Posted by kathryn in Lifestyle

h3. 1. Walktober October is Walktober, particularly down in Victoria. Walktober is a Victoria Health initiative designed to get you walking more. There’s all sorts of stuff planned: * walk to school days * The world’s greatest pram stroll * a Melbourne walk and tram treasure hunt For more information about the activities and also the benefits of walking, see the Walktober website. h3. 2. Walk to work day Friday 5th October is Walk to Work day, all over …

Read more No comments 29 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

A couple of days ago I blogged about why you should be eating carbohydrates. The simple truth is they’re impossible to avoid. But what happens to that carbohydrate once it enters your mouth? Carbohydrates are the most widely consumed substance in the world, second only to water. Most cultures have carbohydrates as their staple foods. Whether it’s rice, corn in the form of polenta or maize, pasta, breads, potatoes, couscous – carbohydrates are the foundation foods of the majority …

Read more No comments 29 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables, Dinners and Salads

• I originally saw the link to Shape of a Mother on Cranky Fitness. This is a wonderful site, giving a refreshing dose of reality about womens’ bodies after pregnancy. * After discussing the Australian proposal to offer people money to lose weight, over at Dietriffic Melanie has brought up the topic of workplace better health incentives. Do they work and are they a good idea? * Veggie Chic has posted about calling a truce with your vegetable enemies. …

Read more 1 comment 28 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

Today we sent out the first Limes & Lycopene newsletter – which I hope you enjoy. If you have subscribed but haven’t received it – I’ve noticed there are a number of unconfirmed subscriptions. If this is you, let me know by email and I’ll update your subscription profile and forward a copy of the newsletter to you. If you want to subscribe for the future, then click here.

Read more No comments 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Q & A Thursday is over for today. If you have any questions for next week, then let me know by leaving a comment below or sending me an email. As always, thanks HEAPS to the question askers, to my readers and to everyone who has taken part in the discussion.

Read more No comments 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

The next question in Q & A Thursday is from Andrew and he’s asking about feeding kids : bq. We work hard to try and give our kids a healthy variety of food, but sometimes their appetites are unexpectedly huge, they can eat a whole plate of quality food and still be super hungry (especially at dinner) . . . To avoid junk after dinner, we often end up giving them bananas, toast or weetbix as they are available, …

Read more 3 comments 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Lifestyle

A quick interruption to Q & A Thursday, because it’s NSW Bike Week and I’ve only just realised. There are still a few events on this weekend. bq. NSW Bike Week is a state-wide NSW Government initiative that raises the profile of cycling as a healthy, easy, low cost and environmentally friendly alternative to driving for short trips in your local community. NSW Bike Week provides an opportunity for the local community to participate in organised bicycle events in …

Read more No comments 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

The first question in today’s Q & A Thursday is from Lucy over at Nourish Me – what are the best ways of dealing with jet lag. h3. What is jet lag? While going on holiday can be a wonderful, exciting thing, spending the first few days spaced out and tired because of jet lag, is not fun. Jet lag occurs when you cross time-zones. The symptoms are usually worse after a flight going east rather than west. The …

Read more 8 comments 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Q & A Thursday is open. I have a couple of questions but have space for mre. So . . . if there’s something about food, diet or health you’ve always wondered, or if you’re unsure what to eat and how to put together a healthy diet, then let me know. All answers will be posted on Limes & Lycopene today – Q & A Thursday. You can either leave a comment below, or send me an email. For …

Read more No comments 27 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Carbohydrates are present in most of the foods we eat. In fact they’re impossible to avoid – unless you’re willing to live on a diet of just meat, fish and oil of course. The following foods all contain carbohydrates: * vegetables * fruit * dairy * nuts * seeds * lentils * chick peas * soy products * olives * avocado * pasta * bread * rice * couscous * cakes * biscuits * lollies * apple pie * …

Read more 2 comments 26 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday on Limes & Lycopene – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email. If you’d like to see the questions and answers from previous weeks, then click on …

Read more No comments 26 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Ethics & Sustainablity

An article in the Eco section of today’s SMH asks whether we should be eating kangaroo – is it kind to the planet or unspeakably cruel? Supporters of the kangaroo meat industry, including Tim Flannery, claim it’s the best managed managed meat industry, from an environmental perspective, in Australia. While beef and dairy cattle are enemies of biodiversity, kangaroos emit far less methane and require considerably less water. However, opponents state the industry is inherently cruel and should be banned. …

