Salt has definitely had a bit of a bad reputation in the past. You may have heard that it has been linked to heart disease and high blood pressure. 

And if you like to add it to every meal, this can be a bit worrying. So, I decided to do my own research.

WHY SALT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE HUMAN BODY

Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride. And sodium is a very important element that our body needs in order to function normally. It helps to:

• Transmit nerve impulses
• Influence the contracting and relaxing of your muscles
• Maintain the balance of fluid in your body.

While it’s very important to have enough sodium in your diet, having too much in your body can be harmful.

SODIUM AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

The doctors are not exactly sure why salt may lead to high blood pressure. But one of the most recent theories is that sodium stimulates adrenaline secretion which then constricts your arteries and causes high blood pressure.

Studies have shown that when participants were able to moderately reduce their salt intake, there was a decrease in their blood pressure.

While this is good news, there is still not a clear indication that you’ll reduce the risk of heart disease if you lower your blood pressure by reducing your salt intake. 

SODIUM AND HEART DISEASE

A low-salt diet does not necessarily mean that your risk of heart disease will decrease. 

In 2011, scientists did a review of seven studies that dealt with heart disease and salt intake. And they found that reduced salt intake had no effect on the risk of heart disease. 

Actually, for people who already have a heart condition, low salt diet may be even worse.

In one study I found, those with existing heart failure increased their chances of death when they changed to a low-salt diet. 

So, it’s really difficult to say that a low-salt diet actually takes away the risk of heart disease. It really depends on each individual and more studies are definitely needed.

SODIUM AND WEIGHT GAIN

Salt definitely can affect your weight in more than one way. Here’s what I found.

WATER RETENTION

Eating a lot of salt can cause your body to retain more water. And then that water can show up on your scales as extra pounds. 

RELATED POST: THE 2 MAIN REASONS YOU CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT

THIRST AND SUGARY DRINKS

Foods high in salt will also make you thirsty. And when you’re thirsty, you might reach for drinks packed with sugar and extra calories. 

One recent study found that if you reduce the amount of sodium in an average child’s diet by 50%, their intake of sugary drinks decreases by about two per week. 

CALCULATE NOW

SALT MAKES YOUR FOOD TASTE BETTER 

Salt makes things taste better and of course, when something tastes great you’re more likely to eat more.

This may cause you to eat much more than your need. 

It makes sense, doesn’t it? Sometimes it’s hard to stop eating chips or buttery popcorn just because it tastes so good!

WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF YOUR SODIUM INTAKE IS TOO LOW?

While it may seem a good idea to lower your sodium intake, low-salt diets can lead to:

• Increased levels of blood cholesterol and blood triglycerides
• Insulin resistance
• Increased risk of diabetes
• Hyponatremia (abnormally low sodium levels), which causes fluid retention, headaches, fatigue, dizziness and nausea

HOW MUCH SODIUM DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED?

As you now know, too much sodium has been linked to high blood pressure, and weight issues. But as I just mentioned, having too little sodium is also not good for you.

So how much sodium do we need?

The table salt that we usually consume contains only around 40% of sodium, and the rest is chloride. So if a food label says sodium instead of salt, you should multiply that number by 2.5 to get actual salt content.

The maximum amount of sodium that you should be consuming every day is 2,300 milligrams.

To say it in real-life terms, it’s a little less than a full teaspoon of table salt. 

Now this recommended amount drops down to only 1,500 milligrams per day if you have a condition such as high blood pressure.

Middle aged people, senior citizens and anyone of African descent are also advised to only have 1,500 mg as well.

HOW CAN YOU EAT LESS SALT?

Even if you don’t add salt to your meals, you’ll find that many foods you eat have a high sodium level. These are usually processed foods, pre-packaged foods, bottled sauces, and of course fast food. Some processed foods have around ¾ of your recommended sodium intake.

Other high-sodium items that you most likely use a lot of include ketchup, soy sauce and salad dressings.

You can start to keep an eye on these when you are at the grocery store, and over time you will understand more about which products are low in sodium and which are not. Just remember to pay attention what the label says – salt or sodium. 

