The feel-good chemical, serotonin, cannot be produced by the body
without tryptophan. Without serotonin, people feel low. Ten foods are
natural sources of tryptophan.
The body cannot produce tryptophan, an amino acid which is converted
by the body into serotonin, so unless we get enough through our diets,
we may suffer a deficiency, leading to low serotonin levels.
Low serotonin levels are associated with mood disorders, anxiety, cravings and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
In her e-book The Serotonin Secret,
Dr Caroline Longmore says the best way to get optimum tryptophan levels
is through a carefully devised eating plan. She rates dozens of foods
for their levels of tryptophan.
A French-trained paediatrician who later worked with Medecins Sans
Frontieres, travelling to areas in need such as Africa, Cambodia and
Vietnam amongst others, Dr Longmore worked for many years in major
children’s hospitals in Paris and London.
She has long been interested in nutrition and complementary medicine,
and operates a naturopathic and nutrition clinic in Britain.
Food to Improve your Mood
Have a turkey sandwich. Or a handful of sunflower seeds.
These are among the ten best foods for tryptophan listed in The Serotonin Secret.
Written with Australian-trained medical scientist and naturopath
Katrin Hempel, the book has 50 recipes designed to solve serotonin
imbalance without drugs.
Dr Longmore says the concept works on the same principle as selective
serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as popular antidepressant
Prozac.
Her top ten good mood foods are mung beans, lobster, turkey,
asparagus, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, pineapple, tofu, spinach and
bananas - the foods containing the highest levels of tryptophan.
Britain's Food and Mood Project also recommends eating chicken,
sardines, turkey, salmon, fresh tuna, oats, nuts and seeds to boost
serotonin levels.
Carbohydrates Help Absorb Tryptohan
The Food and Mood project website explains that including carbohydrates in the diet is important to help absorb tryptophan.
“The absorption of tryptophan into the brain is thought to be greatly
enhanced by eating carbohydrate-containing foods and carbohydrate
cravings have been explained as a subconscious drive to increase
serotonin levels,” it says.
“Carbohydrates that are slow releasing can help the absorption of the
tryptophan across the blood-brain barrier without creating a rebound
hypoglycaemic dip. Oats are particularly important because they have a
low Glycaemic Index.”
Avoid Tryptophan Supplements
Australian mental health experts say the use of tryptophan
supplements in Australia has had a chequered history, and should be
avoided.
They say that while the theory behind tryptophans for improving mood
is solid, its use by depressed patients has not always been successful,
and contaminated batches of tryptophan supplements had caused serious
side-effects in many patients.
Professor Gordon Parker, of the Black Dog Institute said while some
patients strongly believed such supplements were beneficial, scientific
evidence was lacking.
"I would say it's something that can be useful for some people but the quality control varies enormously," he said.
Vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, or poultry. Vegans, in addition
to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products
such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool,
cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.
Why Veganism?
People choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical
reasons. For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat
industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. That is, once dairy cows
or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often
sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually
are raised for veal or other products. Some people avoid these items
because of conditions associated with their production.
Many vegans choose this lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring
world. They know they are not perfect, but believe they have a
responsibility to try to do their best, while not being judgmental of
others.
Vegan Nutrition
The key to a nutritionally sound vegan diet is variety. A healthy
and varied vegan diet includes fruits, vegetables, plenty of leafy
greens, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Protein
It is very easy for a vegan diet to meet the recommendations for
protein as long as calorie intake is adequate. Strict protein planning
or combining is not necessary. The key is to eat a varied diet.
Almost all foods except for alcohol, sugar, and fats provide some
protein. Vegan sources include: lentils, chickpeas, tofu, peas, peanut
butter, soy milk, almonds, spinach, rice, whole wheat bread, potatoes,
broccoli, kale...
Fat
Vegan diets are free of cholesterol and are generally low in
saturated fat. Thus eating a vegan diet makes it easy to conform to
recommendations given to reduce the risk of major chronic diseases such
as heart disease and cancer. High-fat foods, which should be used
sparingly, include oils, margarine, nuts, nut butters, seed butters,
avocado, and coconut.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is not found in the vegan diet but can be made by humans
following exposure to sunlight. At least ten to fifteen minutes of
summer sun on hands and face two to three times a week is recommended
for adults so that vitamin D production can occur. Food sources of
vitamin D include vitamin D-fortified orange juice and vitamin
D-fortified soy milk and rice milk.
