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Changing my plate – reduce inflammation and blood pressure

This post is part of a regular series focusing on making small changes to improve our health. I shared my journey with changing my diet and moving to a clean eating approach which you can read here. I also had the lovely Katie Rainbird from Katie 180 undertake an analysis of my food intake for one day in that post, which was another step in the right direction.

Together we also offered the same opportunity to readers of Planning With Kids. We were blown away with the response and while I can’t guarantee will get to all of them this year, Katie has been busy working on many of the submissions already and we will publish as many as we can.

It is not possible for Katie to cover off everything in these posts. The aim is for her to find some small things you can change to what you are putting on your plate to help you achieve your current goal for your eating habits. You can read previous Changing my plate posts by clicking here.

Changing my plate – Leanne’s day

image_katieKatie Rainbird (AKA Katie180) is a Sydney-based Nutritionist who is just as likely to be found jogging as she is baking. She is a mother to two, a keen home cook, prefers to get around in her workout gear and has a major passion for the written word. You can learn more at www.katie180.com.au.

Katie reviewed what a reader Leanne submitted that she ate in a 24 hour period. This is what Katie had to say about her day:

What is your current goal with your eating habits?
To eat healthier to reduce inflammation, blood pressure and the ageing process.

Breakfast
1 x vitabrit, 1 x handful of Allbran, 1 x dessertspoon LSA, 1 x teaspoon Stevia sweetener, ½ cup low fat milk

Replace with 1/2 cup whole or steel cut oats that you have soaked overnight in container that you can eat from. Add a teaspoon of honey, maple syrup or dark brown sugar (I am not a huge fan of stevia) and cover with milk. Keep a packet of chia seeds at work to sprinkle over the top before you eat: about a teaspoon. Make sure you drink a glass of water along with this as chia seeds swell considerably once digested and can cause bloating, farting and so on. Both the oats and the chia will assist with the elimination of cholesterol.

Lunch
Homemade. 1 cup vegetable pearl barley cooked in store bought salt reduced chicken stock, white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice and oregano with 1 small can of tuna in springwater mixed through. (vegetables: onion, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot). ½ cup low fat vanilla yoghurt (store bought)

Switch from chicken stock to vegetable stock (preferrably organic or make your own) as it still delivers a flavour hit but without the use of factory farmed chickens. I really really want to advise you to switch to full fat yoghurt especially as you are eating in such measured portions but if you are not comfortable with this, then at least choose an organic brand of yoghurt with probiotics. Also add fresh green leafys to this kind of meal: baby spinach, Enlish spinach, rocket, sugar snap peas for example.

Dinner
6.30pm. Freshly made. Chicken Asian Soup – onion, garlic, ginger, fresh red chilli, capsicum, chicken breast, store bought salt reduced chicken stock, carrots, broccoli, bok choy, salt reduced soy sauce, oyster sauce and honey.

This sounds delicious but again, switch to a vegetable stock or buy organic chicken stock.

Snack 1
11am Banana

Fine.

Snack 2
2.30pm Apple

Fine

Snack 3
3pm
2 x brazil nuts
5 x macadamias
5 x almonds

Ok if you feel like you can eat more nuts, please go ahead and enjoy more: you could double this.

Snack 4
8.30pm 2 x squares Lindt 70% Dark chocolate
Ok if you feel like you can eat more nuts, please go ahead and enjoy more: you could double this.
Fine

Dessert
Nil but have a snack late

Nutritional supplements
None

Daily fluid intake
6 – 8 glasses of filtered tap water
1 x black tea with ¼ cup low fat milk
1 x instant coffee with ¼ cup low fat milk

I’d like to suggest less milk in your cuppas, a 1/4 cup is quite a lot of milk per cuppa but if you like them milky then stick to this. If you are interested in reducing inflammation then I would suggest adding a therapeutic cup of ginger tea, turmeric in water or cinnamon and honey made into a tea. Buy good quality spices (try online at Herbies) and start with a 1/4 teaspoon per drink then work up to 1/2 – 1 teaspoon as you adjust to the taste. Both cinnamon and turmeric are powerful anti-inflammatories. You can also add cinnamon to your oats and turmeric to your soups and stir fries.

Any further information you’d like to share or special dietary requirements to factor in?
Nil

Katie’s Summary
Leanne you are obviously paying very close attention to your diet. As I don’t know what your blood pressure is nor if you are medicated for it, I am not in a position to make recommendations accordingly. However, taking dietary measures to clear cholesterol and reduce inflammation will in turn, assist with lowering blood pressure. An emphasis on plant foods is the take home message: plant protein (legumes, beans, whole grains) and plant fibre: dried fruit, seeds, nuts, fruit and vegetables with the skin on. You might like to use garlic medicinally also, adding it wherever you can to your meals, or roasting whole bulbs and spreading it onto some good sourdough bread or wholegrain crackers. VERY IMPORTANT: move your body, walking with light weights, swimming, Hatha yoga.

Further reading and recipes

Disclaimer

Katie is a qualified nutritionist (Adv. Dip. Nutr. Med.).

Any diet or lifestyle changes that you implement as a result of reading this blog are your own responsibility.

This blog does not provide medical advice, any particular health conditions must be managed by your own health professional.

The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog.