MINDD is a non-profit organisation set up and run by a team of patients, medical doctors and health care professionals. The purpose of the MINDD Foundation is to promote improved treatments for a range of childhood disorders including Autism, ADD, asthma, eczema, allergies, food sensitivities, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia, digestive disorders, Schizophrenia, depression and chronic infections.
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These disorders are on the rise and I see them everyday in my clinical practise. Through seminars, conferences, educational materials and healthy products, MINDD promote integrative treatments that support cellular health. These cover both traditional and alternative treatments. This year’s forum focused on Brain Health with the objective of supporting families to find immediate and effective Integrative Healthcare.
Did you know?
– Almost half of the Australian population (45.5%) experiences mental illness at some point in their lifetime.
– 16-24 year old Australians have a mental illness prevalence of 25% with depression being the most common in females.
– More than 20% of Australian teens suffer from some mental health condition.
– 1% of Australian children have Autism.
– 10% of Australian children struggle with ADHD.
– Up to 70% of Australian children are low in iodine which lowers IQ.
– Allergies affect 1 in 3 Australian children, Asthma 1 in 4.
– Childhood cancer, diabetes, obesity and depression have each more than doubled in two decades
What is going ‘free’ ?
Removing foods that you suspect are causing you health problems or you have developed an intolerance or allergy to that food. These could include dairy, gluten, wheat, additives etc. We also go ‘free’ as part of a cleanse or detox and a transition from processed foods to eating whole, fresh foods. However going ‘free” can have its issues:
– Replacement of these foods with poor quality alternatives such as highly processed packaged foods.
– Nutritional deficiencies because of a lack of variety of food or poor quality alternatives.
– Confusion about what to eat.
– It becomes a fad.
– It could support an eating disorder.
The best way to know if you need to eliminate certain foods and go ”free” is by an
– Allergy test.
– Elimination diet.
– If you experience gut infections or an overgrowth of bad bugs.
– Digestive disorders.
– Multiple infections generally.
– Nutritional deficiencies.
– Consult with your practitioner to do the appropriate testing and analysis.
Dairy
Going Lactose ‘free’
Lactose, is a milk sugar found in dairy. A lactose intolerance is caused when lactose is not broken down. This provides food for gas-producing gut flora, which can lead to diarrhea, bloating, flatulence, and other gastrointestinal disorders.
Going Casein ‘free’
Casein is also found in dairy. The most common are beta casein A1 & beta casein A2. Certain breeds of cows, such as Friesians, produce mostly A1 milk, whereas other breeds, such as Jersey, as well as sheep and goats, produce mostly A2 milk, which in some feels better.
Better alternatives
– Home made coconut milk made from a fresh young coconut: coconut, open, pour out water and scoop flesh and blend to make a milk base. Store in fridge in a jug.
– Home made coconut milk made from organic dried coconut flakes or shredded coconut: 1 part dried coconut to 2 parts water and blend.
– Homemade nut milk: 250 g raw almonds or macadamias (soaked overnight) 1 litre water and blend. Best to consume fresh daily or store in the fridge for up to 48 hours. The milk will split so best to shake before use.
My going dairy ‘free’ concerns:
• Alternatives are made from highly processed ultra-heated rice, nut, soy, coconut, oat or other grain milks, which are hard to digest, not alive, devoid of nutrition and full of toxic cooking by products.
• Lactose free types are highly processed.
Sugar
Going Sugar ‘free’
This is taken from Sarah Wilson’s site– I Quit Sugar
1. Saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease. Sugar does.
2. Sugar ages the body and causes wrinkles and accelerating the ageing process.
3. Sugar increases your risk of cancer.
4. It’s more addictive than cocaine.
5. The white stuff makes you fat.
6. Pancreatic cancer uses sugar as fuel.
Sugar ‘free’ alternatives
Best to avoid
• Artificial sweeteners
• Processed white stevia or liquid
• Processed malts and syrups
• Processed honey
Better alternatives:
• Organic green leaf stevia powder
• Sweet spices such as Organic vanilla bean and cinnamon powder
• Organic raw honey
• Organic raw coconut sugar
Avoid sugar or eat it sparingly as an indulgent treat!
Gluten
Going Gluten ‘free’
I have written quite a few articles on this. Check them out here:
Gluten Free: Diet Guidelines
Five tips for Gluten Free Eating
Come back to basic whole food foundations
Even though you may go ’free’ of certain foods always remember to come back to basic whole food foundations. Eat what we have evolved to eat. Thousands of years of human evolution, trial and error and innate wisdom dictates this. A modern hunter-gatherer, which is what we are, is meant to eat a diet rich in fresh, whole foods. Vegetables, fresh and cultured, whole fats and proteins from healthy pastured animals, non farmed seafood, some well prepared nuts and seeds, some seasonal fruit and whole unprocessed cultured dairy.
References: MINDD forum
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