Dr Joanna McMillan

Is the Intermittent Fasting Diet Worth Trying?

Dr Joanna McMillan

The practice of fasting for health or spiritual reasons is as old as the hills. Pretty much every religion and many Eastern philosophies, have forms of fasting. Typically fasting is promoted as a means of discipline, reducing gluttony and for focusing the mind.

More recently fasting has been promoted as a means to weight loss. The intermittent fasting diet typically involves eating regular, healthy food 5 days a week and fasting on two non-consecutive days. The fasting days can simply involve skipping breakfast that day and eating a regular lunch and dinner.

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Flexitarian is the new buzz word when it comes to how to eat. If you haven’t heard of it yet you will now, you might even be on one without knowing it!

The word basically means flexible vegetarian. The true vegetarians amongst you might find that odd – you either are or you aren’t – but with my nutrition hat on I think it’s generally a good thing.

It encourages those of us who choose to eat animal foods, especially meat, to opt for a few more vegetarian meals in our week and give a serious boost to our plant food intake.

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I don’t know about you, but I don’t remember snacks being much of a thing when I was growing up. As kids we did have afternoon tea when we came home from school – generally toast, a bowl of cereal or some fruit and yoghurt – but otherwise snacking didn’t really happen and certainly not for grownups.

Today I feel snacking has gotten a little out of control. We are encouraged at every turn to eat or drink something! Supermarket shelves abound with all sorts of packaged snacks for kids and adults alike, some blatantly appealing to our taste buds with tempting indulgences, others claiming to be healthy foods … yet they often aren’t.

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When we classify foods based on how much carbs, fat and protein they contain, is it really helping us determine how healthy they are? In decades past we blamed fat for our expanding waistlines and it became the dietary demon. Out went any food with significant levels of fat and in came a flurry of fat-free and low fat foods to fill our shopping trolleys.

Unfortunately, we threw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater and although going low fat meant no more croissants, pies and chocolate bars, it also meant no nuts, avocado or extra virgin olive oil – all foods that are fabulously nutrient-rich and that are not only good for health but can actually help us to control our weight.

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An estimated 1.7 million Australians have diabetes and with 280 people being diagnosed every day, type 2 diabetes is our fastest growing chronic disease. It is also a disease that can be prevented in a large number of cases, with changes to our diet and lifestyle. It is essential therefore that we are all proactive in making the best choices possible. But what if you have already had a diagnosis? What are the best foods to eat with diabetes?

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Forget about the pictures on social media of celebrities bouncing back into their teeny tiny bodies in the blink of an eye after giving birth. They don’t live in the same world as most of us. Actually, you shouldn’t feel envy at their seemingly easy return to their pre-baby body, just imagine the pressure they were likely under to give that impression.

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In the colder winter months it’s easy to let good nutrition slip as you seek more comforting, hearty meals. Chopping up a whole bunch of vegies to throw together into a salad probably doesn’t appeal and so vegie intake can really take a dive. This is where soup comes to the rescue. A hearty meal in a bowl that warms you up, while when made with the right ingredients, packs in good nutrition. Here are 5 benefits of soup.

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You’ve probably heard the expression ‘summer bodies are made in winter’ and while I really dislike the whole emphasis on getting your body beach ready for the warmer months, there is some truth to the expression.

Winter is a time when many of us tend to gain a kilo or two. Colder weather makes heartier, comfort food more appealing and extra layers of clothing makes it easier to ignore a little extra fat storage. At the same time inclement weather – I’m looking out at sheets of rain as I write – makes it tougher to get out to exercise, particularly if you’re a fan of outdoor exercise. Bootcamp on the beach is not such an attractive option in the cold, wind and rain.

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Anyone who has tried to lose weight knows how hard it can be, but the even harder part of the weight control journey is keeping the weight off. The cycle of yo yo dieting is frustrating and pretty soul destroying. Each effort to lose weight feels terrific when you do, but when the kilos start to creep back on it can leave you feeling like a failure.

Don’t let yo yo dieting bring you down. You can stop the cycle and achieve weight control that brings a wealth of health and wellness benefits.

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Does frozen food deserve a bad rap? I think that’s partly because of the rise of budget brand options flooding our super market freezers. There are many unhealthy foods to be found in the frozen food aisle such as ice cream, factory produced party pies and ultra-processed chicken nuggets to name a few, but to label all frozen food as processed or unhealthy is just not true. The truth is that utilising frozen foods in your home freezer can help you and your family achieve a healthier diet.

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