With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and flu season approaching, we need to make sure we are taking all the steps to optimise our natural defence systems, and Fulvic Acid may be the key to great health.

It’s common knowledge that minerals and nutrients are required for a range of biochemical processes in our bodies, but we are seeing more and more deficiencies each day, and even the food we eat nowadays doesn’t always contain the vitamin and mineral content that we need. Plus, most supplements do not absorb well enough to correct the shortfall.

So, what is there to do to make sure we stay healthy? Fulvic Acid is one of the most vital nutrients for our health and well-being, and not just another nutrient that we are seeing less of in our food. It’s actually the most important health-building compound because it is nature’s intended vehicle for transporting minerals and other nutrients into living cells in our bodies.

What is Fulvic Acid?
Fulvic Acid is a very small molecule (or- of low molecular weight). This, along with the fact that it is water soluble at all pH levels, makes it an exceptional transport mechanism in the body. Here are a few more amazing benefits of Fulvic Acid:

• It brings superior antioxidant benefits
• Removes toxins and infection from the body- as waste
• Delivers nutrients to the body’s cells

Where did it go?
While attempting to kill the pests and weeds and bolster plant production, the chemicals used in agriculture have inadvertently destroyed friendly troops, such as Fulvic Acid, in the soil jungle. Chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides were created to kill insects, control weeds and increase crop yields. Yet, despite the increased amount of food, these modern farming practices have taken a toll on the soils’ microbes, plant nutrients, and in turn it has impacted our health. The price of growing food this way is dramatically altering the natural recycling process required in nature, and the downstream effects on our health is growing.

CHD-FA – The Missing Puzzle Piece
Many people are feeling the effects of low nutrient absorption, even in the presence of a good diet with regular intake of supplemental vitamins and minerals. And although Fulvic Acid is the missing puzzle piece for many people seeking increased health, most supplements come from sources that are ground-sourced and are contaminated with heavy metals like aluminium, lead, mercury and even arsenic.

This is where internationally patented (pure plant-sourced) CHD-FA, Carbohydrate derived Fulvic Acid, from Bettamed® products comes in. Bettamed® Cleanse and Recover Capsules (or liquid-in glass packaging) has a well-established product safety profile which delivers the benefits of clean Fulvic Acid products. Whether you are fighting an infection, rebuilding health, or optimising Immune for extra COVID-19 protection, simply add Bettamed®’s CHD-FA daily to help your body absorb and use much needed nutrients.

The CHD-FA molecule is also a highly active carbon, hydrogen, molecular oxygen (more available oxygen) and enables better electrolyte balance. This means that it’s able to recharge rundown cells, allowing them to carry an extended electrical charge and survive longer. CHD-FA molecules also act like mini-batteries, going around and charging cells that it comes in contact with and raising their voltage. When our cell’s membranes are fully charged, nutrients can get inside cells more easily. When nutrients are inside cells they are available for biochemical processes that support our immune system and well-being.

Nature’s answer
CHD-FA supplementation is a powerful addition to our immune-system weaponry and an ideal solution to the problem that man has created with over-farming and the production of processed foods. It can assist with toxins and depleted nutrients in food, making it an absolute essential to a healthy diet.

Bettamed® is available from Dis-chem, Alpha Pharm, Wellness Warehouse and The Local Choice Pharmacies. or find them on Facebook. 

For more information visit bettamed.com or find them on Facebook. 

Photography: Courtesy Images

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Fans of the Mediterranean diet will love our delicious take on these Mediterranean meatballs in tomato sauce with veggies.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the veggies
1 brinjal, cubed
6 baby marrows, thickly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chilli flakes
For the Mediterranean meatballs
500 g beef mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup grated hard cheese
2 tsp chopped origanum
1 egg, beaten
½ cup breadcrumbs
For the tomato sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp brown sugar
½ cup basil, torn

METHOD
For the veggies
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Toss the prepared vegetables in the olive oil and chilli flakes, and season.
3. Roast for 30 minutes.
For the Mediterranean meatballs
1. Combine all the ingredients. Divide up and roll into balls. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and fry until browned.
For the tomato sauce
1. Heat some olive oil over medium heat.
2. Sauté the red onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté some more.
3. Add the tomatoes, sugar and basil. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Season to taste. Cool slightly
4. Blend in a food processor until smooth.
5. Add the tomato sauce and the meatballs to a large pan over low heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
6. Serve with the roast vegetables.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

This chicken bento box is another Mediterranean diet favourite of ours.

