Supporting you every step of the way

Eating disorders are serious, complex and potentially life threatening mental illnesses. They are characterised by persistent disturbances in thoughts, feelings and behaviours related to food, eating, body image and sense of self. As eating disorder dietitians at Oncore Nutrition who support individuals on this journey, we have seen firsthand how eating disorders can affect every aspect of an individual’s life. With timely treatment, including ongoing care and the support of a skilled multidisciplinary team, recovery is absolutely possible.

In Australia, over 1.1 million people are currently living with an eating disorder, yet fewer than one third receive the treatment and support they need. Contrary to common stereotypes, eating disorders don’t discriminate; they affect people of all ages, genders, body shapes and backgrounds.

 

Understanding Eating Disorders

Eating disorders present in different ways. There are several recognised types. These include:

• Anorexia Nervosa (AN) 
• Bulimia Nervosa (BN) 
• Binge Eating Disorder (BED) 
• Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorder (OSFED) 
• Pica 
• Rumination Disorder 
• Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) 
• Unspecified Feeding or Eating Disorder (UFED) •
• Other: 
  • Muscle Dysmorphia 
  • Orthorexia Nervosa (ON) proposed criteria

These conditions are not just about food. They are deeply rooted in emotional, psychological and often traumatic experiences. The signs may be subtle or hidden. Recovery involves addressing the whole person and understanding the function of the eating disorder, whilst developing and strengthening a sense of self outside of the illness.

 

A dietitian’s role in supporting Eating Disorder recovery – The ‘OnCore Way’ 

When someone is struggling with their relationship with food and their body, food can feel overwhelming, confusing or even frightening. It can be used as a tool to cope with difficult emotions, thoughts or challenging situations. At OnCore Nutrition we are your cheerleaders and support system, our role goes far beyond prescribing meal plans. Our goal is to help make food feel safe again, rebuilding trust, knowledge and confidence around eating with the use of evidence based treatment models, alongside a strong multidisciplinary team that supports both nutritional and psychological recovery. We use skills and work with you and all members of your healthcare team to establish functional coping strategies, liberating the need for strict control over food and your body.

 

How your OnCore Dietitian can support you:

• Early Identification & Screening: Individuals suffering from an eating disorder may not initially seek help directly for their eating concerns. In our experience, patients often present with other concerns such as gastrointestinal issues, weight concern or the need to follow medically prescribed but highly restrictive diets (such as IBS or low FODMAP). Others may come in with concerns about food intolerances, ethical or health driven dietary choices (such as veganism) or performance pressures related to weight sensitive sports like gymnastics or dance. Through gentle and curious conversations, we are able to explore these patterns, thoughts, feelings around food and body that can uncover signs of disordered eating or eating disorders. By combining empathy, compassion and curiosity with validated screening tools, we can help identify disordered eating behaviours and refer to appropriate clinicians to continue to explore a formal diagnosis. 
• Comprehensive Nutritional Assessment: We will also examine medical history, clinical symptoms, physical measurements, relevant blood tests, dietary intake and requirements, weight and weight history. We also explore eating behaviours, meal patterns, food rituals, beliefs about food and body, compensatory behaviours, early years nutrition, dieting history, social background and supports and personal goals. We will also help to manage physical symptoms, including low energy levels, gastrointestinal issues (such as constipation and bloating), changes in appetite and hunger/fullness cues that are common during recovery. No two people are the same, so neither is our approach and we always ensure the patient is at the centre of our care. 
• Meal Planning and Practical Support:
  • Personalised plans or food recommendations: Developing flexible, personalised meal plans or recommendations that meet the patients energy and nutrient needs while gradually exploring and challenging food fears and rigid rules.
  • Shopping and meal preparation: Providing practical support and guidance on food procurement, preparation and portioning. This might involve exposure sessions to practice these skills such as visiting a supermarket or local cafe together, eating a challenging food or cooking a new meal together. We help you in real life. 
  • Challenging fear foods: Collaborating with the patient to systematically reintroduce foods that the patient has avoided or fears, helping to reduce anxiety and expand dietary variety.

