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Food, Mood and Women's Health – Be your healthiest, look and feel great!

Feel on top of the world! A song to give you hope!

By Trudy Scott 2 Comments

 

Top of the World
A song by Amma Jo

A new beginning, a brand new day
All of my fears are gone away
I feel so calm, so free, so whole
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

On top the world
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

The power of real whole food- so amazing
I walk I run and I play
Feeling great, slowing down I’m breathing, I’m laughing
I watch the stress fall away

My very best days are yet to come
All anxiety and fear are gone
A whole new life I’ve never lived before
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

On top the world
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

I’m saying no to things that drain me
No to the things that steal my energy
I’m saying yes to foods that heal me
I’m calm, I’m happy, I’m free

I’m breathing in this moment
I’m feeling so alive
This is the best day
The very best day of my life

A new beginning, a brand new day
All of my fears are gone away
I feel so calm so free, so whole
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

I wake up in the morning
I see blue skies
As I work towards my dreams
I see the glorious sunrise

My very best days are yet to come
All anxiety and fear are gone
A whole new life I’ve never lived before
Right now, I’m feeling on top of the world

It’s gonna be the very best day of my life
It’s gonna be
It’s gonna be
The very best day of my life


Here is the lovely and very talented Amma Jo singing a snippet for you
 

AMMA JO is a singer/songwriter and entrepreneur.  Her sole mission in life is INSPIRATION.  She inspires through music, speaking and in her business endeavors.  With 15 years executive management experience and over 10 years as an independent artist and true creative, AMMA JO brings her sincerity and flair to every presentation and project! Learn more about her at www.meetammajo.com

 

This is my gift to you…

Your own copy of my custom song co-created by me and Amma Jo

And sung by Amma Jo

Especially for you for the Anxiety Summit season 2

and now season 3 too

I want this to be an inspiration for you…

And as someone said during the first season: “a bouquet of hope”

Because you deserve to feel on top of the world all the time!

If you’re not already signed up please join us on the Anxiety Summit season 3.

When you register you’ll be able to download your own copy of the song!

Season 3 runs from May 6-20 and you’ll learn about nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and social anxiety.  And have access to this song and other great speaker gifts.  See you there! 

 

 

Jeffrey Smith on Anxiety, depression, GMOs and Roundup on the Anxiety Summit

By Trudy Scott 18 Comments

Jeffrey Smith, non-GMO advocate, founder of Institute for Responsible Technology, producer of the movie Genetic Roulette, is speaking on the Anxiety Summit. Our topic: “Anxiety & Depression: Health Risks of GMOs and Roundup.” We also talk about GM tryptophan and why it was removed from the market. It was a fabulous interview!

Here is an outline of what we cover:

  • GMO definition, health effects and why advocate a complete ban
  • The sad story of the South African GM corn/mielie farmer – this is a powerful story
  • How Bt toxins damage the gut and become “pesticide producing factories” – this is scary and sounds like a futuristic movie
  • How Roundup affects serotonin production, detoxification and the gut – more on this below in the snippet and video preview
  • Roundup’s new scary use – I had no idea!
  • The GM tryptophan disaster in 1989 – and the theory as to why tryptophan was banned
  • The good news and how you can help bring about change – there is light at the end of the tunnel!

I brought up South Africa during the interview because I was recently there. GMOs are labeled in South which is good and bad. It’s good because you can avoid eating GM products. It’s bad because labeling was done without all the activism we are seeing here in the USA, and I feel there is less awareness about the dangers. Many people are simply consuming these products without any questioning. Here is a picture of the Knorrox label.

knorox pic 1

knorox-ingredients

In this close-up picture, you’ll notice a few things. As well as the label “contains genetically modified materials” i.e. the maize/corn), it also contains:

Getting back to my interview with Jeffrey…he shared the sad story of the South African GM corn/mielie/maize farmer that had a happy ending and he assured me that awareness is growing.

We also talked extensively about how Roundup affects serotonin production, detoxification and the gut.

Here is a snippet from our actual interview we did for the summit:

Roundup shuts down this pathway called the shikimate pathway. Monsanto bragged up-and-down because Roundup blocks the shikimate pathway in order to kill weeds. And because humans don’t have the shikimate pathway, they said Roundup must be safe for humans.

But it’s not safe for a lot of reasons.

It’s an endocrine disruptor. It can promote cancer. It’s linked to heart disease and diabetes. But what they failed to point out was that the shikimate pathway is what our gut bacteria use to produce the vast majority of the l-tryptophan that we assimilate. L-tryptophan is a precursor to melatonin, which is linked to sleep and circadian rhythms, daily cycles, but it’s also a precursor to serotonin and now we land squarely on the world of anxiety. Without sufficient serotonin there can be anxiety and depression.