Read more 10 comments 26 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

With much fanfare the government has announced the CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for Australian Children. It’s a ten point plan, covering healthy eating and lifestyle advice. The plan is aimed at helping parents to ensure their children are eating well and developing health habits. Under the programme fridge magnets are being distributed to primary school children and the CSIRO’s website has been ramped up with lots more information and resources. According to the CSIRO: bq. The CSIRO Wellbeing Plan for …

Read more 4 comments 25 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Concern over levels of obesity has led the Australian General Practice Network to propose a $170 subsidy be given to overweight people, to encourage them to take part in an accredited weight loss programme. Individuals would be required to take part in a 12 week programme, with specific goals set for weight loss over that time. As reported on the ABC Dr Tony Hobbs from the AGPN says: bq. the proposal would help address Australia’s obesity problem by making it …

Read more 5 comments 24 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

Sorry about the intermittent blog availability over the weekend. Complex computer issues (ie stuff that I don’t understand) means Limes & Lycopene was down for most of the weekend. All should be fixed and back to normal now.

Read more No comments 24 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables

Researchers in Australia are trying to work out what makes one onion taste stronger than another. While red onions are often chosen for their milder taste, variety is not a reliable guide to the sharpness of an onion’s flavour. This work is a big deal in the onion industry where “mild onions” have become the holy grail. Scientists and farmers have joined forces on the project and Food Science Australia have even been running consumer taste tests. Over the …

Read more No comments 22 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Blogging and Fruit

My first guest post is up on Diet-Blog. For once, I didn’t write about vegetables or even beetroot. In fact, the post is all about apples. We often forget about this fruit, but it’s a nutritional wonder. So take a look at my post don’t forget the humble apple. Thanks to Jim at Diet-Blog for inviting me to write for them and welcome to all Diet-Blog readers. For more info on Limes & Lycopene click here. "Photograph by Jan …

Read more 3 comments 21 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables and Breakfast

• Refrigerator Raid has posted a beginner’s strength training programme. It’s a simple 30 minute programme, covering both upper body and lower body strength. If you have less time try the 15 minute home fitness circuit I posted last month. * A woman after my own heart, over at Veggie Chic, Jul asks is it really so hard to eat vegetables?. Confused about how many vegies you should be eating each day? Take a look at my post on …

Read more 4 comments 21 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

That’s it for Q & A Thursday this week – just two quick questions: * Will one hot chocolate ruin your diet? * Is pomegranate juice as good as the fruit As always, many thanks to the readers who posed questions. If you have any dilemmas for next week, then let me know by leaving a comment or sending an email. If you’d like to review the questions and answers from previous weeks, then have a browse through the "Q …

Read more No comments 20 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

Thanks to the readers who’ve let me know about their difficulties in leaving comments. This function should now be back and working normally. Sorry about that.

Read more No comments 20 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Another question for Q & A Thursday. Mariana has asked: bq. Pomegranate Juice. There has been a lot of talk about the wonderful nutritional value found in this fruit. I cannot get the fruit in my local fruit shop. Consequently I have been using pomegranate juice that says “all natural”, no preservatives and no added sugar but 100% made from pomegranate concentrate. Am I getting any nutritional value from this at all or am I just wasting my money? …

Read more No comments 20 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

This Q & A Thursday question is a variation on one I receive often – if I consume a hot chocolate / glass of wine / cake / packet of lollies / chocolate bar / tub of Ben & Jerry’s . . . will it ruin my diet? h3. It all depends on the diet While I can’t condone the whole tub of ice-cream, part of the answer is of course, it depends on the diet. If you’re eating …

Read more No comments 20 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Q & A Thursday is open for this week. At the moment I only have one solitary, lonely little question. If you have any questions about nutrition and health and want to get an answer this week, then send me an email or leave a comment below. For more about Q & A Thursday, read the introductory post, or you can take a look at the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more No comments 20 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Over the weekend an opinion piece in the SMH made me pause. It’s written by Tanveer Ahmed, a doctor working in the mental health system and he writes about mental health language. As people have become more and more aware of the language of psychiatry and the mind, he wonders if we are becoming distanced from the emotions we feel. Clients no longer say they are “unhappy”, but are instead almost always “depressed”. It’s not uncommon for him to be …

