorted, or powder.

Leaves, ends and outer layer-scraps.

Not much flavour. Makes stock thick and cloudy.

Stem-waste and wilted or marked Excess clear liquid from boiled veg.

Great for a golden stock. A few peelings are OK. Makes stock cloudy.

All the stems and leaf scraps. Can be Peelings & scraps. Monitor the flavour Scraps, over-ripe ones that need Scraps. Adds sweetness. Makes stock cloudy Ends or juice whole zucchini if excess

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VEGE STOCK - LIQUID & INSTANT TO ENRICH THE FLAVOUR: 

A few fresh herbs & stems. Bay leaves. Turmeric etc.

Miso & Soy Sauce



High in salt. Dark colour, rich, umami flavour. If using, add at the end when you take the stock off the boil.

Seaweed



(Full of valuable minerals). Use sparingly, fishy taste.

Yeast



Nutritional yeast – add at the end to taste.

Herbs & Spices

LIQUID TIPS Vege scraps can be stored and added-to in the freezer so you can accumulate enough to make a bottle of liquid stock.

Freeze excess stock in small containers or ice cube trays. Cubes can be stored in plastic bags in the freezer.

If you’re juicing veges or vege scraps, the pulp can go in the stock pot too, as you’ll be straining it out at the end. Do not pre-juice broad bean pods – they froth up too much.

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POWDER TIPS When pulverising dried foods to make powder, leave the lid of the grinder on for about 15 seconds before you take it off. This lets the finer dust settle.

Check out the variety of dried mushrooms available in Asian stores so you can add more or less of those you prefer. Black Fungus, for instance, has a very mild flavour. Plus it brings a depth of colour and a slight gel-like quality to the stock.

Experiment with varieties of dried seaweed. If you buy kelp powder, use it sparingly.

Pre-make your own kale flakes any time; de-stem the leaves and spread them across oven trays or racks. Dry on low heat then crush or blend. Have a jar handy in the pantry to add to stock and also to use in other dishes as a scatter etc.

Garden to Table

A short, sharp shot of seasonal goodness

It only takes a shot glass, some micro-greens and a little imagination to create this simple treat. An ideal extra at any dinner party that adds curiosity and colour to the moment.

Best served chilled.

G

row Yours have recently introduced some sprouting options for micro-green lovers. Red Cabbage offers superb colour with its attractive pink stems and purple-green leaves, and Green Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse offering mild flavour and crunch, while Pea sprouts are one of the easiest sprouts to grow and a fantastic source of plant-based protein.

On a more general gardening note, Grow Yours manager, Cameron Stringfield, has put out a reminder that Summer can be an ideal time to get some replacement vegetable plants going. It also means many popular varieties should germinate readily on a warm windowsill, which is great for new gardeners.

Don’t forget that your existing plants will start to require a little more water to cope with the hotter days now, so keep the garden from drying out by watering regularly and mulching if you can.

When growing from seed, you can sometimes find you end up with more plants than needed, but it’s a much better problem than not having enough and spending a small fortune on seedlings.

If you aren’t able to get your tray-grown seedlings into the garden as fast as you would like, just transplant them into larger pots and containers. That way, they won’t outgrow their existing homes and turn into sad, struggling plants.

Prevention is always best, ideally you want to maintain plants in a healthy, luscious state. Tomatoes, for example, grow very fast once the conditions are warm enough and they’re underway.

For those with limited space but keen to grow their own food, some popular vegetables and herbs that can be grown in large pots include Basil, Cherry Tomatoes, Coriander, Lettuce, Peas, Rocket, Parsley, and Spring Onion.

Soon enough, your harvests will start coming in thick and fast, and you won’t know what to do with it all. Just remember to sow some more seeds, too, as successional sowing is an often forgotten about trick in gardening that will ensure you have a continuous supply of healthy productive plants.

We offer heritage vegetable, herb and flower seeds to grow your own gourmet garden.

Save 15% off your first order with the code "WFL15" at checkout.

Valid once per person until 28th February 2023.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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Five powerful habits to start losing fat now

By Sandy Albert

D

"By eating a whole food plant-based diet, you can eat much more volume for fewer calories yet more nutrients."

o you have fat loss goals for the new year? Or, more importantly, for life? In this article, I’ll share my top five habits to start losing fat immediately. These habits helped me lose over 45kg (100 pounds), and I’ve kept it off for over a decade.

Some of these may sound obvious to you, but we don’t always do what we know will take us closer to our goals, do we? Why is that?

Why doesn’t wanting a new job necessarily translate to sitting down to work on updating our resume? Or, why doesn’t wanting to feel energized and rested necessarily translate into turning off the TV and getting to bed?

AND….why doesn’t wanting to be a healthy weight necessarily translate into us doing the things that will cause us to lose fat? It’s because changing habits can be really hard.

Fortyfive to 95 per cent of our behaviours occur out of habit.

Changing our habits takes conscious, deliberate, repeated action, doing things over and over and OVER again. Even when we don’t feel like it, even when we have thoughts in our head that try to convince us we can do it tomorrow, start Monday or “this one time won’t matter”.

Interesting fact: research shows that 95 per cent of people who start a diet and lose weight will regain all of it AND THEN SOME. How sad is that? This is why “diets” don’t work!

I am going to share with you my TOP most powerful habits on how to start losing fat immediately and some tips on how to make them work for you.

As recovery stories go, South Carolina's Sandy Albert, has a remarkable experience to tell.

Sandy is an ACE certified personal trainer, and is certified in weight loss as well as vegan nutrition health coaching. She was inspired to help others live a healthy life after starting her own health and weight loss journey over a decade ago. She lost over 45kg (100 pounds) using a whole foods diet and the habits outlined in this article. You can connect online via Facebook and through her website.

1. Drink your water

Our bodies are 60-70 per cent water. And every biological function requires water. So why is drinking water important for fat loss? When we are not properly hydrated, we are not functioning optimally. And when we are not functioning optimally, fat burning is not a priority.

Being properly hydrated also aids in digestion and flushes toxins.

Being dehydrated can cause false hunger cues, slow metabolism, and increase metabolism. So get that water in!

How much is enough? Some experts say 64 to 96 oz. Others say half your body weight in ounces. A good rule of thumb is to just make sure to keep drinking!

My top hacks for making this a habit: • • • • •

Fill up your water bottle first thing in the morning Flavour with tasty fruits that you enjoy Keep your bottle in sight Use a straw (if you like one!)

Use a motivational bottle and/or make it a game/challenge

2. Get your sleep

Just like when you don’t get enough water, your body does not function properly when you don’t get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep increases appetite and affects our hormones.

Being sleep-deprived causes making poor decisions - including decisions around food! But how much sleep is enough? Experts

26 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

recommend getting AT LEAST 7 hours of restorative sleep a night.

My top hacks for making this a habit: •

•

• •

Determine how much sleep you are getting now. Plan to go to bed 10-15 minutes earlier each night until you are up to 7 hours.

Put a reminder like an alarm in your phone to signal it's time to get ready for bed. Since it’s not a habit yet, you will not do this without conscious, deliberate thought Turn off electronics 2 hours before bed!

If it helps, try some sleepy time tea, a warm shower, or reading a PAPER book

"Changing our habits takes conscious, deliberate, repeated action, doing things over and over and OVER again."

Make Contact www.empoweredwithsandy.com For more health and weight loss support go to facebook.com/groups/getempoweredwsandy

3. Move more Find something you love to do, whether that’s dancing, hiking, gardening, walking etc. It does not have to be working out in the gym, like we traditionally think of when we say EXERCISE. Make it part of your social life. I joined a running club when I figured out running made me feel really good and helped me lose 100 pounds. There I met my closest friends, and this became my social life and, therefore, my pleasure.

Aside from dedicated exercise, focus on NEAT- Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This is where the little things REALLY do add up.

My top hacks for making increasing NEAT a habit: • Set an alert to get up every hour and take a walk about a sedentary job • March in place during commercials • Walk around during phone calls • Even standing at your desk if you can rather than sitting all increases NEAT It really does all add up!

4. Eat only when hungry

We often eat for many reasons other than true physical hunger, e.g. parties, watching TV, there’s food at the office, just because it’s time for lunch, etc.

Any time we eat for reasons other than hunger, we eat in a surplus and will not lose fat!

Many of us have lost our ability to determine when we are truly hungry and truly satisfied. Begin to ask yourself if you are really physically hungry, and when eating, pay attention to when you are no longer hungry/satisfied.

My top hacks for making this a habit: • Before eating, ask, “am I really hungry?” If yes, eat. If no, wait a half hour and ask again.

• Slow down, make your meal last 20 minutes • Halfway through your meal, ask, “am I satisfied?” If yes, stop eating. If no, eat half of what is left and repeat.

5. And of course, eat more plants!

Plants are the most nutritionally dense foods while being less calorically dense. A hundred calories of oil, cheese or meat take up much less space in our stomach than 100 calories of plant food and provides much less nutrition (or none!).

Therefore, by eating a whole food plant-based diet, you can eat much more volume for fewer calories yet more nutrients.

Eat abundantly: fruits, starchy veggies, non-starchy veggies, leafy veggies, intact whole grains, legumes and lentils, herbs and spices, and mushrooms.

Eat in moderation: avocadoes, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, pasta alternatives, plant-based milks, coconut meat, olives, soy products, sprouted bread, and fermented foods.

Think eating plants can be boring? Think again! There are over 300,000 edible plants. That equals endless combinations!

My top hacks for making eating more plants a habit: • Get in the habit of adding greens to all your meal---all kinds • Eat a side salad first before the main meal • Replace any processed snacks with healthier whole food plant based options.

• Blend veggies and mushrooms into sauces Implement these 5 powerful habits, and you will be on the right path to losing fat and gaining a healthy, long life free of disease!

Getting fit and healthy and changing your life is SOOO much more than a specific work out routine or a special diet. It’s about finally finding the support, the accountability, the community! wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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MEXICAN STUFFED POTATO Quick easy meal for any time of the day, incredible flavours in every bite

by Sandy Albert of Get Empowered | serves 2 INGREDIENTS 2 1 can 2 1/2 1 can 1 cup 1/2 1/2 cup 1/2 1 1 1 tsp 1 Tbsp 1/2 tsp

potatoes diced tomatoes jalapenos, chopped onion, diced black beans no sugar added salsa green capsicum, chopped frozen corn avocado scallion, sliced fresh tomato, diced cumin paprika black pepper

INGREDIENTS - Sour Cream (optional) 450 g (16 oz) silken tofu 2 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 garlic clove For more recipes, support and inspiration join the Get Empowered Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/getempoweredwsandy

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METHOD 1. Bake potatoes, then split them down the centre.

2. Saute onions and peppers until soft, add salsa, diced tomatoes and seasonings.

3. Simmer for 15 minutes 4. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

5. While simmering drain the tofu and blend sour cream ingredients in a blender 6. Add beans and corn to the tomato mixture.

7. Top potatoes with tomato mixture, then add scallions, diced fresh tomatoes, sour cream and avocado if desired.

ENJOY!

SMOKEHOUSE CHOPPED SALAD Spice and cauliflower are a great match and make a delicious side dish.

by Sandy Albert of Get Empowered | serves 2 INGREDIENTS 1/2 6 cups 1/4 cup 1/4 cup 1 can 1/4 can 6 1/2 1/2 cup

block tofu mixed greens banana peppers diced red onion chickpeas jarred roasted red peppers sugar snap peas yellow capsicum, chopped shelled edamame beans

INGREDIENTS - Marinade for tofu 3 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari 3 Tbsp liquid smoke 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup

METHOD 1. Press tofu between two paper towels or a tofu press for several hours.

2. Slice tofu into thin slices and marinate overnight.

If pressed for time you can press and marinade for an hour or two 3. Dry pan saute tofu on low heat until crispy 4. While sauteing, soak chickpeas in leftover marinade then airfry or bake in oven until crisp.

5. Dice or chop veggies to desired sizes.

6. Mix up the dressing.

7. Place all ingredients including dressing in a bowl with cover and shake to coat.

SERVE AND ENJOY!

INGREDIENTS - Dressing 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 Tbsp dijon mustard 1 Tbsp tahini water to thin (if needed) For more recipes, support and inspiration join the Get Empowered Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/getempoweredwsandy

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Soy Matters

by Innes Hope Increasing our knowledge and skills for preparing and cooking a balanced range of plant foods is a joy for most people and very rewarding.

Innes Hope works in the arts, crafting thoughts into words, verses and recipes for a better world.

