All Posts By

Kate Taylor

Apr 11

#7 Kale

By Sunday Shutdown Series No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #7 Kale⠀

To begin with I’m going to get my biases towards kale out in the open. I just don’t like it. Therefore I pretty much never eat it. Cooked, raw, blended, whole or as a “crisp” it’s not for me. There that’s done.

But this week it was brought to my attention that people are suggesting eating raw kale is “bad” for you and you should steam or boil it before eating it ?‍♀️⠀

So firstly, how much kale do you actually consume in a day? I’m tipping a handful or two. And not everyday. Of course, please correct me if I’m wrong.

The time, stress and washing up it will take for you to steam it before you eat it or add it to your smoothie is likely to cause you more frustration that just eating it as is.

So where has this come from? Kale hails from the brassica family, like cabbage, and contains fibre, the stuff that bulks out your ?. We can’t digest fibre in the usual way but the bacteria in our gut ferment it and that’s how we get energy from it. It also releases ?

The outlandish claims around bloating relate to the fact you’d need to consume an extreme amount of kale (like kilograms of the stuff) on a daily basis which we simply don’t do.

Oh, and another thing, it won’t suppress your thyroid and mineral absorption won’t be enhanced if you cook it. If anything, having kale or spinach with something rich in vitamin C like lemon, lime or peppers will do you better. That’s been shown to enhance iron absorption.

The chances are there are far more dietary improvements you can make than cooking your kale before eating it. Simply eating more veg in the first place is a good place to start.

So, unless you have a specific gut issue then kale is fine just how it is, cook it if you prefer it that way, blend it if you want. Just don’t get hung up on the minute details.

Apr 11

#6 Slimming World

By Sunday Shutdown Series No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #6 Slimming World⠀

Yep that’s right. Any business that teaches you to allocate foods as good or bad, syn or free, green or red, A or B is basically giving you a false idea of what food really is. Why not spend your time and money learning which foods are actually beneficial for your health than assigning them a category? Just an idea…⠀

I know countless people who have attended SW, got results, put the weight back on, gone back to SW and so on and so on. It’s a cycle many have been going round for years. This happens because they aren’t educated on how to manage their diet in a sustainable way that suits their lifestyle with habits they can keep. ⠀

Foods are only kept in check when “at SW” and then once you hit goal it’s all or nothing. You see, there isn’t a finish line with health. There isn’t an end goal. If you need to change it needs to be forever and it’s going to take a while to learn the best way of doing things.

Context also matters massively, which is also why classifying foods in this way is really pointless. How is one food #bad for the entire population no matter your age, gender, activity level or goal?

Also unlimited chips, what does that do to your mindset and your hunger? “Oh I can’t have my favourite most delicious chocolate today but it’s fine because I can eat 25,000 chips because they are free?” How is that creating a #healthy relationship with food?

In positive news SW have created a community so credit where it’s due because the support and motivation you get from others is crucial.

My advice. Save your money, invest it in something that will help you learn and change your mindset to something more long term. Ask yourself why you keep going back and are you really feeling that good about yourself? Maybe move out of your comfort zone if it’s not working. Again, just an idea…

Apr 11

#5 Aloe Vera (AV)⠀

By Sunday Shutdown Series No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #5 Aloe Vera (AV)⠀
You know the plant and stuff you put on your skin when you get sunburnt.⠀

Over recent years food innovation has seen this hit the shelves as a bottled drink. Claims include:⠀
▪️ Helps reduce acne⠀
▪️ Reduces risk of developing stomach ulcers⠀
▪️ Aids digestion⠀
▪️ Antibacterial properties⠀
▪️ Is “extra” hydrating ⠀

Aloe Vera should only be used to treat sunburn. For other dermatology and skincare advice head over to @anjalimahto although I’m almost certain she doesn’t advocate drinking AV to assist in your skincare regime.⠀

Things that may aid your digestion include chewing your food, eating slowly, stopping when full and consuming lots of fibre. ⠀

Extra hydrating is not a thing. If you need to drink more the colour of your pee will alert you to that. By drinking AV it doesn’t mean you will be extra hydrated.

