The post Low Carb Diets and High Blood Pressure first appeared on Sun Diet.

It would probably surprise you to know that, in this day and age of healthy living and weight-consciousness, most people simply read the front of the packaging and accept products at face value. Most shoppers simply accept that a product is ‘low-fat’, ‘high in fiber’ or ‘a healthy snack’. People buy a product, because it’s labelled as ‘all natural’ or because they are attracted to the wrapper.

When was the last time you turned a package around and checked the actual ingredient list or nutritional values of your groceries? You would be amazed to find out what you have been consuming all these years!

Take a simple example that most women will be able to relate to: Health biscuits. Most brands of health biscuits claim to be a healthy snacking alternative, loaded with seeds, grains and other high fiber ingredients. How many of them mention that they are also loaded with sugar? Don’t believe me? Read the label!

Simply follow these 5 easy steps to reading your food label:

Step 1: Check your serving size, is it the correct portion for you? If not, then adjust accordingly BUT adjust the percentage of carbohydrates accordingly.

Step 2: Check the calories. Is this food item worth the amount of calories? Most (but not all) foods that are high in calories, are high in carbohydrates.

Step 3: Check your recommended daily allowance.

Step 4: Limit these nutrients (in the pink section). Specifically limit the amount of carbohydrates to 3g per 100g or to 3% or less, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

If you are only trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, 5% is acceptable. Products high in sodium are also really bad for your blood pressure.

Step 5: Get enough of the nutrients in the green area. Once again being very cautious of carbohydrates.

Health.com recently did a survey on the most misleading food labels, read more about it at http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20599288,00.html

Some of the major offenders that they discovered were ‘All natural’, ‘Multigrain’ and ‘Sugar Free’.

ALL NATURAL

‘All natural’ is such a loose term nowadays. Some food items are labelled as ‘all natural’ but contain ingredients such as corn syrup. Manufacturers then argue that this ‘n byproduct of corn, which is a natural and healthy ingredient. This leaves plenty of room for interpretation and no wrong-doing from our major food producers.

‘Multigrain’ is another nice hiding place…It is not enough to say that an item is made of multigrain ingredients, look for descriptions that state 100% wholegrain or 100% whole wheat. If a product does not specify these ingredients they are most likely not as healthy as you think.

Our last top offender is ‘Sugar Free’. What most people don’t realise is that a sugar-free option can still contain more carbohydrates than the alternative that contains sugar. Again – sugar free does not mean carb free! Always check the label to make sure that you are choosing the correct option for your dietary needs.

Think about the term “No sugar added!” This does not mean that the product does not contain sugar, it simply means that no additional sugar was added to the product.

Woman’s Health even found that most of our diet/health food ‘suggested serving’ portions are too large. (Read more about it at http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/food-labeling?slide=1).

To put it simply, they have found that we overlook hidden calories, like liquid calories. Most imported drinks offer a larger serving size than is allowed in most conventional diets. We don’t notice this, because in our minds we are enjoying one can, which equals one serving. Right? Wrong!

What should you look for when reading a food label?

It is really simple. All the ingredients are listed in order of amount, starting with the ingredient that makes up most of the food first and then the rest of the ingredients in descending order as they make up less and less of the product. All labels should provide you with the amount of fats, sugars, proteins and carbohydrates contained per serving or per 100 grams. If you are trying to lose weight, stick to products that contain 3g (or less) of carbohydrates per 100g.  If you are uncertain about the amounts of each food group you should be consuming, book a free consultation at our pharmacy and we can work out a program tailored to your specific needs.

Now, look at the nutrients and fats listed. Do you know all of these? Find out as much as you can about all the items listed. It might shock you to know how many of these ingredients are synthetic, preservatives or added flavourants.

If you are looking for low-carb foods, don’t fall for words like ‘Light’, ‘Lean’, ‘Sugar-Free’ and ‘Less Fat’. This does not in any way mean that its low in carbohydrates. It simply means that some ingredient or other has been omitted, but most likely replaced with another unhealthy option.

