Interview with The Health Inspiration of the Week: Ife Piankhi

Tell us about yourself

my name is ife piankhi i was born in London to African Caribbean parents. From a very early age i was an avid reader i started with novels and progress to reading non fiction for many years. This began my journey of self discovery as an Afrikan of the Diaspora. Through my reading ive discovered alot of what we are are taught about diet/nutrition is incorrect. my studies and training in particular  with dr llaila afrika has taught me that the physiology of Africans is very different from other people and we need to bear that in mind when caring/healing ourselves and others of afrikan descent. I currently reside in Uganda, leaving the western hemisphere in order to gain optimum health from the environment. Sunlight, fresh food and heat are a vital component for Afrikans to stay healthy and happy. My partner Pablo Imani practices and teaches Afrikan Yoga and we incorporate the practice into our daily lives in order to maintain our health, vitality, flexibility and spiritual sensitivity. http://www.afrikanyoga.com/

When did you realise health was important to you through foods?

 i realised that health was important after i gave birth to my first child, it was a hospital birth with much medical intervention. I was very traumatised by the experience and i was determined to explore natural birth which included breathing, nutrition, stretching, meditation, and colour therapy ( i only wore certain colours during pregnancy). As a result of changing my lifestyle ive had 3 subsequent natural births, two of which were at home in a pool. My recovery time was very fast compared to my first birth. My children were alert, peaceful and happy. Because my life is very active having children of my own, teaching,and performing,  ive found its important to pay attention to my diet in order to maintain my energy. Children need alot of energy and mental stimulation and ive found that my diet supports this. so i can keep up with them!

What is your general way of eating (diet)?  ie meat, veggie, vegan, and for how long?

In london i was vegan. I didn´t fry my food, i ate no refined foods, white sugar, flour or salt  but since being in Africa i eat fish occasionally now. I eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, pulses, groundnuts. Ive been on this regime for about 16 years now.

Why is your diet important to you?

 You are what you eat. Ive seen too many of my elders unable to enjoy their maturity due to ill health due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. i want to mature gracefully and when i make my transition i want it to be peaceful and not painful.
What is  your experience with educating people who do not know benefits of healthy eating Ive been an educator for 20 years and when i came into any new information i was fanatical, i admit it. I used to tell people what was bad for them but I´ve found this doesn´t really work it just makes people feel guilty or resentful. Now i meet people where they are at. I don´t judge them. We have an emotional attachment to what we eat and people have to be ready to make changes for themselves. Im a holistic practitioner so when people consult with me i look at the whole person body, mind and soul. They won´t change if im preaching at them. So my approach is just to give the information and make suggestions for simple step by step changes. I´ve learnt to practice patience,compassion and offer support as and when they need it.   
What is your favourite super food and why?

i love goldenseal its an amazing herb thats very powerful. i love ginger, cayenne, cream of coconut, millet, quinoa, sunflower seeds, dates, figs, the list is endless, i love eating good food i guess. Basically i focus on foods that alkaline the body as i know most of us are quite acidic.
Your words of wisdom for those to maintain good health and wellbeing?

When changing your diet or lifestyle be patient and nurturing with yourself. If you know you have eaten something which you shouldn´t understand your craving and get informed about cleansing herbs that can assist in eliminating the substance from your body. Bad habits are easy to form but hard to break. Remain loving with yourself and take each day at a time. Monitor and document the changes you feel become your own best friend, lastly enjoy your life. ife

Ife can be contacted at topgie@gmail.com
She currently resides in Kampala and works with many groups including In Movement - Art for social change as a creative facilitator. Ife is also a wholistic practitioner, poet and singer

Health Tip of the Week!!!

To reduce refined sugar intake, watch for the words sucrose, dextrose, fructose, corn syrup sweeteners, maltose and lactose on food labels.

Most of us have heard the term “empty calories.” These are calories we consume that have little or no nutritional benefit. Think: soft drinks, candy, cookies and assorted treats. Empty calories can lead to obesity as well as nutritional deficiencies. The more empty calories you consume, the less appetite you have for healthier, nutrient dense foods.
To support good health, become aware of your daily intake of added sugar, cut back accordingly, and learn to recognize hidden sugars on labels. Any ingredient with a name that ends with the letters “ose” are kinds of sugars – dextrose, sucrose, maltose, lactose, glucose and fructose. Other concentrated sweeteners include corn syrup, sorghum syrup, cane juice, invert sugar, high fructose corn syrup, malt sugar, brown rice syrup, molasses, brown sugar, agave, honey, beet sugar and evaporated cane juice.

Of course, the sugar picture gets a bit murkier because there are naturally occurring sugars in fruits and dairy products. The good news is that when sugar occurs in nature, it is typically accompanied by fiber, fat and/or protein. This is a perfect design by nature as these elements slow the rate at which the sugar is absorbed in our bodies. This prevents havoc on our blood sugar levels. So, it’s perfect to feed that sweet tooth with a piece of fresh fruit.
On the downside, some people hear “avoid sugar” and they rush to diet sodas and other products with artificial sweeteners. As you may know, Whole Foods Market’s quality standards don’t allow any products with artificial sweeteners. Some of these start off as pure sugar but undergo a chemical process that converts it into a molecule that does not occur in nature.
Instead of heading down that road, here are some natural solutions for reducing your sugar consumption:

• Start gradually – you’ll be more likely to stick to it! If you sweeten your tea or coffee, use half the amount of sugar. Soon, it will taste sweet enough, and you can reduce even further. If you drink sodas (and even diet sodas), reduce your consumption by half. When you want a fizzy drink, mix sparkling water with 100% fruit juice. Try this for a week or two and when ready, cut your intake again by half.
• Buy plain yogurt, plain kefir, unsweetened breakfast cereals, unsweetened iced teas, unsweetened bottled water and unsweetened frozen fruits-you may need to read labels to ensure that they are unsweetened. If needed, sweeten them just a bit at home. This way you control the amount of sugar you consume.
• When you do sweeten at home, use unrefined sugars that have nutrients intact. Examples are pure maple syrup, honey, evaporated cane juice and agave nectar (a sweetener from the agave plant). Remember, even though natural and unrefined, these are still sugars, and should be consumed in moderation. Here’s more on natural sweeteners.
• Avoid fat-free versions of foods, like fat-free salad dressings and sauces. These often contain greater amounts of sugar to compensate for less fat.
• In recipes, experiment with reducing the amount of sugar called for by about one-fourth.
• Limit sweet desserts to special times such as weekends, parties and birthdays. When eating out, share your dessert with others.
• Choose whole or cut fruits, grapes and berries for a non-sugary dessert. Sprinkle with cinnamon for an added treat. Baked fruit provides its own natural sweetness too.
• Reduce your intake of processed foods in packages and cans. These often contain added sugars.
• Eat a well-balanced diet containing proteins, healthy fats, and unrefined carbohydrates from starchy vegetables, whole grains, legumes and whole fruits. Balance on your dinner plate helps create balance in your body!
• Before you indulge an acute sugar craving, grab a handful of nuts. The healthy fat and protein in nuts can satisfy a sweet tooth and help balance your blood sugar.
• Instead of eating a whole candy bar, choose just a small piece of good quality dark chocolate. Melt this slowly in your mouth for the most satisfying effect. (This is my favorite way to enjoy chocolate!)

Do you have some tricks for dealing with a sugar craving or cutting back on sugar? Share!

Did You Eat Something Green Today ??

We are what we eat, I'm sure almost everybody has heard this. But do you really understand that our bodies are definitely required clean and healthy food to maintain their finest performance?

I would say clean and healthy food since not all clean food is healthy and vice versa. Not only pesticides and other chemicals have stained our crops, but the over usage of fertilizers and growth inducing hormones results in cancer-proned human bodies to those who consumed this kind of food for a long term period.
On the other hand, animal products are not spared from the reality of the spread of the animal specific diseases. Mad cow disease will bring neurological damage to humans, whereas bird flu disease which recently became an outbreak in some Asian countries will create severe flu symptoms to the infected humans. What about the fish? It is commonly known that some fish from specific seas have been tainted by heavy metals. One of the infamous cases is the Minamata disease caused by eating fish tainted with mercury.

With all these horrible facts, we must start to find ways on how to improve the quality of food we eat. While drastic change in the eating lifestyle is not advised, you may want to start consuming organic fruits and vegetables on a more regular basis than before. The term "organic" means that there is no usage of chemicals (pesticides and fertilizers are chemicals) and growth inducing hormones in the crops and animals.

Unfortunately not everybody has the privilege to eat those healthy foods as regular as they want. This is where the consumption of health food supplements is required to make up for the substances required by our bodies.

One of the recommended health supplements is the one made from organic green food. Why choose green food? Green food, specifically made from green barley, contains the most nutrients compared with others. It is a healthy supplier of amino acids, proteins, vitamins (especially beta carotenes) and minerals.
Take it regularly; you may need to start with smaller amount before taking the normal advised dose. This is to "condition" your body, especially your digestive system, since the green food will help to cleanse the toxic inside.
So start a healthy habit today to improve the quality of your health.
To the healthier you...

Are you ready for your new Season foods

I thought to kick off the September food season I would put together a list of all the best in-season foods for you to keep in mind when make your next shopping list. I will update monthly with what’s now in season as an easy reminder of how to adjust your shopping from month to month. 

For your October shopping list:
Plums, blackberries, apples, figs, sweetcorn, artichoke, aubergines, beetroot, blueberries, broad beans, broccoli, butternut squash, carrots, celery, chestnuts,  courgettes, cranberries, elderberries, garlic, kale, leeks, lemon sole, mangetout, melons, nectarines, onions, parsnips, peaches, pears, peas, peppers, potatoes, radishes, raspberries, rocket, runner beans, salmon, sardines, sea bass, sorrel, tomatoes, walnuts.

