Monday 18 June 2012

Is Gluten-Free the best for Arthritis?


There have been some clear links made between celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and arthritis. Gluten is a mixture of individual proteins (prolamines and glutelins,) studies show that these proteins can contribute to the many inflammatory diseases which include Arthritis.
One clinical study found that wheat ingestion was followed within hours by increased joint swelling and pain. Experts suggest that those suffering from inflammation diseases should undertake an elimination diet for several weeks to determine whether gluten can contribute to joint pain and swelling.

Many celebrities and athletes follow a non- or low-gluten diet and fairly recently, the tennis star Novak Djokovic eliminated grain from his diet, consequently enjoyin huge success. He jumped to top spot in the rankings for the first time, replacing Rafael Nadal.
Mark Sisson, an American runner who had his career cut short with osteoarthritis and tendonitis, also followed suit - he completely transformed his diet and his joint health.


Gluten-free pasta with homemade goats cheese and flaxseed pesto - recipe coming soon

Now the confusing part!

We try to make our recipes as low in gluten as possible via gluten-free flour (in sauces, baking and when buying bread/crackers/pasta).
We do also suggest eating whole grains (such as wholemeal flour) opposed to processed carbohydrates as they are extremely high in fiber and have a low GI (see post). Unfortunately, this has nothing to do with gluten, in fact some foods which are low in gluten or gluten-free (potatoes and rice [white]) have an extremely high Glycemic index (GI). They are both very separate elements of the diet – which can be confusing!!
It is difficult to do both gluten-free and low GI but trying to incorporate one of these elements wherever possible helps with a well-rounded arthritis diet and if you can do both then even better!!

My next challenge...gluten-free, dairy-free, low GI cake - yes, cake!

Watch this space!

For more information on gluten and arthritis read ‘Managing Inflammatory Arthritis’ by Stephen Gislason available from http://www.nutramed.com/AlphaBooks.

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Why Fibre is Great for Arthritis


We often hear that we should be eating more fibre in our daily diet - but why is this particularly good news for arthritis sufferers?

A high-fibre diet may lower an indicator of inflammation in the blood.

Fibre is good for the heart, may prevent some cancers and now appears to lower C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation found in the blood. As many of you know, a high CRP level signals general inflammation and could indicate anything from an infection to rheumatoid arthritis to heart disease.

A study led by D King, in which people who ate a high-fibre diet (between 27 and 28 g per day) saw their CRP levels go down. One group got their fibre from foods; another group took a supplement. CRP levels dropped in both groups.

High fibre foods include:

Oats
Bulgar wheat
Rye (including crackers such as Ryvita)
Stoneground whole wheat (used in products such as wholeweat pasta/bread)
Buckwheat (including noodles)
Quinoa
Brown rice
Bran (oat, wheat, rice)
Beans and pulses
Nuts and seeds
Most fruit and vegetables but especially :
Sweet potatoes
Berries (frozen and fresh)
Tree fruits (apples, pears)
Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, cabbage)
Squashes (zucchini/courgette)
Some exotic fruits and vegetables (edamame, avocado, guava)

Many of these appear on our ‘essential’ ingredients list. What is interesting is that with the exception of fruit, all the other foods listed above have an extremely low GI (Glycemic Index). Foods with a low GI have been associated with less inflammation and lower CRP levels (see post hereon low GI sugars) so these foods are a double positive on the arthritis diet!
The general rule is the sweeter the fruit or vegetable the higher the GI (think peas, carrots, sweetcorn and most fruits- they are very sweet and therefore contain more [natural] sugars). 

As we state in our diet basics - it is important to get the majority of your fibre intake from vegetables, pulses, seeds and grains (as opposed to wheat - but more on this in another post coming up this week).

Friday 8 June 2012

Fish Goujons


Great for fish tacos and as fish fingers with sweet potato fries. The mustard means that you can avoid the usual egg in the bread crumbing stage and they still stick and make a great coating.

 Served with a wholemeal wrap, salad and green salsa (recipe here)

Ingredients:
2 fillets raw Pollock, cut into small thumb sized fillets  
100g breadcrumbs, around 3 slices (gluten-free or wholemeal – I used a mixture of both)
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Flaxseed oil (or olive oil)
Salt and pepper

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 5. Blitz the bread in a food processor with a pinch of salt and pepper, set aside in a large shallow bowl.
Paint the fish liberally with mustard (you can use a brush or just a spoon for this) and place them in the breadcrumbs, rolling and turning to cover completely. Drizzle some oil on to an oven tray and place the fish on the tray, drizzling extra oil over the top.
Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, turning once. You can test the fish is cooked by breaking one of the fillets open, the fish should be white and opaque. 