Read more 4 comments 19 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Over at Diet-Blog, Crabby McSlacker asks the interesting question: if there was an exercise pill, would you still work out? bq. Suppose there was now a pill that could burn the same number of calories, build the same muscles, and provide all the same health benefits as any amount of exercise you could do . . . would you ever go to the gym again? At the moment, comments are heavily in the yes I would still exercise camp – …

Read more No comments 19 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Tomorrow is Q & A Thursday on Limes & Lycopene – a weekly burst of blogging, where you get to dictate the subject matter. Q & A Thursday is all about simple, practical and sensible answers to food, diet and health dilemmas sent in by readers. If you have a question you’d like answered, then either leave a comment or send me an email. If you’d like to see the questions and answers from previous weeks, then click on …

Read more No comments 19 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Ethics & Sustainablity and Labels & advertising

In a report that somewhat befudlles me, I read in today’s SMH that the ACCC has dismissed a complaint by some pork farmers into misuse of the phrase “free range”. The ACCC has ruled there is no difference between pigs who spend their whole life outside and those which only spend the first few weeks of their life outside, before being moved to intensive rearing enclosures. The ruling hinges on consumer interpretation of the phrases “free range” and "bred free …

Read more 5 comments 18 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Labels & advertising

FSANZ last week released a range of new and updated resources, aimed at making it easier to understand food labels. These are available from their website and include: * A food labelling poster, outlining the main information on labels. * An online interactive-ish example of what all the food label information means. * An online presentation about food labelling in Australia. * Plus there’s a handy pocket guide to food labels which you can print out or order directly from …

Read more No comments 18 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Reviews

I have a new cookbook: The Greens cookbook: extraordinary vegetarian cuisine by Deborah Madison – and it’s wonderful. h3. The Book I haven’t heard of this book before, but I suspect my international vegetarian restaurant knowledge is woefully inadequate. In researching, I’ve found Greens is a really well known restaurant in San Francisco, that opened in 1979. This book was first published in 1987, but has been out of print for a while. Just recently Grub Street in London …

Read more 2 comments 18 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Myths

One of the big claims made against soy is that it’s chockablock full of substances which block the uptake of essential nutrients. Goitrogens mean you can’t use iodine, while other compounds prevent the absorption of B12, vitamin D, protein and other nutrients. Soy eaters are apparently putting themselves at grave risk of deficiencies and illness. What the soy detractors neglect to say is, these anti-nutrients are broken down and destroyed by cooking. Yes, they’re present in raw soy beans, but …

Read more No comments 17 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

I’ve been working away at an article on soy for Wellbeing magazine over the last few days. In the course of my research I came across a BBC resource called Cancer: the facts. It lists all the main types of cancer and then give some basic information on what it is, what the symptoms are, causes and treatments. Each page also shows links to news items pertaining to that particular cancer. The treatment outline is the standard medical approach and …

Read more 2 comments 15 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Myths

It’s a beautiful sunny day in Sydney. I’m just back from having a morning coffee at my local cafe, where the barista told me something interesting: people are more likely to have skim milk in their coffee on hot days. I’m not sure if this coffee change is Sydney-specific, but it does fit in with other, more health-aware behaviour changes I notice at this time of year: * September to November is one of the busiest periods for me in …

Read more No comments 15 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Desserts

• Wow – chocolate mousse: I’m seriously not pushing chocolate on you, but Lobstersquad’s version of chocolate mousse seemed like a good idea. It contains two ingredients – chocolate and eggs. There’s no cream or sugar to bump up the calorie and saturated fat content, so while it’s not necessarily something you should eat every day, it’s a perfect occasional dessert. * Ways with broad beans: Haalo has been cooking with broad beans over at Cook (almost) anything once making …

Read more No comments 14 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables

Maybe I was subconsciously affected by yesterday’s talk of green foods, or it could have just been a coincidence, but after dinner yesterday I realised I’d eaten three green food meals that day. Silverbeet and mushrooms in an omelette for breakfast, handfuls of English spinach in my lunch and then eating out at a local Indian, I chose the greenest of green dishes possible – palaak paneer. It was all delicious and you know, I would happily do the same …