O

ver 50 years, I've seen many health food trends come and go. The saddest to witness was the demise of soy. In the 1970s, vegetarianism was booming.

People began eating soy instead of meat and milk. I was one of them.

By the 1990s, Big Meat and Dairy were worried soy would threaten their bottom line. They were spending huge amounts on advertising, PR, research, lobbying and AstroTurf organisations (industry shills pretending to be grassroots movements) to scare the public away from soy consumption, according to John Robbins, author of The Food Revolution. I witnessed paranoia about men-boobs, breast cancer, retarded sexual organs in babies, allergic reactions, and so on, spread rapidly across New Zealand.

I felt fine eating soy over many years, so I was puzzled. Asians had stayed healthy, slim, and energetic eating soy for a couple of thousand years. Did we Westerners regard ourselves as a different species? Whatever the reason, this was largely ignored, and naturopaths started advising their clients to stop eating soy.

At most, they conceded, vegans and vegetarians could safely eat fermented organic soy foods.

The Science

As the 1900s became history, the rise of self-proclaimed experts and 'influencers' became our future. As one cynic put it, 'Why am I being given nutrition advice from my hairdresser?'

Blogging and then Instagram gave voice to food gurus, authors, and the privileged health world's 'worried well,' preaching 'THE science' and ridiculing the other guy's science and dietary choices.

At the time, many vegetarians and vegans believed they were getting sufficient Vit B12 from certain natural foods like seaweed, Tempe, chlorella and mushrooms. But they weren't - it has to be taken as a supplement. ¹ No wonder people started worrying if they were getting enough of the latest micronutrient or enough protein, if they had enough energy, or if anti-nutrients in plant

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foods were causing health problems. Next thing, heated debates about cholesterol began, and coconut oil was everywhere, priming us for the 'butter is back' campaign, which triumphed. I watched, amazed, as most of my alternative lifestyle vegetarian friends returned to eating meat and cheese.

The Winners

I saw that scenario as a distract, divide-and-conquer situation.

Obviously, the soy controversy and similar anti-grain, antilegume, and pro-saturated fat campaigns were serving the interests of cattle and dairy farmers (and wider animal-proteinfood industries) exceedingly well.

The market for organic soy fizzled, and protestors were no longer such a nuisance, so the meat, dairy and G.M. industries were focusing on growing their returns.

The global demand for meat had exploded, largely due to population growth and increasing wealth in China, so, in parallel, the demand for animal feed grew. Genetically modified (GM) crops were fitting the bill. From the first commercial field of GM soy, planted in 1996, GM. production rocketed to its 350 million tonne-plus status today.

In the US, soy, now a subsidised crop, covered the fields of the upper Midwest. Brazil and other Latin countries jumped on the bandwagon. According to the American-based Food Revolution Network, there is now "more soy in a pound of feedlot beef than there is in a pound of tofu." ²

Shunning GM Soy

You might not be worried about GM soy, but health-food consumers are. They don't trust the objectivity of regulatory bodies or corporate industry claims that, despite being heavily sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup), the amount of spray present in harvested beans is negligible and safe to ingest - especially long term. Glyphosate was declared 'probably carcinogenic' by the WHO., and though that is being questioned, traditional foods, spray-free or organically grown, are preferred.

Organic farmers, nature lovers, and climate activists have various concerns too. Understandably, people have been 'giving the finger' to Bayer/ex-Monsanto, hoping it would make a difference. It hasn't. Café staff tell me their 'no soy milk' policies will help save the Amazon rainforest. I doubt it. It's crucial we understand why because it seemed the opposite was true.

Ironically, thinking people eating organic but avoiding soy, fuelled the demise of organic and GM-free soy, thus indirectly supporting the production of meat from GM soy-fed animals, raising global methane and carbon emissions. Presumably, they were unaware of the wider implications.

Bye Bye Local Organic Soy

Once the soy 'smear and scare' campaign had the alternative health sector tightly in its grip, I watched the market for organic soy foods and many GM-free soy products being virtually decimated in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Vitasoy survived, but our local brand, Sanitarium, had to delete organic soy milk from their range. Tonzu organic soy yoghurt, another local product, was no more. Various soy cheeses disappeared. Small foodmanufacturing companies, fearing collapse, turned to almonds, pea and chickpea protein, coconut oil and coconut yoghurt to stay in business. Sales of soy-based miso and organic soy sauce slumped. I still can't buy organic soybeans in the dry goods section in health food stores. Kings Seeds stock soy seed - when they can get it. Often, they can't.

All the more important that we support organic soy, one would think. But the majority of people in the natural and organic food sectors are avoiding it.

The Big Health Threat

Most alternative health lifestylers are aware of the damage huge corporations are doing to the Earth, to animals, and to human health. "Big Seed, Big Ag, Big Pharma, Big Food. We're one step ahead of them," we say. "But it's not like that with grass-fed cattle here in New Zealand."

Feeling smug about healthy cows grazing on green fields is not

the point. Land use is the point. You and me feeling glowingly healthy today is great, but that's not the point either. Survival is the point. Not just yours and mine.

Because of climate change, the very survival of the entire human race and endless species of wildlife (70 per cent gone already), and farmed animals across planet Earth, is now in jeopardy. If nature cannot survive, neither can we. Climate change is the biggest health threat. And soy matters.

We've got mega-tonnes of this soy, but World Data shows that only seven per cent is used to feed people. We picture soy animal feed turning into meat, dairy, and eggs, but most of it simply keeps the animals alive. For every 100 kilocalories fed to a feedlot or organic cattle, we only get two kilocalories of beef back. Cereals are also grabbed for animals. Less than half the world's cereals are eaten by humans – 41 per cent goes to animals, and 11 per cent into biofuels. ³

Thinking Global

Global thinking is crucial. As world citizens, we must cap and lower the demand for beef to save farmland and rainforests from being turned into beef pastureland and GM soy and corn plantations. The science community is calling on us to cap and lower demand for animal foods in general if we are to reach carbon zero and prevent zoonotic diseases and biodiversity loss.⁴ Health-conscious plant-based and meat eaters share a belief in organic whole foods. But the case for meat is weakening as climate change damages the planet. The call is for livestock to be raised on hills and other land where crops cannot be grown.

Regenerative farmers say they'd add value to such land by building living soil and growing nut trees, and their cattle would graze underneath. If you eat meat, that would be a better choice.

But there's an even better one; eating less meat - a lot less.

According to Our World in Data, it takes almost 100 times as much land to produce a gram of protein from beef or lamb versus peas or tofu. It has been common knowledge for decades that soy could feed between ten and 14 times more people than

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meat using the same amount of land and less water. We can feed the poor. But instead, we extract the oil for our frying pans and feed the bulk of the rest (containing all the nutrients) to animals that feed the rich. We have to ask ourselves, 'Is this what we want? Are we going to think beyond ourselves and stand in our humanity? Or do we continue to ignore it?'

Acting Local

The colonisation of land by sheep and cattle here and in many countries worldwide is a relatively new phenomenon.

For most of our farmers, it is all they know, so the task of rapidly reducing emissions is daunting. Increasing our capacity to grow a wide range of nourishing plant foods like whole grains, quinoa, peas, lentils, beans, peanuts, tree nuts, white lupin, sunflower, linseeds and soy might be exciting, but it involves facing many challenges. Land use is one. And land use is everything.

In the Kitchen

At home, food choice is everything. A radical reduction of meat, butter, and hard cheese is necessary. It's not a matter of 'going without.' People are finding that a whole new world of taste and variety opens out. Increasing our knowledge and skills for preparing and cooking a balanced range of plant foods is a joy for most people and very rewarding.

Unless we have a genuine soy allergy, we're not going to get sick or die from eating soy. Research shows we'll be healthier.

My granddaughter, now at university, continues the practical evidence for me. She is my family's 3rd generation, ordinary Kiwi, healthy, plant-based eater - enjoying soy.

But alas! The long-term future for all my plant-eating grandchildren is not looking good. Climate change will bring increasingly devastating, unrelenting weather events. If we don't act now to slow this down, world famine looks likely.

Thousands will get sick and die. Ditching fossil fuels is crucial.

But it's difficult, and only half the picture.

Eating plant-based is the easiest way to reduce our carbon footprint immediately. What will it take to get more veggies and less meat on our plates? What will it take for the world to stop creating new plantations and start feeding the massive amount of soy we harvest to people instead of animals? Do

you eat organic but not soy? And you caution your friends about soy?

If you answered yes, it's time to move on from sowing fear and start sowing beans. For humanity's sake, it's time to step up and support organic soy, spray-free, and GM-free soy, even if you don't eat it yourself. It's time to step up and support healthy plant protein foods in general. Eating meat may have a place, but it is not going to help save the Earth. Eating soy just might.

Concerns

Some people are allergic to soy. For most people, soy whole foods, eaten in moderation, are a proven-healthy, affordable source of complete protein.

IBS sufferers can react to whole soy, so small servings are helpful. Tofu and soy protein isolate products cause no trouble, though. Processed foods are rarely healthier than whole foods.

Choose whole soy if you can.

Organic soy infant formulas have been safe since it was discovered that iodine needed to be included in the formula.

GM soy has been sprayed with higher amounts of glyphosate (Roundup).

Dozens of reputable research studies have now debunked fear-inducing claims about soy. For more detail on this go to the Health Hub section on tonzu.co.nz

Celebrations

Soy is easy to grow. My husband and I have been growing our own organic soy in sunny spots for years.

Soy yogurt is delicious and easy to make.

Other locally grown plant protein foods like quinoa are increasingly available. Contemporary research on soy is all good news.

Learn how to identify vested-interest fight-back campaigns from animal food industries, e.g. fear of not enough protein, iron, calcium, fat-soluble vitamins, etc.

Takeaway

By eating a balanced diet of whole, plant-based foods supplemented with Vit B12, you're likely to remain a healthy, wealthy, and wise global citizen making a difference!

wholefoodliving.life/references-summer-2022

Note: To review the references cited in this article, go to -

32 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

CULTURED SOY SOUR CREAM

M

Silky-Smooth, high-protein, nut-free, thick & luxurious! by Innes Hope

ost plant-based sour creams, being nut based, have a fine granular texture. Not this! The mouth-feel is velvety like dairy sour cream – ‘to die for.’ So be warned, it is high in fat! However, the saturated fat content is low, and it’s cholesterol-free.

Sour cream is only one option with this recipe. The other is a best-ever, daily-go-to organic yogurt. Use the whole litre of yogurt if you’re making sour cream for a large gathering.

Otherwise, use up to half the yogurt to make cream, and keep the rest to enjoy as yogurt - divine with breakfast or dessert, on potatoes at dinner, etc. Or mix it with lemon juice and mustard for an instant mayonnaise. Yum!

ITEMS YOU'LL NEED A ‘thermos-style’ yoghurt maker (I use Hansells brand).

A large glass bowl or jug, and a sieve.

A straining cloth. The holes in cheesecloth are too big, so use either a nut-milk cloth, or cut out a circle of fine-woven synthetic fabric - it is strong and lasts for years.

INGREDIENTS

1 Litre vitasoy "protein plus' soy milk (off the shelf not chilled) dairy free probiotic starter (see tips)

METHOD - Stage 1 - Yogurt 1. Pour about ¾ of the soy milk into the x1 litre yoghurt container (no need to heat the milk). Add the starter. If it’s a probiotic capsule, hold it over the milk and pull it apart to release the powder. Whisk the starter into the milk.

2. Pour in the rest of the milk, stir it, and clip the lid on.

3. Pour boiling water into the thermos to the optimum height – (‘cold climate’ level on a Hansells

yogurt maker). Put the container of inoculated milk in, pop the thermos lid on, and leave it to incubate, set, thicken, and develop its unique flavour. You now have delicious natural yogurt that is much cheaper and healthier than store-bought METHOD - Stage 2 - Sour Cream 1. Set your sieve on top of the glass bowl or jug and place the cloth evenly on top.

2. Using a large spoon, put half the yogurt (or all if you need a lot of cream) into the cloth-covered sieve. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave it to drain.

3. It’s ready when the cream is as thick as you need. Chill and enjoy!

TIPS

Starter option 1: a dairy-free probiotic capsule (I use ‘Inner Health’ brand). A bottle of capsules is expensive, but a cheaper option over time (they last, chilled, for a year).

Contains x2 standard cultures that ferment dairy yogurt.

Starter option 2: a sachet of Mad Mille Yogurt Culture.

The pack of five provides a cheap way to try my recipe.