Always go for natural, home-made ingredients as far as possible. Whenever an ingredient is pre-cooked or ready-made it is usually filled with sodium and all sorts of preservatives which provides it with its longer than usual shelf-life. These products are an unhealthy addition to your diet, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol or certain food intolerances.

It becomes very clear then that reading your food labels becomes a necessity when you are trying to achieve a balanced, healthy eating style. If you had a cheat-sheet in a test and you were allowed to use it – you would, wouldn’t you?

Why not use the ultimate cheat-sheet and find out which hidden calories are lurking in your favourite breakfast bar or ‘all natural fruit drink’. What are you waiting for, do it!

Remember that these guidelines will only bring you so far in your weight loss journey. If you require assistance in working out an eating plan that has been scientifically proven to bring weight loss then contact us and join the 94% success rate that we offer our clients!

The post How to Read Food Labels Properly first appeared on Sun Diet.

Most of us know that feeling. The one where your stomach convinces you that you’ve held out long enough. Have a piece of cake, enjoy that burger, you deserve it!

Then Monday comes, you haven’t lost any weight after all your hard work and your diet starts all over again. This makes you frustrated because you are not seeing the results you want. And who can blame you?

It’s not realistic to avoid carbs for the rest of your life.

One also can’t ignore the fact that high protein diets (I.e. large amounts of red meat) have been labelled as having negative impacts on health – ranging from increased risk of colorectal cancer and diabetes to greater risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

One can hardly blame people for being so hesitant to start a diet – they are hesitant because of health risks and because they believe that it is impossible to avoid carbohydrates completely.

We agree!

“Low Carbs”, “No carbs”, “Banting”, “high fats”, “high protein” and “carb-free” are catch-phrases at the moment, with many jumping on the bandwagon in order to lose some weight. But do you understand exactly what these terms are and what they mean for weight loss?

Now, before you read any further, please understand that we are in no way endorsing a no-carb diet or even a high-protein diet.  What we can say is that the correct types of carbohydrates in the correct portions are actually very healthy.

Our human physiology has not really changed much over the past 500 years, but our environment has. Humans have always relied on carbohydrates for energy. The difference is, in today’s modern lifestyle humans have become used to low levels of activity, excessive portion sizes and calorie rich/nutrient-poor processed foods. Most conventional diets usually consist of 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 20% fat.

Obese persons have a ‘disturbed’ carbohydrate metabolism and cannot digest such a high percentage of carbohydrates. This is the main cause of obesity and its related diseases.

To tackle the ever increasing obesity problem, we need to go back to nature. Nature offers us proteins, fats, vegetables and fruit. Man offers us refined sugar and processed foods.

This is the basis of the Banting/Tim Noakes way of eating. Banting advocates a low carb/high fat lifestyle, avoiding carbohydrates (including starchy vegetables) as much as possible.

The Banting Diet was first prescribed by Dr. William Harvey in 1861 for a hefty undertaker named William Banting. After William Banting successfully trimmed down because of this diet it became very popular and gained a lot of momentum.

Noaks advocates animal protein, full cream dairies (including milk, yogurt and cheese) and an intake of between 25 – 50 grams of carbohydrates a day (nett carbs, meaning total carbs minus fibre). This is basically a ketogenic diet.

Sun-Diet works on the same principle, removing carbohydrates from your diet – but only for the first phase of the program. We advocate a carbohydrate-controlled eating plan. We all need carbohydrates, protein and fat in our diets to keep the body functioning at an optimum level.  The crux lies within balanced and controlled amounts!

What most people don’t realise is that an excess of carbohydrates causes hunger because it stimulates the body to produce insulin which lowers

the blood sugar. Low blood sugar tells your body:

“Eat — you are hungry”.

The key words here, once again, are balanced and controlled amounts of macronutrients. If you eat the correct proportions of each food group, then your body will be able to digest it all properly. The only carbohydrates that you should eliminate from your diet, if you want to maintain a healthy weight, are refined sugars such as cakes, sweets, bread, etc.

