We hear a lot of people talk about the importance of protein, without actually describing what it is. They say it is a macronutrient, which, although is true, only tells us protein is a substance needed in a large quantity in order to provide energy and allow us to survive. It doesn’t tell us what protein is made up of on a cellular level. Proteins are large molecules composed of one or more amino acids. Without getting too granular, amino acids are made up of organic molecules - mostly amino (-NH2) and Carboxyl (-COOH) groups. The elements of an amino acid are: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. When these amino acids form together, they build a protein. Due to the enormous range of possible different amino acid sequences, there are thousands of different types of protein.
We know of about 500 amino acids, but only 20 are found in our human genetic code. Of these 20, 11 of them can be synthesised (produced and used) by the body. For that reason, these 11 are called ‘non-essential’ amino acids. The remaining 9 however, cannot be naturally produced by the body, and required to be consumed through our diet. These are called ‘essential’ amino acids. Protein sources that contain all 20 amino acids, such as quinoa, are termed ‘complete proteins’. Protein sources that don’t contain all 20, such as vegetables, are called incomplete proteins. More on this further down!
Protein is needed by nearly all living animals. Protein is needed for a variety of different functions such as DNA and RNA repair and replication, structural support for cells, molecular transportation within the body, and catalysing certain metabolic reactions (enzymes). Perhaps the functions most familiar to us, protein is also essential for growth and repair of the body and maintenance of good health. It contributes to increased muscle mass, and can also be used as a source of energy for movement; albeit not a particularly efficient one.
The amount of protein required depends on the individual. As a basic guide, it is recommended to consume between 0.8-1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. For example, if you weigh 60kg, then you should roughly aim to consume between 48-72 grams of protein each day. You’d consume the higher amounts of this if you were exercising more, specifically within a muscle mass and strength gain. If you struggle to consume this amount through your diet, this is where protein shakes can be so helpful.That said, only about 3% of the population are deficient in protein, so it is not necessary for you to track if you aren’t worried about gaining significant muscle, and/or losing weight unintentionally. Consume the amount that is achievable for you based on your accessibility and lifestyle.
Now that you know what protein is and how much you need,, it's time to address where you can find it in your diet. As discussed above, there are complete protein sources and incomplete protein sources. It is not always necessary to have complete proteins if you can’t access them however, as by combining two incomplete proteins, you get the same thing. For example, beans and wholegrain rice make a complete protein. Below are four examples of each.
Complete Proteins
Incomplete Protein
We could dedicate an entire article to this topic (and we might), but essentially, plant based protein sources are superior to animal product sources. This is because although they may not always have the same level of protein concentration, they come without all the nasties. Plant based sources tend to be extremely low in saturated fat and absent of cholesterol (both enormous contributors to coronary heart disease, hypertension, diabetes II, heart attacks/strokes, obesity, cancer, - shall we go on?). They also tend to have significantly lower sources of sodium in them, and are hormone free. After all, who wants loads of oestrogen and testosterone in their chocolate milk shake? No thanks!
In addition to not containing nasties, they’re full of benefits. Plant based protein sources are often fibre rich, and micronutrient dense, containing a variety of minerals and vitamins necessary for optimal health. Finally, because animal products often cause an inflammatory response in the body, plant based protein sources and protein powders tend to be far more gentle on the digestive system - which is great if you went plant based for health and digestive reasons.
If you’re deciding whether to switch to plant based, the answer is go for it. And if you’re wanting to buy a protein powder but unsure where to start, check out some of our reviews to see what flavour and type of product would suit you.
]]>Pregnancy can be a period of great uncertainty, and exercise brings up a lot of questions and mixed opinions. Can I exercise? Should I exercise? How often? How much? What intensity? What type? What exercises? What should I avoid? Every mum's facebook group post seems to have conflicting information. In fact, you often find that people discourage women from exercising when pregnant. This is mostly due to fears and concerns, around doing the foetus harm. In actual fact, exercise can be amazingly beneficial for mum and bump - physically and mentally, and, as long as it’s done correctly, should absolutely be encouraged. As a qualified personal trainer for pre and post natal individuals, here are some of the key exercises to be included or avoided in your gym workouts. Disclosure - you should always discuss any new exercise regime with your doctor, and this article is not prescriptive as medical advice.
