Tag: health

A bit about Buckwheat

Todays post is about Buckwheat. After sharing my Digestive Biscuit recipe and the reference to buckwheat being good for digestion, I thought that this topic should be next.

So, what is buckwheat?

The buckwheat plant was domesticated in north western China 3,000 years ago and despite the name, is not related to wheat in any way. Instead, buckwheat is actually related to sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb. Its seeds so closely resemble the much larger seeds of the beech tree that the plant has been called “beech wheat,” or buckwheat. It is actually a soft leaf, green plant with pretty white flowers.

Buckwheat is not classified as a ‘true’ grain, but rather a ‘pseudo-cereal’. Its nutritional profile, nutty flavour, appearance and culinary applications have led it to be commonly referred to as a grain.

It has many Health Benefits
  • It’s gluten free
  • High in protein (13-15%), second highest only to oats, and rich in the amino acid lysine.
  • Rich in polyunsaturated essential fatty acids, such as linoleic acid.
  • Contains vitamins B1, C, E and P as well as high levels of zinc, copper, and manganese.
  • High in soluble fibre.
  • A rich source of antioxidant compounds.
  • Contains rutin, a bioflavonoid that helps control blood pressure.
Beneficial to the Cardiovascular System

Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The beneficial effects are due in part to its rich supply of flavonoids, particularly rutin.

Rutin protects against disease by extending the action of vitamin C and acting as antioxidants. This helps maintain blood flow and keep platelets from clotting excessively.

It’s also a good source of magnesium. Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure—the perfect combination for a healthy cardiovascular system.

Supports digestive health

Buckwheat has high content of fibre, about six grams in every one cup serving. The fibre helps to fill you up, suppresses the appetite and lowers the chances of over eating. It also helps move food through the digestive tract. This type of insoluble fibrous food is essential for cleaning and strengthening intestines.

Buckwheat is also one of the foods to eat to heal and seal a leaky gut. This is because it is the world’s best source of vitamin P. It actually helps to increase collagen formation and increase intestinal resilience.

Main forms of buckwheat

As flour – it may be used to make gluten free crepes and pancakes. It is also used in conjunction with other flours to make muffins, rolls, bread and cookies. Also works well as a thickener for sauces, soups and casseroles.

Buckwheat groats – are dehulled buckwheat kernels. The groats are used in many dishes throughout the world. In Europe the toasted groats (Kasha) are used in dishes like pilafs.

Soba noodles – buckwheat flour is mixed with wheat flour to produce these Japanese noodles. The buckwheat flour content can range from 50% to 80% depending on the type of noodle produced.

With so many health benefits, it seems like a good idea to include buckwheat as a regular part of our diet.

Till the next post,

Live Clean n Prosper

Sources – Wikipedia – Worlds Healthiest Foods – Grains & legumes Nutrition Council, Aust – Foundation for Alternative and Integrative Medicine 

A bit about Adrenal Fatigue

Is adrenal fatigue a real disease? At this time there is no approved test or formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue.

Todays post is about Adrenal Fatigue.

I was having a conversation with someone about this condition recently and decided to research it a bit more. Here is what I found.

It seems that many health professionals do not recognise ‘Adrenal fatigue’ as an actual illness or health issue.

What Is It?
James Wilson, PhD, a naturopath and expert in alternative medicine came up with the term “adrenal fatigue” in 1998. He describes it as a “group of related signs and symptoms (a syndrome) that results when the adrenal glands function below the necessary level.” He says it’s usually associated with intense stress and often follows chronic infections like bronchitis, flu, or pneumonia.

The adrenal glands, which are small organs above your kidneys, respond to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones are part of your “fight or flight” response.
According to James Wilsons’ theory, if we are subjected to long-term stress, the adrenal glands burn out from prolonged production of cortisol. So adrenal fatigue sets in. The adrenal depletion would cause brain fog, low energy, depressive mood, salt and sweet cravings, lightheadedness, and other vague symptoms.