This might seem like an impossible task right now, but after eating from the correct food groups in the correct proportions you will not experience the sugar cravings that you have experienced in the past. This might sound strange – but you won’t even notice that you are not eating these types of carbs.

According to a survey done amongs our clients at The Diet, more than 94% of them are maintaining their weight after 1 year upon completion of the program. The majority of them experienced weight gain of a kilogram or two, as life sometimes happens and you give in to the food available at parties, family gatherings, etc. The good news is that your body will already be conditioned to your way of eating and you will lose the weight once you follow your eating plan again.

With a success rate of 94% at The Diet, the question shouldn’t be “Is this way of life sustainable?” It should be, “Why aren’t we doing this already?”

The post Is Banting Sustainable? first appeared on Sun Diet.

Frequent urination, excessive thirst, unexplained weight loss or gain and remaining hungry despite having eaten…these all seem like normal occurrences if experienced individually. But what if you experience all of them together? You could be at risk of developing diabetes!

Many of our patients (the founder of Sonlandpark Pharmacy’s Sun Diet included) have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. It is one of the main reasons why our program was developed. Diabetes is a very serious, often fatal disease and consists of two types: Diabetes Type 1 and Diabetes Type 2.

Diabetes Type 1 is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, known as ‘insulin dependent’ diabetes. With Type 1, the body does not produce insulin.

Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. With the help of insulin therapy and other treatments, even young children can learn to manage their condition and live long, healthy lives – See more at diabetes.org.

Diabetes Type 2 is the most common form of diabetes. If you have type 2 diabetes your body does not use insulin properly. This is called insulin resistance.

The most common cause is an excessive intake of refined carbohydrates and sugars.  At first, your pancreas makes extra insulin to make up for it. But, over time it isn’t able to keep up and can’t make enough insulin to keep your blood glucose at normal levels – See more at diabetes.org.

There are 3 main origins of diabetes:

1. If one of your parents was a diabetic, your chance to be a diabetic is more than 25%.
2. Age above 50.
3. The prolonged intake of refined carbohydrates. This often brings about hyper-insulin and a breakdown in your body’s ability to metabolise carbohydrates.

Typically there are common symptoms to look for if you are a pre-diabetic, or perhaps even a full-blown diabetic. These are:

• Urinating often.
• Feeling very thirsty.
• Feeling very hungry – even though you are eating.
• Extreme fatigue and trouble sleeping
• Blurry vision.
• Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal.
• Sudden Weight loss or gain – even though you are eating more (type 1)
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)

Very often at Sonlandpark Pharmacy’s The Sun-Diet, our patients ask us if low blood sugar is not the opposite of diabetes.  No, the opposite of diabetes is normal.

We know that diabetes does not exist in cultures where refined carbohydrates are not consumed. Diabetes also does not progress when no refined carbohydrates are taken in. That makes diabetes one of life’s easiest illnesses to control.  One needs only to have it diagnosed when it is in the early stages, and stop eating the carbohydrates without which it cannot progress.

Don’t wait for symptoms, because by then it is rather late.  The symptoms of early diabetes are probably obesity itself as well as the signs of low blood sugar.  Low blood sugar might be the first recognisable stage of diabetes. Roughly, this is how obesity, low blood sugar, and diabetes develops:

1. Stage one begins with a genetic defect in your carbohydrate metabolism. You have a carbohydrate allergy, demonstrated by being overweight, but your glucose tolerance is still normal.
2. In stage two the pancreas continues to produce excessive insulin. The result — more obesity, and low blood sugar can be demonstrated.

• In stage three the pancreas continues to produce an abundance of insulin, but the body can no longer immediately control the blood sugar balance. The result — obesity and symptoms of low blood sugar.

1. In stage four the pancreas, although still releasing large amounts of insulin, cannot produce enough of the hormone to handle the increasing demands of its supply.

The result is obesity and a high level of blood sugar; that is, diabetes.

This is an oversimplification, and the phases may all occur at once, so that not all stages are found in every diabetic’s past history.  But the common denominator here is the trio:  Obesity, low blood sugar and diabetes.  Excessive insulin is the common enemy.