Trimester 1
When it comes to Trimester 1, which covers up to week 12, you tend to reasonably OK continuing on with your standard exercise programme with minimal adaptations. Of course, there are some basic recommendations we encourage:
Trimester 2
Weeks 13 - 28 sees further hormonal and physiological adaptations by the body. As a result, further changes and considerations are necessary when exercising. You should continue with the recommendations above, as well as:
Trimester 3
The final trimester of the pregnancy, weeks 29 to 40, is, unsurprisingly, the trimester that requires the most caution when exercising. Intensity of the workouts must be extremely closely monitored, and adaptations must be made for the specific moves and exercises. Again, it is crucial to continue with the avoidance of supine and overhead positions. In addition to this, we recommend the following:
Post Natal
Before starting exercise after pregnancy, it is vital you are cleared by your medical practitioner. This is usually after 6 weeks, but could be more depending on the birth.
Finally, I recommend you do a 10-15 minute gentle warm up, and a 5-10 minute cool down with some gentle stretches. If you’re ever in doubt, talk to your medical practitioner, and get yourself a qualified pre and post natal personal trainer to help get you to where you need to be.
Pregnancy and post-pregnancy are delicate times and care should be taken not to rush. That being said, exercise is wonderfully beneficial, and should be incorporated into your pregnancy journey if possible!
]]>The health benefits of a plant-based diet tend to fall into two main categories. The first are the benefits in avoiding diseases such as heart disease, cancers and diabetes, due to cholesterol and blood pressure reduction. The second are the benefits depicted in documentaries like The Game Changers, informing us we can still get ripped and perform at an elite level on a plant-based diet.
But these differences for athletes are sometimes marginal for the average person. What about the mum working out in the gym a couple times a week? Will she see a noticeable difference? Or the teenager giving the NHS Couch to 5K initiative a go? Will their pace pick up too if they drop the bacon? Yes!
For a variety of reasons, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused undeniable shifts in peoples’ eating patterns away from the consumption of red meat and animal products. For some, this will be a full shift into veganism, others not so much. One benefit these individuals should embrace is the improvements in their fitness and strength. Far from the common view - founded in misconceptions surrounding deficiencies - a plant based diet, and a whole food plant based especially, can be far superior in comparison to diets including meat and animal products.
As a qualified personal trainer and nutritional advisor, here are some of the top reasons I tell my clients why a vegan diet will help improve their fitness and performance, no matter what your go-to exercise style is:
A plant based diet has been shown countless times to unquestionably reduce cholesterol levels and blood pressure. This is due mostly (although not entirely) to the decreased consumption of saturated fat, which allows for ‘bad cholesterol’ (LDL) plaques, and fatty acid deposits (termed atherosclerosis) to be broken down. But this isn’t just good for those suffering from high LDLs or hypertension, or those who have a risk of blood clots and heart attacks. A healthier heart increases your stroke volume and cardiac output, which is the amount of blood our hearts pump in one contraction and in one minute respectively. You may also find your resting heart rate drops too (60bpm is a good benchmark). How does this translate into exercise? It means more oxygen will get to your necessary muscles quicker, so they are likely to fatigue less quickly. You may also find your resting heart rate drops too.
Closely linked to this is the reduced viscosity of the blood that occurs when people shift to a plant based diet. Blood viscosity refers to the thickness of the blood and thereby how easily it flows through the blood vessels (arteries, veins and capillaries). This is linked to the aforementioned low intake of saturated fat and cholesterol associated. What’s more, high-nitrate vegetables assist in the vasodilation (widening) of arteries, so more blood can then move around the body more efficiently. This means your heart doesn’t have to pump as fast when exercising in order to meet your energy needs. It will also mean your blood pressure is not going to spike to the same extent as meat eaters (or before) during exercise because your arteries are clearer. If you’re flexi-eating, it might be wise to avoid meat prior to a workout!