Calcium
Calcium, needed for strong bones, is found in dark green vegetables,
tofu made with calcium sulfate, calcium-fortified soy milk and orange
juice, and many other foods commonly eaten by vegans. Although lower
animal protein intake may reduce calcium losses, there is currently not
enough evidence to suggest that vegans have lower calcium needs. Vegans
should eat foods that are high in calcium and/or use a calcium
supplement.
CALCIUM CONTENT OF SELECTED FOODS
Following are some good sources of calcium:
___________________________________________________________
Soy or rice milk,
commercial, calcium-
fortified, plain 8 oz 200-300 mg
Collard greens, cooked 1 cup 357 mg
Blackstrap molasses 2 TB 400 mg
Tofu, processed with
calcium sulfate 4 oz 200-330 mg
Calcium-fortified
orange juice 8 oz 300 mg
Tofu, processed with
nigari 4 oz 80-230 mg
Kale, cooked 1 cup 179 mg
Tahini 2 TB 128 mg
Almonds 1/4 cup 89 mg
___________________________________________________________
Other good sources of calcium include: okra, turnip greens, soybeans,
tempeh, almond butter, broccoli, bok choy, commercial soy yogurt...
The recommended intake for calcium for adults 19 through 50 years is 1000 milligrams/day.
Note: It appears that oxalic acid, which is found in spinach,
rhubarb, chard, and beet greens, binds with calcium and reduces calcium
absorption. Calcium is well absorbed from other dark green vegetables.
Zinc
Vegan diets can provide zinc at levels close to or even higher than the RDA. Zinc is found in grains, legumes, and nuts.
Iron
Dried beans and dark green leafy vegetables are especially good
sources of iron, better on a per calorie basis than meat. Iron
absorption is increased markedly by eating foods containing vitamin C
along with foods containing iron.
______________________________________________
FOOD IRON (MG)
______________________________________________
1 cup cooked soybeans 8.8
2 Tbsp blackstrap molasses 7.0
1 cup cooked lentils 6.6
1 cup cooked kidney beans 5.2
1 cup cooked chickpeas 4.7
1 cup cooked lima beans 4.5
1 cup cooked Swiss chard 4.0
1/8 medium watermelon 1.0
______________________________________________
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
In order to maximize production of DHA and EPA (omega-3 fatty acids),
vegans should include good sources of alpha-linolenic acid in their
diets such as flaxseed, flaxseed oil, canola oil, tofu, soybeans, and
walnuts.
Vitamin B12
The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low. Non-animal sources
include Red Star nutritional yeast T6635 also known as Vegetarian
Support Formula (around 2 teaspoons supplies the adult RDA). It is
especially important for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and
children to have reliable sources of vitamin B12 in their diets.
Numerous foods are fortified with B12, but sometimes companies change
what they do. So always read labels carefully or write the companies.
Tempeh, miso, and seaweed are often labeled as having large amounts
of vitamin B12. However, these products are not reliable sources of the
vitamin because the amount of vitamin B12 present depends on the type
of processing the food undergoes. Other sources of vitamin B12 are
fortified soy milk (check the label as this is rarely available in the
U.S.), vitamin B12-fortified meat analogues, and vitamin B12
supplements. There are supplements which do not contain animal
products. Vegetarians who are not vegan can also obtain vitamin B12
from dairy products and eggs.
Common Vegan Foods
Oatmeal, stir-fried vegetables, cereal, toast, orange juice, peanut
butter on whole wheat bread, frozen fruit desserts, lentil soup, salad
bar items like chickpeas and three bean salad, dates, apples, macaroni,
fruit smoothies, popcorn, spaghetti, vegetarian baked beans, guacamole,
chili...
Vegans Also Eat...
Tofu lasagna, homemade pancakes without eggs, hummus, eggless
cookies, soy ice cream, tempeh, corn chowder, soy yogurt, rice pudding,
fava beans, banana muffins, spinach pies, oat nut burgers, falafel,
corn fritters, French toast made with soy milk, soy hot dogs, vegetable
burgers, pumpkin casserole, scrambled tofu, seitan.
When Eating Out Try These Foods
Pizza without cheese, Chinese moo shu vegetables, Indian curries and
dahl, eggplant dishes without the cheese, bean tacos without the lard
and cheese (available from Taco Bell and other Mexican restaurants),
Middle Eastern hummus and tabouli, Ethiopian injera (flat bread) and
lentil stew, Thai vegetable curries...