If you suffer from the above mentioned symptoms, have yourself tested at a clinic or doctor nearby. The key to prolonging the onset of this disease is early diagnosis! Should you be interested in an eating plan and a lifestyle program to treat or prevent diabetes, book a consultation now!

The post Am I pre-diabetic? first appeared on Sun Diet.

The concept of ketogenic dieting is not new – it has existed in many forms and in many variations. It has many similarities to the Banting and other popular diets. It is even similar to what we do at Sonlandpark Pharmacy’s Sun-Diet. The basis of all these diets rests on the same fundamental idea that you avoid carbohydrates and consume more fats and proteins. It can be described as a medium to high-fat and protein diets, with low-carbohydrates.

A ketogenic diet is quite simply any diet that forces the body into a process called ketosis, whereby fats are burned instead of carbohydrates for use as energy. A proper ketogenic diet calls for the dieter to consume decent amounts of fat, moderate amounts of protein, and very low amounts of carbohydrates.

Our bodies are used to turning carbohydrates into glucose to send all over the body as energy. When we enter ketosis by sufficiently limiting our carbohydrate intake, our livers start breaking down fat cells into fatty acids and ketones, to be used as energy. This is why we sometimes experience bad breath or body odours when we lose weight – we are excreting ketones.

Check out this really nifty infographic from Faithfully Free

Why does the ketogenic diet work?

Initially this diet was known for its ability to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children and depression in adults. But the ketogenic diet works much like any other diet: by limiting the amount of calories you consume, thereby creating a caloric deficit where the body burns more energy than it takes in. That is the fundamental science of weight loss.

Some diets will argue that 100 calories of carbohydrates is the same as 100 calories of fat, but few will argue that all successful diets rely on caloric restriction, one way or another.

The main difference in a ketogenic diet is that carbohydrates must be limited or avoided initially. This is because of our blood glucose levels. When we eat carbohydrates, our blood-glucose levels rise rapidly.

By eating a low carbohydrate diet, we keep our blood sugar levels low and steady, and as a result, carb-induced hunger spikes are avoided.  Reducing insulin levels is paramount to success with any diet, as insulin is the hormone that tells our bodies to store fat.  By keeping our insulin levels low, we create an environment within our bodies that limits fat storage and promotes fat lipolysis. Vleis en olie img

What do I eat on a ketogenic diet?

Image courtesy of http://www.theketogenicdiet.org/what-is-the-ketogenic-diet/

It is generally recommended that ketogenic dieters should consume about 60% of their macronutrients from fat, 35% from protein, and 5% from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate intake should generally be limited to less than 50 grams per day. When starting out, it is recommended that you limit your carbohydrates to 10 grams per day, as being strict initially will make sure you enter ketosis, and help you learn the ins and outs of successful low carbohydrate dieting. If you refer to the image above, you will see exactly which foods to eat sparingly, and which to enjoy in abundance.

What are the benefits of a Ketogenic Diet?

Typically, most diets have similar benefits, these are: lowered cholesterol, lower blood pressure and of course weight loss. Ketogenic diets have the added benefits of regulating your blood sugar (which means curbing your cravings and hunger pangs), giving you more energy and helping to reduce unpleasant skin conditions such as acne.

Initially you might see some restrictions or physical limitations when you start your diet, especially if you are a very active person. But your body will adapt and soon you will have a lot of energy, more than you know what to do with!

Because of all the changes happening in your body during this change in your diet you might experience other symptoms. As your body becomes induced into a ketogenic state, your body will naturally use what’s left of your glucose. This means your body will be depleted of all glycogen in the muscles – which can cause a lack of energy, and a general lethargy. In the first few days, many people report:

• Headaches
• Mental fogginess
• Flu-like symptoms(known as the “keto-flu”)
• Dizziness
• Aggravation
• Yep, it’s pretty much a week of PMS for everyone!

Most of the time, this is the result of your electrolytes being flushed out or a process of ‘detox’, as ketosis has a diuretic effect. Make sure you drink plenty of water and keep your sodium intake up. In fact, you should go overboard with the salt – salt EVERYTHING! This will help with water retention, and help replenish the electrolytes.