Those following a plant-based diet tend to decrease body fat quicker and have lower body fat overall. Certainly, this means people feel great, but it also improves their aerobic capacity too, since weight loss can improve VO2 max (the maximum volume of oxygen your body can utilise during exercise) by up to 15%. Carrying less body fat would also improve stamina and performance time for endurance runners. In fact, one study showed that after only four days of a plant-based diet, runners were able to shave off 6% of their 5k time.
The body’s currency for energy is called Adenosine Triphosphate, or ATP for short. Regardless of the source of energy, in order for our wonderful bodies to walk, jump, dance and exist, all will be converted into ATP. As carbohydrates are a key component of a vegan diet, not only will your glycogen stores be sufficiently full to fuel your workout and provide the necessary synthesis for fat metabolism, but also the higher fibre content in your diet will ensure a steady release of glucose into the bloodstream, helping avoid a sugar crash and making sure you don’t use your protein reserves. To maximise your long endurance runs (over two hours), have a carbohydrate source before, during and after your workouts.
Although society is insistent on pushing protein as the utmost important macronutrient, it is a very inefficient source of energy. Those consuming high-protein diets (often in replacement for carbohydrates and healthy (poly- and mono- unsaturated fats) will risk burning out during exercise and may have to convert their muscle mass into energy due to insufficient glucose.
An animal product-based diet was shown to cause an inflammatory effect in the muscles, in comparison to a plant-based diet, with one study showing a 46% increase in inflammatory markers in a single month. People who partake in any exercise, especially ones that involve repeated action on certain joints such as running, are vulnerable to inflammation and injury, not to mention many free radicals. Removing this from your diet and adding in the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of a vegan diet might just see a reduction in injury risk and improved recovery after your workouts too.
Calcium is also needed for muscular contraction, but it is also vital for bone strength as many of us know. However, what perhaps Petits Filous doesn’t let us know is that although dairy is indeed a source of calcium, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be and can actually increase our risk of bone fractures. If you’re doing strength training, weight-bearing exercises or swimming, to retain your bone density and avoid a hip fracture, maybe skip the dairy cheese.
Due to eating a broader variety of plants, a vegan is more likely to consume key minerals vital for muscle contractions and nerve impulses such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. For example, the same nitrate-rich plants assisting in vasodilation also improve the efficiency of a muscle contraction. One study showed an increase in weight lifted per repetition by 14%. Likewise, magnesium ensures that the muscles relax after contraction. Insufficient consumption can result in faster fatigue of muscle fibres or muscle spasms. If you’re going for a personal best or one-rep max, this translates into a better chance of success.
So there you have it, a Personal Trainer’s perspective on why a vegan diet will have you hitting your PBs in no time. Perhaps when our parents said “eat your vegetables'', they were actually on to something.
]]>The key is 4, 3, 2.
After a thorough warm up, it’s sometimes best to start your workout with the biggest exercises first. This way you ensure your muscles are as refreshed and ‘energy loaded’ as possible, for these are exercises that use the most muscles and move the most weight. These ‘big’ exercises are termed ‘compound exercises’. Specifically, a compound exercise involves moving through two or more sets of joints. If you’re doing a full body workout, I recommend you alternate between body parts to not fatigue yourself. For example, follow a squat with a chest press, not a leg press. Some of the major compound exercises are:
3 Isolation Exercises
After you’ve done your compound exercises, you can move to your 3 isolation exercises. Isolation exercises are moves that only go through one joint, and they tend to focus on one muscle as well, such as bicep curls. The logic of doing these after your compound exercises is two fold. Firstly, they’re less energy consuming, meaning it's OK that you’re a little fatigued already since you’re not loading 100kg+ through your body. Secondly, these movements act to bring specific muscle groups to true exhaustion through isolation, having already been partially fatigued through heavier compound movements. Post-compound isolation maximizes benefits of muscle growth etc. Isolation exercises include…
2 Core Exercises
Yes, that’s right. Core gets its own section. Often neglected, core exercises should really get 5 minutes in the spotlight within our workouts, but it doesn’t need to be arduous. I advise you to pick 2 core exercises to complete at the end of your workout(s), and although it may not get you that six pack, it will keep your core strong, your back supported, and even aid digestion.
