Table of contents for Volume 12 - March 2016 in LOSE IT! The Handbook

NUTRITIONAL THERAPIST SALLY-ANN CREED is the foremost and most experienced LCHF practitioner in South Africa. DR GERHARD SCHOONBEE, GP, has over 40 years of medical experience, and personal experience of living the LCHF lifestyle. He also has a deep scientific and medical interest in the subject. BLOG AUTHOR NICKY PERKS (WWW.PRIMALPERKS.COM) is also the CO-FOUNDER OF BANTING BUDDIES, which offers personalised coaching to those wanting to lose weight and get healthy. NY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR AND FOUNDER OF I QUIT SUGAR.COM, SARAH WILSON is a former editor of Australian Cosmo, and hosted the first season of the hugely successful MasterChef Australia. Soon after that, she discovered the immense health benefits of giving up sugar, and has since committed her time and energy to persuading others to do the same. One…

Q: I’m eating lots of leafy greens and supplementing with psyllium husks, but I’ve been struggling with constipation since changing to LCHF. What’s causing this and what can I do? A: The problem of constipation is fairly common during the first few months on LCHF, mainly because our bodies have to adjust to the new foods we eat. I usually advise patients to drink plenty of water and to eat more healthy fats and seed crackers. You could use xylitol in some of your dishes, as this also has a laxative effect, although it can cause abdominal cramps. If nothing helps, try a laxative like Movicol or lactulose syrup. Most people find that after the first few months, their stool pattern returns to normal and is regular. Q: After going low-carb I…

Q: Do you ever cheat? A: Well, I don’t see it as cheating; I see it as living. If my friend’s made a big birthday cake, I’ll have a little bit. Sometimes I overdo it and have problems with blood sugar or my thyroid. But I’m very much in touch with my body, so if I’ve had too much, it will remind me that I don’t actually like sugar. I recalibrate by eating real food for 24 hours – and I’m reset. Q: What do you eat in a typical day? A: I tend to eat breakfast quite late because I’m just not hungry till then. During my morning routine, I exercise and meditate and I have a pot of tea or sometimes a black coffee. For breakfast, I often…

Q: I know gelatin is good for my health, but should I look for some produced from grass-fed animals? A: Gelatin is freely available, but finding a grass-fed source in this country may prove a challenge. Grass-fed is best where possible, of course, but the only place I’ve found grass-fed gelatin is on Amazon at a sky-high price. You could make your own (there are many different methods on the internet), but it’s a laborious, timeconsuming exercise. Be aware, though, that if you make stock, broth or brawn using bones, you’ll be getting lots of healthy, natural gelatin, particularly if you include chicken heads and feet as well. Q: Is shop-bought sauerkraut healthy? Or should I make my own? A: This is difficult to answer, as it depends on whether the sauerkraut…

Q: What’s the link between kidney disease and diabetes? A: My patients all suffer from kidney disease. Over the years I’ve learnt that the most common cause is type 2 diabetes. Q: How does intermittent fasting help lower insulin levels? A: As all foods raise insulin to some degree, intermittent fasting is the most effective way to lower insulin. Reversing type 2 diabetes is all about lowering insulin, and intermittent fasting is a quick way to do this without reducing metabolism. Intermittent fasting does not reduce metabolism; in fact, it generally doesn’t change it. Q: How does insulin resistance progress to type 2 diabetes? A: Type 2 diabetes is a disease of excessive insulin resistance – they are in essence the same thing. Insulin helps glucose (blood sugar) move into the cells for…

store cupboard Almond flour Almonds, ground Arrowroot powder Artichokes Baking powder Cocoa powder Coconut cream Coconut flour Coconut milk Dark chocolate (90% and 80%) Desiccated coconut Goji berries Green olives Hazelnuts, ground Mixed nuts Mustard, dijon and grain Nut butter Orange blossom water Passata (homemade if possible) Pecan nuts Pistachio nuts Psyllium husks Sundried tomatoes Tahini paste (homemade if possible) Tomatoes, crushed Tomato paste Walnuts Wine, white and dry red Xylitol Xylitol icing mix dairy Butter Buttermilk Chocolate ice cream (low-carb) Cream Double cream Double cream yoghurt (with live cultures) Feta Full cream milk Ghee Gruyère Mozzarella Parmesan Pecorino Ricotta White cheddar fresh fruit, veg & herbs Asparagus Baby leeks Baby radishes Baby savoy cabbages Basil Bay leaves Berries, mixed Blueberries Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Celery Chillies, red and green…

KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 0g Carbs 4g Protein 1g KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 0g Carbs 3g Protein 1g KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 0g Carbs 3g Protein 0g KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 0g Carbs 6g Protein 2g KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 0g Carbs 3g Protein 0g CUCUMBER AND CORIANDER PICKLE SERVES 4–6 • 300g israeli cucumbers, chopped into small chunks • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 red chilli, chopped • 2 tbsp xylitol • ½ tsp himalayan salt • 60ml apple cider vinegar • 160ml hot water 1. Place the chopped cucumber in a bowl or jar, add coriander seeds and chilli and toss to combine. 2. Put the xylitol, salt and vinegar in a jug and stir to combine.…

Calling all readers: Submit your favourite LCHF recipes to info@loseit.co.za – they could be featured in the next issue! KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 56g Carbs 16g Protein 18g LYNN ESTERHUYSEN’S CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP SERVES 4 • 2 tbsp butter • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 leek, finely chopped • 500g button mushrooms, sliced • 400ml homemade chicken stock • 200ml full cream milk • 1 cup double cream • himalayan salt and black pepper FOR THE GARNISH • 1 tsp butter • 50g baby button mushrooms • juice of ½ lemon • dash of cream and black truffle oil (optional), to serve • sprigs of thyme, to garnish 1. Heat the butter in a pot, add the onion and leek and sauté until soft. Toss in the…

“I will never forget the moment the doctor turned to me with a solemn look – the kind you don’t want to see on a doctor’s face – and asked grimly, “How long have you had diabetes?” Confused, my heart began to race. “Diabetes?” I asked. He then informed me that my blood glucose was 16.9mmol (normal is around 4.5)! What he said after that is a hazy memory. This news hit me like a wrecking ball. Suddenly, my hopes of getting myself to gym and losing weight with my wellintentioned Monday diets were all dashed. It felt as if I’d lost a battle I didn’t even know I was fighting. I remember going home and looking at a box of Lindt chocolates, feeling like I’d received a prison sentence.…

Time for a cuppa If you’re drinking tea or coffee with your meals, it could be interfering with the absorption of some key vitamins and minerals – dietary iron in particular, noted researchers Mchiza and others in a review of dietary surveys in SA from 2000 to 2015. One study showed that a cup of coffee taken with a meal reduces iron absorption from 5.88% to 1.64% (filter coffee) or 0.97% (instant coffee). And the stronger the instant coffee, the less iron is absorbed. It’s the tannins, present in both tea and coffee, that are the problem. And for many of us, there’s a teaspoon or few of sugar too… cut that out! Weighing in To get to your goal (great health, right?), it helps to know where you started.…

Until fairly recently, vitamin D was considered important only for bone health in infants. But pioneering scientists like Dr Michael Holick have discovered that almost every single tissue and cell in the body has receptor sites for vitamin D. The implication of this is that the body’s need for vitamin D is far greater than experts thought, so the recommended daily limit has been raised accordingly. We now understand that vitamin D deficiency is a serious condition that could lead to everything from Alzheimer’s disease to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Vitamin D controls the expression of over 1000 genes – which makes it very important! A hormone as much as a vitamin, vitamin D is able to ‘multitask’ as both, plus it’s a potent antioxidant. Even relatively healthy people are…

What is inflammation? It’s a well-organised process whereby the body tries to protect itself from damage caused by injuries or infections. As with many things in life, inflammation can be either ‘good’ (appropriate) or ‘bad’ (inappropriate). When is it good? The inflammatory response is good when it’s triggered by an injury (like a cut, bruising or burn) or infection (through bacteria or viruses). Chemical mediators that attract specialised blood cells are then released. Some of these cells help to stop bleeding, while others clean up damaged cells and help with the healing process. In the case of infection, fighter white blood cells attack and destroy bacteria and viruses. This battle leads to the typical signs of infection: fever, pain, swelling and redness of the inflammation site. What is bad inflammation?…