Hair Growth With the Right Foods

If you suffer from hair loss, you may wonder about foods that promote hair growth. While hair loss has many treatments, food for hair growth is one of the healthiest options for improving the look of your hair.
In this article, we will discuss the basics of hair loss and show you how foods that promote hair growth are vital to growing healthy hair.

Hair loss affects up to 40% of women and half of men at some point in their lifetimes. Some causes of hair loss include:

• Heredity
• Stress
• Inadequate nutrition. This factor can be eliminated by incorporating plenty of foods that promote hair growth into your daily diet.
• High levels of DHT, a hair-loss contributing hormone. Green tea may help correct these problematic hormone imbalances; a low-fat diet may also be beneficial.

What are the top foods that promote hair growth?
When choosing food for hair growth, remember that hair is made of protein; therefore protein-rich foods should make up a high percentage of your diet. The second most important hair nutrient is iron. Each key nutrient below lists the foods that promote hair growth:

• Protein: liver, brewer's yeast, fish, eggs, beans, cottage cheese, yogurt, tofu.
• Iron: liver, whole grain cereals, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, dates, raisins.
• B Vitamins: eggs, meat, poultry.
• Essential Fatty Acids: walnuts, canola oil, fish, soy.
• Vitamin E: avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil.
• Sulfur: meats, fish, nuts, legumes, vegetables (especially onions).

As you plan ways to incorporate food for hair growth, also be aware that there are some culprits in our diets that are actually detrimental to our hair!

• Caffeine
• Sugar
• Fat
• Carbonated drinks

Men and Women: Top foods that promote hair growth
Hair loss in men and women may be due to different factors. Women's hair loss may be due to a gastrointestinal (GI) tract problem. To help correct a sluggish GI tract, women may want to increase their intake of low-fat yogurt with active acidophilus cultures. These helpful bacteria will help to speed the GI tract and, in turn, improve the overall health of hair.

Men may benefit from a low-fat diet. Hair loss is tied to elevated testosterone levels, and meat and fat in the diet act to raise these levels even more. By reducing fat and meat intake, men may be able to lower their hormone levels and thus slow the hair loss cycle caused by hormones.

Nutritional Health : How to Eat a Raw Food Diet

Almond Milk...The Perfect Alternative to Cows Milk

Almond milk is a nutritious and non-dairy alternative to regular soya milk, oat milk or rice milk. Almond milk trumps over any other non-dairy alternative with its 6 health benefits that will put you in good stead to better health.

For example, for those who want to lose weight by reducing their dairy intake, plain almond milk with no added sugar has 60calories per 8oz serving. It has no cholesterol which bodes well for your heart and maintains a normal blood pressure level. Diabetics are also served well because plain almond milk has only 8g of carbohydrate content and thus has a low glycemic nature. This means that the body can digest it easily. It also contains 30% of calcium to strengthen our bones preventing diseases like osteoporosis, and 25% of Vitamin D that supports a healthy immune system and cell function.

Another benefit is the high levels of vitamin E that is good for the skin through its antioxidant properties. Its moderate levels of vitamin A support good eye health by helping you to adjust to differences in light. Last but not least, almond milk may have a low content of protein, but it contains many B vitamins like riboflavin, and iron that help muscles absorb and use protein for energy, growth and repair.

The only downside to almond milk is if you happen to have an intolerance or allergy to any of the components or vitamins in almond milk. As a guide please clarify with your doctor if you are unsure or you feel any ingredient may not be appropriate during pregnancy. In addition, due to the cost of almonds, especially if they are organically grown, the average price of almond milk is much higher than other non-dairy alternative, but it is within a reasonable price.

Apart from such great health benefits, its distinct sweet and nutty taste is a welcome change to other non-dairy alternatives. It is great for coffee and tea because it does not curdle like soya milk. Many people would also like an alternative to rice milk that can be tasteless or watery, and enjoying a cafe latte will no more be ruined by the sight of curdled milk often seen when you use soya milk. It is also great with cereal and you do not have to add sugar as almond milk is sufficiently sweet and tasty on its own. Desserts also get the extra kick with almond milk with a variety of dairy-free alternative recipes to dish up as the highlight and crowning end to a dinner party. Just think: chocolate mousse, panacotta or homemade ice cream to your liking, inspired by your creativity. Not a dinner party stopper but my favourite is home-made almond milk rice pudding with cinnamon and sunflower margarine or delightful butter if you can tolerate dairy.

The best test to judge if almond milk deserves its rightful place as the champion of non-dairy alternatives is to have a chilled glass of almond milk and taste the difference! I recommend almond milk if you are dairy intolerant or allergic since it tastes great, it is easy to digest and it is super healthy. Well worth it!