I managed to nab Jeffrey for a quick preview in August – this snippet in itself is enlightening – he shares more on the shikimate pathway and low serotonin. I always learn from Jeffrey and his energy and passion is amazing! Just watch him in action doing this unprepared on-the-fly interview. Sorry about the background buzz – we were at an event and I couldn’t miss the opportunity to have Jeffrey inspire you.

This is all very timely with October being Non-GMO month, a month of awareness created by the Non-GMO Project, a non-profit organization, offering North America’s only third party verification and labeling for non-GMO (genetically modified organism) food and products.

I hope you’ll join us on the Anxiety Summit season 2. It runs from Nov 3-16 and you’ll learn about this and many other nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and social anxiety. This is one of many great topics we’ll be sharing.

 

Julie Matthews fermented foods and probiotics for anxiety and depression

By Trudy Scott 34 Comments

Julie Matthews, Certified Nutrition Consultant, author of Nourishing Hope for Autism was interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution. 

“Fermented foods and probiotics for anxiety and depression: The practical and the research”

Here is an outline of our interview:

  • Types of fermentations
  • Health benefits of probiotics and fermentations
  • Research on probiotics and anxiety/depression/brain health/autism
  • Probiotic supplements
  • Prebiotics and why some people can’t use them
  • Who might have trouble with fermented foods and why
  • Steps and tips on making fermented foods and beverages

Here is the first 2014 study I mentioned –The impact of microbiota on brain and behavior: mechanisms & therapeutic potential.

There is increasing evidence that host-microbe interactions play a key role in maintaining homeostasis. Alterations in gut microbial composition is associated with marked changes in behaviors relevant to mood, pain and cognition, establishing the critical importance of the bi-directional pathway of communication between the microbiota and the brain in health and disease. Dysfunction of the microbiome-brain-gut axis has been implicated in stress-related disorders such as depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome and neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.

And here are 3 snippets from our interview:

There was a study that looked at human subjects under academic stress and the effects of fermented yogurt particularly Lactobacillus casei (European Journal of Nutrition in 2004 by a researcher named Marcos and their team). They found that the fermented yogurt was able to modulate the immune effects in the subjects that were under stress.

There was a study done by a researcher named Tillisch and published in 2013 in Gastroenterology. We know a lot about how the brain sends signals to the gut, but she explained that in the study they learned that the gut also sends signals to the brain. The researchers found that with yogurt, they found positive effects on the brain, including sensory processing and those areas associated with emotion and mood.

The nice thing about fermented food like sauerkraut is that it’s a form of food that is already partly digested, so it tends to create less gas. It also tends to be better digestible and can be higher in nutrients than the foods themselves that aren’t fermented. They can often help with supporting a good PH balance in the gut. The other nice thing about fermented foods is that you can get a lot of bacteria in a serving. Dr. Joseph Mercola recently tested some of his own homemade sauerkraut and found 10 trillion beneficial bacteria in a four to six ounce serving. So that’s a hundred times the amount of bacteria in a serving than you would find in a bottle of a high potency probiotic.

cabbage

Here are some of the studies we discussed

Gut-brain axis: how the microbiome influences anxiety and depression.

Effects of the probiotic Bifidobacterium infantis in the maternal separation model of depression.

Consumption of fermented milk product with probiotic modulates brain activity.

Gastrointestinal flora and gastrointestinal status in children with autism–comparisons to typical children and correlation with autism severity.

Intake of dairy products and calcium and prevalence of depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of a probiotic in emotional symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome.

We found a significant rise in both Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria in those taking the LcS, and there was also a significant decrease in anxiety symptoms among those taking the probiotic vs controls

Modulation of intestinal microbiota by the probiotic VSL#3 resets brain gene expression and ameliorates the age-related deficit in LTP.

Probiotic-induced reduction of gastrointestinal oxalate absorption in healthy subjects.

You’ll also learn how to make your own sauerkraut in the video giveaway being offered by Julie – Video: How to make sauerkraut

Practitioner video/gift – “BioIndividual Nutrition: The Importance of Personalizing Diet in your Practice” 

UPDATE: Season 2 of The Anxiety Summit concluded in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list for the next summit just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview and want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts + interview highlights and listen when it suits you

 

 

Eggs are ok, even the yolk!

By Trudy Scott 12 Comments

eggs and spinach

We’re seeing more and more research showing that eggs are ok and can be part of a healthy diet. It’s about time! Myself and my fellow nutritionists/integrative doctors have been saying this for years. I even say “yes, you can eat the yolk” on the back of my business card.