Some top core exercises are…
Repetitions and Sets
A repetition is the term given for performing a single movement once. For example, performing one squat is one repetition. One ‘set’ is a group of a certain number of repetitions. Your rep and set range depends on your ability as well as your goals. As a basic indication, if you’re new to weight training or the weights room, aim for between 1-2 sets of 12-20 reps. This will ensure you're working on your muscular endurance whilst developing on technique through muscle memory. For hypertrophy (muscle mass gain), think 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Finally, for strength training (heavy) and power training, you’re looking at 3-6 sets of anything between 3-6 reps. I would urge caution for doing anything less than 3 reps or going for 1 rep max attempts unless you’re very comfortable, have experience and have somebody ‘spotting’ you. When trying to determine the correct weight or intensity to work out, you should finish each set thinking you could have done 1 or two more repetitions.
Rest
My final recommendation is rest. Rest is often ignored and underestimated. It feels counter-productive. Part of this is our indoctrinated belief that in order to make exercise worthwhile and beneficial we need to be working non-stop for 60 minutes, and be really out of breath for the entire workout. With weight training this is far from true. In order to ensure sufficient energy production within our glycogen stores and muscle fibres, our bodies need to rest for a few minutes. If you’re doing muscular endurance, between a minute and minute and a half is sufficient. For hypertrophy, aim for between 2-3 minutes depending on how hard you’re working, and anything for strength and power could be between 3-5 minutes. The determining factor for making sure you’ve had sufficient rest is whether or not you achieve the repetition goal at your next set.
So there you have it. An easy way to plan a workout if you find yourself lost and wondering what to do. A simple drag and drop of the different exercise lists, and go from there. The list above is not exhaustive and of course not the only option. Of course, do remember to warm up, stretch and have a cool down, and always have some water with you.
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(Tracy pictured with Ryan from Revfoods)
Follow Tracy's journey @tracyjpound or alternatively she will be blogging her experience on her website www.maximity.co.uk.
Tracy has won our detox10 package that is a selection of 6 revolution foods products that support natural detoxification. The 10-day programme, designed by our team of nutritional therapist’s, is a professionally structured detox programme that incorporates our products with dietary and lifestyle changes to maximise results.
We launched the campaign after ‘fail Friday’ on the 24th of January, a day on which most people’s new year’s resolutions fail. Revolution foods Ethos on our health plans is to educate that striving for improved health is a lifestyle choice, and that fad diets and resolutions often fail.
Tracy’s journey throughout detox10 will be posted on our blog. We hope aspects of her experience’s can have a positive impact on long-term health.
Tracy, aged 50, owns an I.T company and her work keeps her very busy and involves lots of travel around Europe and the United States. She heard about our campaign at a business networking event and decided to enter to try and improve health and prevent illness. Her major expectations from detox10 are to increase energy and focus, lose a small amount of weight and reduce occasional bloating she experiences from certain food groups. She outlined that she wanted a protocol that wasn’t a quick fix and hoped aspects of the program could be used to improve her health before working overseas.
In Her recent visit to Revolution Foods HQ, Tracy outlined that she considers herself to be healthy. She stated that she doesn’t believe in dieting and has a balanced and varied diet. When in the UK she eats organically where possible and has a weekly seasonal vegetable box from riverford organic farmers. She is also a keen gym enthusiast and attends gym classes on a daily basis when not overseas. Tracy had never heard of revolution foods prior to finding out about the competition. She takes a multivitamin, aloe gel, tulsi tea and turmeric as a supplement to her healthy diet. She once tried the forever living clean9 and experienced rapid weight loss that was regained quickly afterwards. When asked about potential challenges she may encounter, fitting the protocol into her work schedule was the major obstacle. Taking the products at the right time and taking Epsom salt baths in hotels that do not have a bath were also potential pitfalls.
Tracy expressed that she was looking forward to the challenge and would be sharing her experiences via her personal social media. If you wish to follow Tracy's journey her twitter handle is @tracyjpound or alternatively she will be blogging her experience on her website www.maximity.co.uk
GOOD LUCK Tracy !!