The result is a slightly thicker yogurt, but the ongoing cost is higher, even if you can confidently divide their 1/8th teaspoon sachet of culture in two! Contains x2 standard dairy cultures and x2 that ferment plant ingredients – so it works well. My ‘thermos’ style yogurt-maker method is far easier than their enclosed instructions.

Starter option 3: ¼ cup of yogurt from your initial batch.

You can keep doing this, but return to using a commercial culture regularly to ensure maximum presence of the most effective bacteria.

Starter option 4: If you’re in transition from dairy to a plant-based diet, or if commercial cultures are not available, x1 Tbsp of plain, dairy-yogurt powder mix, (EasiYo or Hansells), ensures success. Your yogurt will contain a small amount of dairy, but it will still be far healthier than dairy yogurt. wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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Dr Mark Rowe www.drmarkrowe.com

I

Simon Matthews wellcoachesaustralia.com.au

How relationships drive behavioural change

n his opening conversation with Simon Matthews, podcaster, Medical Doctor and Tedx speaker, Dr Mark Rowe almost baffles his guest with the simplicity and straightforwardness of his first question.

Rowe: So Simon, what is health coaching?

To start with, we can turn to a definition from the Health and Wellbeing Board in the United States. Their definition is a process in which coaches partner with clients who are looking to enhance their own health and wellbeing through self-directed, lasting changes.

The self-directed part is important, and we can come back to that. The other important part is that those changes are aligned with the person’s values.

That definition goes on to mention the specific characteristics that coaches ought to display, for example, unconditional positive regard towards patients which goes back to a very old concept and the work of Carl Rogers much earlier in the 20th Century - a fundamental belief in a person’s ability to engage in a process of change and begin to make some change.

It's probably important to separate that definition from ideas like a person has everything that they need within them to be able to make the changes they want. That’s not the idea that’s embedded in this definition.

A helping hand We all need a helping hand sometimes. We all need an injection of knowledge or an injection of skill or something like that.

The idea of coaching is that it’s not practitioner directed and it’s not an advice-forward means of supporting people. We don’t immediately go in telling people what to do or what they should do. It’s listening, learning and then understanding how to collaborate with a person.

Rowe: One of the things I’ve learned as a doctor is that people don’t like being told what to do. As adults, we like to make up our own minds. Certainly, we can be inspired, and we can be influenced, encouraged and supported but making change isn’t easy.

Absolutely, and you touched on one of the central tenants of good coaching there, Mark, the point that we don’t like being told what to do. This, of course, goes all the way back to childhood.

Anyone who has ever had a child or has ever been in a playground will probably be able to recall a child saying, ‘you’re not the boss of me’.

That phrase embodies the idea of autonomy. It embodies the idea that one of the things we fundamentally prize as human beings is the capacity to make a choice about what we do when

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In one of his recent podcasts, Ireland’s Dr Mark Rowe interviewed psychologist Simon Matthews.

Simon is CEO of Wellcoaches Australia and a fellow of the Australian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. He writes and coaches on health coaching and behavioural change. we do it, how we do it and, importantly, why we do it as well.

Rowe: Yeah, and I think that’s one of the opportunities of bringing that kind of Lifestyle Medicine approach with some positive psychology into the medical consultation. You just tune more into the person in terms of their capacity to direct their own changes with support because, if you think about it, people know often what to do.

They know they should do some more exercise, maybe they know they should get more sleep, they know they should eat better, take on less and deal better with stress, but it isn’t so easy to make the changes, is it.

That’s exactly right, and that divergence you describe there, the divergence between knowing what we ought to be doing and putting it into practice, that’s the space that any coach is most effective in; to be able to support someone, to bridge that gap.

Health coaching is certainly not about getting people to do something. It’s not something to make someone do the exercise; perhaps, in the back of their minds, they have an inkling they should be doing or making someone eat a diet. It’s a process that invites someone to examine their own values, to uncover their motivations, understand more about themselves and ultimately to make a choice that best aligns with the underlying values that they have at that moment.

direction. And then, when that person is ready, maybe then you can move in with appropriate advice.

That perspective is so valuable – the idea that there are repeated opportunities. This is not a once-only chance to do something. In fact, the idea that our motivations may shift across time is central to the idea of behavioural change.

If that weren’t able to happen, then no one would ever make a change whatsoever; we would just stay where we are.

So, this idea of being able to approach the same person with openness and curiosity each time you see them is central to coaching. In fact, one of the illustrations given to me many years ago when I was training as a psychologist and a family therapist was the idea of a Polaroid snapshot.

A Polaroid moment

That, of course, means there is always a risk. There’s a risk, for example, that in working with someone who is smoking and has been told a lot of times that they ought to give up smoking - there’s a risk if we take a coaching approach that that person might come out the other side of it and say. ‘you know what, I’m balanced, I want to keep smoking. Smoking is a better fit for me with the things that matter to me in my life right now.’

Accepting the choices people make One of the things we need to do as coaches and health practitioners is, in a sense, be okay with those choices that people may make even if they are not aligned with what we believe is best practice or what we believe is the healthy choice or the healthy option. That’s a challenge.

Rowe: It is. One of the things we see in primary care and general practice is that people can have different views about health behaviours at different moments in time. This feeds into what’s known as the wheel of change. So, if I see somebody who is a smoker, one of the interesting things is to assess where that person is at. Are they a contented smoker or are they potentially considering a change?

That can change over time. One of the great things you get in general practice is repeated opportunities to influence somebody in a positive

When someone describes something to you or a patient or a client describes a value or a motivation, belief or a situation that they’re in, we’re best to treat that as a Polaroid of that moment and not one of those portraits that hangs up in the family home and endures for decades and decades. We’re best to think of it as just what that person is experiencing and describing at that moment in time.

Rowe: Yeah, I love the story philosopher, Heraclitus, who said, ‘no man ever steps in the same water twice’. It’s not the same water, it’s not the same person. That’s what you’ve just paraphrased there.

Exactly right.

Rowe: It’s that change is constant. Simon, in your experience, what makes health coaching interventions likely to succeed?

There are many, many ways to answer that and from many different perspectives. I’ll share with you what I think is central to coaching.

For me, coaching is fundamentally about the creation, development and maintenance of a relationship with another human being.

When we do that to the best extent that we can, when we’re focused on the creation of a genuine relationship of meaning and understanding and wanting to step into the shoes of the other person, when we do that, behavioural change is almost like a consequence. It’s almost an unavoidable result of doing that.

It’s one of the ways I’ve come to think about coaching more recently. We can get too focussed on the idea of changing behaviour or trying to change behaviour or being a motivator of change.

For me, the thing that works is the creation of a relationship in which my primary task is to set myself aside, to step into your world, step into your experience as you describe it. To listen to what you are telling me. To think, to understand what life is like as you live it.

And, from that point then, it is to engage in a discussion about possibilities that might emerge in the future – things that might be different in future.

For me, relationship is the essence of coaching.

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36 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

LEMON ASPARAGUS Nothing like a tang of lemon soaked into crisp asparagus

by Catherine Barclay | serves 4 INGREDIENTS Lrg bunch 2 4 Tbsp 1/4 tsp 1 tsp

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. In a large bowl squeeze one lemon and add the pepper and thyme. Gently turn the asparagus through the liquid and leave it to sit for at least 30 minutes.

3. On a baking tray, cover with baking paper and spread out the asparagus, then pour over the lemon liquid.

4. Slice one lemon and place the slices into the baking tray.

5. Pour over the stock and bake in the oven for 8-10 mins or until the asparagus is crisp on the outside and tender in the middle.

asparagus lemons veggie stock cracked pepper dried thyme

NO OIL MUSHROOM GRAVY Simple fast gravy, great with mash, wedges on toast or your favourite nutloaf

by Catherine Barclay | serves 4 INGREDIENTS 1 sml 1 cup 230 gms 1 Tbsp 1 1/2 cup 3 tbsp 1 1/2 tsp 2

METHOD 1. Over medium heat saute onion, mushroom and garlic in a little water for 10 minutes.

2. Add in the thyme and black pepper and simmer for a further minute.

3. Mix the cornflour into the cold water until dissolved. Add this, stock and soy sauce to the mushroom mix. Gently stir until the sauce thickens.

4. Serve immediately.

brown onion, diced veggie stock brown mushrooms, sliced salt-reduced soy sauce cold water cornflour fresh thyme garlic cloves, diced

KUMARA MASH Incredible colour and creamy smooth flavour

by Catherine Barclay | serves 4 INGREDIENTS 2 Lrg kumara (sweet potato) 1 cup veggie stock water to cover the kumara 1 Tbsp hummus 1 Tbsp parsley 1 tsp garlic powder ground pepper for taste small amount of plant milk

METHOD 1. Boil the kumara in a cup of stock plus water to cover the kumara.

2. Once soft, drain then add all other ingredients except the plant milk mash with a potato masher then whisk with a fork to make it more fluffy. Only add the milk if you feel the mixture is too dry.

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Janice Carter Lifestyle Medicine Coach

Starting your baby on solids, the whole food plant-based way

B

abies need time to learn how to eat, so they won’t swallow much of the food we offer at first. That’s because they may not know what to do with the food you just presented. Just as they needed time to learn how to crawl or roll over, they need time to learn how to eat, chew, and swallow food.

So, don’t be surprised if at first your baby doesn’t eat much. This is totally normal and may take 1 - 2 months for them to grasp the art of eating.

When a baby is showing signs of readiness and sitting upright by about 6 months, you can start introducing solids. It is not wise to introduce Whole Food Plant Based(WFPB) food and solids before 6 months as their gut is not ready for a lot of WFPB baby food.

One meal per day is enough to start with when first introducing baby solids.

Homemade foods are best as they are fresher and have a higher nutrient load than packaged baby foods which are highly processed therefore needing nutrient boosters because of the processing. When you are cooking your family’s vegetables, cook extra and freeze into ice cube trays for easy portioning and defrosting.

Starting at 6 months a baby can start trying the following foods one at a time to check for allergic reactions.

• • • • • • • •

Mashed very ripe banana Stewed apple Stewed pear Mashed avocado Very soft sweet potato, pumpkin, or carrots peeled and steamed Steamed greens Baby infant cereal (iron-enriched) in breastmilk or formula.

No salt, sugar, fat or other flavours

Once you and your baby feel comfortable with these foods, it is recommended to prioritize plant foods rich in iron. Iron is a nutrient that is so important for little WFPB eaters as they need about 1.8x more iron than non-plant-based kids. This is because the type of iron in plant foods (non-heme iron) is not as readily absorbed as that found in animal foods.

Non-heme iron is bound to a compound called phytate that makes it a little challenging for our bodies to absorb. However, pairing an iron-rich food with Vitamin C can help with iron absorption. Provide foods like tofu, lentil balls, hummus, and ironfortified infant cereal.

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Some examples of plant foods that provide iron are: beans, lentils, hummus, tofu, gluten free legume-based pasta, broccoli, spinach, nut & seed butters, barley, and prunes. Focus on providing one iron rich food at each meal.

The first 2-3 months of introducing baby to solids is the easiest as it is for them mostly just an experience of flavours, taste, and textures as opposed to their main source of nutrition. Parents should not worry too much about what actually gets eaten in the first few months of doing WFPB baby led weaning or introducing baby solids.

Babies should still use breastmilk or formula until 12 months of age as their main source of nutrition. Always feed your baby breastmilk or formula before feeding baby solids 30-60 minutes later. A lot of first-time parents worry about feeding their babies when they start solids, or are unsure of how and when to first introduce solids.

This worry can also bring more confusion for WFPB parents who can struggle to get the right information from their child health nurses or doctor who does not advocate a WFPB diet.

Cow’s milk, soy milk or any other plant-based milk are not suitable as the MAIN milk drink so do not swap formula for rice/ soy or any other milk before the age of 12 months.

It is however safe to include plant milk in baby cereals or in other baby solids recipes.

After eight months, it is recommended to do a mix of pureed vegetables. This is often more practical for mums and helps babies improve their self-feeding skills. It also provides a broader range of flavours and lines up with what the family is eating.

At all ages make sure to stay next to your baby when serving WFPB baby food and solids and check they are not choking.

At seven months • • •

add 1 meal per day to have 1-3 meals per day by the end of 7 months.

Introducing more vegetables and fruits slowly.

No salt, sugar, fat and oil needed in baby food.

At eight months •

• •

Start offering 3 meals a day that are balanced with fruit, vegetables, good fats and protein vegetables such as parsnip, broccoli, cauliflower and mashed beans and lentils in purees.