Here is some of the recent research:

An article on Webmd, Egg-Rich Diet Not Harmful in Type 2 Diabetes discusses the results of a new study to be published later this month. The findings were presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes 2014 Meeting last month by Nicholas Fuller, PhD, from the Boden Institute Clinical Trials Unit, University of Sydney, Australia

The findings suggest that eating two eggs per day, 6 days a week can be a safe part of a healthy diet for people with type 2 (that’s 12 eggs a week – yeah!)

Eggs don’t have a bad effect on cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

…those in the high-egg group showed a trend toward HDL improvement

Researchers also found that eating an egg-rich diet for 3 months was linked to better appetite control, and may also provide a greater sense of feeling full.

The high-egg group also reported more enjoyment of foods, less boredom, and more satisfaction with the diet (I really like this finding!)

A paper published last month in the British Journal of Nutrition : “Cholesterol and egg intakes and the risk of type 2 diabetes: The Japan Public Health Center-based Prospective Study“  found that:

higher intake of cholesterol or eggs may not be associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in Japanese populations

This interesting animal study “Orally administered whole egg demonstrates antidepressant-like effects in the forced swimming test on rats” published in August:

demonstrated that whole-egg treatment exerts an antidepressant-like effect

It is suggested that whole egg may be an excellent food for preventing and alleviating the conditions of major depression

Skipping breakfast can increase depression, anxiety and stress levels and eggs can be part of a healthy breakfast. This May 2014 paper “A cross-sectional investigation of depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms and health-behavior participation in Australian university students” found that:

For males, depressive symptoms were associated with skipping breakfast and poor sleep quality.

For females, depressive symptoms were associated with skipping breakfast, inadequate vigorous physical activity, and short or long sleep hours.

You don’t want to skip breakfast – ever! Low blood sugar can result in anxiety, mood swings, irritability and feeling easily overwhelmed, so it’s really important to get a good start to the day with good quality protein like eggs. Here is a simply yet delicious Egg Muffin recipe from Make It Paleo: Over 200 Grain-Free Recipes for Any Occasion.

We’re going to be talking more about the health and mood benefits of eggs (and animal protein) during season 2 of The Anxiety Summit. It runs from Nov 3-16 and you’ll learn about this and many other nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety, panic attacks, OCD and social anxiety. We’ll cover the research and practical solutions too.

 

 

Egg muffin recipe from Make It Paleo

By Trudy Scott 2 Comments


Low blood sugar can result in anxiety, mood swings, irritability and feeling easily overwhelmed, so it’s really important to get a good start to the day with good quality protein like eggs. And we’re seeing more and more research showing that eggs are ok, even the yolk!

Here is a deliciously simple and quick recipe from one of my new favorite recipe books called Make It Paleo: Over 200 Grain-Free Recipes for Any Occasion, shared here with permission from one of the authors, Hayley Mason.

If you’re on the go you will appreciate the simplicity of this recipe. These delicious little quiche-like muffins are easy to make ahead of time and grab at a moment’s notice. If you’re doing intermittent fasting, this delicious source of protein and veggies can be paired with a healthy fat like avocado and be eaten midday or later. When I travel I always make them ahead of time and take them with me for “padkos” (South African slang/Afrikaans for “food for the road”).

Egg Muffins

Ingredients:

½ tsp coconut oil
½ medium onion chopped
1 cup broccoli, chopped
¼ green pepper, chopped
¼ red pepper, chopped
8 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste

Prep time: 10 minutes; Cook time: 18-20 minutes
Makes 4 large muffins or 8 small ones

Process:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 deg F
  2. Grease muffin tin with coconut oil
  3. Rinse and chop vegetables into ¼ inch pieces
  4. Divide vegetables evenly between muffin tins
  5. Whisk the eggs, then pour into the tins, dividing it evenly
  6. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then stir the vegetable and egg mixture briefly to evenly disperse the vegetables throughout the egg
  7. Bake the egg muffins in the oven for 18-20 minutes

Here are some pictures of my attempt at these while on my recent trip to South Africa. We were getting ready to head to the Natal midlands for an overnight trip to the cheetah breeding project and needed some healthy “padkos” (South African slang for “food for the road”) so my niece Tamara and I whipped up a few muffins just before we left for the trip.

Since raw onions were not a favorite in my sister’s family, I pre-cooked the onions in a little coconut oil. I think you could lightly steam the other veggies too if you don’t like them crunchy. It’s going to add to your prep time unless you use left-over veggies from the night before.

In our case, we didn’t have quite enough veggies so we ended up with two egg-only muffins! They were all delicious!