• Nutrition Counselling & Psychoeducation: Through compassionate, trauma-informed, person centred care, we help our patients understand their relationship with food, triggers, mood, health and wellbeing. We guide patients in re-establishing regular eating patterns, challenging food fears and myths, reconnecting with hunger and fullness cues and finding ways to eat that supports their recovery and sense of self. At OnCore Nutrition we are trained in CBT-E, FBT, DBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing and are credentialed in eating disorder management. We acknowledge that it’s not always about the food and continually engage in professional development to provide the best possible care to our patients and their support network. 
• Support Through Recovery and Relapse: It’s important to understand that recovery for eating disorder patients is not always linear. We support patients by developing strategies for difficult periods and transitions by creating structured, individualised plans that anticipate challenges and reinforce progress.

Your OnCore dietitian will work to support the healing of the physical body from the effects of the eating disorder, while simultaneously working to heal the relationship with food and your body in a practical, evidence-based and compassionate manner. We empower individuals to develop sustainable, flexible and nourishing eating habits that support their overall well-being and recovery.

 

Why Working Within a Multidisciplinary Team Matters

One of the most important aspects of eating disorder treatment is the multidisciplinary team. No one clinician can support all aspects of recovery alone. We collaborate closely with GPs, psychologists, psychiatrists and paediatricians to provide integrated care. 

 

Why Nutrition Matters in Recovery:  

While therapeutic work addresses the emotional and cognitive aspects of eating disorders, your Oncore dietitian is uniquely positioned to support the body’s recovery from the physiological impact of disordered eating. While one goal may be increasing nutrient intake, recovery is not just about eating more. It’s about what, when and how someone eats and how those patterns support their brain and body in recovery. We focus on:

• Nutrition timing and distribution
• Rebuilding metabolism
• Nutritional adequacy and meeting macro and micronutrient needs
• Nutritional variety, food diversity 
• Supporting spontaneity, social eating, food enjoyment and freedom
• Supporting gastrointestinal function
• Supporting healthy eating behaviours for every unique body
• Establishing a respectful relationship with one’s body and food. Importantly, a ‘positive’ (aka cheerleader-type) relationship will not always be a meaningful goal, rather a neutral, respectful one. 

 

By doing so, your OnCore cheerleader will help to restore not just physical health, but also the energy, vitality and mental clarity needed to fully engage in psychological treatment and get the most out of life.

Working with individuals experiencing eating disorders is one of the most rewarding and important parts of our role as Eating Disorder Dietitians at OnCore Nutrition; it requires compassion, patience and respect for each person’s individual experience, which is at the core of our practice.  

 

Seeking support

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, reaching out to a healthcare team that includes a dietitian can be a powerful and important first step towards recovery. At OnCore Nutrition we offer free discovery calls. Book one online, or contact us on 03 9088 4252 or email enquiries@oncorenutrition.com if you’d like to learn more. 

We’re here for you. Sincerely.

 

This article was written by Zoe Levin APD, Elise Den APD and CEDC-D and Lauren Atkins AdvAPD and CEDC-D.

The impact of isolation on people with a mental illness, in particular, eating disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for us all, but particularly for those with eating disorders.

Recurrent lock downs, limited access to food and support groups,  social isolation and the unknown of the future has created a perfect storm for those with eating disorders. A recent study by the International Journal of Eating Disorders identified that those with Anorexia Nervosa reported a 62-69% increase in restrictive eating and expressed concern around limited access to food specified on their meal plans. Those with Bulimia Nervosa and Binge-Eating Disorder reported an increase in binge episodes, as well as greater urges to binge. The subjects also reported an increase in anxiety symptoms since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sadly diet culture has capitalised on COVID-19 which has seen an increased exposure to unhelpful messages on social media about how to “avoid gaining the COVID-10kg” and “how to curb emotional eating”. 

Staying connected has been more difficult during lockdown, making it less likely for people to reach out for support and engage in adaptive coping strategies. To stay connected, start by reaching out to the people you feel closest to and to professionals for support.

 

Warning signs to look out for in yourself or a loved one

Signs and symptoms will vary across people and the different types of eating disorders. Some common signs of an eating disorder are outlined below. 

Emotional and behavioural signs and symptoms: 

•   Behaviours aimed at weight loss, dieting, and controlling food intake
•   Fixation on weight, food, calories, carbohydrates, fat, and diets
•   Refusal to eat certain foods, restricting whole food groups
•   Appearing uncomfortable eating around others
•   Food rituals (e.g. eats only a particular food or food group, excessive chewing)
•   Skipping meals or reducing the size of regular meals
•   Any new practices with food or fad diets, including cutting out entire food groups (e.g. carbs, dairy)
•   Withdrawal from usual friends and activities
•   Extreme concern with body size, weight and shape 
•   Frequent body checking
•   Extreme mood swings

 

Physical signs and symptoms: 

•   Fluctuations in weight
•   Stomach cramps and gastrointestinal symptoms  (gas, bloating, constipation, acid reflux)
•   Menstrual irregularities or absence of period 
•   Difficulties concentrating
•   Abnormal blood test results
•   Dizziness, especially upon standing
•   Feeling cold all the time
•   Sleep problems
•   Dental problems, such as enamel erosion, cavities, and tooth sensitivity
•   Dry skin and hair, and brittle nails
•   Fine hair on body
•   Muscle weakness
•   Poor wound healing
•   Impaired immune functioning

 

Where to go for more information or support 

If you are concerned that you or someone you are close to is struggling with an eating disorder, it is important to make an appointment with a health professional before symptoms progress further. You may also like to try the EDE-Q self-assessment tool by Inside Out (https://insideoutinstitute.org.au/assessment?started=true)  to get a better understanding of what is going on and the treatment pathways available.

Make an appointment with a GP you feel comfortable with. Once a GP has made a diagnosis or has referred you to another health professional that has made a diagnosis, if you are eligible, they can provide you with a referral under an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP). This allows for 20 subsidised sessions with a dietitian and up to 40 subsidised sessions with a mental health clinician.

Get in touch with us or visit Eating Disorders Victoria, Inside Out, Headspace or The Butterfly Foundation for more information on accessing the support services you require. 

Click here to book your free 15 minute phone consult with a dietitian at OnCore Nutrition or contact us today. We’re here to help. 

 

This article was written by Emily McNeil, Accredited Practising Dietitian and OnCore Nutrition volunteer, with support of Lauren Atkins AdvAPD and Elise Den APD.

Congratulations! The weird and wonderful journey of pregnancy begins! Here’s what you need to know!

Pregnancy is a really new and exciting time for the mother and everyone around them. When it comes to food, things can be a bit confusing. With so much information out there, it can be hard to figure out what’s okay to eat and what you need to give a miss for the next nine months. There’s a lot of information out there but after looking at the evidence we’ve put together a list of some important nutrition and lifestyle advice. 

First up, let’s talk about the things to avoid during pregnancy!

What’s the deal with caffeine?

While in the past expectant Mums were asked to kick caffeine to the curb, the good news is modern research illustrates that moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy is safe. But what counts as moderation? Current guidelines suggest limiting your intake to 200mg per day during pregnancy. In practice 200mg of caffeine looks like around one-shot latte or cappuccino, 2 cups of instant coffee or 4 cups of caffeinated tea. [1]

Here’s a rough breakdown of some food or drinks that you might have throughout the day and how much caffeine they contain. [2]

Food	Caffeine
50ml cup of espresso	145mg
1 tsp of instant coffee	80mg
1 tsp decaf coffee	3mg
1 cup of percolated coffee	100mg
1 375ml can of Coca-Cola	37mg
250ml can of energy drink	80mg
220ml cup of black tea	50mg
50g milk chocolate	10mg
50g dark chocolate	30-40mg

Values are approximations. Please refer to product packaging for exact amounts of caffeine in your specific foods. 

Tell me about Vitamin A!

Vitamin A is a nutrient vital for visual health, foetal growth and development and immune function. [3] Beta carotene is an orange pigment found in fruits and veggies and is a precursor or inactive form of retinol. [4] Foods that contain beta carotene include carrots, sweet potato, and dark leafy greens.[4] Beta carotene is safe during pregnancy. It’s the retinol you need to be mindful of, especially in the first trimester. Liver is a food high in retinol and is best kept to less than one serving per week to stay below the upper limit for retinol during pregnancy which is 3000 µg /day. [5] Also, you may have used retinol in your skincare before but during pregnancy it is important to cease using it. It’s a great time to treat yourself to some new products and try skincare without retinol or vitamin A derivatives for the remainder of your pregnancy. Fortunately you’ll be glowing without it!

What about mercury?

It is important to minimise your intake of mercury during pregnancy as high doses may harm a developing baby’s brain.

