Val Allen's West Australian Mind & Body 'Guru' Column


This is a selection of some of Val's recent articles which have been published in the West Australian

Fermented Foods
Lifestyles for Longevity
Living Longer and Stronger
Healthy Advertising
Fibre Reduces Inflammation

Fermented Foods

Fermented foods provide a pre-digestion technique that has been used for centuries throughout Europe, the Middle East and Asia to help civilisation digest and utilise nutrients more efficiently through the friendly bacteria they produce. Products such as yoghurt, kefir, sourdough breads, sauerkraut, miso soup, umboshi plums, and blue vein cheese have crept into the diets of Australian households as different cultures have introduced us to these foods.

Yoghurt contains friendly fermenting bacteria and we are now familiar with the importance of the probiotic, immune-stimulating effect of yoghurt cultures for our digestion. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that has been widely consumed in Eastern Europe for centuries; it contains approximately thirty different strains of friendly bacteria, making it a more potent digestive and immune-boosting product than yoghurt. Kefir is available from some health food shops and can also be easily made at home using a kefir grain starter; details about this are on my clinic website for those interested in making their own kefir.

The most important aspect of fermentation and digestion relates to grains and our bread industry. A colleague of mine, Rob Santich, has an interesting theory for the difficulty so many people have digesting bread and the increase of diagnosed coeliac disease. His theory is that until the 1950s, bakers worked in two shifts and the prepared dough was left to ferment and rise overnight before the second shift baked it next morning; this dramatically increased fermentation and breakdown of gluten in the flour, thus making it more digestible. Once large-scale commercial baking became established, baking was reduced to one shift and the long period of the fermentation process was lost. This, coupled with increasing pesticide and chemical changes to wheat production, has made high-volume bread more indigestible.

Many people find that sourdough bread digests well. Sourdough bread baking dates back to the Pharaohs around 1400 BC and was the only bread making technique used until the 1920s when commercial yeast production commenced. Sourdough bread begins with a ‘sourdough starter’ where equal parts of water and flour are allowed to ferment for five days – some of this starter culture is retained for future batches. This fermentation process creates a type of yeast product that produces the rising ability of the dough, and it is then proved for 8-12 hours, further increasing sourdough’s digestibility whilst also reducing the glycaemic index of the bread.

Sensitive digestive systems respond well to fermented foods, so why not consider making yoghurt, kefir, miso soup, sauerkraut and sourdough breads part of your healthy lifestyle.

Karen Smart, a patient at PNMC, describes how she makes Kefir:

Milk Kefir

  1. Do not use any metal whilst handling your kefir – only BPA-free plastic or glass.
  2. The better ingredients you feed your kefir the better quality your kefir will be and the more it will flourish.

Instructions:

  1. Find someone who will divide their kefir grains and give them to you (alternatively you can source them online via ebay).
  2. Place kefir grains into a glass jar.
  3. Add organic full cream milk at a 2:1 ratio to the kefir grains (I use Organic Margaret River Full Cream milk or Cleopatra’s Bath Milk) – non pasturised/non-homogenised is best.
  4. Place a gauze cloth over the top of the jar and secure with elastic band (the kefir must be allowed to breath to continue living).
  5. Place the jar in a darkened area (I keep mine on the kitchen bench out of full sunlight and it is very healthy).
  6. Once a day pour the jar’s contents through a sift/colander – place the grains back in the jar and add milk as per above – drink the kefir liquid, use in cooking or store in the fridge. No need to wash the jar each time – maybe just once a fortnight.
  7. Enjoy!

The kefir liquid is great in smoothies, cooking (in place of sour cream, yogurt or cream). Every morning I blend the kefir with freshly ground flaxseed and frozen berries and I drink about 600mL for my breakfast, my husband has 400mL with his museli, and my 4yr old daughter has 100mL as a drink with her cereal/toast.

Water Kefir (otherwise referred to as Tibicos)

  1. Do not use any metal whilst handling your kefir – only BPA-free plastic or glass.
  2. The better ingredients you feed your kefir the better quality your kefir will be and the more it will flourish.

Instructions:

  1. Find someone who will divide their kefir grains and give them to you (these are more difficult to source as these are rarer).
  2. Place kefir grains into a glass jar.
  3. Add filtered water at 2:1 ratio to the kefir grains.
  4. Add sugar at 1:3 ratio to kefir grains (mixture of organic raw sugar, organic cane sugar, organic palm sugar, organic black strap molasses, a large pinch of bicarbonate of soda, organic fruit (lemon/orange/grapefruit/unsulphurised dried fruit)).
  5. Place the lid loosely on the jar (the water kefir becomes carbonated so make sure the lid is placed very loosely so the gas can escape).
  6. Place the jar in a darkened area (I keep mine on the kitchen bench out of full sunlight and it is very healthy).
  7. Once every 2-3 days pour the jar’s contents through a sift/colander – place the grains back in the jar with the water, sugar, fruit and bicarbonate of soda as per above – either do a second fermentation for a stronger more nutritious kefir (possibly infusing with ginger or different fruit for another 2 days), or drink the kefir liquid immediately, use in cooking or store in the fridge. No need to wash the jar each time – maybe just once a fortnight.
  8. Enjoy!

The kefir liquid is great as a refreshing drink – it stores well in the fridge in glass bottles but once again be mindful that the kefir can become quite carbonated and that gas pressure should be released periodically (I keep my lids loose and like to drink my kefir noncarbonated). Experiment with different proportions and types of fruit and sugar to get a different tasting kefir.  If using non-organic fruit remove the skin before placing with the kefir – kefir does not like pesticides and chemicals. My 4 yr old loves this drink and calls it her ‘Magic’ drink and drinks it often throughout the day and over dinner.

Also, watch the youtube.com below for the water kefir – these clips are really good and give you the full run down on how to help your water kefir thrive and what proportions of everything you need to add. Plus directions on second fermentation if you want to do that part.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd8Dj31B5sg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eJ022J3xpk&feature=related
If you are interested in obtaining a kefir starter, please email Karen at
karen@lushartdesign.com.au.

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Lifestyles for Longevity

My last column examined the diets of four communities whose population regularly lived beyond 100 years with good physical and mental health.

These areas, identified by researcher Dan Buettner as 'Blue Zones' found the people of Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica) and the Seventh Day Adventists of Loma Linda (California) all had surprisingly similar lifestyle philosophies. These concepts could easily be adapted by our own society and it is estimated that they could extend your lifespan by ten quality years. Here are the keys to their success:

Exercise regularly: The Italians and Japanese walked long distances daily. Many cultivated gardens and worked hard in their old age, especially the Costa Ricans; the Adventists incorporated low density exercise into their daily routine. We are often reminded to apply this principle as regular exercise not only lowers blood pressure, cardiovascular risks and blood sugar levels, but improves balance and reduces the risk of falls.

Neuro scientists have also shown that thirty minutes of brisk walking three times weekly has a similar therapeutic benefit to that of anti-depressant medication!

Life Purpose: A common thread for all these people was that they held a daily sense of purpose and they were needed and valued members of their families and communities. They remained mentally active and their wisdom and life experiences were respected; they were regularly consulted for advice and many lived in households containing three generations. It has been shown that individuals growing up in strong, cohesive families have lower rates of depression, stress and suicide.

Social Circles: All four communities maintained strong connections with friends, neighbours and those with similar hobbies or interests. They felt very supported socially and often contributed to charitable activities. Uniting to help others was shown to increase self esteem and laughter and fun featured prominently in their lives. Researchers in Michigan have estimated that smiling and laughing frequently can add seven years to your lifespan.

Quiet Time: Resting one day weekly, a daily siesta or meditation sessions also was a feature of these groups. Quiet reflection has huge benefits for stress reduction and lessens the pressure on all systems of our bodies. Many would have observed that the messages here are also recommended by psychologists and the 'Beyond Blue' counsellors as principles for avoiding depression - exercise regularly, join social groups and find a worthwhile life purpose.

As we approach the festive season maybe we should all eat and drink moderately, be more social, join in the fun and laugh lots more.

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Living Longer and Stronger

Living beyond 100 years with good physical, mental and emotional strength is now a very real possibility. This is a regular phenomenon in at least four different world regions. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics currently 2,800 Australians are 100 years old or older of which 75% are women and 25% men. On a comforting note, Australia is the second longest living nation after Japan. This number is expected to increase to 12,000 by 2020, however physical frailty, weak bones, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancer and diabetes are real challenges.

Research presented by Dan Buettner in his book The Blue Zones - Lessons for Living Longer from those Who've Lived the Longest identifies Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica) and the Seventh Day Adventist Community of Loma Linda (California) as the best examples for quality longevity. So what are the secrets to their success?

Food: Although cultural differences existed, the common dietary theme of these groups was a lean, mainly plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, beans, legumes with small amounts of protein from fish, pork or meat as a side dish. High levels of antioxidant-rich green and red vegetables slowed their ageing processes. Beans, legumes and nuts provided vitamin B and fibre for digestion and anti-dementia properties. All their food was locally grown, most of it from their own gardens.

The Sardinians' Mediterranean diet and the Adventists' vegetarian diet were both cancer-protecting. Research from the Adventists' group showed that dietary legumes reduced colon cancer by 30%; women and men eating tomatoes three times weekly reduced ovarian and prostate risks by 70%. The Japanese group consumed soy, miso, bitter melon, ginger, turmeric, garlic, ginseng and green tea which all protect cell ageing and reduce diabetes and cancer risks.

Research has shown that the greatest impact on ageing common to all these groups was calorie restriction. Restricting your calorie intake by 20% to 40% has been proven to extend lifespan by up to 50%! So stop eating when you are 80% full and eat entrZe-size quality meals. Eating a handful of nuts five times weekly can extend your lifespan by at least four years according to research by the Adventists' group.

Beverages: The Costa Ricans drink very 'hard' water, with a high calcium and mineral content which is heart-protective and strengthens brittle bones. The Sardinians drink goats' milk which is heart-protective and moderate amounts of red wine. Reservatrol from grape skins acts like a scrubbing brush on arteries and increases longevity. Sardinian Cannonau red wine contains three times the level of reservatrol than other red wine. Reservatrol is readily available in tablet form in Australia (and far more accessible than Cannonau wine) and we all need a calcium and Vitamin D supplement as we age.

Japanese Okinawans drink high levels of green tea and a health study by the Adventists suggested that male members who drank 5 to 6 glasses of water daily had a 60% to 70% reduction in fatal heart attacks.

There are also lessons from the lifestyles of these groups. I will address this in my next column as a sense of purpose, community and family is important. Similarly humour, faith and exercise play an integral role.

On a final note, a Danish study of twins claimed that only 25% of our longevity is associated with genes, so this indicates that we have a 75% influence on how long we live!

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Healthy Advertising

Our media and health professionals regularly remind us that Australians are becoming more obese and that diabetes, heart disease and cancer are killing too many people before they have enjoyed long, healthy lives.

So how can we as a nation convincingly get the message across that we need to eat less fat, sugar, salt and junk foods and increase regular exercise for everyone?

It appears that until life-threatening symptoms present themselves, most Australians adopt the attitude that Òshe'll be rightÓ and only a hefty wake up call jolts them into commencing a healthy eating and exercise programme.

Unfortunately fat, sugar and salt makes food Òtaste betterÓ on most palates, and of course, food manufacturers capitalise on this when processing food. Food regulation standards really should be more restrictive on unhealthy foods, especially trans-fats.

Large food corporations regrettably have much bigger advertising budgets than government health departments and apart from the ÒEat 5 and 2Ó vegetable and fruit campaign, there are few healthy advertisements to keep us on track.