Is the condition real?
Low energy and tiredness are among also the most common reasons patients seek help from a doctor. Despite being so common, it is often challenging to come up with a diagnosis, as many medical problems can cause fatigue.
Adrenal Fatigue, in theory, links stress exposure to adrenal exhaustion as a possible cause of this lack of energy.
However, too much cortisol can also derail the body’s most important functions creating similar symptoms.

Is adrenal fatigue a real disease?
I was not able to find any scientific studies to support the theory.
The Endocrine Society (the world’s largest organisation of endocrinologists) does not recognise this condition. The Endocrinologists are categorical: “no scientific proof exists to support adrenal fatigue as a true medical condition.”

At this time there is no approved test or formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue.

What about Adrenal Insufficiency?
Also known as Addison’s disease, is a recognised condition that can be diagnosed with blood tests. It is a medical condition that occurs when your adrenal glands aren’t producing adequate amounts of one or more essential hormones.

Symptoms include chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, muscle weakness, weight loss, and stomach pain. You might also have nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, diarrhoea, depression, or darkening of the skin.

So what’s a person to do?
Regardless of what we call it, there are millions of people suffering from similar symptoms.
Just because at this stage there are no tests for this condition or that it is not recognised as an actual medical condition, doesn’t mean that it’s not possible.
It is important to seek advise from your health care professional. There are usually various tests that need to be conducted to rule out known health conditions. Treatments include personalised plans involving supplements, counselling and some lifestyle changes.

I hope you found this interesting.

Till the next post,

Live clean n prosper

Sources – www.health.harvard.edu, www.healthdirect.gov.au, www.webmd.com

Yoga and it’s Health Benefits

Today’s post is about Yoga and it’s many health benefits.

I started attending Yoga classes just once a week, several years ago. Unfortunately, due to my work commitments, I stopped attending after 2 years.

Though I only attended for a short period of time, I found that yoga helped with several things.

I learnt to breath better, the relaxation exercises helped my sleep and the yoga poses helped my joint mobility. You would think that with these benefits I would have been a committed ‘yogi’, practicing every day. However, like many of us, my life got busy and I practiced less and eventually not at all.

Earlier this year I read an article in the paper about yoga and it reignited my interest. I downloaded a yoga app. and try to complete a session a couple of times a week.

A bit about yoga.

The purpose of yoga is to build strength, awareness and harmony in both the mind and body.

There are 8 major styles of yoga. They range from physically demanding to easy, relaxing and meditative. With each style a bit different from the others, you’ll find many variations on these depending on the teacher.

A yoga session, or workout, typically includes breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming postures (sometimes called asana or poses) that stretch and flex various muscle groups.

The health benefits

The relaxation techniques incorporated in yoga can lessen chronic pain, such as lower back pain, arthritis, headaches and carpal tunnel syndrome.

There have been many scientific studies conducted regarding the health benefits of yoga. These have shown that the practice of yoga does improve overall health.

The most well known benefits are –

  • Lowering blood pressure and heart rate
  • Improved coordination
  • Reduce stress
  • Improved concentration
  • Better sleep
  • Improved respiratory function
  • Develops relaxation techniques
  • Improved digestion
  • Balancing metabolism
  • Increased muscle strength and tone
  • Flexibility and balance
  • Improved joint mobility

Lesser know benefits

More recent studies have found other positive effects from regular practice of yoga.

These include –

  • A positive effect on learning rate
  • Improved sensory awareness
  • Increased pain tolerance and decreased anxiety and distress associated with pain.
  • Plays a role in weight loss and management
  • Promotes healthy eating habits
  • Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes by reducing the contributing factors associated with the condition
  • Decreased secretion of cortisol

Yoga has also been found to help with many neurological disorders, as strokes, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s. It can also assist with other mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

Yoga is also often utilised as part of therapy programs for people recovering from serious health conditions or major trauma events.

It seems that just 15 minutes of yoga practice a day can start changing your brain chemistry and improving your mood. At the same time improving our overall health.

Until next time,

Live clean n prosper