There is no real danger in starting any type of ketogenic diet, but to be safe – always check with your pharmacist and doctor first!

The post What is the Ketogenic Diet? first appeared on Sun Diet.

• Prep a whole week’s veggies in advance
  Sunday afternoons are great to get the whole family involved in meal preparations. Use this time to peel, cut, chop, dice and store your week’s vegetables in advance. This way there is no excuse to reach for take-aways or high carb snacks.

• Make sure that you have enough space
  Clean and clear out an entire countertop or cover a table with plastic wrap to ensure that you have enough room to get a production line going. Have a dustbin or rubbish bag near for waste.
• Use the correct tools
  Certain equipment is necessary to make life easier for yourself, we recommend that every kitchen should have:

• Sharp knives for chopping, slicing and dicing

• Peelers, zesters and graters
• Chopping boards
• Plastic bags with a seal
• Plastic containers
• Paper towels

• Work like a factory line
  Perform one task at a time, peel all your carrots first, then chop off all the ends, then slice all the carrots before portioning.
• Portion your vegetables before storing
  Place each portion of vegetables in a plastic bag or container as it will be used for a meal, label it and store it in your refrigerator drawers.

• Store greens and leafy vegetables with paper towels
  Paper towels help to draw out moisture, this prevents them from wilting and keeps them fresh for longer.
• Freeze leftovers
  When the opportunity presents itself to buy in bulk, take it! Most vegetables can be frozen after you have peeled and chopped it – some can even be frozen whole. Freezing prepped and portioned vegetables makes mealtime preparations much faster and easier.
• Know the shortcuts:
  How to cut multiple cherry tomatoes at once:

Slice an avocado while it’s still in the skin:

Use a strainer to juice a lemon or lime while cooking (it catches seeds):

Start this routine and keep these tips in mind next time you go shopping. Once you get used to preparing your ingredients in advance, you won’t be able to remember a time when you did things otherwise!

The post 8 Awesome Veggie Prep Secrets first appeared on Sun Diet.

The very first thought on any dieter’s mind is almost certainly, ‘how long until I can go back to my normal way of eating?’
Most of us usually fall off the diet bandwagon because we just cannot resist our favourite meal. A pizza, a burger, a steak slathered in sauce or those crispy, golden brown French fries. Of course, this doesn’t really sit well with our waistlines…
Nobody wants to eat a salad on a cold winter’s day, just like you can’t resist an ice cold cool drink on a warm summer’s day. What about parties, how do we say no to nearly everything on the menu? We understand this challenge and for this reason we have decided to compile a list of our favourite but healthy, diet friendly alternatives.

• Using sugar in your coffee/tea/food

It is highly unlikely that you will be able to switch from 2 teaspoons of sugar to black coffee with no sugar. It is very important that you use NO sugar. It’s an addiction, and it’s probably best to go cold turkey.
We recommend:
If you need to make it a transition, substitute with Stevia, Zylitol or Erythritol. Make this transition over a period of 3 months as it could be bad for you stop using any sugar all at once.

2) Snacking
Snacking is a habit most of us have formed, especially in front of the television or at a social gathering. While snacking is actually unnecessary, nobody can argue against a popcorn combo at the movies or a packet of your favourite chips on the couch.
We recommend:
Swop your potato chips and pretzels for a much healthier option like biltong, cheese or nuts.

Dining out
Eating at a restaurant does not have to be quite the headache that you expect it to be. You will be surprised to know that restaurants nationwide have become ‘banting friendly’ offering low carb, high protein meals. Some popular hotspots are Spur, Kauai and Col’Cacchio.
We recommend:
Simply browse online for a banting friendly option close to you! Hoender stokkies

4) What to drink… drankies

There is only so much you can take before you can’t look a glass of water or a cup of tea in the eye (so to speak). The good news is that you are welcome to drink as many low-calorie/calorie-free drinks as you like.
We recommend:
Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, Tab, etc. Adding a splash of lemon juice or a lemon slice to your cola may also improve the taste. If you enjoy sugar free lemonade or sprite, try adding low carb concentrates for different flavours. For some ideas on how to spice up your ice cold drinks with a taste of summer, visit she who eats for recipes.