LEAN IN 15: 15 MINUTE MEALS AND WORKOUTS TO KEEP YOU LEAN AND HEALTHY BY JOE WICKS (BLUEBIRD) Joe Wicks, aka ‘The Body Coach’, shares his refreshing take on eating in his first recipe book. One of his goals is to show people how to fuel their bodies properly and enjoy long-lasting results. Even though this recipe book doesn’t strictly follow LCHF guidelines, it has a realistic approach to nutrition that recognises the value of healthy fats in a sustainable lifestyle, and you can cherry-pick what you want to use. It offers you quick and easy recipes, two workout options and a meal and exercise plan. THE GOOD FAT DIET BY DR MARY ENIG & SALLY FALLON (PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE) Previously published as Eat Fat, Lose Fat, the updated The…

First things first: How to make your own double cream yoghurt KEEP ON TRACK PER CUP Fat 42g Carbs 30g Protein 20g DOUBLE CREAM YOGHURT MAKES 2 CUPS • 1.2L full cream milk • ¼ cup double cream yoghurt with live cultures, at room temperature STEP 1: Place the milk in a pot and heat to 80ºC or just below boiling point – the milk will start to become frothy and to bubble along the sides of the pot, and it will have the distinctive smell of hot milk. STEP 2: Pour the hot milk into a ceramic or glass bowl; allow to cool to 40ºC or quite warm, just above blood temperature (about 30 minutes). Remove any skin that has formed on the milk. Take ¼ cup warm milk…

KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 70g Carbs 18g Protein 49g PRIME RIB ROAST WITH PEPPER CRUST SERVES 4 • 1 x 1.5kg prime rib roast on the bone (4 ribs), French-trimmed and tied with string FOR THE CRUST • 20g flat-leaf parsley, chopped • 3 tbsp mixed peppercorns, crushed • 2 tbsp grain mustard • 1 tbsp dried oregano • 10 pickling onions • 3 leeks, halved • 2 heads garlic, halved • 2 cups home-made beef stock • himalayan salt and black pepper 1. Place the roast on a board and allow to come to room temperature. 2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. 3. For the crust: In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the crust, then spread the mixture over the rib roast. 4. Place…

1 LCHF/banting isn’t a high-protein diet – it’s a high-fat, medium-protein, lowcarb way of eating. 2 CHOOSE REAL FOODS that look like what they are, and cook them from scratch. 3 NO SUGAR – it’s best to go cold turkey. But if you need to make a transition, use stevia, xylitol or erythritol – NOT artificial sweeteners. 4 NO GRAINS of any kind. 5 HEALTHY FAT is not the enemy. Enjoy it! 6 STOP SNACKING You won’t need to – it’s just a habit. 7 EAT ONLY when you are hungry; eat until you are satisfied – then stop. 8 EAT EGGS – they’re healthy, satisfying and very good for you. 9 NO (or very, very little) FRUIT Think of it as a sweet rather than as a healthy snack.…

Drink 1 litre of water when you wake up. This has many health benefits, including hydration, glowing skin and regular bowel movements. Juice your greens. This is an easy way to get in all the healthy nutrients. Keep healthy snacks nearby. I have nuts, biltong and Sally-Ann Creed Banting Chocolate on hand for busy days. Boil eggs in advance. I boil some on Mondays and keep them refrigerated for a grab-and-go snack. Freeze leftovers. I do this so that on the days my family has a cheat meal, I can easily access something that’s banting-friendly. Try fat bombs. I keep these in my fridge, as they satisfy a craving and keep you satiated on days when you feel peckish. Read LOSE IT! magazine. It helps me feel connected to a greater…

‘I grew up on a farm where we were always conscious of using leftovers, conserving resources and caring about food scraps, so these principles have always been part of my DNA,’ says Sarah. ‘In my new book I really wanted to show people how to turn this into an easy flow and make it truly simple to live, breathe and represent this ethos.’ I Quit Sugar: Simplicious does just that, with practical everyday tips and ideas alongside delicious recipes, and it’s refreshingly authentic, using Sarah’s handwritten notes, kitchen utensils and food scraps in the photos. In case you’ve missed the I Quit Sugar phenomenon, here’s how it began. As a sufferer of Hashimoto’s disease (an autoimmune disease that attacks the thyroid), Sarah was advised by specialists to quit sugar and…