This means:
– Limiting fish like orange roughy (sea perch) or catfish to one 150g serving size per week
– Limiting shark (flake) or billfish to one 150g serve per fortnight and no other fish that fortnight [6]

Larger fish that live longer tend to contain the most mercury, which is why there are different recommendations for different types! [6]

But don’t let this deter you from eating seafood! Research shows that eating 2-3 serves (where one serve is around 150g) of low mercury fish per week is good for general health plus the health of your developing baby. [6] Some low mercury options include sardines, silver warehouse, Atlantic salmon, canned salmon or tuna in oil and herrings. [7]

Let’s talk food safety!

Food safety is extra important during pregnancy, where elevated hormones like progesterone suppress your immune system. [8] When your immune system is suppressed this means that you’re more likely to get sick from contaminated foods. Some types of food poisoning bacteria can be a problem during pregnancy.  Therefore, we want to minimise risk by practicing good hygiene and food handling while avoiding high risk foods. 

Listeria is an illness caused by foods contaminated by listeria monocytogenes. [9] During pregnancy this bacterium can be passed on to the baby and may cause miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth. [9] While listeria infection isn’t common, it is still really important to minimise your risk by following these tips. [10]

• Eat freshly prepared foods and avoid ready-to-eat refrigerated foods that may have been stored for long periods of time. 
• Avoid raw or unpasteurised dairy foods, juices or cider.
• Avoid soft and semi-soft cheeses like Brie, Camembert, Feta, blue-veined cheeses, Gorgonzola, Hispanic-style fresh cheeses (e.g. queso blanco) unless they are cooked until 74°C, which is steaming hot. 
• Avoid refrigerated pâtés, meat spreads and smoked seafood.
• Avoid pre-packaged or prepared fruit/vegetable salads and raw sprouts. 
• Avoid ready-to-eat deli meats and ready-prepared meals unless they are reheated until they are 74°C, which again will be steaming hot. 
• Avoid raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.
• Thoroughly wash raw fruit and veggies under running water before eating them. 
• Make sure to practice thorough hand hygiene. 

Salmonella is another infection that can be a problem during pregnancy. [11] In rare cases, salmonella can trigger miscarriage or long-term complications for the mother. [11] Eating food that has been kept in the temperature danger zone (5-60°C) for too long is often the cause of the illness. [11] Other tips for minimising the risk of salmonella infection include: [12] 

• Avoid foods that contain raw egg and cook eggs thoroughly (say a temporary goodbye to runny poacjed eggs). 
• Always cook meat thoroughly. Sorry, no medium rare steaks for now!
• Avoid all sprouts whether raw or lightly cooked. Watch for these if you’re ordering pad thai!
• Reheat any leftovers until scorching hot, and ditch anything you don’t eat within 24hrs.  
• Like above, ensuring you stick to good hand hygiene and your utensils are clean is important.

Toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, can be very harmful to pregnant women. [13] Again, while the infection is rare it can have very serious consequences, such as miscarriage, stillbirth or damage to the baby’s brain and other organs. [13] Therefore, it’s important to follow these tips to reduce your risk of infection: [14]

• Continue to cook your meat well.
• Wash your hands thoroughly, especially after handling raw meat or gardening.
• Avoid contact with cat faeces. It’s time for someone else to clean the cat’s litter tray! Be mindful if neighbours’ cats venture into your garden. 
• Continue to wash your fruit and veggies very well, especially if you’re eating them raw. 

For more information on whether you should avoid a food during pregnancy , check out this great resource from the NSW food authority. 

Here’s why we should focus on eating MORE rather than eating less. And make it colourful!

‘Every 4 minutes another Australian is diagnosed with Cancer’ – Cancer Council Daffodil Day 2020

There are 1440 minutes in a day, which means that every single day 360 Australians are diagnosed with cancer.  

In 4-minutes you could soft boil an egg, sautée a bunch of mushrooms or steam some broccoli florets. Some people can even hold a rock-solid plank for that long!

So… what does eating colours have to do with that?

One of the ten recommendations by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) is to make whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans (legumes) the focus of your diet. You can check out all ten recommendations on their website here. 

Many cancers are related to lifestyle factors, such as a diet high in saturated and trans fats, loaded with excess salt, and too few fruits and vegetables (1). 

Studies have shown that polyphenols (substances that give fruits and vegetables their beautifully unique colours) play a role in reducing the rise of several forms of cancer (2-5). 

Here is a list of some of the common polyphenols that have been researched extensively due to their preventative cancer properties, and a highlight food that provides a rich source. 