Of course Australia is not alone with its obesity epidemic. America and Britain have major problems and now France is facing its own obesity crisis - curiously since fast food chains have invaded that country.

I was fortunate enough to be in France recently and I was pleased to see the clever way their health regulators are tackling the problem of getting healthy messages through to its population. There are mandatory advertising regulations governing all television advertisements for food and drinks, whether they are healthy items such as spring water or fresh produce or unhealthy products such as snack foods, junk foods or take-away products.

Whenever a food advertisement is shown on television, one of the four following banner messages scrolls across the bottom of that advertisement for its duration:

- Eat at least five fruits and vegetables every day
- Avoid eating too much fat, sugar and salt
- Avoid snacking between meals
- Practice an active physical exercise regime.

This mandatory programme has been in place for about three years and it seems to be a clever, constant and low cost health reminder to all. Even if an advertisement showed a tasty take-away burger or pizza, the message displayed across the bottom of the screen would hopefully remind viewers that this food needed to be balanced against healthier practices.

As far as I could assess, the messages were randomly selected, paid for by the advertiser and no particular message was assigned to a specific product. I must say I did chuckle when an advertisement for potato crisps carried the banner ÒAvoid snacking between mealsÓ.

I know health regulators have considered a ÒfatÓ tax on foods which so far has not come to fruition and that some cereal manufacturers have agreed to start reducing the salt and sugar content of some of their products but consumers must still read ingredient labels.

In these times of government spending cut backs, maybe this cost-effective French television healthy lifestyle promotion campaign could be used in Australia to send some positive health messages to encourage a healthier nation.

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Fibre Reduces Inflammation

Dietary fibre is well known for its beneficial action to reducing cholesterol by sweeping waste from the bowel and assisting fat clearance. Sadly for Australians, our intake of dietary fibre has reduced by a whopping 40% over the past twenty years - about the same time frame that has seen the popular rise of fast foods and junk foods.

The fibre content of food encourages slower digestion, keeping us feeling full for longer periods of time, whilst stabilising blood sugar levels and enabling us to use insulin more efficiently. This is why wholegrains such as oats have a low glycaemic index and help people avoid type II diabetes.

The best sources of fibre are wholegrain cereals, bread, bran products, dried beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and fibrous vegetables and fruit. Adults should aim for a minimum intake of 30g fibre daily rather then the current Australian average of 12g daily.

A recent science programme highlighted a new and really important discovery regarding fibre. Medical scientist Kendal Maslowski from the Australian Garvan Institute has proved that dietary fibre in the gut produces short chain fatty acids which bind to immune receptor cells and dampen down inflammation in the body. Put simply, fibre reduces inflammation associated with asthma, arthritis, irritable bowel problems and allergic reactions, resulting in a significant reduction in symptoms. An improved response is obtained if the digestive tract contains a healthy level of probiotic flora - acidophilus compounds derived from yoghurt cultures.

One Perth lady who was experiencing extreme arthritic pain combined with elevated blood pressure and blood sugar levels found that by increasing her fibre levels to 60g daily over several months, she was able to eliminate her arthritic pain and bring her blood pressure and blood sugar levels back into normal range. This was achieved through a very dense fibre breakfast cereal, beans on toast for lunch and a thick bean soup for dinner.

Whilst this would be a little extreme for most of us, we should take advantage of the cooler months ahead to add more dried beans, pulses, root vegetables and green vegetables to soups and casseroles. Dried beans and pulses provide cheap, nutritious fibre and B vitamins for us all; however I can almost hear the groans from those who are thinking ÒWhat about gas?Ó

There is an excellent solution for this; cover dried beans with cold water and soak overnight. Add one strip of Kombu (a sea vegetable) per cup of beans; then cook the beans until soft. Kombu reduces the cooking time for beans, improves the way beans digest and dramatically reduces gas and bloating. Kombu can be sourced from health food shops and Asian grocery outlets

High fibre diets have also proved their value in accelerating fat loss for those trying to lose weight, so there are many reasons to check your fibre intake.

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