Read more 2 comments 14 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

With the chocolate & beetroot cake recipe posted, Q & A Thursday is over for this week Thanks to everyone for your questions and comments. If you have a question you’d like answered next week, then either leave a comment or send me an email. If you want to know more about Q & A Thursday, take a look at the introductory post or the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more No comments 13 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Desserts

Don’t let the word “vegan” in the title put you off. I’ve been making this cake for years, it’s the first recipe I ever had published and I’ve been serving it to carnivores, omnivores, vegetarians and lactose-intolerants and it’s never failed to impress. There’s something about the words “beetroot” and “chocolate” that makes people do a double-take. The cake is rich and dense, while the addition of the glorious red-coloured spiced beetroot glaze just sets it off a treat. …

Read more 21 comments 13 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

Next in Q & A Thursday, Emma has asked about using probiotic supplements after having antibiotics – do they work and what’s the most effective and inexpensive way of taking them? Probiotics include supplements like Inner Health and Yakult. They contain bacteria or other microorganisms that have a beneficial effect on health. The official definition from the World Health Organisation is that probiotics are: bq. Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the …

Read more No comments 13 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables

First off in this week’s Q & A Thursday, Paul has asked about green food supplements like spirulina, barley green and wheatgrass – are they any good and if so, which form is the best? Like soy, green food supplements are a constant source of controversy. Some people are huge fans and make big claims about their health effects, while they also have very vocal detractors. Some of the claims made for green foods are extreme, however they do …

Read more 7 comments 13 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

After a week’s break, Q & A Thursday is back. My weekly burst of blogging where you get to dictate the subject matter. I have a few questions already, but am open to receiving more. Let me know your food, health and nutrition dilemmas by leaving a comment or sending me an email. For more on Q & A Thursday, see the introductory post or the Q & A Thursday archives.

Read more No comments 13 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Labels & advertising

The newly formed Obesity Policy Coalition have called for GST to be added to sweet breakfast cereals. GST is already added to cakes, biscuits and confectionary and the OPC believe sugary cereals should be included in this category, as they’re “junk food dressed up as breakfast cereal”. The OPC includes obesity experts from the Victorian Cancer Council, Diabetes Australia (Victoria) and the WHO Collaborating Centre on Obesity Prevention at Deakin University. They are concerned about the increasing rates of overweight …

Read more 2 comments 12 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

I’ve had a wonderful week off – catching up with reading, going for walks, hanging out with my parents, watching dolphins and generally having a relaxing, cruisey time. It rained the first couple of days, but after that my holiday was warm and sunny. I’m just catching up on emails, my reading and other work and I’ll be back with some new blog posts later on today. But first I have a couple of reminders. h3. Q & A Thursday …

Read more 3 comments 12 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Myths

While I’ve posted about the healthiest type of chocolate, I’d hate you to think I was part of the current Nestle campaign to turn chocolate into a health food. Yep, Nestle, one of the big chocolate manufacturers, has launched a campaign encouraging health professionals to promote dark chocolate, because of its antioxidant properties. The “switch to dark” campaign shows chocolate spilling out of medicine bottles, under the byline “anti-oxidants never tasted so good”. Do I need to say that, while …

Read more No comments 08 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

I posted a link last week to an article on encouraging your kids to eat a healthy diet, but research from the UK also shows that up to 80 percent of children’s tendency to avoid unfamiliar foods may be inherited. A reluctance to try new foods is called food neophobia and in the past it would have been an evolutionary advantage – preventing exposure to potentially poisonous foods. The team surveyed the parents of over 5,000 twins aged between 8 …

Read more 2 comments 11 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables

Choice has a report on exotic frozen vegetables. You may have noticed the increase in variety of vegetables in the frozen food section of your local supermarket. While every pack used to contain peas, carrots and corn, you can now buy all sorts of mixes containing bok choy, sugar snap peas, broccoli, water chestnuts and so on. I’ve posted before about all the frozen stir fry mixes available, some of which are excellent. Some brands are expensive, although most are …

Read more 1 comment 10 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Ethics & Sustainablity, Dinners, Salads and Soups

• Over at the Guardian blog they’ve been exploring strange food combinations. Peanut butter and cornflake sandwiches, chips wrapped in naan bread, broccoli and marmite sandwiches, people are confessing their innermost food secrets. * Trusted MD and Envisions Solutions are taking the pulse of the healthcare blogosphere. If you’re a healthcare blogger, then you might want to take part in their online poll. * Veggie Meal Plans has a beginner’s guide to worm farming. * Perfect for this time of …

