A light bulb moment
As someone who from time to time stuggles to digest wheat or more specifically gluten which in the past has created holes in my intestine walls (leaky gut syndrome), I was interested in a recent piece of research.
Like a lot of people if I eat too much wheat or gluten then I start to bloat and get digestive issues. Researches have discovered that the reaction that some people have could be caused by fructans (the sugars in wheat, barley and rye). The researchers from Monash University (in Austrialia) suspected that the sugar cold be the real cuplrit because people with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) still have some of the symptoms even after following a strict gluten free diet.
In a 2013 research project, they noticed that the symptoms of people with gluten intolerance didn’t change whether they ate food that was rich in gluten or not. They took 59 people with gluten intolerance and gaven them a different cereal bar to eat each week. Although the bars all looked the same, one contained gluten, another fructans and the third had neither ingreditant. The fructands bar increased bloating by 15% and gastrointestinal propblems by 13% and neither the gluten bar nor the one without either ingreditant had any effect.
If frutans are the real problem then people with a gluten intollerance could use soy sauce as its low in sugars.
While this research is interesting. For me its a bit of a light bulb moment. The reason is that I find that I can eat organic sourdough bread and I tollerate this much more. Organic sourdough bread has gluten but due to the backing process it sis very low in fructans.
Reference
http://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(17)36302-3/abstract
Related Posts
What can help carpal tunnel syndrome?
Previously, I discussed what carpal tunnel syndrome is and how desk based workers have an increased risk. So what can you do to help youself:
- Vitamin B6 - Carpal tunnel syndrome has been linked to low levels of vitamin B6, so suplementing with the vitamin may help. In fact, several trials have found B6 may alleviate the symptoms, even in people who are not deficient in the vitamin.
- Yoga - In one study a yoga based therapy was more effective at easing carpal tunnel syndrome than improving grip strenght than wrist splints or no treatment.
- Acupuncture - In one radomised control trail, acupuncture was just as effective as steriod treatment,and it was also better at reducing sleep disturbance and improving never conduction than the drugs and came with minimal side-effects.
The low down on natural sugars, part 3 – my thumbs up list
In my introduction on natural sugars, I listed a variety of foods that can be added when cooking as a natural sweetner, this would always be my preference. I know there are times when we need a natural alternative to white sugar, previously I listed my thumbs down list of alternatives, so here is my thumbs up list. Maple Syrup Made from the sap of maple trees. It contains 34 beneficial compounds including antioxidants, anti-inflamatories, zinc and magnesium. It doesn't cause problems in the digestive tract so its ok for IBS sufferers. Its a good natural sweetner when baking or as a substitute for honey. Palm Sugar A traditional Ayurvedic ingredient containing B vitamins that has a low gycaemic index (40) so is suitable for diabetics. A good alternative to sugar in cooking, baking and in drinks. Barley Malt Extract/Syrup Its an unrefined natural sweetner derived from sprouted, dried, booked and reduced barley malt, which contains some minerals and vitamins. A good choice as a natural sweetner with almost no fructose or sucrose but can give a malty taste. Brown rice Malt/Syrup This contains maltotriose, maltose and glucose cheaper versions use enzymes to turn the starches into sugar while others use sprouted grains that realse enzymes which is better. It doesn't contain fructose. It can add a little crunch to baked and cooked products so is good in crumbles, flapjacks or granolas. Stevia Derived from the leaves of a plant from South America with the same name. 300 times sweeter than sugar (sucrose) but with a slightly bitter after taste. Avoid products which aren't 100% stevia. Use in moderation as it primes the body for a certain amount of calories for sweetness, so may increase appetite. Whole Cane Sugar A naturally unrefined form of whole sugar that is absorbed more slowly into the blood stream. It can be difficult to find. Coconut (Palm) Sugar also known as Coconut Nectar or Blossom Syrup Rich in B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, potassium, zinc , 17 amino acids, short-chain fatty acis and antioxidants. It contains inulin which is a prebotic which feeds the benefical bacteria in our gut. However, there are mixed opinions on its sustainability. It is said to taste like brown sugar. Yacon Syrup From the yacon or peruvian ground apple. It tastes like a cross between an apple and pear. It contains good amounts of vitamins and minerals plus a prebiotic. It may not be suitable for people with IBS due to its high FOS (fructooligosaccharide) content. It is suitable for diabetics. Use instead of liquid sweeteners like honey and also in baking. References Alternatives to Sugar by Dr M Glenville (Lifestyles Press, 2016).
Procrastination
In general in life I am very self-motivated, which is essential when you are self-employed. However this is the time of year of my annual bout of procrastination kicks in. Each year I promise myself its going to be different, I will fill out my tax form early and every year, like ground hog day, I leave it as late as possible. So this year I decided to research options for helping me tackle my procrastination around doing my accounts and filling out my tax form. I read the reason most people procrastinate is that they consider the task unpleasant or boring or they associate unpleasant feelings with the task. To me this is blatantly obvious as no on every puts of anything they enjoy. For me tax forms manage to be both unpleasant and boring. So I decided that this year I would try a new approach to tackle my procrastination. Firstly I decided to focus on the end goal. As filling out a tax form leaves me cold, I decided that focusing on the fine for not doing it on time would motivate me, after all my money is on line. As in life I tend to prefer more positive options, I decided to pencil in a treat for myself when I finished, so I am going to arrange a girlie lunch for a specific date so I have something positive to look forward to. In the past I have dedicate one sold lump of time to doing my accounts and tax form and plodded through it. This year I decide that I would split it down into little chunks as this should help me do it with a smile on her face. In addition some experts recommend roping a friend so that you have a buddy to help motivate you and also making a public commitment to completing something helps motivate you. So this is my public commitment. So now its just a case of taking the first step and staring.