Some brands actually make low-sodium, unsalted, or sodium-free products which are worth checking out.

But you don’t want to cut sodium out completely. It is absolutely necessary for some of your bodily functions and having too little salt can also cause some serious issues.

Adding a high quality salt such as Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt to your meals can give you the sodium and minerals that your body needs.

SO IS SALT BAD FOR YOU?

Salt is necessary for your body to function properly but as with all foods, having too much of it is not a good idea. 

It’s best to stick to the recommended amount per day so that you don’t need to worry about fluid retention and other possible health problems.

And of course, if you are trying to lose weight, excess sodium may delay or stop your weight loss.

Keep an eye on your sodium intake and try to eat clean if you can, so you can get closer to your weight and fitness goals.

Love Rachel Xx

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When it was first introduced, many people were suspicious of the microwave oven and questioned whether it had health risks. This question remains relevant today.

How a Microwave Works

To understand the answer to this question, you need to discover how the microwave oven actually works.

Inside your microwave is a magnetron. This is responsible for converting it into radio waves. These are also referred to as electromagnetic radiation. Basically, microwave exposes your food to electromagnetic radiation in the microwave frequency range.

These radio waves are then directed through a channel into the heating area; where you place your food.

Your food should be sat on a turntable. Turning the food is essential to ensure the radio waves heat the food evenly.

The inside of the microwave is reflective metal. This bounces the radio waves around the cooking area; increasing the intensity of the cooking effect. The waves bounce off metal but will pass straight through china and other materials; allowing them to vibrate the molecules in your food.

This vibration causes the food to heat up. The more they vibrate the hotter you food becomes.

Health Risks Associated with Microwaves

There are many claims and concerns over the effects of these radio waves on your food and health. Fortunately, the majority of these claims appear to be unfounded.

Here are the most common concerns:

Nutrient Removal

Many people are concerned that microwaves remove the nutrients from your food. This is true, but so does any form of cooking.

The mere act of heating food up alters its nutritional profile. The real issue is when you cook it for too long or on too high a setting. Again, this is also true for a conventional oven.

What you may be interested to know is that the rapid cooking process that occurs inside a microwave actually helps to retain the polyphenols in green vegetables. These are beneficial to your health.

Your microwave can even help to retain vitamin C, which is usually lost when boiling vegetables!

Cancer Inducing

Many people are concerned with the electromagnetic radiation given off by a microwave and its potential links to cancer. There are even surveys which appear to confirm this.

It is first necessary to understand what HCAs are. HCAs are compounds created when you cook meat, poultry or fish at high temperatures. HCAs are defined as carcinogens; these are substances that are likely to cause cancer.

These only occur when you cook meat for a long period of time at high temperatures. And they appear regardless of your cooking method. There are no studies that show microwave ovens produce any more HCAs than a conventional oven.

In fact, studies show that barbequed fish contain more HCAs than microwaved cooked fish.

The bottom line; there is no greater risk than with any other cooking method.

Plastic Containers and BPA

If you’ve looked at my article on whether bottled water is safe, you’ll know a little about BPAs and the risk they pose to your health.

It is, therefore, reasonable to question whether these same chemicals can leach out of the plastic during the microwave cooking process.

The answer is yes.

However, if you use plastic products that are labeled microwave safe, there is no BPA present, so you don’t need to be concerned.

Of course, you can simply use alternative containers; such as glass.

Microwaves Don’t Kill Bad Bugs

This concern arises because you will often find hot and cold spots after you’ve cooked something in a microwave. This happens when the food is not rotating properly or hasn’t been cooked long enough.

In this instance, you will increase the chances of not having killed any harmful bacteria in your food. This is why it is essential to make sure your food is cooked for the right amount of time at the right temperature.

Also, salt in food causes localized heating which can make the food appear hot before the cooking process has actually been completed.

If you stick to the guidelines for cooking and storing food, this will not be an issue.

Can Your Microwave Cause Damage to You If You Stand Too Close?