]]>Lots of people will have invested into mainstream slimming brands as a route to reach desired weight loss, and whilst it’s true they often deliver short term goals, for many people long term goals are rarely achieved.
The majority of slimming companies deliver immediate results simply due to calorie restriction that sheds water and not fat. Psychologically this encourages participants to believe that this model works. However, once the initial water loss is gone, participants struggle to lose fat with this method alone – and a cycle of depressing yo-yo dieting can begin.
When weight is regained, the seed has been planted that the slimming clubs and slimming products worked and so people return to the clubs and products that achieved some initial results for them.
Huge sums of money are invested by traditional slimming companies to research the lifestyle, attitudes, beliefs, income and culture of their target customers and products and services are built around these factors.
The fundamental flaw for the consumer is that this business model supports what people want but fails to deliver what people need. Customers spend an average of £1,200 a year on branded foods, books, magazines and classes with ‘weight loss’ consultants, but the clubs lack the nutritional support and education to empower people to achieve health and wellness. When the models are analysed, they lack scientific research and may, in fact, promote weight gain over time. Many slimming products consist of highly processed foods that are low in fat and fortified with sugar. For example, diet fizzy drinks are promoted as replacements, but science has shown that the artificial sweeteners trick the metabolism into thinking sugar is on its way and switches the body from fat burning to fat storage mode.
At Revolution Foods we believe that sustainable, achievable, permanent lifestyle and nutrition changes give the best chance of achieving and maintaining your ideal weight and preventing serious diseases and conditions.
We believe it is an absolute sin to give foods a traffic light or points system. Nutrition isn’t this simple and everyone’s needs are different based on many variables.
Revolution Foods offers a 30 day weight loss challenge that, unlike many weight loss products, is based around educating participants to take the advice offered in our professionally-designed eBook, to help deliver long term weight loss goals. With products designed to increase metabolism, and education to complement the products, the weight loss challenge doesn’t need to be repeatedly purchased and promotes a whole-food diet over short term diets based around processed foods.
The eBook explains in detail why calorie restriction actually promotes fat storage. It also outlines why fat-free diets create hormonal imbalances and why balanced hormones are key to not gaining weight. The role of the hormone insulin and its connection to weight gain is clearly covered with precise information on why sugar and not fat is the reason obesity is on the increase.
If you are not happy with your weight, or have used traditional slimming clubs without success, try a fresh approach and use Weight Loss 30 as an introduction to Revolution Foods’ products. You are welcome to contact the Revolution Foods’ team of nutritional therapists for any advice and support you need along the way.
Until Friday February 10 you can still apply to win one of three packages of Revolution Foods’ weight loss and detox products. Email us at info@revolution-foods.comfor a short application form.
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So here at Revolution Foods we’ve chosen this week to launch the search for three people who want to buck the trend and start new healthy eating habits for life.
We’re offering a choice of three great prizes, plus the support of the team here at Revolution Foods to help you achieve your goals. We’ll regularly check in with the three winners and share their progress and feedback about our products and their impact on our website and social media channels.
Have you tried to lose weight before but struggled to meet your goal? Are you unsure how to make the changes that will create a lasting, healthy regime? Do you feel like you need a body detox boost to get you on track? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, we would love to hear from you.
You can choose which of the following prize packages you would like to win:
We’ll provide information sheets and full instructions, and you can call us with any questions or advice that you need as you work through the programmes.
If you want to find out more, or if you already think you’d like to win one of these three packages, just email info@revolution-foods.com with your name and contact details by Friday 10th February.
And we’ll be in touch. The winners will be contacted on Monday February 13th .
We manufacture a variety of unique superfood health blends to support healthier lifestyles and fitness regimes from our headquarters in Burton-on- Trent, Staffordshire. Our Plus range is the newest addition and features organic superfoods, some of which are included in the packages you could win, which offer an exciting alternative to traditional weight loss and detox plans.
]]>Modern medicine has no cure for eczema and superficially treats the skin with moisturisers and potentially harmful corticosteroids.