5) Bread
Unfortunately bread is a definite no-no, you will need some alternatives.

We recommend:
Finger foods to replace your sandwich habits. Some favourites that we have tried:
i. Ham with mustard between two slices of Swiss cheese.
ii. A stick of Cheddar in a lettuce leaf.
iii. Thinly spread 1 tablespoon Black Cat Peanut Butter on 4 slices of ham – roll and secure with toothpicks
iv. Slice tomatoes – sprinkle with herbs – grate cheese on top and microwave till the cheese has melted
v. Make a platter: Small pieces of chicken, meat balls, ham-rolls, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, cucumber-sticks/slices, gherkins, cheese strips, tiny sausage-servings and serve with an avocado-dip
vi. Tack in on toothpicks: cheese cubes, coloured pickled onions, gherkins, ham cubes
vii. Hollow out a green pepper or tomato – fill with tuna-mayonnaise, chopped onions and herbs, and garnish with parsley – ham-mayonnaise can also be used
viii. Buy low carb bread from your pharmacy or bake your own by using almond meal instead of white flour.

If you look for it, you will find thousands of low carb recipes that will satisfy any craving you might have. Recipes that won’t add inches to your waist – especially with summer around the corner.
The important thing to remember is that your body will change as you correct your way of eating, which means the cravings you experience now will be a thing of the past. The one major piece of advice that we can give you is to equip yourself with ‘carbohydrate goggles’. Once you understand what carbohydrates do to your body you might not be that keen to poison your diet with them.
Ask yourself: Is this muffin worth a 30 minute workout? Most likely, not!
For more advice on healthy eating, book a free 15 minute consultation with us to find out what we can do for you!

The post Alternative Diet Options first appeared on Sun Diet.

Guessing the carbohydrate content of food items is not a talent you see very often, but it can be a very useful one! You might be wondering why you would need a very rare talent like this if I can simply read the label.

This guide helps you to guess the carbs for fresh items, which don’t have labels – a very useful skill when you are shopping without your Quick Weight Loss Shopping Companion.

Here we have compiled some guidelines to follow when shopping without your armour on, to avoid the danger of those carbohydrate bombs!

So, here is a general rule of thumb:

Most non-starchy vegetables are very low in carbs, which means less than 5g net carbs per 1/2 cup. However, there are some minor differences between them.

It is safe to estimate the amounts based on what the fruit or vegetable looks like. For those of you who don’t know your veggies all too well, use this simple cheat sheet:

Group Your Veggies

Divide vegetables into these four groups, depending on what part of the plant they come from – you will be looking at the outer appearance.

Leaves (almost zero carb)

Trace carbs are wrapped in so much fiber that there is little, if any, impact on blood sugar. They are rich in phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals.

Examples: lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, herbs.

Stems and Flowers (very low carb)

Some stem and flower vegetables are asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and mushrooms.

Fruit (moderate carbs)

The fruit is the part of the plant that contains seeds, although we tend to call it “fruit” only if it’s sweet.

Examples of “fruit” include peppers, squashes of all types, green beans, tomatoes, okra, and eggplant. Avocado is also a fruit, but is lower in carbs than the others.

Roots (very high carb)

Many roots, such as parsnips, water chestnuts, potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams are high in carbs.

However, some are actually lower in carbs, such as jicama, radishes, celery root and carrots.

Here are some common “measuring devices” that can be used to mentally calculate portions:

Average adult’s fist = 1 cup
Cricket Ball = 1 cup
Child’s fist = 1/2 cup
Cupped hand = 1/2 cup
Deck of cards = 1/3 cup
We also love this simple illustration from Guard Your Health

The post Become a Carb Guesser! first appeared on Sun Diet.

** Die mees tradisionele kruisoefeninge sluit in fietsry, swem en oefening met gewigte

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