Egg and Dairy Replacers
As a binder, substitute for each egg:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) soft tofu blended with the liquid ingredients of the recipe, or
1 small banana, mashed, or
1/4 cup applesauce, or
2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch, or Ener-G Egg Replacer or another commercial mix found in health food stores.
The following substitutions can be made for dairy products:
Soy milk, rice milk, potato milk, nut milk, or water (in some
recipes) may be used.
Buttermilk can be replaced with soured soy or rice milk. For
each Cup of buttermilk, use 1 cup soymilk plus 1 tablespoon
of vinegar.
Soy cheese available in health food stores. (Be aware that many
soy cheeses contain casein, which is a dairy product.)
Crumbled tofu can be substituted for cottage cheese or ricotta
cheese in lasagna and similar dishes.
Several brands of nondairy cream cheese are available in some supermarkets
and kosher stores.
If asked what they consider to be the primary component in maintaining
healthy bones, most people would probably suggest calcium, and lots of
it. But like one writer puts it, ingesting calcium by itself is like
trying to build a brick wall without the mortar; the other vital
components to structural integrity are missing from the equation.
Current research is suggesting that maintaining the proper pH level in
the blood is the primary factor in maintaining overall bone health, with
calcium playing a supporting role in achieving this end.
Maintaining
pH balance in the body has become an important subject of modern health
research as it is being concluded that general wellness is predicated
upon it. The human body is designed to maintain a pH level of roughly
7.3, or a slightly alkaline state, in order to properly assimilate
nutrients and fend off disease. Drawing continually from
alkaline-forming compound reserves that are maintained through proper
nutrition, the body is able to self regulate as long as it is receiving
an alkaline-rich diet. Without it, the body can drop into the acidic
range with no recourse, making it susceptible to diseases like
osteoporosis and cancer.
Dr. Otto Warburg, a medical doctor and
one of the leading German biochemists of the twentieth century, won a
Nobel Prize in 1931 for discovering that cancer cells are anaerobic,
meaning they function without the presence of oxygen. Oxygen actually
inhibits the growth of cancer cells and ultimately kills them. Based
upon his foundational research, many nutrition-based doctors and
scientists have been able to conclude that an alkaline-rich diet is able
to keep the blood oxygenated and the cells healthy.
What does
all of this have to do with calcium and bone loss? Calcium is an
isolated mineral that requires other vitamins and minerals in order to
properly assimilate and function as intended. Additionally, only in an
oxygen-rich alkaline environment is calcium able to build strong and
healthy bones. The problem lies in the fact that the typical Western
diet is highly acid-forming, rendering calcium intake largely
ineffective.
Most people identify milk and other types of dairy
products as the primary sources for obtaining calcium. Dairy products
are acid-forming foods that, apart from adequate intake of
alkaline-forming foods, can severely compromise pH balance in the body.
In the case of a threatening imbalance, the body begins to draw
alkaline-forming compounds from the bones, including calcium, to
maintain proper pH. As a result, the body can actually leech more
calcium than it is receiving, leading to osteoporosis and other serious
diseases.
The solution to avoiding pH imbalance and the resulting
calcium leeching is to maintain a rich alkaline-forming diet by
avoiding excess acid-forming foods. Professor Jurgen Vormanne of the
Institute for Prevention and Diet in Ismaning, Germany has developed a
helpful food chart that outlines foods and their pH effect on the body.
There are also other helpful food charts available online that will
assist in understanding acid- and alkaline-forming foods.
Some of
the best alkaline-forming foods include most fruits and vegetables as
well as certain teas, mineral water, and various fermented foods. Among
the best alkaline-forming foods are figs, raisins, lemons, limes, carrot
and other legume juices, garlic, stevia sweetener, and sea salt, to
name just a few.
It is important to keep in mind the difference
between acidic foods and acid-forming foods; acidic foods such as lemons
actually create an alkalizing effect in the body while milk and most
dairy products, though not acidic in taste, create an acid-forming
effect in the body.
Maintaining healthy bones first requires
proper nutrient intake in order to maintain a balanced pH level,
allowing the blood to effectively assimilate calcium and the necessary
nutrients such as magnesium, potassium, and vitamin D which work
correspondingly to maintain and fortify the bones. Apart from one
another these crucial components will not perform as intended, but
together they are a powerhouse of bone-building material and defense
against osteoporosis.