This method of coating can also be used for many other recipes such as chicken goujons and coconut shrimp. Give it a try!

- Emma

Tuesday 5 June 2012

Can sugar cause inflammation?


It has been suggested that those with arthritis should avoid ALL types of sugar as these can trigger inflammation. However, there is often not a clear distinction made between the types of sugar. For instance, fruit is full of naturally occurring sugars which are not comparable to the equivalent quantity of table sugar (or white, refined caster sugar). 

GI (Glycemic Index) is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates in food on blood sugar levels. Generally speaking, the more processed or refined a carbohydrate is, the more quickly it is converted into blood glucose and the higher its glycemic index (GI). 

The science bit:

The higher the glycemic the diet, the more insulin is released leading to a pro-inflammatory state and higher levels of CRP.  By elevating your blood sugar, high glycemic foods also promote oxygen free radical processes.  Free radicals are highly reactive molecules which can damage DNA, cause cancer growth and incite more inflammation. See http://www.buddyslim.com for more information.

Diets rich in low glycemic foods are associated with less inflammation, lower CRP levels and a reduced chance of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. 


Here are some alternatives to sugar with lower GI:

(Bear in mind that regular caster/table sugar has a GI of 70-80)

Stevia
0-1
Derived from a plant and 200-300 times sweeter than table sugar. Please note: not the same as Truvia.
Xylitol
7
Natural sugar alcohol sweetener found in the fibres of fruits and vegetables. Side effects include bloating, diarrhoea, and flatulence with initial consumption.
Agave Syrup
15-30
Also called ‘nectar’. Sweet syrup is made from the Blue Agave plant, obtained by the extracting and purifying the “sap” from the plant.
Raw Honey
30
With antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes and carbohydrates. Please note: Processed honey has little health benefits.
Coconut Palm Sugar
35
Originally made from the sugary sap of the Palmyra palm , the date palm or sugar date palm. It’s also made from the sap of coconut palms.
Organic Brown Sugar
47
Comes from sugar cane grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides. It is usually darker than traditional white sugar because it contains some molasses (still a natural ingredient)
Black Strap Molasses
55
White refined table sugar is sugar cane with all the nutrition taken out. Black strap molasses is all of that nutrition that was taken away. Organic products contain many vitamins and minerals.It has a very deep, rich flavour, less sweet than sugar.

The simplified rule is... if it has come from some source of nature and is naturally dark in colour, then the lower the Glycemic Index. Powdered/Confectionary sugar for example, is not low GI.

We try to use them in lots of different ways and try to substitute them in recipes. You have to bear in mind that a product like Stevia is much sweeter than sugar so you would need to alter the quantity and taste. Another thing to note is that honey and molasses caramelise a lot quicker than sugar, so they will darken and can burn easier than regular sugar.  I like to use a mix of sweeteners outlined to combat these problems and still create a low GI end product.

Saturday 2 June 2012

Eating Out With Arthritis - Japanese and Sushi


Japanese is often a great option for an anti-inflammatory diet, and a healthy diet in general! Sushi would be our cuisine of choice because of its clean, refreshing and very moorish flavours.

  • Raw fish is fantastic for Omega-3 intake. Rice is a good starch alternative, but as it is white try to watch how much you are eating. Some sushi bars offer brown rice dishes and I do find brown rice to have a more nutty flavour. Where possible, opt for sashimi (simply sliced raw fish).
  • ‘Essential’ Avocado is included in many sushi rolls and hand rolls.
  • ‘Essential’ seaweed/nori is great to wrap sushi or eaten in salads. Hiyashi Wakame is a refreshing salad made from seaweed and sesame seeds with a sweet dressing – delicious and one of my favourites!
  • Yakitori (grilled chicken) is a great hot starter as are soups such as Miso (especially with added seaweed and tofu).
  • Chicken or seafood Laksa (spicy coconut/curry noodle soup) is extremely tasty and great as it is typically served with rice noodles/vermicelli. You can often request for a less spicy version if you would like to avoid chilli.
  • Steamed Edamame Beans (or soy beans) are great as a snack/starter and are completely addictive! They also are recently reported to have great anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Avoid anything fried or 'tempura' as vegetable oil is often used and is not ideal because of the high amounts of Omega-6.