There is no science confirming it reduces your risk of stomach ulcers. ⠀

Basically it’s a sellout. It won’t improve your “health” anymore than having a normal cuppa or a glass of water. If you are trying to lose fat it’s also just extra calories. ⠀

Would you drink sunscreen if they made that into a drink? Done.

Apr 11

#4 CARBS Are they good? Are they bad?

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SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #4 CARBS Are they good. Are they bad?

Firstly it’s imperative to point out that no one food, or food group is good or bad. Challenge yourself with this thought every time you think something is either one. ⠀

We need carbohydrates to function normally. Sugar is the simplest form of carb. Starch (which we find in potatoes and grains) is a more complex type of carb and our body breaks that down into sugar which we then use as energy. Fibre is a type of carb, but we can’t break it down fully which is why it works its way through our body and leaves as poop!

It is near on impossible to cut out carbs in total. And anyone who says that they have is lying. ⠀
⠀
?enjoy more starchy carbs, potatoes, whole grain breads, pasta, rice, couscous⠀
?eat fruit and veg. More often than you currently do.
?leave the skin on folks.
?absolutely still enjoy cakes, cookies, ice cream, chocolate and anything else with sugar added to it. Just be sensible about how often and how much. If you are eating these foods more often than the ones above it may be time to re-asses the balance.

People have the misconception that when they cut out carbs, they will lose fat easier and faster. When there is no scientific research at all to suggest this. Losing fat all comes down to being in a calorie deficit. The chances are by reducing your carb intake you are in fact also just eating less food which = a calorie deficit.

Think about what happens when you are told you can’t have something? You want it. That’s what happens when you try to cut foods out of your diet because you think they are “bad”. And we all don’t need any extra pressure in our already pressurised lifestyles!

Carbs are our friend, we need them to be healthy. So rather than cut them out or fear they are bad, enjoy them like every other food.⠀

Apr 11

#3 Himalayan Pink Salt

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SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #3 Himalayan Pink Salt.

This one came through on my DMs last week and with good reason. Since the pink stuff landed on our shelves it’s been advocated to contain more minerals and less sodium than standard salt, that it can balance your blood pH and is just generally better.

?All salt contains relatively the same level of sodium. And whilst salt has been demonised in recent years we actually need it for our muscles to function amongst other
things.
?Whilst it may contain trace minerals think about how much salt you actually consume. Not much. Therefore you can get said trace minerals in lots of other foods you eat in bigger quantities like fruit, veg, lentils etc probably best to just make sure you eat as much variety rather than overloading on salt.
?Food can’t change your blood pH if it did you would die. And if you are deficient in a mineral like sodium your body doesn’t care where it’s from, just that it gets some ASAP.
?Put simply there is no supporting scientific evidence this salt is any better for human health than regular table salt.

If you like the taste and can afford the £5 price tag then absolutely go for it. Personally, it may be worth buying standard British salt (or local, based on where you live) to support the economy, save a couple of quid and use it to buy some food.

Apr 11

#2 Apple cider vinegar. Whether it’s a drink, a shot or a tablet it’s #fakenews⠀

By Sunday Shutdown Series No Comments

SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #2:Apple cider vinegar.Whether it’s a drink, a shot or a tablet it’s #fakenews⠀

This one’s been around for quite a few years now and its claims include detox, better skin, aiding digestion and to give you more energy. Really? No.⠀

It will not stabilise your blood sugar. That’s what insulin and glucagon do and your body produces them all on its own (with the exception of those with diabetes where insulin isn’t produced or doesn’t work).⠀

You may lose weight from drinking this in the morning, but it won’t be from the drink itself it’s more likely because you skipped breakfast.⠀

It will not stop you from being bloated, chewing your food more, eating a little slower and potentially a little less could be starting point. ⠀

Also, may we just take a minute to think about the taste?

Teeth. Imagine putting acid on your teeth and what that does to them. I rest my case.⠀

This has been in my cupboard for years, clearly a worthy purchase (note the sarcasm). Done.