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For years, we’ve been told fat is the enemy. Now, high-fat, low-carb diets have put it at the top of our shopping lists. So what’s the real skinny on fats?

By Glynis Horning

All fats are not made equal. They may share a similar chemical structure (a chain of carbon atoms linked to hydrogen atoms), but the length and shape of the carbon chain and number of hydrogen atoms vary, forming numerous types of fat. While some are harmful long-term, others are vital for our bodies to function well.

We need fat in our diets for energy, for the absorption of certain fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and minerals, for building membranes around our cells and sheaths around our nerves, for tasks such as muscle movement and blood clotting, fighting inflammation, maintaining healthy skin and good eyesight, and helping to develop the brains of babies and children.

Our bodies can make some of their own fat by using excess calories of any kind, explains Gabriel Eksteen, a registered dietitian at Heart and Stroke Foundation SA. But they are unable to make essential fatty acids – linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid – which are both essential for health and must be included in your diet.

BAD FATS – Trans fats   

These are the most unhealthy form of dietary fat. Trans fat occurs naturally in meat and dairy products in small quantities, but the ones considered dangerous are the artificial trans fats made by ‘partial hydrogenation’, which means industrially processing vegetable oils into solids to stop them from going rancid.

Why are they bad? Trans fats increase your ‘bad’ cholesterol carriers (LDL), which can clog blood vessels, and decrease your ‘good’ cholesterol carriers (HDL), which help transport cholesterol and fat to the liver, says Gabriel. ‘Trans fats are also pro-inflammatory and promote blood vessel wall dysfunction and insulin resistance.’

Found in: Commercially baked goods (such as biscuits, cakes, muffins, pizza dough, burger buns and pie crust), packaged snacks (chips, sweets, crackers, microwave popcorn), solid fats (margarine and animal lard), fried foods (French fries, fried chicken and nuggets, breaded fish, hard taco shells), ready mixed products (such as cake and pancake mix, chocolate milk), and anything that lists ‘partially hydrogenated’ in its ingredients.

Action: Avoid them as much as possible – trans fats are not healthy in any quantity, says registered dietitian Lila Bruk, who is also the spokeswoman for the Association for Dietetics in SA (Adsa).

GOOD FATS – Unsaturated fats 

There are two kinds: monounsaturated (with a single carbon-to-carbon double bond), and polyunsaturated (with two or more double bonds in their carbon chain). High proportions are mainly from vegetable sources and are liquid at room temperature.

Why are they good?  When they replace saturated fats or refined carbohydrates, they can raise your good blood cholesterol, which cuts your chance of developing heart disease, and improves your insulin and blood sugar levels. Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA, ALA and DHA), a common type of polyunsaturated fat, are vital for cognitive function and emotional health, and have been linked to reducing the symptoms of depression, ADHD, bipolar disorder and dementia, as well as stroke, heart disease, some cancers, arthritis and inflammatory skin conditions, though more clinical studies are needed.

Found in: Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, olives, raw nuts (almonds, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamias, peanuts), and their oils. Polyunsaturated fats are in walnuts, seeds (flax, sesame, sunflower, canola, pumpkin) and their oils, fatty fish (salmon, tuna, sardines), soy milk and tofu. The best sources of omega-3s are fatty fish (pilchards, salmon, mackerel and sardines), and for vegetarians, flaxseed and walnuts.

