Erica Roughton

26/06/2020

Need to increase your iron, fibre or omega-3 fatty acids? H**p seeds pack a good nutritional punch.

What is h**p, and is it good for you? We review the key nutrients and health benefits of h**p seeds and h**p oil. Plus, which foods offer the best h**p value?

02/06/2020

Some promising research and yet another reason to be ensuring you get enough fibre in your diet. Include fruits, vegetables and wholegrains at each meal to help you reach your daily fibre target.

Two recent studies from University of Otago researchers have shown eating more dietary fibre improves life expectancy, although food processing may remove

23/05/2020

Interesting the dramatic changes a single meal can have on the body.

Fatty food may feel like a friend during these troubled times, but new research suggests that eating just one meal high in saturated fat can hinder our ability to concentrate -- not great news for people whose diets have gone south while they're working at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

21/05/2020

Gut health is important all the time. In this current climate of Covid-19 and going into winter it is probably more important than ever to consider your gut and make sure you are eating the right stuff to nourish your microbe friends. This is a long read but I promise it's worth it. Short on time, skip to the end for the recommendations.

21/05/2020

MEDIA RELEASE:

Arthritis Australia, in partnership with the Australian Rheumatology Association, has launched a new online rheumatoid arthritis patient-support website.

The free MyRA website (www.myra.org.au) provides individually tailored information designed to help people seize control and become active participants in their journey with the disease.

More than 450,000 Australians live with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease that causes pain and swelling of the joints. The disease can strike at any age, including during childhood, and can greatly impact on a person’s wellbeing. However, with early diagnosis and the right treatment, most people with rheumatoid arthritis can lead full and active lives.

“Everyone's journey with rheumatoid arthritis is different. Some people are at the starting point, while others have been living with arthritis for decades,” says Andrew Mills, CEO of Arthritis Australia. “Prior to this program, we found many people were either using ‘doctor google’ to make important decisions based on incorrect, irrelevant or alarming information, joining online forums without independent and trusted moderation, or joining programs that may only be suitable at a particular point in time due to the medication they are using.”

“Responding to what people living with rheumatoid arthritis were telling us, Arthritis Australia embarked on the journey to develop a gold standard patient-support website that could meet each person where they are at on their journey, providing them with relevant, tailored, evidence-based information regardless of what drug they are currently on or how long they have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis,” continued Mr Mills.

The MyRA website was developed in collaboration with state and territory-based arthritis organisations, informed also by respected international arthritis peers. The end result is a digital platform that provides a holistic patient-support system. It covers topics such as symptoms, risks, treatment options, diet, exercise, day to day tips, support services and how to manage pain, mental health and fatigue. It looks at how to build good relationships with healthcare teams and provides updates about COVID-19. The website also links through to the National Arthritis Infoline.

“A fantastic feature is the way the online patient-support website then links people with arthritis organisations nationwide and relevant local information, educational events, fitness activities, webinars and other support services, including trained health educators,” continued Mr Mills...

Read all of the media release: https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/arthritis-australia-launches-ground-breaking-rheumatoid-arthritis-patient-support-website/

18/05/2020

I've been getting more questions lately on food allergies, food intolerance and increased symptoms in people living with arthritis.
Proper diagnosis and management of food intolerance and allergies are important to ensure good health and make sure that foods are not removed unnecessarily from the diet.

The best approach is to first see your doctor to:

* Make a diagnosis

* Check for other conditions that may be causing symptoms.

* Determine if diet or other factors play a role in causing symptoms.

* Identify individual triggers to be avoided.

The only reliable way to determine if diet is playing a role is by being placed on a temporary elimination diet, under the supervision of a dietitian and medical practitioner.

For more information of the difference between food allergy and food intolerance have a look at
the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology https://bit.ly/2WGpIOP
and Royal Prince Alfred Allergy Unit https://bit.ly/2ZcJinf
or give me a call at the office.

13/05/2020

There is no specific diet that will cause or treat psoriasis or Psoriatic arthritis, but some dietary tips may help you to manage.

08/05/2020

Did you know there is more than one style of vegetarian diet? Did you know that you need to be more careful, making sure you get enough protein, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Zinc, Calcium and Iron, if you follow vegetarian diet? If you follow a vegetarian diet, or are considering doing so empower yourself with the information you need to make sure you are giving your body the best!

A well-planned vegetarian or vegan diet can meet nutritional needs during all stages of life.

06/05/2020

How much do you know about caffeine? Caffeine is naturally occurring in many products such as tea, coffee and cocoa.
There are also many other products available on the market that have caffeine added to them.

In Australia, the caffeine content of foods and beverages is regulated by Food Standards Australia and New Zealand recommendations are made for 'safe' levels of caffeine for under 18 years, over 18 years, pregnancy + breast feeding... Do you know your level?

Caffeine occurs naturally in foods, such as coffee, tea and cocoa and has a long history of safe use as a mild stimulant. Products are also available with added caffeine, including cola-type soft drinks, formulated caffeinated beverages (energy drinks) and energy shots.

06/05/2020

Need an eating healthy reboot while in isolation? Or are you living with diabetes and trying to manage blood sugar levels? Here is a great article that was shared with me earlier today.

A pantry of non-perishable foods is a great way to minimise your trips to the store and many pantry essentials have a minimal effect on bgls.

05/05/2020

Antioxidants are essential for a healthy immune system, among other things, this video has some great ideas for ways to increase your intake of antioxidants.

01/05/2020

Post Easter, some clients have lost the enjoyment that comes with eating chocolate. For these clients I have suggested investigating 'Mindful Eating' as a way of bringing back the enjoyment, helping to reduce cravings and a tool for identifying exactly what the body is craving.... could you be sleep deprived instead of wanting chocolate? What other foods are you finding it hard to say no to? comment below.

Mindful eating is a powerful tool to gain control of your eating habits. It can cause weight loss, reduce binge eating and make you feel better.