‘I started following LOSE IT!’s LTL (Ladies That LCHF) meal plan on 4 September last year. I weighed 108kg and was self-conscious and uncomfortable all the time. Despite having been an hourglass shape for most of my life, I was then a definite “apple”, with a huge boep that protruded past my breasts when viewed in profile. In general, I didn’t feel well, so in August I had full blood tests. They showed that although my cholesterol and thyroid were fine, I was insulin-resistant. The news that I could develop diabetes gave me a big fright. My doctor referred me to a dietician, but despite my best efforts, the eating plan did not work for me. Whenever I lost a few kilograms, I would soon fall into my old ways…

‘What’s great about cream cheese is that it’s so versatile,’ says LOSE IT! food editor Justine Kiggen. ‘You can use it in both sweet and savoury dishes, and it’s great for baked goods, because it helps bind ingredients together – when the proteins in it set, it does what egg does, in a way. It’s good for binding stuffings and quiches, and you can even use it to make a cheese-based pizza. Cream cheese also works very well in cheesecakes and marries well with dark chocolate, making it perfect for banting desserts.’ You can also use it as an icing, mixed with a little xylitol for sweetness. Justine suggests adding cream cheese to purées, mashes, dips and soups for extra creaminess, or using it as a topping on chilli con…

It’s not surprising that Krystyna and Jan’s venture started in the kitchen, because Jan has been involved in the food product development industry since 1980, lending his expertise to some of the biggest food brands in SA and abroad. ‘I developed low-calorie and low-carb food products for companies,’ he says. Jan was also involved in sports nutrition and developed science-based diets for the likes of the Blue Bulls rugby team and Charlene Wittstock, the Princess of Monaco, back when she was a swimmer. In 2014, Jan and Krystyna were looking for a diet to help them lose weight for their upcoming wedding and came across The Real Meal Revolution. Jan insisted on doing the research first, scrutinising the diet from a scientific point of view. He concluded that it was…

KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 38g Carbs 21g Protein 22g CUMIN-ROASTED CAULIFLOWER WITH PRAWNS SERVES 4 • 1½ large heads cauliflower, broken into small florets • 2 tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp coriander seeds • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes • 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted • himalayan salt and black pepper FOR THE PRAWNS • 2 tbsp ghee • 2 cloves garlic, chopped • 1 red or green chilli, finely chopped • 400g whole prawns, heads removed FOR THE DRESSING • ½ cup homemade mayonnaise • ½ cup buttermilk • juice of 1 lime • 2 tsp xylitol • 5g fresh coriander, chopped • baby radishes, to garnish 1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Place the florets on a roasting tray, sprinkle with spices, drizzle with coconut…

KEEP ON TRACK PER SERVING Fat 61g Carbs 18g Protein 15g CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH GANACHE SERVES 10 • 300g butter, at room temperature • 150g xylitol • 6 extra-large eggs, at room temperature • ¼ cup tahini paste • 300g almond flour • 3 tbsp coconut flour • 60g cocoa powder • 4 tsp baking powder • 1 cup double cream yoghurt FOR THE GANACHE • 60g 80% dark chocolate • 1 tbsp double cream FOR THE FILLING AND GARNISH • 1 cup cream, whipped • 130g mixed berries 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease and line two deep 22cmdiameter springform cake tins. 2. Place the butter and xylitol in a large bowl and beat well with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well…

YES MEAT As far as possible, choose grass-fed or organic meats. Enjoy the fat and the skin! • Bacon (try to find charcuterie bacon, if possible without nitrates and nitrites, and with the lowest carb content – which means the least sugar) • Beef • Biltong (for powdered, grind your own) • Chicken • Duck • Game • Home-cured meats (if buying cured meats, avoid sugar and strange chemicals) • Lamb • Offal • Pork • Sausages containing only meat and spices (no MSG or fillers like gluten, rusk, soy, sugar and so on) • Turkey EGGS Any way you like, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Real organic eggs are definitely best, if you can find them. FRUIT* • Avocado • Berries • Coconut FISH/SEAFOOD (on the SASSI green list,…