• Lycopene – Tomatoes (Red)                                                   
• Carotenoids – Carrots (Orange)
• Hesperidin- Lemons (Yellow)                                                  
• Kaempferol – Broccoli (Green)
• Catechins – Blueberries (Blue)                                                 
• Anthocyanin – Eggplant (purple)

 

While eating your fruit and veg may seem easy, you may be surprised that only 5.4% of Australian adults are meeting the recommended 2 serves of fruit and 5-6 serves of vegetables each day (6). 

For some, this may seem like a big increase that could only be achieved by consuming bucket loads of kale or succumbing to the cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles trends, we can assure you it is possible! A serving of vegetables is the equivalent of half a medium sized sweet potato or one cup of raw salad mix. All you need to do is add a handful of spinach to your fruit smoothie in the morning, munch on a carrot with some hummus for morning tea or use that packet of frozen peas that’s been patiently waiting for you in a warming soup. 

One of our go-to mid-week meals is a simple stir-fry or pasta  loaded up with as many veggies as possible, fresh or frozen. The more colours, the better. 

Trying to get pregnant? Here’s what you need to know!

Finding it hard to fall pregnant? You’re not alone. Research illustrates that as many as one in six Aussie couples have trouble falling pregnant after one year of unprotected sex. [1] Fertility is complicated and depends on a number of things which means that getting pregnant isn’t an easy journey for many couples. While fertility is complex and there are many aspects we can’t control, we know that nutrition can play an important role. Studies even show that healthy lifestyle changes, including eating a healthy diet, may improve fertility by up to 69%! [2]

Okay, so we know that a “nutritious diet” is key, but what does that look like in practice? Let’s break it down, starting with important food and nutrients to include in the diet. For both women and men, the research highlights the importance of a balanced and nutritious diet. In practice, this looks like a wide variety of fruit and vegetables each day. Studies show that the Mediterranean diet is a style of eating that has been shown to be supportive of fertility (and general health). 

This study illustrated men who adhered to the Mediterranean diet had a significantly higher quality of sperm than those that did not (this included concentration, count and sperm motility). [3] To learn more about the Mediterranean diet check out this article. [4]  

If you’re looking to optimise your fertility through diet, these are some important nutrients to consider:

• Folic Acid. Sufficient folic acid is important to include within your diet when trying to conceive, because it can help to reduce the risk of neural tube defects and may even assist with conception. Specifically, women are recommended to take a pregnancy multivitamin supplement which includes folic acid (at least 400-500 µg/day) for at least 12 weeks before conception and then during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid is especially important in the first stages of pregnancy, so it’s always a good idea to forward plan and start supplementation early. Foods rich in folic acid include legumes, eggs, leafy greens, cruciferous veggies like brussels sprouts and broccoli. [5]
• Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is important in maintaining the health of your nervous system and combined with folic acid it is believed to help support your baby’s central nervous system as well. [6] Foods rich in vitamin B12 include fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products. As vitamin B12 isn’t readily present in plant foods, it is recommended that people who follow a vegan diet should consider supplementation under the guidance of their doctor or dietitian. 
• Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids specifically EPA and DHA have long been known to support fertility and foetal development. Research has illustrated that including adequate omega-3 fatty acids may actually improve a woman’s reserve of viable eggs for fertilization.  [7] Additionally, studies have shown that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may increase the quality of a male’s sperm. [8] Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids include oily fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel or sardines, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds. [9]
• Antioxidants. Antioxidants are key for fertility and conception because they help to support egg and sperm health. [10, 11] Antioxidant rich foods include all fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains. [12] Try eating every colour of the rainbow! It’s best to get antioxidants from food-based sources first, however if you feel like you might need supplementation it’s important to consult your doctor and dietitian before beginning a new regimen. 
• Low-GI and high fibre carbohydrates. Opting for low-GI and high fibre carbohydrates has been shown to play an important role in ovulation, fertility and regulating your blood sugar levels. [13] Foods that are low-GI and high fibre include oats or whole grains including barley, freekeh, quinoa and wholegrain breads, most fresh fruits , vegetables such as carrots, green peas and legumes like chickpeas or lentils. Reducing your reliance on animal proteins and adding in plant-based proteins like legumes and pulses could be an easy switch to support this! [14]
• Iodine. Iodine requirements increase during pregnancy, so it is important to have good stores before conceiving. The 2011-12 National Health Measures Survey illustrated that iodine levels are relatively low in women of childbearing age. [15] Foods rich in iodine include seafood, seaweed (like nori), potatoes, strawberries, dairy products like yoghurt and milk and commercially baked bread (which is fortified with iodine in Aus). [16] Many prenatal vitamins include iodine to help supplement dietary sources. Again, when considering supplementation, it is important to consult your doctor or dietitian on what would be right for your situation.

Boost your immune system

Our immune systems decline by about 2-3% a year from our 20s. Oh dear. Fortunately, a healthy diet and lifestyle can help! Read on for OnCore Nutrition’s top ten tips to optimise your immune system. 

Drum roll please…

1. Spice up your life 

Using herbs and spices in your cooking will boost your antioxidant intake to enhance immune function. Some herbs and spices may also assist with natural detoxification processes and others have antimicrobial properties.

• Try adding garlic, onion and ginger to your stir fries and slow cooking
• Warm up with curries full of turmeric, chilli, cayenne pepper, cumin
• Add cinnamon and cloves to your porridge, bircher or yoghurt

2. Get plenty of polyphenols

Polyphenols are found in plant-based foods and can help in numerous ways to enhance our immune systems. They have been shown to improve the immune response in our gut, activate our own immune pathways to keep us protected, and may be protective against cancer and various other chronic diseases. Eat. More. Plants. And drink them too!

• Eat plenty of fresh veggies and fruit. Just like your mamma always told you
• Add some berries, nuts and seeds to your brekky, yoghurt or smoothie
• Use herbs in cooking. Broaden your horizons with peppermint, oregano, sage, rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley and marjoram.
• Drink green or black tea, and red wine (you’re welcome!)…in moderation of course.
• Eat dark choc (you’re welcome again!)
• Cook with extra virgin olive oil as a preference 

3. Sweet dreams

Seven to nine hours of sleep can boost the spread of T-cells which fight infection in the body. Some researchers found that just one average night sleep (of 4 hours) depleted the body’s natural killer cells by 70%. 

Bluelights off, brush your teeth, hit the hay!

4. Remember that you’re sweet enough

Our immune systems need carbohydrates to function. But we need to be savvy about which ones we choose. 

Eating or drinking high glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates and simple sugars can reduce our immune response. After a dose of sugar, certain white blood cells called neutrophils may be far less aggressive in attacking bacteria. We don’t want that!

We’re best off getting our carbs in the form of complex, slow release (low GI) carbohydrates so we don’t have spikes in blood glucose levels. Choose whole grains, select breads and cereals as close to their whole food form as possible, include legumes and plenty of vegetables and fruit, and ease off the sweet drinks, cakes, biscuits and desserts. 

5. Get your vitamins and minerals – but don’t jump for a pill.

Various micronutrients are essential for immunocompetence. There’s a lot. We’re talking vitamins A, C, D, E, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, iron, selenium and zinc.

Get them in naturally by including brightly coloured fruits and vegetables, such as berries, citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, apples, red grapes, kale, onions, spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. Nuts, seeds, avocado, oily fish and shellfish are also loaded with nutrients that fire up our immune systems. 

Don’t let anything kill your festive spirit this year.

Here are our 6 Top Tips for navigating festive feasts…drum roll please…

1. Don’t overthink it. So you ate too much cheese. Acknowledge it then move on.

2. Move when you can. A brisk walk with the fam is a wonderful way to pull yourself out of a pudding nap. ‍

3. Food envy? Have a little bit of everything. But just a little bit. Recruit a friend and remember sharing is caring

4. Eat mindfully. Listen to your body. Stop when you’re satisfied.

5. Savour every mouthful. The festive season is delicious. Enjoy it with your loved ones!

6. Refer to point 1.

Mediterranean Diet and Cancer

The numbers are frightening. In 2017 it was estimated that 1 in 2 people will be diagnosed with cancer by their 85th birthday1-3. That means either Batman or Robin, Bert or Ernie, Bonnie or Clyde, you or me. Perhaps even more concerning is that as many as 30-35% of cancer-related deaths are linked to diet 4. And that’s not even counting those linked to physical inactivity and stress! 

It’s estimated that 3-4 million cases of cancer worldwide might be avoided by adopting a healthier lifestyle5.We know that diets rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes; and lower in red and processed meat are protective against cancer5,6. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist, or even a dietitian, to see why the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) would have health benefits. It’s loaded with these plant-based gems, quality fats and limits processed foods. There’s some promising research that a mediterranean style diet can assist with cancer prevention by reducing risk of weight gain and obesity5 but also through some other protective mechanisms.