Source: Murray, Michael T., Lara Pizzorno. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Simon and Schuster, 2005.
Every year, millions of Americans resolve to lose weight, whether on New
Year’s Day, their birthdays, or just some morning when their mirror or
the bathroom scale seems particularly unkind. And every year, many get
frustrated and give up before they reach their goals. Contributing to
this problem is a host of bad information about diet and exercise that
circulates through gyms, workplaces, and over the Internet.
Diet and Exercise Myth #1: Crunches will get rid of your belly fat. False. “You can’t pick and choose areas where you’d like
to burn fat,” Tyne says. “In order to burn fat, you should create a
workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength training
elements. This will decrease your overall body fat content.”
Diet and Exercise Myth #2. Stretching before exercise is crucial. False. Some studies have suggested that stretching
actually makes muscles more susceptible to injury. They claim that by
stretching, muscle fibers are lengthened and destabilized, making them
less prepared for the strain of exercise. “You might want to warm-up and
stretch before a run, but if you are lifting weights wait until after
the workout to stretch your muscles,” Tyne suggests.
Diet and Exercise Myth #3. You should never eat before a workout. False. "Fuel" from food and fluids is required to provide
the energy for your muscles to work efficiently, even if you are doing
an early morning workout. “Consider eating a small meal or snack one to
three hours prior to exercise,” Bender says. “Load up your tank with
premium ‘fuel’ and choose some fruit, yogurt, or whole wheat toast.”
Diet and Exercise Myth #4. Lifting weights will make women bulky. False. “Most women’s bodies do not produce nearly enough
testosterone to become ‘bulky’ like those body builders on TV,” Tyne
says. If you do find yourself getting bigger than you would like, simply
use less weight and more repetitions.
Diet and Exercise Myth #5. Fat is bad for you, no matter what kind. False. Contrary to popular belief, there are plenty of
“good fats” out there that are essential for good health and aid in
disease prevention. “They are the ones that occur naturally in foods
like avocados, nuts, and fish, as opposed to those that are
manufactured,” Bender says. "Including small amounts of these foods at
meal times can help you to feel full longer and therefore eat less.”
Diet and Exercise Myth #6. Restricting calories is the best way to lose weight. False. Both cutting back on calories and moving more will
help you lose weight and maintain the lean muscle mass needed to boost
metabolism. People often believe the diet and exercise myth that they
must take drastic measures to lose weight, such as eating less than 1200
calories per day, but such diets usually do not provide adequate fuel
for the body and may slow metabolism. “Drastic measures rarely equal
lasting results, so start small and eliminate 100-300 calories
consistently from your daily diet, and you will reap the reward,” Bender
says.
Diet and Exercise Myth #7. As long as you eat healthy foods, you can eat as much as you want. False. A calorie is a calorie. Although oatmeal is
healthy, if you eat four cups of oatmeal, the calories add up. “Healthy
or otherwise, you still must be aware of portion sizes,” Bender says.
"You must limit your caloric intake in order to lose weight, however,
understanding how to ‘balance’ calorie intake throughout your day can
help you avoid feelings of deprivation, hunger and despair.”
Diet and Exercise Myth #8. Exercise turns fat into muscle. False. Fat and muscle tissue are composed of two entirely
different types of cells. “While you can lose one and replace it with
another, the two never “convert” into different forms,” Tyne says. “So
fat will never turn into muscle.”
Diet and Exercise Myth #9. Eating late at night will make you gain weight. False. “There are no ‘magic’ hours,” Bender says. “We
associate late-night eating with weight gain because we usually consume
more calories at night. We do this because we usually deprive our bodies
of adequate calories the first half of the day. Start the day out with
breakfast and eat every 3-4 hours. Keep lunch the same size as dinner,
and you will be less likely to over-indulge at night, yet you can enjoy a
small late-night snack without the fear of it sticking to your middle.”
Diet and Exercise Myth #10. You have to sweat to have a good workout. False. “Sweating is not necessarily an indicator of
exertion—sweating is your body’s way of cooling itself,” Tyne says. It
is possible to burn a significant number of calories without breaking a
sweat: try taking a walk, or doing some light weight training, or
working out in a swimming pool.
Don't let anyone tell you that you can't lose that weight! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't get stronger! Determination, motivation and desire will get you there!