Apr 11

#1 CELERY JUICE: don’t believe the hype

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SUNDAY SHUTDOWN #1 CELERY JUICE: don’t believe the hype.⠀

Promoted by endless celebs and holistic health gurus as a slimming aid, detoxifier and cure of ill health (amongst other things) there is no evidence at all to support this. It’s not true. There is an ulterior motive to why they are promoting this.

Let me break it down:
1. You lose weight by consuming less calories (less food) than you burn. ⠀
2. You have a liver and two kidneys (some people have one which is still perfectly capable) which remove toxins from your body. Detox is a null and void word.⠀
3. Food cannot cure illness. Ever. It can help with lots of things but is not a cure.

It annoys the sh*t outta me that those with thousands or millions of followers promote this kind of thing. ⠀

If you like celery juice, have it. I’d recommend blending it with some other fruit and veg as alone it can be quite bitter. And personally, I prefer my celery whole with peanut butter in the hollow bit. An Aussie thing I think.

We focus far too much on specific foods, there is no one magic food. How about we try to eat more variety, and still include the things we love and some new stuff too! ⠀

Feb 15

Have we been overplaying hydration?

By Food for thought, Hydration, Rants No Comments

Something I’ve recently learnt more about is one of the most basic things that we tend to over complicate. Our bodies are over 70% water, that means it’s important to keep your levels topped up but we spend far too much time worrying about it than is truly necessary.

An awful lot of people mention hydration to me and it’s always a requirement for corporate wellbeing workshops. “I know I don’t drink enough water”, “Is 3 litres too much?” “Yeah but tea and coffee doesn’t count, does it?”

Let’s just hold up for a minute while I simplify this for you:

  • Rather than worry about what counts and what doesn’t ask your self if you are thirsty. If you are then you probably need to have a drink.
  • The next time you go to the toilet, check your pee. Is it dark yellow? Is it smelly? If so then you need to drink more fluid. Or eat, because fruit and veg contain lots of water.
  • Are consuming mostly caffeinated, added sugar or artificially sweetened drinks? Then yes you should aim to get some water in throughout the day but you don’t have to cut them out completely. Water does not have to be your sole drink, forever.
  • If you are getting a headache and your concentration is starting to dip then it could be the onset of dehydration.
  • A hangover is severe dehydration.

What about for exercise?

It really only becomes slightly more technical for elite or endurance athletes as hydration levels can impact their performance. For athletes and those training for endurance events it may be beneficial to calculate your own sweat rate as that will assist you in knowing how much to drink, over what time frame and to ensure you don’t drink too much. This requires a short calculation and some measurements so ask for help with this one.

After intense or endurance exercise pure water is not the most rehydrating of drinks. Skimmed, whole milk or dissolvable electrolyte tablets are great as they also replace the minerals your body has lost through sweating. Try not to include sugary sweetened rehydration drinks as they are likely to add extra calories to your diet which really aren’t needed. You don’t need a Lucozade (other brands are available) after a 30 minute game of squash, you may if you’ve just run a marathon.

If you are generally into exercising it will help to start your session already hydrated. So, if you are one who likes to work out first thing in the morning, then get some fluid into you as soon as you wake up. If you are out for a leisurely Sunday jog or on your way home from Crossfit stick to the above tips and you’ll be ok.

Moral of the story. Unless you are an elite athlete, or completing in an endurance event, hydration is really, quite straightforward. There is no magic number, no formula, no ideal amount. It’s purely down to you to know yourself, I’m hopeful we can all manage that?

Feb 08

The Planetary Health Diet

By Food for thought, Guidelines, Tips No Comments
Overview

Late last month a report was launched by the EAT Lancet Commission about the dire state of the global food system and what we need to do to fix it. Many of you won’t have seen this. Or will have brushed over it and put it in the “too hard” basket. I get it. And I want to simplify it for you, so take a read, it won’t take long, and decide on what you are going to do to help. To help you. Your family. And others. Please.

Unhealthy diets are the leading cause of ill health worldwide. Just take a moment to process that. Eating food which doesn’t provide us with the right nutrition is making us sick.