Introduce more grains such as oats in baby porridge.

You can introduce small pieces of protein such as tofu.

At 10 to 11 months

You can introduce more grains such as cooked quinoa, cooked wheat in pasta.

All vegetables are safe to be served in appropriate textures and in bigger pieces You can start introducing 2-3 snacks per day such as fruit, baby rusks, peanut butter toast.

You can make smoothies with calciumfortified plant milk.

Have fun introducing new vegetables, grains and fruit as part of meals with the whole family.

At 12 months

• If your baby wants to wean off breast milk or formula you can now introduce drinking milk from a sippy cup such as soy milk or calcium-fortified plant milk.

• Your baby should now almost eat like you do but avoid oily, greasy, salty, spicy and sugary foods.

• Focus on serving lots of green vegetables and nutrient-dense foods.

• Serve good fats such as nut butter, hemp or avocado • Serve plant-based protein such as hemp seeds, legumes or tofu every day.

•

Mandarin segments, mango, peaches, nectarines, apricots, blueberries, and kiwifruit can be served in purees or small pieces for BLW. Let baby practice his pincer grasp which develops between 8 & 12 months by serving small items on his high chair tray such as cooked lentils and green peas.

Include some omega-3s such as hemp oil or hemp seeds, chia seeds or flax meal and tahini for calcium and other minerals mixed in foods or in a chia pudding or smoothie.

Test out common allergens such as nuts, tahini, and peanut butter in baby porridge or on a piece of soft bread.

It is safe to include plant milk in baby cereals or in other baby solids recipes.

At nine months • • • • • • • •

Add more flavour using more spices and herbs but do not use salt.

You can now add onions, leek, capsicum, mushrooms.

If using purees, make sure to make them chunkier by now by mashing with a fork instead of a blender.

Introduce more grains such as cooked buckwheat pasta, cooked rice (soft like in risotto) and millet.

Millet is a gluten-free grain low in allergens and is very soft when cooked and perfect for little tummies.

You can start teaching baby to drink from a straw to drink smoothies.

Offer more food but keep breastmilk and formula as the main source of food.

Start offering the same food as the adult foods but make the texture suitable for a small baby and do not add salt to baby food as it is dangerous for their kidneys.

At all ages make sure to stay next to your baby when serving WFPB baby It’s possible for a baby to get all the nutrients they need from a good, varied WFPB diet and breast milk or formula, but it is also important to take any supplements recommended by your health visitor. However, the first year of life is an important window of opportunity to introduce a wide range of foods, and when baby reaches 12 months, they will be reliant on food for the majority of their energy and nutrients.

Know where the WFPB diet may fall short

Vitamin B12 supplementation by sublingual drops is essential for anyone on a WFPB lifestyle and understanding the correct dose for a child is important.

Vit D can be received from the early morning sun before the UV index gets high. Fortified foods are also a good idea to help with obtaining these vitamins.

Iron - to help your baby get the 11 mg of iron and 3 mg of zinc she needs each day, a fortified cereal is good—or consider tofu based meals or beans like chickpeas and kidney beans, according to Jenna Helwig, author of Real Baby Food. Walnuts, flax seeds, kale and chia seeds all offer plant-based versions of Omega 3s, while fortified soy milk—or a half-hour of sun exposure before 9 am without sunscreen—helps with Vitamin D. Fortified cereals or supplements are the best WFPB sources of Vitamin B12.

The most important message is that a plant-based diet can fully support healthy living in people of all ages when it is well-planned.

The food your baby eats in their first few years of life can impact the health of your child as they grow and enter adulthood. It can take decades for certain lifestyle diseases to develop but they can be directly associated with your child’s nutrition.

Research shows that a WFPB diet can play a part in your baby having a healthy start in life. During the first 1,000 days of life, starting at conception until your baby’s second birthday, nutrition intake is of great importance to your baby’s ongoing and longterm health. This is especially true for their brain development.

The great news is it is never too late to start introducing a healthy diet, but the earlier you begin the bigger the impact.

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OIL FREE HASHBROWNS There is no need for oil to be able to enjoy a crisp hashbrown and vegetable breakfast.

by Catherine Barclay | serves 8 INGREDIENTS 450 g 1/2 1/2 tsp 1 Tbsp

potatoes, (I used lrg onion, finely diced garlic powder nutritional yeast

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METHOD 1. Too get a soft inside and a cripsy outside in the middle par boil the potatoes for five minutes, drain then allow to cool.

2. Once cool grate the potatoes and place them into a large bowl with all other ingredients.

3. Preheat oven to 200°C 4. Line an oven tray with parchment paper or a silicon sheet. Using a round cookie cutter, mould the potato mix. Don't pack too tightly or the hashbrowns won't cook in the middle. A good tip is to use a fork to move the mixture in the cutter to fill it completely, this helps to keep the shape of the hashbrown.

5. Lift the cookie cutter then repeat the process with the remaining potato mixture.

6. Bake the hashbrowns for 15 mins then flip and bake for a futher 10-15 mins.

7. Serve with Mushroom gravy and lemon asparagus (p. 37), airfried tomatoes, spinach, avocado and your choice of seeds.

On Screen

Toitu Te Whenua

The land that remains

T OMG that Climate Special Did anyone see it?

O

ne very special lady who just couldn't hold herself back when she saw the recent TV1 Climate Special doco made her feelings clear in a post on her own climate change Facebook page: Climate Friendly Eating.

When it comes to health, Dierdre Kent is one of New Zealand's great battlers. From the '70s, she was a full time paid lobbyist for ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) and worked in that role for a decade.

Today Diedre is a dedicated WFPB devotee and, in her own self-effacing way, humorously describes herself as "just an oldie trying to stay alive and not be someone who takes more and more medications with all their side effects."

Here's what she said online.

"Did anyone else notice in the TV1 documentary on climate change ... the things you can do personally?

They completely omitted any mention of our diet choices.

I understand the biggest change anyone can make to their own footprint is to eat less meat and more plants, yet this was omitted.

Oh no we couldn't challenge our own culture. It's far too sensitive. Oh dear I wish Prof James Renwick would set a good example on this.

The farm that produced 1 million tonnes of beef a year 'sustainably'. OMG. I think it was Poore and Nemecek in their research of so many farms round the world who concluded that even the most sustainably produced beef still has emissions miles higher than lentils or beans or fruit or veges.

They could have interviewed Jono Drew on this," - Dierdre Kent.

he outcome of what Geoff Reid himself describes as "an incredible journey" for him, Tim Firken and Grant Nicholson is now freely available on Youtube. It's called Toitu Te Whenua- the land that remains.

This documentary-style film on New Zealand's Bay of Plenty and lakes district paints two pictures. One of a sad and distressed landscape, the other of a land of immense beauty and potential, if we can only get it right.

Here, in the space of 46 minutes, we are drawn on a journey from the dramatic heights of Mt Tarawera off to the east and the shellfish beds that once were an abundant feeding ground unfettered by the claws of industrial farming development.

Sometimes the most chilling tales are told in the simplest of ways. Reid, has that kind of approach. Steadily he unravels the detail of what's been lost.

His revelations don't come with backup support from Pakeha libraries, where we might easily find images from earlier days of people collecting pipi from the beach. It comes from the visuals painted by the lingering voices of the people he interviews as they lament the legacy they must now pass on.

The idea that the land is our life and that to ignore its ongoing good health could lead to our peril is not a concept the English

were well acquainted with. New Zealand was, and still is, a place of conquest. The loss of our giant Kauri forests and the poisoning of the Canterbury water table by industrial dairy production are just two examples.

Perhaps the sad irony of it all now is that we have to rely on our University boffins to tell us what a resource our giant Kauri really were - today, they call them carbon sinks. Ha, lol, back in the day they actually made handbasins (a different kind of sink) from kauri and you can see still see them if you visit the Kauri Museum in Dargaville.

This is a movie that clearly makes its point but not so much with detailed academic explanations and complicated slides. The graphics in this doco are something special, a clear nod to the power that great visuals have in explaining a story. - Peter Barclay

A movie you may have missed

W

e haven't seen a lot of discussion, down under at least, on a movie I think deserves more attention than it seems to have raised so far.

It's called Eating Our Way to Extinction and is available free on Youtube. Ah, and while I'm in a free movie promoting mood, so too is Grant Dixon's, The Big Fat Lie. You can find that on tubitv.com.

The Extinction doco probably suffered down under because, in the beginning it was heavily promoted but then, when first released, it was only viewable in the northern hemisphere.

WFL sent a note to the promoters, and they responded saying it was complicated.

Apparently it had something to do with release rights and other perplexing things us mere mortals wouldn't understand. We didn't, so we didn't say much about it.

All jokes aside, though, this work is certainly worth your time.

It's heavy on fact but the information they've gathered here is pretty gobsmacking. I think at this point I'll say no more because I'd have to start using terms like 'spoiler alert' and I hate it when people do that. - Peter Barclay

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Bob Lawrence: The long view on food system reform "We’re forced to take the long view on food system reform.

I think we all realize how much work is left."

By Christine Grillo

E

arlier this year, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) paid tribute to physician, professor, and activist Dr Bob Lawrence, who co-founded the organization in 1986 and has taken part in many international investigations of human rights abuses.

The tribute fell during the 25th anniversary year of another organization, one that Lawrence founded—The Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future. Its mission is to support and advance a globally healthy, equitable, and sustainable food system. It seemed like a good moment to ask him to reflect on the Center's 25-year legacy, what it has accomplished, and where it's heading.

A few themes emerged as he considered the food systems reform movement and the fight to change the factory farm model.

Primary among them was his resolve to keep at it. Even when progress seems slow, he says, the fight itself is important. The Center has spent 25 years shining a light on the problems, paving the way to find the levers to address them.

A history lesson

Before diving into the Center's accomplishments, he shared a history lesson about a 1966 multilateral UN treaty, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

The treaty states that all humans have the right to food, water, health, housing, decent work, and more. Although President Jimmy Carter signed it in 1979, the US Senate has still not ratified it, and Lawrence finds this fact very telling.

In the US, especially among Republican lawmakers, there's a lot of controversy around the idea that food, water, and health are rights. Food, water, and health should be goals; they insist, not rights. This pushback provides context for the uphill battle that is food system reform.

"We're forced to take the long view on food system reform," says Lawrence. "I think we all realize how much work is left."

The Center for a Livable Future (CLF) was born of a conversation between Lawrence, former dean of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Alfred Sommer, and Henry Spira, an animal rights crusader who dreamed of reforming factory farms. So far, Spira's moonshot has not been realized.

Factory farm model

The factory farm proved to be a model too entrenched in the American corporate landscape to be affected significantly by data, science, or public health advocacy. Also known as CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), a term created by the US Department of Agriculture, these operations have remained impervious to regulation, with a few important exceptions. The Center characterized this model of production as "industrial food animal production" (IFAP) to underscore the industrialization at the heart of the problem.

"We certainly haven't shut down factory farms. But we've raised awareness and forced them reluctantly to adopt modest reforms."

One such reform came on the heels of CLF research into what happens as a result of feeding arsenicals to chickens, a

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Dr Bob Lawrence of the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future has a deep seated passion on the need for food reform. He's spent years trying to change the US food system and has had some wins along the way but in this interview with Christine Grillo he makes one point very clear, there's still a long way to go.

Lawrence presents an interesting perspective on the way industrial food production impacts public health and democracy and believes that enlightened consumers can pave the way to a brighter future. practice commonly used for preventing illnesses that arise from overcrowding in their cages and for growth promotion. The research showed that an inorganic form of arsenic—a known human carcinogen—accumulates in chicken breast meat and increases the risk of cancer in humans. In 2013, on the heels of this research, citing consumer health concerns, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suspended the marketing and sale of Roxarsone and two other arsenic-based drugs. Lawrence contends that getting arsenicals out of the veterinary therapeutic stream was a victorious moment.

Antibiotic resistance

The Center also helped draw attention to the role of IFAP in antibiotic resistance, a threat that still hangs over us today.

Writing about this problem in 2013, Lawrence noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's report claiming that, annually in the United States, two million people become infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and 23,000 people die of the infections. Producers routinely administer antibiotics to the entire lot of their animals for "disease prevention" and also works to promote growth. A better, safer practice would be to reserve the drugs and use them selectively to treat illness in the livestock because the more widely these drugs are used, the more likely it is that "superbugs" will evolve.

The FDA's 2013 response to research by CLF and partners into antibiotic resistance fell short of CLF's goals; the agency asked the industry to voluntarily curb the misuse of antibiotics. The White House's response in 2014 was disappointing, as well: President Obama issued an executive order recognizing the problem, but the order had no teeth.

To see CLF's strong efforts on antibiotic resistance result in "voluntary guidelines" was disheartening. But Lawrence insists that the Center can claim victory for helping to get the issues out in the open.

While he's not putting all his eggs in the "human behaviour change" basket, Lawrence has a deep faith that enlightened consumers will make enlightened choices. He believes that

awareness and education are critical elements of positive change.

To his point, in the last five years, we've seen poultry producers such as Tyson and Perdue end the routine use of antibiotics in much of their poultry production operations. Tyson and Perdue created a "no-antibiotics-ever" (NAE) label, and "antibiotic-free" has become almost common in poultry aisles. Because chickens have such short life cycles, removing antibiotics from their diets proved feasible—but will this trend extend to cattle and swine, which have longer life cycles? We will have to see.

"I think we have succeeded in putting these issues on the map in a way that they touch consumers, policymakers, and food producers," Lawrence says.

He also points to the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production as a triumphant moment for CLF for exposing the livestock industry's impact on public health, the environment, farm communities, and animal health and well-being. That report created a holistic approach for the Center, and other entities, to examine industrial livestock production through the lenses of public health, environment, animal welfare, and rural America.

"The Pew Report was a really big deal," says Lawrence, and it laid the groundwork for CLF's future work.

He also proudly points to CLF contributions to litigation concerning factory farms in Yakima Valley in Washington that resulted in meaningful outcomes for the residents filing suit. CLF has also supported residents of the Eastern Shore in Maryland as they seek to curb the expansion of poultry production operations in their rural towns. Efforts to pass legislation that would monitor for air pollution near poultry farms on the Eastern Shore have failed three years in a row, but passing new legislation takes many years and many tries.

Understanding human motivation

He'd love to see better research into understanding human motivation. He believes there's still a lot of work to be done in the sociology and anthropology of food choice determinants.

"We know we're bombarded by billions of dollars of marketing by food producers of unhealthy food and meat products, and so far, we have a feeble response on the part of good guys to counter that."

Despite his belief in the power of consumer choice to change industry, Lawrence knows that policy reform is critical to meaningful change. Where food system reform efforts have had lacklustre results, he lays much of the blame on our current political system; corporate interests dominate that. But is it fair to ask individuals to change the system through personal choices alone when what might actually be called for is policy change?

"Our elected officials are overwhelmingly misrepresenting our

democracy. It’s a deep flaw, and it’s haunting us in every policy domain. It’s the tyranny of the minority, and that’s what’s holding us back. Our long-term survival as a democracy depends on solving misrepresentation.”

But if he had a magic wand, how would he use it to create the food system that the Center aspires to advance and support? He has a quick answer and speaks about two domains.

The first magic wand would strengthen the Environmental Protection Agency so it could vigorously enforce the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act. Using that legislation to control air, soil, and water pollution would enable significant in-roads into industrialized food animal production, which notoriously pollutes rural communities with animal waste. Those communities are almost always low-income communities and communities of colour; if the EPA could make progress on environmental justice, it would simultaneously affect some racial justice as well.

Food system complexity

The second magic wand would address the complexity of food systems by incentivizing regenerative production and farm practices. Lawrence believes this could be achieved via reforms within the USDA, federal incentives for regenerative agriculture, and overall economic reform.

But is economic reform in the wheelhouse of a research centre such as CLF? “It may sound like mission creep, but we’ve seen how dangerous consolidation is,” says Lawrence, referring in part to the fact that only four producers control 82 per cent of the meat supply in the United States.

“Big corporate interests that control the Senate are driving the political agenda and taking us in an unsustainable direction. We’ve got to take on issues like that. We’ve got to do systems thinking.”

Lawrence closes the reflection by recalling his upbringing.

“I was raised by a Calvinist theologian minister. It sickens me now when I hear politicians talking about God’s will as an explanation for everything, and it’s so offensive to the idea of autonomy and what makes us human.”

He’s had many conversations with his young-adult grandchildren about individual choices and how the myths of rugged individualism and American exceptionalism have gotten us to this uncomfortable moment in history. As a society, he says, we’ve failed utterly at incorporating communitarian ideals into our culture and politics. None of us is truly alone, he says. We all bear responsibility for others.

“That idea of being responsible to others is at the heart of addressing large problems through policy and regulation. Each of us has to say, ‘How is this going to impact people around me?’”

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Katherine Matthews Naturopath Practitioner www.katherinematthews.co.nz

Understanding the estrobolome T he estrobolome is an amazing new term used to discuss the intricate connection between our ‘estrogen’ and the ‘microbiome’. Did you know that down there in your gut little species of bacteria are choosing whether you need more active estrogen or more inactive estrogen? We have known for a few years now how the gut plays a role in our mood and now we know it also plays a role in our hormonal balance.

The estrogen–microbiome axis

When it comes to hormones there is a delicate balance that shifts and changes.

Our hormones go up and down depending on where we are in our life cycles and change monthly if you are a menstruating woman.

Your body is incredibly smart! It has its own unique bacteria in the gut called the estrobolome dedicated to supporting this balance.

The estrobolome is made up of unique bacteria and genes that metabolise oestrogen helping us to keep the balance of your oestrogen in check. It's like when you are on a seesaw and you and a friend are trying to make it balance right in the middle. Our gut is doing this for us all the time, balancing our oestrogen levels so that our mood, bone health, cognitive function and many more aspects of our health are maintained just right!

But how does the gut support estrogen balance?

Once our estrogen has done all the brilliant things it does in our bodies like maintained our bone density, making our skin glow and increasing our mental alertness, the hormone goes through the liver which breaks it down into hormone metabolites. They are packaged for absorption or elimination and sent to the intestines.

This is where the magic happens.

Absorbed or eliminated

Once estrogen is in the intestines it has two choices to be absorbed or to be eliminated. The bacteria produce a key enzyme called β-glucuronidase, which breaks down estrogens into their active forms and supports them to be sent back out into circulation or eliminated.

This is when aspects of our digestion start to play a big role in our hormonal balance.

Our estrobolome may be supporting our oestrogen balance but it can only keep that balance if we have regular elimination. Yes, having a bowel motion once a day helps to remove oestrogen from the body that is not needed. Oestrogen binds to fibre in the intestines and is removed from the body. Too much oestrogen

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leads to many hormonal complaints such as PCOS, Endometriosis, PMS, PMDD and more.

Elimination

Healthy gut bacteria is also essential for a healthy estrobolome.

If your gut bacteria is out of whack this can result in a disruption of this estrogen balance. I see all too commonly women with hormonal concerns also have gastrointestinal complaints such as bloating, constipation, gas and IBS. We need to support our digestion to be optimal to address our hormonal concerns.

The Estrobolome diet

Feeding our estrobolome fiber in the form of legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts and seeds is what builds a healthy microbiota. Our bacteria thrive on a diversity of plant fiber and anti-inflammatory foods! I like to encourage people to eat the rainbow everyday as a way to increase diversity in their meals!

Studies show that the diversity of plant fibers/food is the most underlying, most important factor for a resilient and healthy microbiome. Gut dysbiosis can happen for a variety of reasons from SIBO to antibiotic use, to stress and a poor diet. Each person is individual in this way and you may need a unique protocol to get your gut health and hormonal health back on track.

There is a complex conversation happening every second between our gut and our hormones. Although we don't always think we need to focus on our gut health to sort out our hormones, improving our digestion is vital to improving hormonal health.

The estrobolome requires our attention and hopefully this article provides a starting point to support your estrobolome to thrive!

POTATO LEEK AND CARROT SOUP I did a potato and leek soup in our very first issue but this new version I find far easier to make and just as delicious.

by Catherine Barclay | serves 6 INGREDIENTS 1 4 cups 2 4 cups 2 cups 1 Tbsp 3

leek, sliced potato, diced carrots, diced veggie stock water miso paste sprigs fresh thyme

METHOD 1. In a soup pot with a little water saute the leek and garlic until the leek has softened.

2. Add in all other ingredients.

3. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are soft.

4. Using a stick blender (or taking part of the soup into a blender) blend until 90% smooth leaving some small potato chunks.

5. Serve hot, store leftovers in the fridge or freeze for another day.

The health benefits of Leek: Leeks are from the allium family as are garlic, onions, shallots and chives. They are a great source of vitamins B6, A, C and K along with iron, magnesium and folate.

They contain cerotenoids that reduce the risk of cataracts and age-related eye conditions that can severely impact vision and therefore quality of life.

Vitamin K in leeks reduce osteoporosis and reduces the risk of hip fractures by strengthening the bones.

They are high in fibre yet low in calories making a great addition to any meal.

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Newsbites

See wholefoodliving.life/references-spring-2022 to review references cited below

Snow business overheating almost everywhere

W

aikato's Professor, Holly Thorpe, says with New Zealand’s two major North Island ski fields in financial trouble, coupled with the combined impact of COVID-19 on national and international tourism, this year’s very poor snow season has hit hard.

In a recent article published in The Conversation, Thorpe, who specialises in the sociology of sport, says the future of snow sports on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu remains uncertain, directly and indirectly affecting many businesses and livelihoods.

Her comments come after Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL), which runs the Turoa and Whakapapa ski fields, ran up debts of NZ$40 million and has gone into voluntary administration. But RAL is not the first ski company to struggle under increasingly unpredictable winters.

Shorter or less predictable ski seasons and warmer temperatures are already causing closures elsewhere, she noted. Some foreign ski fields are pivoting to cater for summer recreational tourism, such as mountain biking and hiking.

Some ski resorts in North America, Europe and Australia are now facing uncertain futures. One US study found revenues could fall 40-60 per cent (on average) by 2080. The research is clearly showing the ways we currently practise and consume snow sports are unsustainable.

Scientists from New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) recently modelled the potential impact of climate change on snow levels in New Zealand. Their report showed an average gradual decrease in snow at nearly all elevations as the century progresses.

While all ski areas will experience this, the effects will vary depending on their location and elevation. Under the warmer climate change predictions, the study showed snow depths

The melting gondola on Aspen Mountain provides a surreal visualisation of climate change. between 83 per cent and 45 per cent of current maximums at lower elevation sites by 2040.

By 2090, this will be further reduced (on average) to approximately 48 per cent to nine per cent of current maximum snow depths. According to NIWA snow and ice scientist Dr Jordy Hendrikz, "from these results we expect to see a gradual change in snow levels but we should be able to continue to make snow, even under a more extreme climate scenario, right out to the 2090s."

Hendrikz remains upbeat, but Thorpe has her reservations.

"While some may see innovations in snow-making technologies as future-proofing the ski industry, resorts becoming highly dependent on their capacity to make artificial snow raises serious ethical and environmental concerns. The process uses huge amounts of water, and chemical, and biological additives, with ramifications for mountain ecosystems and potentially human health," she says. There are other impacts also.

"For those privileged enough to visit often expensive ski resorts, the pristine mountain environment is central to the experience. Yet ski resorts are far from environmentally friendly. With thousands of visitors every day, they have enormous carbon footprints."

Indigenous land rights the key to biodiversity preservation

T

he world’s healthiest, most biodiverse, and most resilient forests are located on protected Indigenous lands. That’s according to a new study1 that suggests that protecting Indigenous and human rights is not only compatible with climate conservation goals, but key to future efforts.

“The combined positive effects of state legislation and Indigenous presence in protected-Indigenous areas may contribute to maintaining tropical forest integrity,” the authors write in Current Biology. “Understanding management and governance in protected-Indigenous areas can help states to

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appropriately support community-governed lands.”

Years of research has shown that Indigenous peoples are the world’s best land stewards and a crucial part of protecting biodiversity. Indigenous land contains 80 per cent of the world’s remaining biodiversity of which nearly a quarter is managed by Indigenous people. According to a 2020 paper, 47 per cent of threatened mammals live on, and are protected by, Indigenous land and management.

When Indigenous peoples are given legal and financial support for land management, the results benefit the world.

Newsbites

See wholefoodliving.life/references-spring-2022 to review references cited below

New York City mayor makes plant-based meals primary healthcare option

N

“Our new meal program is ew York City Mayor Eric Adams and New rooted in evidence for health York City Health benefits and environmental + Hospitals (H+H) CEO sustainability and expands on Dr.Mitchell H. Katz have made the success of our Meatless culturally diverse plant-based Mondays Program.” meals the primary dinner NYC H+H Plant-Based options for inpatients at Dish: Southern Black-eye Pea H+H/Lincoln, Metropolitan, Casserole with Plant Based and Woodhull Hospitals.

Corn Bread topped with Plant The dinner program expands Based Shredded Cheese. on the healthcare system’s NYC Mayor, Eric Adams Each year, H+H serves successful plant-based lunch default about three million meals for lunch and program — launched in March of this year dinner. About half of all inpatients are and now boasts a 95 per cent satisfaction eligible for plant-based dishes, and 60 per rate. cent have chosen them since the plant“When it comes to preventing diet- based default program was launched — related chronic disease, there is a growing contributing to approximately 864,000 recognition that it’s not our DNA — it’s our plant-based meals per year being served. dinner,” said Mayor Adams. “Since January, It also builds on the Meatless Mondays we have introduced Plant-Powered initiative — launched in 2019 — in Fridays into schools, introduced fresh collaboration with then-Brooklyn Borough produce into the nation’s only municipal President, Eric Adams. emergency food system, and expanded Patients considered high-risk, those Plant-Based Lifestyle Medicine Clinics to who are prescribed a special diet or given public hospitals across all five boroughs. a referral, can meet with one of more than "Now, we are proud to announce the 100 registered H+H dieticians to learn successful rollout and expansion of default more about the benefits of a plant-based plant-based lunch and dinner options at all diet. There are 14 new plant-based options H+H sites," he said in a special release. with a selection offered each day.

"This transformative program is already The meals are inspired by the flavours changing lives, empowering patients to of Latin, Asian, and other cuisines that take control of their own health and further represent the health system’s diverse cementing New York City as a leader in patient population. Thai noodle bowls, preventive medicine.”

Spanish vegetable paella with yellow rice, “In the event we or a loved one has to and a Southern black-eyed pea casserole be in the hospital, we should know that are just some of the new “chef’s choice” the food served will be comforting, tasty, options being offered to patients at these and health promoting,” said Deputy Mayor three sites. Food Service Associates work for Health and Human Services Anne with patients on meal choice and selection Williams-Isom. from the beginning of their stay until “Expanding plant-based offerings helps they are discharged, and encourage them us do just that. Thank you to our food to choose healthy meals as part of their service partners and patient navigators for healing and recovery plan of care. making this initiative both delicious and “Food is medicine, especially in our successful.” moments of sickness. Nutritious, healthy “As a primary care physician, I speak with food should be available wherever New all of my patients about the importance of Yorkers are, but especially in institutions a healthy diet and how it can help fend that are meant to restore health,” said off or treat chronic conditions like type 2 New York City Department of Health and diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr Ashwin disease,” said NYC Health + Hospitals Vasan. “It starts with us, and we must lead President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. by example," he said.

Hungry humans circle as rare Grevy Zebra die in Kenya I

nternational media has reported a twoyear Kenyan drought has wiped out two per cent of the world’s rarest zebra species and increased elephant deaths as well, as the climate crisis takes its toll on the east African nation’s wildlife.

Animal carcasses rotting on the ground – including giraffes and livestock – have been a common sight in northern Kenya, where unprecedented dry spells have been chipping away at already depleted food and water resources.

The Grevy Zebra, the world’s rarest zebra species, has been the worst hit by the drought.

“If the approaching rainy season fails, Grevy’s zebra face a very serious threat of starvation,” Belinda Low Mackey, director of the Grevy’s Zebra Trust, said. “Since June, we have lost 58 Grevy’s zebra, and mortality cases are rising.”

Even camels, which can survive long periods without water, are affected.

“Camels are a valuable resource for many people in this region,” Suze van Meegen, an Emergency Response Manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council in East Africa, told CNN. “The deserts of Kenya are now littered with their carcasses.”

Kenya is on the brink of its fifth failed rainy season, and its metrological department forecasts “drier-than-average conditions” for the rest of the year.

Overall, drought and rising prices are fueling insecurity. Conservationists worry that more endangered species will die.

Herds are splintering into the smallest units to survive, and the demand for bush meat from hungry humans is increasing.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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CREPES WITH APPLE CASHEW CREAM Nothing beats fresh berries over summer. What about taking them a step further and encase them in a wholemeal crepe with a dash (or a dollop!) of whipped apple cashew cream.

by Catherine Barclay| serves 6 INGREDIENTS - Apple Cashew Cream 1/2 cup raw cashew nuts 1 cup stewed apple 1 tsp vanilla extract INGREDIENTS - Crepes 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup plant milk (I used soy) 1 Tbsp baking powder 1/4 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cinnamon 3 dates, pitted 2 Tbsp linseed (flaxseed)

48 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

METHOD - Apple Cashew Cream 1. Soak the cashew nuts in hot water for at least 30 mins 2. Drain cashews and place all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy and smooth.

3. Place into a bowl and place in the fridge while the crepes are created.

METHOD - Crepes 1. Add all ingredients into a blender and mix until the dates are broken up and the batter is smooth.

2. Make sure the batter is not too runny but is not too thick so that it can't be spread over a pan.

3. Heat a nonstick frying pan on medium heat, pour around a 1/4 cup of batter into pan and move pan so that the batter spreads into a large circle.

4. Heat until bubbles form and when you put a spatula underneath the batter, it lifts easily. Flip and continue to heat for around 1 min.

5. Move crepe to a preheated plate and repeat.

6. Fill each crepe with a generous amount of cashew cream along the middle and fold in the sides. Top with your favourite berries and chopped peanuts.

WHOLEMEAL FRUIT SLICE Incredibly filling tasty slice, this makes a large batch so great for a gathering or to freeze for later.

by Judy Wood | produces around 24 slices

INGREDIENTS 300 gms 120 gms 120 gms 200 gms 120 gms 120 gms 250 gms 100 gms

dried dates, diced dried cranberries dried blueberries dried apricots, diced walnuts, chopped rolled oats wholemeal flour (approx) ground linseed (flaxseed)

METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Soak dates in hot water - just cover dates for one hour.

3. Blend the dates with its water and the flaxseed until smooth.

4. In a large bowl add the date mix with the dried fruit and rolled oats.

5. Add enough of the wholemeal flour to form a sticky dough.

6. Press mix into a slice tin, then bake for 25 mins.

7. Allow cooling before slicing to desired bars.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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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

50 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

Looking at

Osteoporosis Genetics load the gun, lifestyle pulls the trigger.

Dr Caldwell Esselstyn

O

steoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle. So brittle, says the Mayor Clinic, that a fall or even mild stresses such as bending over or coughing can cause a fracture. Osteoporosis-related fractures most commonly occur in the hip, wrist or spine.

Osteoporosis occurs when the creation of new bone doesn't keep up with the loss of old bone.

The condition affects men and women of all races. But white and Asian women, especially older women past menopause, are at the highest risk. Medications, a healthy diet and weightbearing exercise, can help prevent bone loss or strengthen already weak bones.

Commonly there are no symptoms in the early stages of bone loss. But once your bones have been weakened by osteoporosis, you might have signs and symptoms that include: • Back pain caused by a fractured or collapsed vertebra

N

• Loss of height over time • A stooped posture • A bone that breaks much more easily than expected Unfortunately, Osteoporosis is not an uncommon condition.

Worldwide, one in three women and one in five men over fifty will suffer a broken bone due to osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis New Zealand has created an online tool called Know Your Bones to help people self-assess their own bone health. Their 10-15 minute online questionnaire has now been completed by over 7500 people.

Know Your Bones is based on key findings from the Garvan Medical Research Institute’s 26-year osteoporosis epidemiology study. A GP can make a clinical decision from the results of the questionnaire.

To access the questionnaire, go to: knowyourbones.org.nz

Keto diets not recommended

utrition Facts guru, Dr Michael Greger, warns of potential danger in relation to Ketogenic diets where muscle strength and bone density are concerned.

He says a ketogenic diet may not just blunt the performance of endurance athletes but strength training as well.

In reference to one study he said when you "have people do eight weeks of all the standard upper and lower body exercise then, no surprise, you boost muscle mass - unless you're on a Keto diet, in which case, there was no significant change."

Those randomised to the nonketogenic diet added about three pounds (1.361kgs) of muscle. But the same amont of weight lifting on the keto diet tended to subtract muscle with an average loss of about 3.5 ounces.

He says Ketogenic diets may cause a steady rate of bone loss as measured in the spine, presumed to be because ketones are acidic. Keto diets can put people in a chronic acidotic state. Interestingly, almonds have been found to reduce the risk of Osteoporosis.

Dr Mythri Shankar

Diabetes diagnosis led to her dis-Ease discovery As a believer in karmic currency, I understand that money, knowledge and experiences are stored as energy within us and are the second most crucial form of wealth, the first being health. Money is the root of all evil and the fruit of all good..

I

am a physician who has been practising for well over 25 years in the USA and in India, seeing patients with heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis and dementia. It had never occurred to me that these are all lifestyle-related diseases until I was diagnosed with diabetes.

This important aspect became more evident and struck a chord.

The common denominator to all these conditions I have been working on all my life is lifestyle. How you live your life and treat your body, which houses your mind, soul and well-being.

My mother has been a diabetic for over 30 years. I had gestational diabetes. My mother perhaps also had this during her pregnancy, but it was not something one checked routinely in her time. I was prescribed Metformin, which has many unpleasant side effects, such as heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, bloating, gas, diarrhea or constipation, weight loss and headache.

Not just that, it leaves an unpleasant metallic taste in the mouth.

The only thing that sounded appealing was weight loss, but I asked myself if it was worth this amount of suffering. I wondered if I could reverse my diabetes without medication by turning to food. Thus began my adventure with food, the diseases it causes and other lifestyle-related parameters. Eventually, I turned my attention to it, which led to a moment in Rome, where I saw food in a new light.

It has almost become normal to accept lifestyle-related diseases as a natural course of human aging. They are not. They are purely man-made, can be easily prevented, and some can even be reversed simply by questioning the systems' paradigms and the beliefs on which they stand.

Reducing disease burden

There is ample evidence to support the belief that lifestyle changes reduce disease burden because infective organisms or any other contagious process is involved in these lifestyle-related diseases. You hold the key to unlocking the answer to the milliondollar question of your life's ‘quantity’ and ‘quality’: how long and how well you will live. All you need to do is put some effort into turning the key in the right direction. This book will help you do just that.

52 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

Being a nuclear medicine physician, I am trained to look at scans (functional imaging and the physiological parameters) of organs at a cellular level using unique radioisotopes. This allows me to see more than what usually meets the eye (beyond the anatomy) in a physical exam or radiological imaging (such as X-ray, ultrasound or CT scans). So, it is rather patient-centric and rarely industrydriven.

For instance, Cardiac Stress Myocardial Perfusion Imaging shows if bypass surgery or a stent is needed or if it can be managed medically in a non-invasive way (without surgery). In DEXA scans, we look at hidden or visceral fat. Similarly, PET-CT scans are done using special radioisotopes like FDG, a glucose analog that mimics glucose and goes wherever glucose goes, particularly in high concentrations to cancer cells, since tumor cells feed on glucose and grow fast. So, these scans show the extent and depth of the spread of cancer.

I used this knowledge of bodily functions to work on my diabetes (HbA1c of 7.8) and have been able to reverse it successfully (HbA1c now under 6), mainly with lifestyle modifications and no

medicine. The more I researched, the more I began to see the common denominator to all these conditions and connect the dots between the diseases (heart disease, osteoporosis, cancer).

The illnesses I have been working on in my specialty of nuclear medicine are all lifestyle diseases.

During the course of my career, I have been very impressed by legendary cardiologists, such as Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. K Lance Gould, pioneers in heart (cardiac) health and imaging (PETCT) at the University of Texas, USA. I was the first to apply for a Rubidium license in California to use the positron PET-CT scanner in a private practice outpatient setting after our group purchased a used cardiac PET-CT scanner from their project.

Armed with knowledge

But when I returned to India in 2005, I realized I was armed with knowledge that I could not apply here. Only about ten hospitals in the whole country had the basic facility for PET-CT (cancer imaging) let alone cardiac PET-CT (which is even more of a specialized branch of the heart).

What surprised me was the lack of awareness and the absence of basic medical equipment for osteoporosis (a much simpler, easily preventable disease) which also seemed rampant, underdiagnosed and poorly understood by patients and doctors alike.

The Covid-induced lockdown forced us to slow down, rethink, reprioritize, stop overdoing certain things, and focus on the meaning and purpose of whatever we do. It has given me a chance to reflect upon life. To find a way to give back to the community.

To grow, bond and share.

Dr Mythri Shankar was attending a conference in Rome when she made two key discoveries about food. She explains what these were in her new book Ease, part of the text from which this article was created. Dr Shankar describes herself as both a Hindu and an Un-do. Highly readable, Ease challenges us to redefine our distinctions between the normal and abnormal.

Available on: amazon.com Perhaps it is the positive effect of the endorphins due to the oxygen generated by the plants in my garden - I can nourish myself better. I can experience joy, patience and humility.

The perfectionist in me has been a silent witness to how lifestyle causes disease. Modern medicine sometimes overlooks the cause of the illnesses and the downward spirals. The focus shouldn’t be only on compliance with corporate mandates but also community service elements.

As a believer in karmic currency, I understand that money, knowledge and experiences are stored as energy within us and are the second most crucial form of wealth, the first being health.

Money is the root of all evil and the fruit of all good. It is also energy, and it flows.

This book is my effort to pay it forward, sharing my knowledge about health. It has helped me find my Ikigai. It has resulted from my constant philosophical questioning of what makes life more meaningful and purposeful and finding a balance between mind and body, life and work (in that order of priority, not work and life).

It comes from resetting my mindset and restyling my lifestyle

from expanding my main weekday style of work (in nuclear medicine) to working on lifestyle medicine during weekends.

It comes from continuing my quest to understand the paradox between studying medicine and experiencing it with a fascination for the biological responses of the human body. Walking the talk, if you will.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs depicts magnanimity(generosity) as a virtue of the wealthy, the abundant. One can give only when one’s own cup is full.

Life has allowed me to pursue my current passion for living healthy, naturally. My goal now is to get people off unnecessary medication and help them understand the profound effect food, self-esteem, sex, survival, status, spirituality, function, family and relationships can have on the golden years of life.

Explore the analogies between the scientific evidence over multiple concepts, such as micro-macrocosms, Zeitgebers, Circadian Rhythm, fight or flight/rest and digest cycles, Salutogenesis, Dysbiosis, Gut Microbiota, Epigenetics, Adaptogens, Parasympathetic Nervous System, the vagus nerve, the DOPA trap, the healing powers of integrated medicine and spirituality, etc.

And, how to use all this knowledge of organ intelligence and Bio-hack Neuroplasticity to move your body to healthier lifestyles with emotional intelligence without succumbing to the seductive influence of sugar, oil and salt.

The ultimate realization finally dawned on me: poor lifestyle is the most typical reason most of our loved ones die.

It is imperative to understand how you see things concerning your health. How much do you value it? What are you willing to do to set things right for yourself? Everyone will forget what you said or did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.

I hope this book motivates you to change your lifestyle and be healthy. Change a few things. It will be a worthwhile experience.

Get rid of incorrect beliefs and change your life for the better.

What you think is healthy may not be.

Traditional wisdom This book gives you a 360-degree perspective on different aspects of health: being healthy and sick, the body and mind, as a patient and as a doctor, modern medicine and traditional wisdom.

It urges you to reset your mindset, rewrite your prescription, stop your medication, and ease and cease your disease. It will help you restyle your lifestyle and heal from within. It will change the fear of dying into the joy of living.

It asks you to choose a carrot or a stent. Peas or pills, they are similar in "shape! Healing to hoarding disease (gain health and lose weight). Eradication to medication (erase the disease). It shifts your focus from the tip of the iceberg of cure (i.e., the illness) to the root cause and its prevention (wellness).

It teaches you how to prioritise yourself (your physical health and emotional happiness) and minimize your dependence on medicines, focusing on lifestyle diseases that are habit-borne (born out of food, physical inactivity, stress or substance abuse).

The power to make the right decision is in you. This book will help you unleash that power.

It teaches you to build skill power, not just willpower, and experience the thrill of health. It enables you to acquire the skills needed to easily do things the right way and not just stay away from the wrong ones (which can be difficult), such as cooking healthy and exercising correctly, avoiding stress and other addictions.

I hope this book acts as a collaborative accelerator to help my patients and colleagues and provides a holistic alchemy of science, education, spirituality and the arts. You are not wealthy until you have something money cannot buy - good health. I wish you lots of it.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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APPLE CINNAMON BREAD This incredibly moist bread is not only oil-free but super super delicious

by Catherine Barclay | serves 12 INGREDIENTS 2 cups 2 tsp 1 tsp 1/2 cup 1 cup 1/4 cup 1 tsp 1/2 Tbsp 1/2 tsp 2 cups 1/4 cup 1/2 apple

whole wheat flour baking powder baking soda unsweetened apple sauce plant-based milk (I used soy) maple syrup vanilla extract cinnamon powder nutmeg peeled and grated apples walnuts sliced for top NOTE: Keep the apple peelings from the grated apple to munch on as you wait for the bread to cook :-)

INGREDIENTS - Lemon glaze 1 Tbsp rice syrup or maple syrup 1 Tbsp lemon juice

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METHOD 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 2. Combine all ingredients except for the sliced apple into a bowl and gently fold over until all the flour is mixed in, don't overmix.

3. Pour the batter into a silicon bread pan or a lined pan.

4. Place the sliced apples on top and sprinkle with cinnamon.

5. Cook for 45 mins, then pierce into the loaf with a fork, if it doesn't come out clean continue baking for a further 5 mins.

6. Baste with the lemon glaze while the bread is still warm.

7. Leave to cool before slicing up.

ENJOY!!

STEWED RHUBARB AND APPLE So simple to do, and so delicious to eat. Fantastic with porridge in the morning, or some plant milk in the evening as a dessert.

by Catherine Barclay | serves 4 INGREDIENTS 400g 4 2 Tbsp 1 tsp 2 Tbsp

rhubarb apples maple syrup, or honey ground cinnamon water

METHOD 1. Rinse, slice off the hard ends, and then cut rhubarb into small pieces.

2. Core the apples and cut them into small slices.

3. Add all ingredients into a large pot, cover and bring to a boil.

4. Simmer gently for around 10 mins. Stir occasionally to make sure the mix doesn't stick to the base.

5. Check fruit by piercing with a fork, when soft remove from heat.

6. Try not to eat it there and then straight from the pot :-) ENJOY!!

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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The grim findings on Australia's deteriorating environmental health

C

"Environmental destruction costs our economy billions of dollars, with climate change and biodiversity loss representing both national and global financial risks."

limate change is exacerbating pressures on every Australian ecosystem and Australia now has more foreign plant species than native, according to the highly anticipated State of the Environment Report that was released in July.

The report also found the number of listed threatened species rose 8% since 2016 and more extinctions are expected in the next decades. The document represents thousands of hours of work over two years by more than 30 experts. It’s a sobering read, but there are some bright spots.

Australia has produced a national state of environment report every five years since 1995. They assess every aspect of Australia’s environment and heritage, covering rivers, oceans, air, ice, land and urban areas. The last report was released in 2017.

This report goes further than its predecessors, by describing how our environment is affecting the health and well-being of Australians. It is also the first to include Indigenous co-authors.

As chief authors of the report, we present its key findings here.

They include new chapters dedicated to extreme events and Indigenous voices.

1. Australia’s environment is generally deteriorating There have been continued declines in the amount and condition of our natural capital – native vegetation, soil, wetlands, reefs, rivers and biodiversity. Such resources benefit Australians by providing food, clean water, cultural connections and more.

The number of plant and animal species listed as threatened in June 2021 was 1,918, up from 1,774 in 2016. Gang-gang cockatoos and the Woorrentinta (northern hopping-mouse) are among those recently listed as endangered.

Australia’s coasts are also under threat from, for instance, extreme weather events and land-based invasive species.

Our nearshore reefs are in overall poor condition due to poor water quality, invasive species and marine heatwaves. Inland water systems, including in the Murray Darling Basin, are under increasing pressure.

Nationally, land clearing remains high. Extensive areas were cleared in Queensland and New South Wales over the last five years. Clearing native vegetation is a major cause of habitat loss and fragmentation, and has been implicated in the national listing of most Australia’s threatened species.

2. Climate change threatens every ecosystem Climate change is compounding ongoing and past damage from land clearing, invasive species, pollution and urban expansion.

The intensity and frequency of extreme weather events are changing. Over the last five years, extreme events such as floods, droughts, wildfires, storms, and heatwaves have affected every part of Australia.

Seasonal fire periods are becoming longer. In NSW, for example, the bushfire season now extends to almost eight months. Extreme events are also affecting ecosystems in ways never before

56 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

The report's authors above from left are: Professor Emma Johnston, University of Sydney, adjunct Professor Ian Cresswell, UNSW Sydney and honorary associate Professor, Terri Janke, UNSW Sydney. Their article below is republished from The Conversation under the Creative Commons licence. documented.

For example, the downstream effects of the 2019-2020 bushfires introduced a range of contaminants to coastal estuaries, in the first global record of bushfires impacting estuarine habitat quality.

3. Indigenous knowledge and on-ground change This includes traditional fire management, which is being recognised as vital knowledge by land management organisations and government departments.

For example, Indigenous rangers manage 44% of the national protected area estate, and more than 2,000 rangers are funded under the federal government’s Indigenous rangers program.

Work must still be done to empower Indigenous communities and enable Indigenous knowledge systems to improve environmental and social outcomes.

4. Environmental management isn’t well coordinated Australia’s investment is not proportional to the grave environmental challenge. The area of land and sea under some form of conservation protection has increased, but the overall level of protection is declining within reserves.

We’re reducing the quantity and quality of native habitat outside protected areas through, for instance, urban expansion on land and over-harvesting in the sea.

The five urban areas with the most significant forest and woodland habitat loss were Brisbane, Gold Coast to Tweed Heads, Townsville, Sunshine Coast and Sydney. Between 2000 and 2017, at least 20,212 hectares were destroyed in these five areas combined, with 12,923 hectares destroyed in Queensland alone.

Australia is also increasingly relying on costly ways to conserve biodiversity. This includes restoration of habitat, reintroducing threatened species, translocation (moving a species from a threatened habitat to a safer one), and ex situ conservation (protecting species in a zoo, botanical garden or by preserving

genetic material).

5. Environmental decline is harming our well-being

In this report we document the direct effects of environmental damage on human health, for example from bushfire smoke.

The indirect benefits of a healthy environment to mental health and well-being are harder to quantify. But emerging evidence suggests people who manage their environment according to their values and culture have improved well-being, such as for Indigenous rangers and communities.

Environmental destruction also costs our economy billions of dollars, with climate change and biodiversity loss representing both national and global financial risks.

Climate change is hitting ecosystems hard Previous reports mostly spoke of climate change impacts as happening in future. In this report, we document significant

Hundreds of thousands of fish in the Menindee weir pool and neighbouring waterways died in January 2019.

climate harms already evident from the tropics to the poles.

As Australia’s east coast emerges from another “unusual” flood, this report introduces a new chapter dedicated to extreme events.

Many have been made more intense, widespread and likely due to climate change.

We document the national impacts of extreme floods, droughts, heatwaves, storms and wildfires over the past five years. And while we’ve reported on immediate impacts – millions of animals killed and habitats burnt, enormous areas of reef bleached, and people’s livelihoods and homes lost – many longer-term effects are still to play out.

Extreme conditions put immense stress on species already threatened by habitat loss and invasive species. We expect more species extinctions over the next decades.

An extreme heatwave in 2018, for example, killed some 23,000 spectacled flying foxes. In 2019, the species was uplisted from vulnerable to endangered.

Many Australian ecosystems have evolved to rebound from extreme “natural” events such as bushfires. But the frequency, intensity, and compounding nature of recent events are greater than they’ve experienced throughout their recent evolutionary history.

For example, marine heatwaves caused mass coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2022. Such frequent disturbances leave little time for recovery.

Indeed, ecological theory suggests frequently disturbed ecosystems will shift to a “weedy” state, where only the species that live fast and reproduce quickly will thrive.

This trend will bring profound shifts in ecosystem structure and function. It also means we’ll have to shift how we manage and rely on ecosystems – including how we harvest, hunt and otherwise benefit from them.

Including Indigenous voices

Indigenous people of Australia have cared for the lands and seas over countless generations and continue to do so today.

In Australia, a complex web of government laws and agreements relate to Indigenous people and the environment. Overall, they are not adequate to deliver the rights Indigenous people seek: responsibility for and stewardship of their Country including lands and seas, plants and animals, and heritage.

For the first time, this report has a separate Indigenous chapter, informed by Indigenous consultation meetings, which highlights the importance of caring for Country.