Action: Eat unsaturated fat as part of a healthy diet, says Gabriel. Aim for two servings of fatty fish a week, or a small handful of walnuts or flaxseed daily (preferably ground in a coffee grinder to aid absorption and sprinkled over cereal).Enjoy a wedge of avo, handful of olives and dash of olive oil on salad or veggies daily, says Lila.

IN-BETWEEN FATS – Saturated fats 

These come from animal sources, and are solid at room temperature.

Why are they ‘In-between’? Saturated fat can raise total blood cholesterol levels and LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The advocates of high fat, low-carb diets argue that cholesterol will stick only to artery walls damaged by inflammation, and that it’s processed carbohydrates, in particular sugar, that cause inflammation. They point to a 2014 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggesting people with diets that are high in saturated fat do not suffer higher rates of cardiovascular disease; and to a 2013 meta-analysis of 16 studies in the European Journal of Nutrition showing whole-milk dairy is associated with less body fat.

On the other hand, many studies show that reducing saturated fat and replacing it with unsaturated fat (not refined carbs) can reduce the risk of heart disease. ‘Evidence of this is seen in Mediterranean diets,’ says Gabriel.

Found in: Red meat, chicken, full-fat dairy products, tropical oils (coconut and palm oil, as well as cocoa butter) and lard, and in some processed foods.

Action: High-fat, low-carb proponents advise no more than 80–90g of meat or fish at any meal. Adsa suggests limiting red meat to a lean piece the size of your palm, grilled, steamed or baked, and beans or soya, skinless chicken or fish at other meals. Enjoy a glass of milk or a small bowl of yoghurt a day, and avoid processed food, Lila says.

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With the advent of home juicers, many claim to drink their way to wellness and weight loss. Kim Kardashian apparently did a juice fast to get wedding-ready, Beyoncé reportedly lost nearly 10 kg on a lemon juice and cayenne pepper diet, and Salma Hayek swears by Cooler Cleanse juice.

By Lauren Shapiro

Juice fasts are said to cleanse the kidneys, detox the liver and bowels, and cure a host of diseases. Is this just another fad diet, or is there something more to it? Nathalie Mat, a clinical dietitian and chair of the Gauteng South branch of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa, sets us straight.

LIQUID DIET vs JUICE FAST

A liquid diet prescribed by a doctor is intended to reduce the load on the digestive system, in the case of bowel illness, in preparation for surgery or if one is physically incapable of eating solid food. It may vary in composition, including certain juices and soups, and might not provide a complete source of nutrition. A juice fast, on the other hand, is a voluntary abstention from solid food.

DRINK YOUR VEG

Fresh veggie juice is a concentrated vitamin bomb – juicing extracts many of the nutrients, but leaves behind the valuable fibre.

When it comes to the gut, the ‘use it or lose it’ principle applies. Foods with bulk help stimulate a healthy gut lining – a purely liquid diet may reduce this vital stimulation. Foods that we chew for ourselves are more satisfying than foods we drink. I recommend eating vegetables over drinking them.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

A juice fast or cleanse is not a balanced diet, and there is a lack of trustworthy evidence that drinking juice alone is going to bring about any constructive gains. Fresh juice may have a health halo, but drinking juice all day means that you are possibly taking in a lot of fruit sugar without any protein. This is a recipe for muscle loss, rather than weight loss.

While no juice can replace a plate of whole fruits and vegetables, fresh juice can be a great way of increasing your vitamin intake as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

DETOX OR DESTRUCT?

It’s important that people understand going on a fast will not help them detox. The liver needs energy to work properly. A diet including whole fruits and veg, good-quality proteins and healthy fats is the way to go.

WHAT ABOUT SMOOTHIES

Smoothies often contain added yoghurt or ice cream. It’s best to make your own so you know exactly what’s going into that blender. Bear in mind smoothies are high in kilojoules, so don’t have one plus a meal – that’s basically eating two meals in one go.

The post Considering a juice fast? Read this first appeared first on MyKitchen.