Today’s newsletter explores the internal factors that potentially drive the manifestation of eczema. We will also provide nutritional and lifestyle suggestions, together with a selection of our recommended products to help.
Allergens and Food Allergies
Many allergens such as dampness, or cold and dry weather, can be a trigger for eczema. More specifically, allergens such as house dust mites, pet fur, pollen and moulds can exasperate the condition. It is important to manage or remove these triggers to help alleviate symptoms.
Topical products such as perfumes and cosmetics can be triggers as well as, rubber, latex, medicated creams, ointments and metal alloys. We recommend using organic natural skin care products to help reduce outbreaks.
Studies have found Food allergies play a major role in driving eczema. Allergenic foods cause many of the digestive disorders we will explore later in the article and must be eliminated to help heal the gut.
The most common food allergens include:
We recommend a permanent gluten and dairy free diet to help reduce inflammation within the body and prevent further development of allergies. Try elimination and reintroduction of other food allergens to ascertain which foods you are allergic or intolerant to and completely avoid once the specific foods have been identified.
Histamine
Histamine is produced by the mast cells of the immune system and is involved in many bodily functions. 70-80% of eczema cases are mediated by the immunoglobulin IGE and 20-30 are non-IgE mediated. Although this type of eczema is not well understood, it is thought that a Deficiency in the cyclic AMP pathway (cAMP) results in increased histamine release. In many cases people with allergies have increased histamine levels.
Many foods contain high levels of histamine and can trigger its release.
High Histamine foods include:
Try an elimination of any of these foods you eat to see if histamine could be a potential factor in the manifestation of your eczema symptoms.
The Gut and it’s importance to good health
You are what you eat is only partially true; you are also what you absorb. The first doctor Hippocrates stated all disease begins in the gut and in the case of eczema, digestive system dysfunction has been cited as a major underlying cause.
Hypochlorhydria (low levels of hydrochloric acid in the stomach)
Low stomach acid has been implicated in eczema outbreaks. Research suggests low gastric acidity may influence the development of food allergies and promote an environment for bacterial overgrown that can inhibit the absorption of vital nutrients.
To avoid low stomach acid:
To improve stomach acid secretion:
Leaky gut
Leaky gut has been cited as a major driver of eczema symptoms. Leaky gut is intestinal permeability of the tight junction cells of the stomach wall. Many factors cause these cells to become ‘leaky’, allowing particles of undigested food to enter the blood stream, which subsequently overwhelms the immune system, causing inflammatory responses.
It is important for general health to eliminate the causative factors that create leaky gut which include:
It is fair to say these factors are widespread in society. It is vital you try to drastically reduce exposure to start the gut healing process, as leaky gut has more risk factors for your health asides from eczema.
To heal a leaky gut:
Revolution foods products to help support eczema
Moringa, bee pollen and pine pollen
References
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Eczema-(atopic)
Prescription for nutritional healing fifth edition Phyllis A. Balch
CNM lecture notes 2015
Clinical nutrition a functional approach second edition
]]>The NHS always recommends lifestyle changes but if unsuccessful, the only option is to go on statins for life if levels are dangerously high. Statins lower cholesterol by blocking the enzyme in the liver that makes cholesterol, but come with many possible side affects that include:
Whilst these side effects are alarming and likely to lead you to a cocktail of drugs to negate the side effects, there are measures you can put in place naturally to try and lower cholesterol and avoid a lifetime of pharmaceutical drug use.
Cholesterol is an essential part of every cell structure and is needed for proper brain and nerve function and is also a key component in the manufacture of sex hormones. Cholesterol is made in the liver and transported through the blood stream to the sites where it is needed. It is a fatty substance and because blood is mostly water, it has to attach to molecules called lipoproteins to travel around successfully. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL’S) are the major transporters of cholesterol into the bloodstream and deposit cholesterol into the arteries, so are known as bad cholesterol. High Density lipoproteins (HDL’S) on the other hand, are considered good cholesterol as they carry unneeded cholesterol away from the cells and back to the liver, where it is broken down and removed from the body.