Including an Indigenous voice has required us to change the previous approach of reporting on the environment separately from people. Instead, we’ve emphasised how Country is connected to people’s well-being, and the interconnectedness of environment and culture.

Environmental management failures

Australia needs better and entirely new approaches to environmental management. For example, the inclusion of climate change in environmental management and resilience strategies is increasing, but it’s not universal.

As well as climate stresses, habitat loss and degradation remain the main threats to land-based species in Australia, impacting nearly 70 per cent of threatened species.

More than a third of Australia’s eucalypt woodlands have been extensively cleared, and the situation is worse for some other major vegetation groups.

Experts say within 20 years, another seven Australian mammals and ten Australian birds – such as the King Island brown thornbill and the orange-bellied parrot – will be extinct unless management is greatly improved.

Of the 7.7 million hectares of land habitat cleared between 2000 and 2017, 7.1 million hectares (93%) was not referred to the federal government for assessment under the national environment law.

Only 16 per cent (13 of 84) of Australia’s nationally listed threatened ecological communities meet a 30 per cent minimum protection standard in the national reserve system.

Three critically endangered communities, all in NSW, have no habitat protection at all. These are the Hunter Valley weeping myall woodland, the Elderslie banksia scrub forest, and Warkworth sands woodland.

The bright spots

The report also highlights where investments and the hard work of many Australians made a difference.

Individuals, non-government organisations and businesses are increasingly purchasing and managing significant tracts of land for conservation. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy, for example, jointly manages some 6.5 million hectares actively conserving many threatened species.

By building on achievements such as these, we can encourage new partnerships and innovations, supported with crucial funding and commitment from government and industry.

We also need more collaboration across governments and non-government sectors, underpinned by greater national leadership. This includes listening and codeveloping solutions with Indigenous and local communities, building on and learning from Indigenous and Western scientific knowledge.

And we need more effort and resources to measure progress. This includes consistent monitoring and reporting across all states and territories on the pressures, and the health of our natural and cultural assets.

Such efforts are crucial if we’re to reverse declines and forge a stronger, more resilient country.

wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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58 wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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PLANT-BASED TIPS

By Catherine Barclay

KEEP LEGUMES, GRAINS & DRY GOODS IN PANTRY

Grains, legumes, and dry goods are your friends! Keeping legumebased pasta, dried legumes (such as lentils and kidney beans), and grains (like pearl couscous, quinoa, and rice) on hand is a super cool way to make protein-packed and easy meals. Plus, these items are not perishable! It's a great way to make meal prep easier as well. realsimple.com

DON'T FORGET GROUND FLAXSEED & CHIA SEED

This is an easy way to make super-filling and nutritious meals.

Flaxseed is high in nutrients, like omega−3 fatty acids, and chia seeds are high in nutrients such as fibre and calcium. Sprinkle them onto toast, into smoothies, sauté them directly into vegetables, and more! Plus, both can be used as an egg substitute when you're baking.

BOILING VEGGIES IN STOCK COLLECT BASIC SPICES & HERBS INSTEAD OF WATER This is such a simple tip, it might seem silly — but it's also second nature to just turn on the tap when you need a liquid cooking medium for your veggies. In general, boiled vegetables tend to be less exciting and less nutritious (since many vitamins and minerals leach out into the cooking water), but sometimes it's an ideal method.

Swapping in stock or broth instead of using plain water adds a ton of flavour when you're slowcooking greens, boiling spuds for mashed potatoes, or braising carrots. When you use this trick for a recipe that originally calls for water, though, you'll likely need less salt in the finished dish. Be sure to taste your veggies before adding seasoning. You can also save your extra-flavourful broth that's left behind for a quick soup down the line; cool it and freeze it if you don't plan to use it within the week. mashed.com

realsimple.com

A DASH OF VINEGAR A LITTLE BAKING SODA SPEEDS UP CARAMELISED ONIONS

Serious Eats found that you can make caramelizing onions more efficient by adding a pinch of baking soda to speed up the browning process. Because baking soda helps break down the pectin in the onions, this also makes their texture even softer in the end. mashed.com



A meal can go from blah to ooo-la-la with just a few simple spices and herbs. Invest in the basic ones (garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, thyme, sage, cayenne pepper, curry powder, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, rosemary, dill, basil, oregano) to keep variety in your meals. And then start adding more to your collection. It will be fun! You can also look for seasoning blends to save time and money, as they have several ingredients in one bottle (i.e., Italian seasoning, Mexican seasoning, garam masala) It may be costly at first to collect spices, but there are always filling stations that offer bulk spices for cheap! Research your area for options. And keep in mind that one $4 bottle of spice can turn out dozens of delicious meals. sharonpalmer.com

BUY IN BULK

Adding a splash of vinegar to a pot of boiling potatoes helps keep their texture from turning to grainy mush, a great trick for potato salad in particular. On the advice of Serious Eats, "a tablespoon of vinegar per quart of water" is enough to keep potatoes from overcooking. Spiking your water with vinegar also keeps cauliflower bright white, a big bonus if you're using it on a veggie platter where pretty presentation matters. mashed.com

In the bulk section, you can save money on spices, nuts, seeds, flour, nutritional yeast, dried fruit, beans, whole grains, and lentils.

Also, look for larger volume of foods you buy frequently at a warehouse store, such as brown rice, soy milk, frozen fruit, and oats. sharonpalmer.com

GOT SOME GREAT TIPS TO SHARE? CONTACT ME AT CATHERINE@WHOLEFOODLIVING.LIFE wholefoodliving.life | Summer 2022

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The Podcast selections below cover food and health issues and provide quick access to a deeper understanding of what whole food eating can achieve.

Listening to podcasts on a regular basis is a great way to increase your understanding of WFPB and keep yourself on track.

Atrial Fibrillation & Plant Based

The Science Behind Edibles

Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common arrhythmias that people develop. The good news is that a plant based diet and exercise can reverse the risk factors.

The first of a four part mini series from Kew Gardens. The Plant Based Podcast visits the edible science garden and gets chatty with Helena Dove.

Eating a Large Breakfast and Lunch

The Genetics of Body Size

Dr. Hana Kahleov talks to Plant based Canada about her research into meal freqency and why eating a large breakfast and lunch is so important.

In this episode of Dr Yami's podcasts, Dr Giles Yeo describes the complexities around body weight and how the size of our body is influenced by our genes

From Starving Actor to Plant-Based Superstar

Gut Health with Robynne Chutkan MD

Plant Centered Nutrition talks to JT an actor who turned around his high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes through diet.

Rich Roll talks with Gastroenterologist Robynne Chutkan who offers practical advice for optimizing diet, exercise, sleep, and time outdoors to boost the body’s defenses.

Natural Help for Gout: Try These Foods

Fats, Sugar, & Metabolic Health

Learn the best foods for gout relief and the ones that are most likely to cause a flare-up. Dr Neal Barnard answers your questions on the PCRM Pod cast "The Exam Room".

The Proof Podcast talks to Dr Richard Johnston on how diet affects the health & function of metabolism & the liver.

Navigating where we agree & where our stances might differ.

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The YouTube selections below cover a range of lifestyle, food and health issues. They include specialist tips and easy access to a deeper understanding of what whole food plant-based eating can achieve.

Toitū Te Whenua - Geoff Reid

Keto Diets: Muscle Growth & Bone

A documentary exploring the BOP & Lakes District; the many pressures & challenges our natural environment faces. https://tinyurl.com/3u87dykh

Dr Greger talks about Ketogenic diets can undermine exercise efforts & lead to muscle shrinkage and bone loss. https://tinyurl.com/bddbdn62

Tackling Diabetes with Dr Neal Barnard

Can Certain Foods Help Your Metabolism?

100 million Americans are pre-diabetic or diabetic Dr Barnard identifies the causes of this serious issue. https://tinyurl.com/yucejrhp

Dr. Hana Kahleova shares the latest science on a new episode of The Exam Room podcast! https://tinyurl.com/3nzpw933

Life Expectancy And Healthy Life

Cardiologist Columbus D Batistetion

Dr Alan Goldhamer explains why there's a big difference between life expectancy and healthy life expectancy. https://tinyurl.com/2s96rk32

Vegan linked chats with cardiologist Dr Batiste on how lifestyle protecta againts our leading killers. https://tinyurl.com/4n57rpkx

Western Diet Killing Samoans

Western Diets and Your Health

Dr Vermeulen attended a McDougall Weekend in 2012 to learn WFPB to take back to the people of Samoa. https://tinyurl.com/2p89fee8

A new study links processed western diets to a rise in autoimmune diseases. Dr Brooke Goldner answers questions. https://tinyurl.com/mr3a379r

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Books to Consider

British family doctor Gemma Newman explores how a simple change in diet helps many common chronic illnesses - from diabetes and heart disease to obesity - and the science that explains why it works. Contains over 60 delicious meal ideas.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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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.

MILKED Directed by Amy Taylor and presented by indigenous activist Chris Huriwai, MILKED has been racking up some massive viewing numbers worldwide. This Kiwi created doco takes a hard look at industrial dairy farming in New Zealand and shows how it 'milks' not only animals but farmers, consumers, rivers, the land and the climate. MILKED attacks the cynical marketing jargon used to hide the negative impacts of an industry many Kiwis have come to accept as one of the vital vertebras in the country's financial backbone.

Available at: join.waterbear.com/milked

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 .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

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.

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Take a break

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Healthy crossword

Across 1 type of tea (6) 7 Sandy ... p.26 (6) 8 opposing force (10) 12 painful affliction (4) 13 produce on farm (4) 15 ancient artefact (5) 16 young child (4) 19 Dr Bob ... p.42 (8) 22 charged particle (3) 24 Dr Mythri ... p.52 (7) 25 Australian bird (5) 26 perplex (7) 27 pull (3) 29 south pacific island (5) 30 Innes ... p.30 (4) 31 type of seasoning (8) 33 Sophie ... p.10 (8) 36 theft (7) 37 Dr Hana ... p.18 (8)

Down 1 ... Brown p.40 (4) 2 restore to zero (5) 3 Eric ... p.47 (5) 4 going without food p.18 (7) 5 close (4) 6 usa author Harriet Beecher ... (5) 8 edible stem p.55 (7) 9 type of vegetable (11) 10 tart (4) 11 ... change p.56 (7) 14 grown without chemicals (7) 17 concealing under ground (6) 18 hot drink (5) 20 rubbish (5) 21 female hormone p.44 (8) 23 today (3) 27 ... Te Whenua p.41 (5) 28 male offspring (3) 32 new guinea river (5) 34 slumber (5)

35 thyriod disease p.10 (6) 38 body joint (3)

Go to the link below for solutions

Click or scan QR image for references. wholefoodliving.life/references-summer-2022/

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Recipe index

17

54

37

13

49

STARTERS | IDEAS

MAINS

SWEETS | DESSERTS

Smoky Spinach Cream Cheese.................13 Spiced Cauliflower.......................................16 No Oil Baba Ganoush.................................21 No Oil Potato Flatbread.............................21 Vege Stock.....................................................23 Cultured Soy Sour Cream...........................33

Moroccan Kūmara Nuggets........................12 Wholesome Hempseed Tabouli.................12 Roasted Eggplant Dahl................................14 Caesar-Y Salad...............................................17 Mexican Stuffed Potato...............................28 Smokehouse Chopped Salad......................29 Lemon Asparagus..........................................37 No Oil Mushroom Gravy.............................37 Kumara Mash................................................37 Oil Free Hashbrown.....................................40 Potato Leek And Carrot Soup....................45

Crepes With Apple Cashew Cream.........48 Wholemeal Fruit Slice.................................49 Apple Cinnamon Bread...............................54 Stewed Rhubarb And Apple......................55

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Tried our Recipes? Show us your creation!

Mention @wholefoodliving.life and tag #wholefoodliving.life

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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

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FACT: BIG PHARMA CAN’T PATENT GREENS.

Science is pointing to the power of plants to help alleviate symptoms and heal the body ...and it’s a lot cheaper too.

A 2014 research review published in the journal Current Allergy and Asthma Reports found that the symptoms of many autoimmune diseases (including fatigue in MS, pain and diarrhoea in IBD, or the need of insulin in type one diabetes) may be “considerably affected” by food choices. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4034518/)

“ I know of nothing else in medicine that can

come close to what a plant-based diet can do. In theory, I really believe we can cut health care costs by 70-80 %.”

Dr T. Colin Campbell

#wholefoodlivingnz www.wholefoodliving.life