Dietitian Alpha Rasekhala has worked with the South African Department of Health, conducting nutritional assessments at hospitals, prisons and other facilities across South Africa and developing food-service management guidelines. His consulting firm works with government and corporate clients and he treats individuals in Joburg. He is a spokesperson for the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA). And we are chatting to him about salt this week.

By Lauren Shapiro

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY

Think savoury snacks and fast foods are the only culprits when it comes to overdoing the salt? Think again – we are our own worst enemies. As much as 40% of the total salt South Africans consume is added during cooking and eating. This is one of the highest rates of discretionary salt use in the world (compared to 10% in the US).

WE NEED SALT: TRUE OR FALSE?

True. Salt plays an essential role in normal cell function. However, you can have too much of a good thing, and we consume far too much salt.

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?

The recommended daily allowance of salt is five grams (about one teaspoon), but most of us eat two to three times that amount. We eat too many takeaways and too much processed food, and then we add even more salt at the table.

HEALTH RISKS

Excessive salt consumption – more than a teaspoon a day – is linked to fluid retention and hypertension (high blood pressure). Six million South Africans, or one in three adults, are hypertensive. And, it is estimated that more than 50% of them remain undiagnosed. High salt intake raises your chances of heart attack, stroke and kidney disease.

IODISED: ENRICHED WITH IODINE

In SA, iodine is added to salt so people will have enough of this essential element in their diets. It is needed for brain development in foetuses and children, and for optimal mental function in general.

GET SALT SMART

1. Read product labels and choose foods with a low salt content.
2. Banish the salt shaker from your table.
3. Use herbs such as rosemary, thyme or tarragon to flavour food when cooking.
4. Limit salty snacks. Choose fresh fruit, raw nuts or yoghurt.
5. Eat fewer processed foods, these are often high in salt.

The post Wellness Wednesday: A pinch of salt appeared first on MyKitchen.

There has been a recent uproar in the media about the Wolf Diet. The main objective here is to only eat one meal a day, and that meal needs to be high in protein-heavy and fat. Let’s say you go with dinner. You’ll have to expel lunch and breakfast, as well as that last slice of chocolate mousse cake you were hoping to devour. But we love food, and we like to indulge, too much to give it up without good reason, so we delved a little deeper.

By Jana du Plessis

SIMPLIFYING MATTERS

Marius Theron, a retired veterinarian from Pretoria, is the name and advocate behind the radical approach that means only seven meals a week with no snacks in between. At first glance, it actually seems quite a convenient way to eat with fewer dishes, less meal planning and less money spent on groceries. But is a daily 24-hour fast good for the human body?

SCIENCE TALKS

There have been numerous studies done on intermittent fasting and how it can aid weight-loss and even the immune system. Simply put, our hormone levels adapt to make fat usage more available at the same time as regenerating cells when fasting. While most of these diets would encourage eating less on some days or choosing one or two days in a week to fast for 16-24 hours at a time,  the concern with the Wolf Diet, is that it goes against what mainstream dietary practices teach.

We are all used to eating three to six times a day and have learnt that regular snacking keeps our blood sugar levels in check. Along with that, the Wolf Diet relies heavily on fat and protein with very little emphasis on fruits and vegetables. All of our micronutrients are housed within the colourful varieties of fresh produce. By eliminating leafy greens on such a grand scale, you need to question where you would otherwise get your vitamins from.

FINAL THOUGHTS

While famous Banter Tim Noakes agrees with Theron that eating more like the carnivore mammals is beneficial for our health, it’s too early to say exactly how following the Wolf Diet will affect our bodies. Theron experiences tremendous success on his diet and having completed a marathon with nothing more than sips of water, attests to that fact. But it remains a case of limited proof.

Perhaps some people do fare better on eating much less than the standard three main meals per day, but dietary requirements and preferences will always be individualistic. And until more comprehensive studies are done to show the health benefits of eating according to the Wolf Diet, we trust that eating when you’re hungry and choosing foods that nourish is the best way to feed a healthy mind and body.

And remember, always chat to your doctor or a registered dietician before making any radical changes to your diet.

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