The real issue with a microwave is the radio waves it creates. These are harmful to people and can cause burns. They are the same rays that are used by cell phones, but much more powerful.

Your microwave is designed to contain these waves inside the food area; none are retained after the food has finished cooking.

But, if your microwave oven does not contain these rays properly and you stand close by watching your food cook, you are potentially increasing your exposure.

Microwaves should not leak radio waves. But if they do, then your body will absorb these rays and it can potentially damage your health. Research is ongoing into how bad the effects are.

Test your microwave by placing your cell phone inside it with the door closed. Do not turn it on!!!

Then ring your cell phone via Skype, FaceTime or a similar internet-based service. You should not be able to get a WI-Fi signal inside your microwave.

If you do then your microwave may be leaking. But, even this is unlikely to be harmful to your health as it will be in such a small amount!

If you are at all concerned, stand approximately 2 feet away; this will allow the radio waves to dissipate.

So, Is It Safe to Microwave Your Food? – The Bottom Line

The fact is that using radio waves to cook your food has no more of a negative effect on your food or your health than using a conventional oven.

You can carry on using your microwave with confidence.

Microwaves will not make your food dangerous, they cannot alter your DNA and, even if leaking, they will put off less electromagnetic radiation than your refrigerator.

You can continue to use them!

The post Is It Safe to Microwave Your Food appeared first on Rachael Attard.

If you said yes to any of these questions, you might have an unhealthy relationship to food. Unfortunately, this happens to a LOT of women, myself included. In this blog post, I’m going to give you some tips on how to conquer food guilt and start developing a more positive relationship with food.

The Slippery Slope to Food Guilt

Sometimes, the desire to lose weight or get healthier can become so strong that it’s in your mind nearly every minute of every day.

You deny and deny yourself; you feel like you’re saying “no, no, no” all the time. To get to your goal faster, you even cut out the “cheat days” from your diet schedule.

And the more you try to restrict yourself, the more you crave the so called “bad” food.

You accept the slice of cake at a friend’s birthday party. You grab a package of cheese-flavored chips on your way through the checkout line at the store. You order a large fries along with your healthy wrap.

And after you’ve eaten, you feel terrible. You’re discouraged and disappointed. You feel like you’ve failed.

The Usual Responses to Food Guilt – The Two R’s

So, how should you react when you feel food guilt? Well, there are two unhealthy ways and one healthy. Keep in mind that your health and your fitness future depend on which path you take.

Resign

You can give up.

You can tell yourself that your fitness goals are never going to happen, it’s no use, and you might as well just go back to your previous diet and lifestyle.

You can binge eat to soothe those feelings— but in the long run, that only makes the guilt more painful and the road to fitness even longer.

Negative self-talk is a destructive path.

Coupled with guilt, it can lead to serious eating disorders and body image problems. Food-shaming yourself doesn’t help the fitness process or the weight loss goals; it just makes the problem worse.

Restrict

Another reaction is to revert to your severe diet program.

You work yourself into a soaking sweat on the treadmill, trying to atone for those extra calories.

You determine to restrict yourself even more, to exercise harder, and to be even more fierce in your battle for fitness.

What’s the problem with this reaction?

Well, this mentality is what led you to the overwhelming food guilt in the first place. If you go back to your previous thought process, you’ll just find yourself repeating the pattern again and again.

My Advice on How to Conquer Food Guilt – The Three R’s

Relax, Review, and Recover

Here’s what I suggest you do.

Admit to yourself that you messed up. You fell short of a goal that you set for your life. But before you do that, think about how realistic was that goal in the first place? Are you eliminating all indulgence from your life, turning food into an enemy?

That’s a dangerous path; so perhaps you need to review and reassess your diet.

Instead of being ultra-restrictive, set reasonable food boundaries and allow yourself some indulgences.

If you are at a birthday party, it’s OK to eat cake and enjoy it. If you’re on a date, you’re allowed a guilt-free meal, with no consideration for calories.