  • 800 million people are hungry, they do not have enough food
  • 2 billion people are malnourished
  • 2 billion people are overweight or obese

Our diet is also the largest contributor to environmental damage in the world. The production, processing, transport, storage and waste of our food account for a quarter of the human contribution to climate change. So when I post tips on cutting your bananas up and freezing them I actually mean it.

Apparently if we just follow these guidelines, it’s a win win. If only we were all educated about food hey? Just that minor detail. Add into that the fact that many of us simply cannot afford to eat in this way and we are left at a cross roads with no way to turn.

What does the study say?

It suggests some pretty major changes for the average Joe:

  • Red meat and sugar consumption to be cut by half (globally). This would mean for each person, around one beef burger per week. Other protein would come from two servings of fish and unlimited pulses and lentils.
  • Vegetables, fruit, pulses and nut intake must double. Considering most of the UK population don’t even consume 5 a day and that message has been running for 15 years, this isn’t going to change quickly. We need to make this shift by 2050, it’s not long.
  • A glass of milk a day, or some cheese or butter, fits within the guidelines, as does an egg or two a week. (Personally, I would be screwed with cutting out eggs).
  • Half of each plate of food under the diet is vegetables and fruit, and a third is wholegrain cereals.

The photographs alone that accompany this report are pretty. That’s all. I mean I don’t even know what some of these foods are and I work in the industry, so for those struggling to feed their family, I do wonder how they are supposed to feel when they look at these. I’d imagine inspired, but the truth is it will probably make them feel quite down. Please remember, your food does not need to be instagrammable, just edible.

What can you do?

I just wanted to pull out five easy to digest points about the study and some tips on how to implement them, one at a time within your family.

  • How much red meat do you consume and how often? Red meat includes beef, lamb, pork, bacon, ham. If you consume red meat more than twice a week it’s time to make some changes. For multiple times a day try going down to once a day. And if it’s a daily occurrence start by trying to only have it every other day.
  • Make note of how many pieces of fruit and veg you consume in a day (excluding potatoes). If it’s less than 5, then your goal is to get to 5 per day. Once you are there, consistently there for a few months try to include one more.
  • Legumes, nuts, lentils, pulses, if you don’t know where to find these in the supermarket that’s a good place to start. Go to world food aisle and put a pack or tin of any type of bean or lentil of pulse in your basket. You can also find them where the tinned vegetables are or in the dried food section. If you aren’t used to using them I’d opt for tinned versions first.
  • It is not more expensive to eat well. You just need to pay more attention to what you are buying. It doesn’t need to be organic. You don’t need fancy food. Tinned and dried foods are cheap and nutritious. Frozen veg is a lifesaver and often better for you and easier to cook with less prep.
  • Food Waste – do not throw food away. Every time you think of throwing food away challenge yourself not to. What else can you do with it? Buy a compost bin. Take it to a food bank. Freeze it. Take it work the next day.

I really hope that helps because if it doesn’t we may just be in danger of a red meat tax? I’m serious.

Jan 23

NANNY BRU’S SALTED PEANUT COOKIES

By Recipes No Comments

Makes 20-24 cookies depending on size

This is quite possibly one of the easiest recipes out there, especially for someone who isn’t that sh*t hot at baking….me. Passed down from my fiancée’s grandmother, to his mum and over the weekend to me, just five ingredients is all you’ll need. My eyes lit up when the little box of recipes was brought out of the cupboard, it reminded me of the similar book my own nan kept. Remember food is there for enjoyment as well as nourishment, so make these to share with friends, wrap them and give them for presents or take them to work, they are simply perfect!

INGREDIENTS
140g self-raising flour
110g butter
110g salted peanuts
110g brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

METHOD
Preheat your oven to 190C
Line a large flat baking tray with greaseproof paper
Mix all the ingredients together
Note: This can be done in a food processor or by hand, if by hand, the peanuts will still be whole so the biscuits will turn out extra crunchy!
Roll into small sized balls, about the size of an avocado stone
Place onto baking tray and press lightly with your finger to make an indentation. You’ll need to do two batches or have two baking trays ready to ensure when they cook there is enough room for them to grow.
Bake for around 15 mins, until golden