Mediterranean Diet and Cancer

Scientific reviews have demonstrated that the MedDiet is protective against overall cancer incidence and mortality7. One particular clinical trial has shown a 61% decrease in overall cancer incidence8. We could stop there and all pop home for a med style lunch….but it gets better. As well as the convincing evidence that Med-style eating can reduce the incidence of cancer overall, data also suggests that the MedDiet is associated with lower risk of specific cancer types9,10. Strongest adherence to MedDiet has shown reductions in risk of colorectal, breast, gastric, liver, head and neck, gallbladder, and biliary tract cancer9,10. 

Figure 1 below highlights the strength of evidence for each of the reported health outcomes, including overall cancer incidence and mortality as well as the positive association with specific cancer and disease types.

Figure 1: Summary of the strength of evidence for the evaluated health outcomes. Numbers indicate the number of meta-analyses with convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak or no evidence for each outcome.

When I was nine, I had a shrine…

My whole life, as long as I can remember I’ve had a chocolate shrine. Growing up, I had an entire shelf of my book case in my bedroom dedicated to all of the most delicious treats that came into my possession. Wedged between my porcelain dolls below and the ‘Goosebumps’ and ‘Tomorrow When the War Began’ series above lived all my wrapped chocolate and lollies. I would display it all beautifully with pride of place in my bedroom. It would look extra lush after Easter and school fetes, and my favourite thing to do was to let me friends from school come over and choose something to enjoy from it. Except that wombat easter egg. That was mine. I savoured my food, often beyond the point of expiry date which was terribly disappointing for a nine year old (but I must admit did not always stop me!).

Over the years, as life got busier, other things entered my world that demanded more of my attention than my wombat easter egg. The shrine was slowly overtaken by magazine cut outs of Chad Michael Murray, followed by pictures of my gorgeous afro-bearing boyfriend and VCE textbooks. My love for chocolate, for sharing and for savouring my food remains, but it’s not shouting as loudly as the competing demands in my world. What was once a bookcase shrine has now transitioned to a very sensible biscuit tin in the cupboard.

And so it goes. The values and behaviours that we naturally and innately possess become shaped by the environment and culture that we live in. So here I am today, fully grown, although still very short, with an ornamental bookshelf garnished with pictures of my grandparents, my wedding day, my pets and my plants (my other pets!), but no chocolate wombat.

Let’s bring back the wombat. Sadly, I’ve just missed the Easter boat and so the chances of finding a particularly adorable hollow Pink Lady wombat (no, not the apple variety for all you dietitians reading) are quite slim, but fortunately my family has immaculate taste and I have a Haigh’s egg ready and waiting. I’m going to eat this egg like my nine-year-old self would have. Mindfully. Savouring. Every. Single. Moment.

My mindful eating experience. You’re welcome to come along. Even better, try it out with me.

Firstly, I take the time to put my egg, fully wrapped in a bowl. I brew a cup of earl grey (intermittently watching my egg as the kettle boils…as if it’s going anywhere?!) and I sit down at the table. It looks so pretty. The multi-coloured gold and white striped wrapper makes it look so precious and appealing. I think back to the time I went on a chocolate tour, starting at Haigh’s in Melbourne, and the facts they gave about the percentage of cocoa solids and the importance of cocoa butter for the distinctive mouthfeel. I switch off my science brain. Nine year old Lauren wouldn’t have known this (and she probably wouldn’t have cared! That came later). I carefully pull back the foil wrapper to reveal the deep brown, etched shell of the chocolate egg. I wonder if the pattern is unique to this egg or if they’re all uniformly ‘etched’.  Does the Haigh’s factory have many moulds or just one? I take time to consider the team that have worked hard to allow me to enjoy this egg-cellent moment.

I gently pick up the egg with my thumb and index finger and give it a little shake. Silent. I hold it to my nose and sniff it like my inquisitive Blue Heeler would. I smell the rich chocolate scent that makes its way deep into my airways to a point that I feel like I can taste it. I liked that, so I do it again. I crack the egg into the bowl, expecting it to shatter into lovely, uniform pieces, but it ends up only with a dent. I smoodge it into the bowl to bread the shell and peel the chocolate into bite size portions. Generous bites. I wonder if, on a cooler day, it would have cracked with more gusto, or if the cocoa butter content makes it naturally more malleable? I again switch off my science brain. I choose the piece that is shaped vaguely like one of those scoops you see at the pick-and-mix nut station. I hold it with my thumb and index and notice the texture soften over time with the warmth of my fingers. I’m noticeably salivating. Well done Haigh’s. My mind goes to Pavlov’s dogs and I bring it right on back again.