The schedule, food items, and quantities are up to you. The point is that you’re not eliminating all your favourite foods from your life; you’re simply removing their control over you.

You’re the one with the power, and you get to dictate when those foods enter your life, on your timetable.

If you’re still experiencing severe guilt, write down those feelings in a journal or on a piece of scrap paper; then tear it to pieces.

You’ve admitted the feelings, and now you’re moving on. That episode of your fitness journey is over— what matters is the future.

If you’re still struggling, please know that you don’t need to struggle alone.

Reaching out to a dietician, nutritionist or a psychologist. I know this might seem daunting, but I promise they see these issues on a regular basis and won’t judge. They will do their absolute best to help you! So keep this in mind.

I wish you all the best! xx

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So, I’m going to show you what’s the best way to start eating healthy and how to STICK to a healthy diet.

A good way to start eating healthy is to try clean eating! Clean eating is typically eating food in its most natural state and avoiding eating overly processed foods. I try to eat as clean as I can, but I also eat dairy-free yoghurt and whole grains such as oats and bread.

These clean eating guidelines should provide you with the information you need to start eating a healthy diet (without being too extreme) and give you a few meal ideas.

BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING

WHAT FOOD SHOULD I BE EATING? 

You know, the old food pyramid used to be the go-to guide for how we should be eating. A big base of grains and cereals at the bottom, then moving on up through fruits, veggies, dairy, meats, and fats right at the top. It was all about loading up on those carbs and keeping fats limited.

But, let me tell you, things have changed. With more research coming out, we’re seeing that maybe the old pyramid wasn’t quite hitting the mark. Turns out, eating more fat can actually be good for losing fat, and we don’t need to load up on as many carbs as we thought!

So, while the old pyramid was a good start, we’re learning new things all the time. It’s all about staying open to new ideas and finding what works best for you and your body.

Here are my recommendations for daily servings (Modified Food Pyramid) :)

Check out my post on what I eat in a day, I make sure to still eat healthy even though I’m busy :)

HEALTHY MEAL IDEAS 

BREAKFAST 

• Omelette with vegetables such as spinach, mushrooms and tomato;
• Whole meal toast with poached eggs and avocado;
• Bacon, scrambled eggs and avocado;
• Oats with low-fat milk and honey;
• Overnight oats (soak oats overnight in milk and in the morning add berries and yoghurt);
• Smoothie made with fruit, low fat or dairy free milk (almond milk is my favourite), greens and protein powder.

LUNCH 

• Chicken and brown rice salad;
• Tuna / salmon and lentil salad;
• Whole meal wrap with chicken or turkey, avocado and salad;
• Toasted sandwich made with whole meal bread, chicken or turkey, avocado and salad;
• Brown rice sushi; and
• Egg sandwich made with whole meal bread.

This colorful one-pan chicken fajita rice bowl recipe from @cookingclassy is a must-try!

DINNER 

• Chicken or beef stir fry with quinoa or brown rice;
• Roast (chicken, beef, lamb, etc) with roast vegetables (go easy on the white potato);
• Salmon with salad or vegetables;
• Homemade curries and soups (pumpkin and curried cauliflower are my favourites);
• Zucchini pasta with homemade turkey meat balls and pesto;
• Cauliflower crust pizza
• Chicken crumbed in LSA (linseed, sunflower seeds, almond meal) and roast vegetables.

Dinners don’t need to be complicated so I suggest you try this yummy and easy Beef Stir-Fry recipe!

SNACKS 

• Carrot sticks and healthy dip such as hummus, spinach, avocado;
• Whole fruit (not dried);
• Yoghurt;
• Raw, unsalted nuts;
• Omelette or boiled eggs;
• Protein Bar
• Popcorn; and
• Protein shakes.

Protein Bar is an excellent snack which I like very much!

Now I have given you a lot of healthy food options you can try but if you’re still not sure where to start, I have a FREE 7-Day Meal Plan that you can try out. :)

You can sign up below! You’ll get a pdf nutrition plan with meals. This meal plan is designed to help you slim down and to teach you what a healthy diet looks like. 

