The purple pill that kills
The chances are high that right now, you or someone you know is taking an acid-suppressing drug. Over 20.5 million prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as Nexium (esomeprazole), Somac (pantoprazole), Prevacid (lansoprazole) and Prilosec (omeprazole) were filled in Australia in 2014, with esomeprazole alone ranking as the 10th most often-dispensed prescribed drug in…
Fennel, Eggplant and Chick Pea Stew
If you’ve never cooked with fennel, it’s time to change that. Fennel has a delicious mild aniseed flavour that develops beautifully with braising. I combined it with eggplant, kale and chick peas and served it with Crispy Polenta Wedges for a hearty, warming winter meal. Ingredients: 1 onion, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, peeled…
How not to die of heart disease, stroke or diabetes if you’re vegan
A US study has shed light on which foods to eat, and which to avoid, if you don’t want to die of heart disease, stroke or diabetes… and vegans, vegetarians and plant-based eaters should take note. The study took data from 4 sources: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a government-run…
Polenta Pizzas
Ready-made gluten-free pizza crusts are, on the whole, a bit of a nutritional nightmare. Making a pizza crust from polenta solves the problem of making a healthy gluten-free pizza crust in a way that’s so delicious, you don’t have to be gluten intolerant to enjoy it! The polenta crust recipe was lightly adapted from one…
Making the shift from vegetarian to 100% plant-based – an interview with Caitriona Reed
Serving on the expert panel at the Canberra premiere of the enlightening new documentary, What the Health, gave me more than the opportunity to answer questions and witness the powerful effect that the film had on persuading many in the audience to try out a plant-based diet. (If you haven’t already, you can listen to…
Vegan Nachos With the Works
Regular readers will be familiar with how much my family LOVES Mexican food! Now that I’ve discovered the best corn tortillas on the planet, I’ve been going berserk with all manner of Mexican creations. Ingredients: Corn chips Corn tortillas (preferably from La Tortilleria) Aquafaba (cooking/canning liquid from chick peas) Mexican beans 1 onion, peeled and…
The myth of ‘alkalising your body’
There are many myths about nutrition and health that swirl around the Internet, and regularly pop up in popular books and the mass media. One of the most pervasive is the notion that we should be striving to ‘alkalise our bodies’ in order to achieve optimal health and prevent cancer. Excess acidity, we’re told, is…
Hormonal contraception and women’s mental health
A massive Danish study has sounded alarm bells about the effect of hormonal contraceptives (including oral contraceptive pills, patches, vaginal rings and hormone-releasing IUDs) on women’s risk of developing depression… but who is listening? Researchers from the University of Copenhagen utilised Denmark’s excellent centralised medical record-keeping system to track over 1 million women aged between…
Quince and Pear Crumble
I’m making the most of quince season which is all too short! This sugar-free, oil-free crumble is the perfect dessert for a cold winter night. Ingredients: 1 cup date paste* 1 large quince, peeled, cored and chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground cardamom 2 ripe pears, cored and chopped 1/4 cup date sugar^…
What a night at Canberra’s What the Health premiere
On Tuesday 13 June I had the great honour and privilege of attending the Canberra premiere of the brilliant new documentary What the Health, as a member of the expert panel for the post-film discussion. If you haven’t seen What the Health yet, it’s time to set that to rights! The follow-up to Kip…