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

...and we're back again...and I want to start with a conversation I had with a patient the other day...they've walked into my treatment room and announce to me:

"...hey, so I had ice cream for dinner last night - is that okay??"

...now, my answer should have probably consisted of a sympathetic but firm diatribe about how that's not really suitable and what deficiencies this dinner choice shows up...instead I answered with "...you eat like a five year old..."

...now I just hope this particular patient is reading this blog...

...anyway, back to the text - the next food craving I'd like to talk about is that craving for oily/fatty foods...which reveals a dietary deficiency of calcium(important for muscular contraction, blood clotting, regulating heart function and the production of strong bones and teeth)...

...foods rich in calcium include: dairy products, legumes, broccoli, green leafy vegetables (include cabbage, spinach & brussel sprouts in this), sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds and sardines...

...and what about that craving for salty foods?? How many people go scrambling for some hot chips when the cravings hit?? Well, you're actually pretty close to the mark here - this is the classic sign of a chloride (essential for your acid/alkali balance in the body) defiency...and fish is one of the higher sources of chloride, others include: goats milk, cocoa powder, tomatoes, olives, seaweed and celery...

...and what if you're just a general overeater?? I've had people suggest that this is purely a psychological problem, but I believe there is definitely a dietary related component of this problem...

...the following nutrients seem to play a role in suppressing that overly ambitious appetite: silicon, tryptophan and tyrosine...I have covered foods rich in tryptophan in the previous blog (click here if you happened to miss it), so I will run through the foods rich in the other elements...

...foods rich in silicon (for the formation of strong hair, skin and nails) include: nuts, seeds, brown rice, oats, alfalfa, capsicum, beetroots, pumpkin, carrots & cucumber...

...which leaves tyrosine (an essential amino acid involved in the production of neurotransmitters, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine) to cover - foods rich in tyrosine include: fresh fruit and vegetables, almonds and avocadoes...

...and that brings us to the end of my explanation of what the most common food cravings mean - if I haven't covered something you would like to know about, feel free to email me at the.chiro@mail.com

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...

Dry July

...yep, The Chiro is doing Dry July...

...why??


...because we all know someone who has been affected by cancer, and because I believe going a month without a drink is a very good way to raise money for people affected by cancer...


...so, please - click here and support a very important cause...

The Shamrocks are on ANZ Stadium this Saturday...

I think that pretty much sums it up...remember these girls?

...well, this Saturday night they will play on ANZ Stadium before the Sydney Swans play the GWS Giants (check the official link here)...it is being played as part of the AFL's multi-cultural round...

...so if you're an AFL fan - or just want a really fun Saturday night out in Sydney that doesn't involve a four hour preparation - come and watch the girls play...

How I spend my autumn and winter Saturdays...

...welcome to my weekend role as a chiro - looking after a women's AFL team (yes, women's)...they started in 2008 as the Bondi Shamrocks, but with the AFL taking over they have now merged with the University of Technology, Sydney - and now play as the UTS Shamrocks:

...the competition they play in covers team from as far south as Wollongong and as far west as Penrith...

...my role with the team is injury support and management (which means I am a little over strapping knees and ankles) on gameday, and providing a large amount of input into the fitness training of the team...

...if you want to know more about the team, or want to come and watch them play - their official website is here, or you can find them on Facebook here...

Why "sugar" is the new enemy...

...or what you haven't been told about "sugar"...

"...okay Caolan - why is sugar in inverted commas??"

(I like it when people pick up on the subtle hints)

...you're being told it everywhere at the moment - sugar is bad...but why??


...well, that's simple - because what you're being sold or told is sugar, really isn't...let me illustrate - this is what sugar should look like:

...this is sugar (or sucrose, which consists of a molecule of fructose and glucose bound together) in it's natural form - this, conversely, is what you're being sold as "sugar":

"...umm, Caolan - that's just looks like something out of a chemistry lab..."

(took the words right out of my mouth - resist any references to Meatloaf here, please)

...this is an individual molecule of glucose - one that has been cleaved from the fructose molecule it is normally bound to...this is what is commonly labelled as "sugar" in our foods (this does also happen in reverse)...the problem is that, even though this is a part of a natural sugar (sucrose) molecule, it does not act like a natural substance inside the body...

...it acts like a chemical - a drug...

(three second dramatic pause)

...and that should make the rest of what I say no surprise...

...the fact that this "sugar" is, in fact, a drug means that your body does not absorb it like a normal food...therefore, you cannot get any sense of satiety (or "fullness" - there's your word for the day guys) from consuming this...therefore, you can eat this for an extended period without feeling full...

...I don't know about you, but that scares the living daylights out of me...

...now if you consume large amounts (I'm talking in excess of 60g in a single sitting) of this "sugar", your body will attempt to remove it from your system to prevent this drug from damaging your body...so, how will it do this?? By coverting it to fat in your liver...

...that might raise the odd eyebrow, but that's what your liver is for - it eliminates toxic chemicals from your body...and yes, that means "sugar" is a toxic chemical...

...the other thing that disturbs me - this "sugar" is a drug...that means it comes with all the complications of drugs - meaning side-effects, withdrawal symptoms and:

"...okay mate, so you're painting a pretty bleak picture here - is it really THAT bad?? I mean, it's not like I'm a drug addict or anything..."

...the honest truth (and people really dislike it when I tell them this), you are - you're addicted...in fact, "sugar" is the most addictive substance known to humankind...we're born with a innate palate that prefers sour food...and once it is converted to liking sweet, it cannot be reverted...that means a life long addiction to "sugar"...

...the problem is that now this "sugar" is in a lot of the processed foods we find in our supermarkets...(I'll leave you as to your own assumptions as to why a can of tomatoes needs four teaspoons of this "sugar" in it)...so how do we avoid it??

...the most simple answer, is to start reading labels...and to start only consuming foods that are close to their natural state...therefore, the closer a food is to it's natural state - the less likely it is to have "sugar" in it...

"...okay, okay...so it's bad...but surely there's a safe amount that I can have??"

...that, I do not have an answer for...I think I have to fall back onto the words of my 4th grade teacher (thank you Sister Nina) - there is no such thing as a safe amount when you're talking about addictive substances...

...as always, if you want to know more about "sugar" alternatives or how you can alter your diet to avoid consuming this drug, feel free to email me: the.chiro@mail.com