 

Muffin pan ready to go with an assortment of veggies: broccoli, peppers and pre-cooked onions
Muffin pan ready to go with an assortment of veggies: broccoli, peppers and pre-cooked onions
My niece Tamara helps to pour the beaten eggs into the muffin pan
My niece Tamara helps to pour the beaten eggs into the muffin pan

 

egg muffin 3
A quick peek shows the egg muffins rising nicely in the oven

 

Tamara sampling one of the egg-only muffins right out the oven
Tamara sampling one of the egg-only muffins right out the oven

Make It Paleo is a wonderful recipe book with many simple and basic recipes as well as some pretty fancy ones too. One quick caution – I do think there are rather too many desserts and baked goods featured – so be warned and keep to recipes in the front! Enjoy!

make-it-paleo

Authors Hayley and her husband Bill Staley are the dynamic cooking duo behind Primal Palate. Their lifelong passion for food and cooking has led them to write an internationally recognized blog, three bestselling Paleo cookbooks, as well as create a widely popular app and website.

Breast Cancer Awareness: don’t be driven by fear

By Trudy Scott 13 Comments

DrNalini Chilkov’s new book
Dr. Nalini Chilkov’s new book

October is Breast Cancer awareness month so here are 7 resources to keep you informed, hopeful and inspired to take charge of your overall health and breast health – for prevention and healing – and no more fear!

#1 Reduce stress in your life. Here is a blog post I wrote in 2010 with information from my colleague Ellyn Hilliard: 10 Unique Ways to Support You During Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Reduce the stresses in your life. Calm the nervous system. Meditate, go on a walk…

Start to look at chemicals in your life. Find natural alternatives to cleaning products.

#2 Exercise to prevent cancer and have fun at the same time

up to a third of breast cancer cases in Western countries could be avoided with a nutritious diet and exercise

If exercise is a chore, find something fun to do and it will be a totally different experience

#3 Be aware that a lot of pinkwashing goes on – it’s quite awful how people are being taken advantage of. And know there is so much you can do that is healing and preventative. You can read more here: Pinkwashing for the cure (ridiculous!) or green for prevention?

Pinkwasher: (pink’-wah-sher) noun. A company or organization that claims to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon product, but at the same time produces, manufactures and/or sells products that are linked to the disease.

Helyane Waldman’s book “The Whole-Food Guide for Breast Cancer Survivors: A Nutritional Approach to Preventing Recurrence”

Rebecca Katz’s “The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen: Nourishing, Big-Flavor Recipes for Cancer Treatment and Recovery”

#4 Ann Louise Gittleman, author of The Fat Flush Diet and Get the Sugar Out, just posted a great blog on how to become a breast health warrior

Raise your daily Vitamin D intake (D is like a hormone rather than a vitamin) to at least 1,000 – 4,000 IU to reach a level of at least 52 ng/mL. Women with serum levels at

Get the Sugar Out! Plain and simple, cancer feeds on sugar which is known to immobilize white blood cells for up to five hours.

#5 Dr Nalini Chilkov is my cancer referral source and she has a new cancer booklet called 32 Ways to OutSmart Cancer. It has beautiful back-to-basics advice about eating nourishing nutrient-dense, antioxidant- and polyphenol-rich real whole food. I especially like the section on herbs and spices and love the chapter on gratitude. Here is a yummy salmon recipe from her blog.

#6 Be hopeful and optimistic. My colleague Fran Sussman shares her journey and story of recovery from breast cancer in this article called I am a breast cancer survivor: There is hope. Fran will be offering six-week support classes for women diagnosed with breast cancer starting in December.

I’ve come through it, with great resilience and rebounding health. I feel better than ever post-breast cancer, at age 60. I am healthy; my doctors concur.

What can you do for prevention? Support your body with optimal nutrition, exercise, sleep and hydration. Use nutrition to minimize inflammation and insulin resistance.

 Acknowledge and work with your fear, but don’t be driven by it.

#7 And my final piece of advice is stated so beautifully by Fran: “Acknowledge and work with your fear, but don’t be driven by it.” Anxiety and depression is very common in people who have been diagnosed with cancer.  This is understandable, but I encourage you to look for and get support in this area too, so you are not driven by your fear.

You may need to address low GABA levels, keep your blood sugar stable with good quality protein at breakfast, support your adrenals, and drink calming carob instead of coffee.  There is so much you can do.

If you’re looking for more great resources for your healing journey, I invite you to join us on The Anxiety Summit, Nov 3-16, and learn more about nutritional and natural solutions for anxiety.  The topics our expert address will also lead to improved overall health, improved heart health and will help with cancer prevention too.