What your cravings say about your diet...part one...

This blog is a really simple one for me today - we all have them, but what do those food cravings really mean??

"Caolan, is this another one of those blogs where you take all my fun away??"

...yes, maybe...but if bad food choices are the only fun you have then that's your issue, not mine...

...okay, let's start with the usual biggest offender for those bad cravings: chocolate!!

...a craving for chocolate usually indicates a defiency in magnesium (responsible for contraction and relaxation of muscles, and energy production within the body) - easy sources of magnesium include: nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, leafy green vegetables, almonds, sunflower seeds and brown rice...

...the next most common craving is the grab for the sweet, sugary foods...this craving is a little more complex, as it involves a defiency in five elements...

...firstly, chromium (which is crucial in the metabolism of fats within the body) is usually deficient - foods rich in chromium include broccoli, grape, chicken, wheat germ, mushrooms, meat, liver and shellfish...

...secondly, a shortage of carbon (the essential building block of human life) is usually associated with a craving for sugary sweet foods - foods rich in carbon include fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and avocado...

...thirdly, a defiency in phosphorous (essential for the formation of bones and teeth, but also plays a role in the metabolisation of fat within the body) can also contribute to these cravings - foods with high levels of phosphorus include chicken, beef, fish, eggs (especially the yolk), milk and milk products, nuts and legumes...

...the fourth contributor to sugar cravings is a deficiency in sulphur (a critical part of building amino acids) - foods to consume to increase your levels of sulphur include cranberries, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, radishes, turnips, onions, celery, beans, fish and eggs...

...and the final co-contributor to sweet cravings is a deficiency in tryptophan (an essential amino acid that the body cannot produce by itself that plays a major role in the production of melatonin and serotonin - it can be used to treat insomnia and depression, and can play a role in weight reduction) - foods rich in tryptophan include: turkey, chicken, tuna, venison, salmon, lamb, deep sea fish, raisins, spinach and sweet potato...

...the next big craving that needs to be addressed is that craving for bread, pasta and other carbohydrates...this craving is usually linked to a deficiency in nitrogen (important for growth and immune function), and the foods that you should be consuming are high protein foods like meat, fish, nuts, beans, dairy products and eggs...

...and there's where I will leave it for today - the next blog will deal with the cravings for oily and fatty foods, salty foods and that general desire to continuously over eat...until then, if you need or want more information, feel free to email me: the.chiro@mail.com

When fit meets fad...

...or "when health meets hyperbole"

...you've all seen this - you've all been subjected to the ads...out there, promoting the "lastest" in fitness and health "break throughs"...


"...wow Caolan, that's a few parenthesis already..."


...you're right, it is...and here's why...


...Australia has this funny set of rules that means you can release a product onto the market, make a whole lot of statements about it's health benefits...and then you have six months to prove those claims...


...yep, six months...


...see the problem I have with this??


...my favourite example in this was the goji berry juice craze...goji berry juice was released onto the market, with inflated statements about it's ultrahigh anti-oxidant values...people start to buy and use the juice, thinking they have bought the latest "wonder product"...then, the research comes out - goji berries aren't really that high in anti-oxidants, in fact, the table of values for foods with high anti-oxidant values had been cropped to place goji berries at the top of it...


...now, this doesn't mean that every new product on the market uses this deceptive or questionable tactic...but it does mean that you should be very careful about what you read and hear...


...if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is...


...and secondly, please don't base your ideas for health and fitness on what you see on a TV infomercial or "life" magazine...if you really want to know what is going to help you feel younger, healthier and more energetic - talk to your qualified health professional (ie chiropractor, osteopath, physiotherapist or general practitioner) as there are a number of factors to be considered...

...my advice: to really be healthy and energetic, you need to do the following - eat well, exercise regularly, sleep well and have good healthy stress relief tactics (these should not come in pill or powder form)...


...as always, if you need to know more - you know how to reach me...