Read more No comments 07 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

One of the best articles I came across while researching the 31 Days to Better Energy strategies is Healthy ways to get more energy: a mood scientist reveals some of the best ways to recharge. It contains advice from Robert Thayer, a Professor of Psychology at California State University. Thayer’s thesis is that our energy levels are influenced by more things than simply the food we eat. Instead much of the energy fluctuations we experience are caused by our mood. …

Read more No comments 07 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

As I’m away for Q & A Thursday this week, I thought I’d post a summary of the topics covered so far. Q & A Thursday has been going since the end of May and in that three and a bit months, I think you’ll agree we’ve covered a lot of ground. Rather than just listing the topics in date order, I’ve tried to organise them into categories. Note, I’ve included a couple of posts in more than one …

Read more 4 comments 06 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

The latest GI newsletter includes a useful list of suggestions on how to get your children to eat well. The number one suggestion is one I often give to parents “if you do it, they will too”: bq. Children are primed and ready to follow examples set by others – parents, babysitters, nannies, the day care centre teacher. So the key strategy is that you and those you hire to care for your kids ‘model’ a healthy lifestyle simply by …

Read more No comments 04 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Blogging

Provided I manage to avoid the APEC traffic chaos, I’m off on holidays today. I’ll be up in Queensland for a week of catching up with my parents, enjoying the warmth, reading lots of books and maybe even taking a trip over to Fraser Island. I’ve pre-planned a range of posts, so Limes & Lycopene will still be very active while I’m away, but there won’t be a Q & A Thursday this week. Feel free to leave any questions …

Read more 3 comments 05 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Snacks and Labels & advertising

I was wandering the supermarket over the weekend, looking at cereal bars. A client had asked about the Special K Bars and I wanted to take a look for myself. h3. What are they? Made by Kelloggs, these snack bars are part of the Special K cereal range, they have a yoghurty drizzle and come in two flavours – original and mango & passionfruit. They’re popular because each bar is low in fat (1.2g), carbohydrate (17.9g) and energy (419 …

Read more 2 comments 05 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Myths

Choice has an excellent article busting some myths about exercising. Much as in the food arena, there’s a lot of confusing information available about exercise. Many common misconceptions centre around burning fat and calories and the Choice article looks at many of these, including: * Exercising three times a week is enough * Low-intensity exercise burns more fat than high-intensity * Walking one kilometre burns the same number of kilojoules as running one kilometre * "I’m slim and healthy, so …

Read more No comments 03 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Uncategorized

A new study into healthy behaviours among the Australian population has revealed worrying statistics. After analysing key healthy lifestyle markers, researchers found only 5 percent of the population were following these basic guidelines. Scientists from the University of Sydney used information from the 2004 – 2005 Australian National Health Survey, which collected data from over 16,000 people. Their aim was to examine the effect of obesity on healthy lifestyle behaviours, by looking at three key diet and lifestyle areas and …

Read more No comments 04 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Vegetables and Fruit

September is one of those months in Sydney where fruit and vegie choices contract. Winter produce is drying up, while the spring fruit and veg just isn’t quite ready. Spring is definitely on its way, as I’ve spotted the first new season asparagus in a couple of shops! It’s pricey but looks beautiful. As the weather warms up more produce will become available. You can track the latest list of seasonal fruit and vegetables in Sydney, by watching the "what’s …

Read more 5 comments 03 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Grains

While it’s becoming a lot easier to eat gluten-free foods and supermarkets stock an ever widening range, it’s certainly not cheaper. In this article from the Sydney Morning Herald, one gastroenterologist estimates it costs $1,000 more per year to eat exclusively gluten-free. It’s interesting to note that gluten-free foods are subsidised in Italy, Finland, England and New Zealand.

Read more No comments 01 September, 2007

Posted by kathryn in Dinners

A friend sent me a link to cuisine.com.au. This website is based on the recipes published in the The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and NZ Cuisine, so it includes dishes from Bill Granger, Stephanie Alexander, Lynne Mullins, Jill Dupleix and many more. It’s an easy to use, smart looking website, with lots of pictures and recipes categorised by meal, cuisine and also special diets. There are a couple of functions I really like. The What’s in the fridge? search function …

Read more 3 comments 01 September, 2007