If this system gets out of balance and there is to much cholesterol for the HDL’S to pick up or not enough HDL’S to do the job, then cholesterol can form plaques in the arteries that may eventually lead to heart disease. The key is to try and increase HDL and lower LDL cholesterol through lifestyle changes, dietary changes and supplementation. Implement the following recommendations over a 6-month to 1-year period and see if there has been any improvement.
Lifestyle Recommendations
Dietary Recommendations
Supplement recommendations
References
https://heartuk.org.uk/press/press-kit/key-facts-figures
BNF 66 September-march 2014. The authority on the selection and use of medicines
Balch 2014,nutritional healing fifth edition
]]>Vegans celebrate world vegan month across the world annually. One of the revolution team is a vegan and we all have lived a vegan lifestyle at some point in our life’s, so it is an initiative we support and encourage people to focus the diet around plant based nutrition. Our product range fully reflects our ethos by being plant derived and vegan friendly.
A vegan diet offers many potential benefits both for health and the environment. It is fair to say that the human population overeats meat and animal products and this raises the questions: Are we carnivores by nature? Who needs cows milk? Baby cows or us? If we had to hunt and kill our meat, would we eat less or none all at? All questions open to debate, but what is clear is that we have lost our ancient symbiotic relationship with animals, with a meat and dairy industry that is largely inhumane and detrimental to human health. It is an industry that is governed by profits with little interest in quality produce. In a world where some people are starving and desperate for food, developed countries spend vast resources on growing grains to feed animals food they are not designed to eat. It is true that the main reason for this is to maximise profits as each animal is sold on its weight. The vast amount of grain feed required for meat production is a significant contributor to future deforestation; land degradation, water scarcity and species extinction.
Animals are given hormones to accelerate growth and shorten the lifespan, again to maximise profits but in detriment to human health. Disease in livestock is a costly business so animal feeds are routinely pumped with antibiotics as a preventative measure. With the above in mind, it would benefit the environment and human health to reduce meat and dairy consumption week to week and be conscious to source produce that is ethically produced as possible.
Is the vegan diet healthy and is it sustainable?
The vegan diet, if based around large amounts of fruit and vegetables and wholefoods such as nuts, seeds, and beans can be an extremely healthy diet and decrease the chance of degenerative disease. The increase of vitamins, minerals antioxidants, and phytochemicals can help lower the risks of:
It is important too that foods are organic or GMO free as pesticides and herbicides cancel out the beneficial nutrients from non-organic fruit and vegetables. The vegan diet can have its pitfalls. Nutritionally it is deficient in vitamin d in northern hemisphere countries and the essential fatty acid omega three. Food choices can be limited with many ‘university vegans’ whose diets are based around processed beige foods that are very high in fat and carbohydrates with limited micronutrients needed for optimal health. The health benefits of meat substitutes are highly debatably. Revolution foods has never promoted soya as a health product.
It is a fact that traceability of organic and GMO soya bean has been lost so it cannot be ruled out that even the highest quality soya isn’t GMO. Soya has many nutritional and biochemical pitfalls that include:
This weeks article offers subtle hints and tips to help make the January detox a little less stressful.
Sugar consumption during the festive season is the one food (if we can call it that) that is over consumed. The alcohol, the parties, the confectionary makes the January health kick inevitable, as sugar excess leaves us feeling pretty lousy. It is no surprise as sugar is highly addictive and has very toxic effect on the human body.
Sugar is the leading cause of obesity, a condition that is a highly predictable biological response to our new environmental conditions. Over consumption over sugar increases body fat. A high percentage of body fat increases the risk of:
One of the key metabolic dysfunctions of high sugar consumption is the inability of the hormone insulin to function. This is known as insulin resistance.
Insulin’s major job is to act like a lock and key to allow glucose to enter the cell to perform it’s function. When the body starts to resist insulin and it doesn’t perform its major function, sugar builds up the blood stream and the pancreas produces more insulin in an attempt to maintain normal blood glucose levels. It is a horrible vicious circle that leads to a condition called hyperinsulinemia.
Increased Insulin levels:
For long lasting benefits, sugar in the shape of refined carbohydrates should be drastically reduced at all times and more so around the festive periods. Use the following tips to help moderate the effects of over indulgence.