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FAQ ON HEALTHY EATING

WHAT’S YOUR BEST TIP ON STICKING TO A HEALTHY DIET?

If you really want to start eat healthy and actually stick to it, I would advise you to choose 10-15 healthy foods you like and make your weekly eating schedule according to that list. 

If you know in advance what are you going to eat that week, it will be so much easier to make your own healthy meals and stick to your meal plan.

I love having variety in my diet and I don’t eat the same thing every day, but there are certain healthy foods that I do actually eat on most days. 

Eating similar foods and sticking to a similar eating schedule helps me stay on track and it will help you too. 

I also suggest you learn how to balance your plate, it’s essential for ensuring you get all the nutrients your body needs :)

Here are the 10 foods that I usually eat everyday. You don’t have t stick to the same foods as I do, but this might help you create your own list.

10 Foods I Eat Every Day

1. Banana
2. Strawberries, blueberries or other berries (but mostly strawberries)
3. Almond milk
4. Chia seeds
5. Protein powder
6. Raw nuts
7. Broccoli
8. Sweet potato
9. Eggs
10. Chicken

WHAT FOODS SHOULD I LIMIT? 

I don’t think you should cut out any food groups completely. But there are definitely some foods you shouldn’t consume every single day. 

Here are some of those foods:

• Junk food such as chocolate, biscuits, cakes, ice cream, chips, lollies and all the regular ones;
• Other processed foods such as sugary cereals, muesli bars, bottled sauces and pretty much anything that comes in a packet;
• Deep fried food, hot chips, pizza, sausage rolls;
• Take away foods such as McDonalds;
• Fatty meat such as chorizo and sausages;
• Soft drink, energy drinks, flavoured milk, refined fruit juice; and
• Alcohol

CAN I HAVE CHEAT DAYS?

Back when I first started eating healthy, I thought that cheat days sounded like a really great idea. Eat healthy all week and then eat bad foods on a Saturday or Sunday without feeling guilty! 

However, when you start thinking of certain foods as forbidden, you tend to crave them more. That’s why I said you don’t have to cut out certain types of food completely.

If you are sticking to a balanced diet, no foods are off-limits. Instead, I recommend allowing yourself to eat treats 2-3 times per week. If you really feel like having pasta for dinner, eat it and don’t feel bad about it! You shouldn’t restrict yourself too much.

I like to stick to the 80:20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time and then allow yourself treats 20% of the time. It has honestly been a much better approach for me, and I actually stick to healthy eating better this way, rather than having designated cheat meals.

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I EAT? 

Lots of people say that you should eat 5-6 small meals per day, and eat every 2-3 hours. But it actually doesn’t really matter. As long as you are eating the right type of foods and the right amount of calories, you are on track. However, I like to eat smaller regular meals as eating regularly prevents me from getting hungry and over eating. If I don’t eat for longer than this, I get so hungry that when I do eat, I often over eat.

CAN I EAT HEALTHY WHEN DINING OUT?

Just because you eat healthy, doesn’t mean you can’t go out for a meal with friends. At most cafes and restaurants, there are usually healthy options. Here are some ideas for eating out:

• Breakfast: healthy porridge, poached eggs and avocado on toast, tea or fresh juice;
• Lunch: chicken/turkey salad or wrap (limit the creamy sauce and cheese);
• Dinner: stir-fry, healthy curries (no white rice), small steak (200g), salmon or chicken with roast vegetables.

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD I DRINK?

Your organs and tissues are made up of 70-90% water, and even your bones are 20% water. Your body NEEDS water to function correctly! Make sure you’re drinking at least 2L of water per day (can be in the form of other drinks such as tea). Plus this may also prevent you from drinking unnecessary calories from things like soft drink.

My daily diet plan can be found here and here x

If you really want to eat healthy and change your lifestyle, it is best to have a proper plan to follow. You will be much more likely to stick to it and be consistent if you are able to follow a guide.

Love,

Rachael xx

CALCULATE NOW

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