I close my eyes and bring the scoop-shaped piece of chocolate to my mouth, hesitating momentarily before I place it on my tongue. I leave it there, mouth closed, pressing my tongue to my palate to sandwich the chocolate as it melts on my tongue. This is happening right now as I type. Don’t be jealous, this could be you! The intensity of flavour diminishes somewhat so I swish the now half-melted choc around my mouth so spread the flavour around. It rejuvenates. It’s been long enough and hard to resist swallowing. I move my tongue around to clear my mouth and get glimpses of that rich chocolate as I do, although never as strong as the initial taste.

The after-taste is alluring. In itself it’s not particularly pleasant but it’s a tempting reminder of the original and desirable taste and mouthfeel. My mouth feels sweet and I’m left seeking a sip of water to clear the thickened saliva that’s formed alongside the chocolate. I think of the enzyme amylase and its role in digestion and again turn down that thought. I’m left considering the enthusiasm that I entered this egg-perience with, the ideal of a chocolate treat, to the mediocre mouthfeel that I’m now left with.

It seems clear, in this moment, as I sit here with my favourite chocolate in a bowl, a carefully peeled back and discarded foil wrapper, and a full cup of earl grey, that perhaps after all the years I may have got it wrong. You see I always save the best bite till last. I plan my mouthfuls at most, if not all meals, to ensure the very last bite is the perfect combination of all the best bits of the meal combined to form a happy party in my mouth. The last hurrah. But maybe what this chocolate has taught me is that the first bite, of even the very first moment, is just as important as the last.

From sour to sweet: how ‘miracle fruit’ changes our taste.

What is Miracle Fruit?

How’s the name right? Before you roll your eyes let me just point out that the name comes from the active ingredient, ‘miraculin’. Or at least that’s what got me through my research on it.

Miracle berry, miracle fruit, or my personal favourite, Synsepalum dulcificum, is a West African plant discovered in 1700s by a French explorer. You may have heard about it in the news or media recently, particularly for its ability to change our taste!

Miracle fruit has shown some promise in helping people with taste changes during chemotherapy. Obviously that sparked our interest enormously!

It’s also super sweet and can be used as a low-kilojoule sweetener. It has about a third of the energy (kilojoules/calories) and sugar as blueberries. Some research also suggests it may therefore help improve blood glucose control in diabetes.

But how?

Miracle fruit contains the active ingredient – miraculin (hence the name, they’re not just boasting!). Miraculin is a glycoprotein that binds to the sweet taste receptors on our tongue and alters taste perception from sour to sweet. It’s been found to be effective with acidic, bitter or sour foods and the effects occur for 1-2hrs after consumption but the intensity declines over this period.

Fun fact: it only changes taste in primates, not rodents so mice studies don’t work!

What does the science say?

There have only been really small studies of the impact of miracle fruit on taste during chemotherapy.

One study was done in just 8 people receiving a variety of different chemotherapy agents for a variety of different cancer diagnoses. In this small study, the participants took either 6 miracle berries or 6 placebos (cranberries) per day just before meals and were asked to report on the taste of their meals. Most of the foods consumed after the miracle berry tasted better to the participants, although interestingly, some dairy products including milk and yoghurt were reported to taste worse!

Another study, also with small numbers (28 people this time) was carried out in people receiving a variety of different chemotherapy agents who had reported a loss of taste or metallic taste. The study found that taste was stabilised in 50% of the participants when they took the berries, and taste was improved in 30% who took the berries.

These studies are really small with a number of limitations and it’s therefore really difficult to determine how effective the fruit is. Larger studies are needed to explore if these little gems could be safe and helpful for people with taste changes during or after chemotherapy.

Some other studies have suggested that  miracle fruit may assist in reducing spread of  melanoma cells (test tube studies only), and worked to reduce plasma glucose levels in mice.

Some others may try to tell you that miracle fruit will help with weight loss but there’s no good scientific studies to back this up yet.

Contraindications and Side effects

Miracle fruit is rich in antioxidants. The phenolic and flavonoid compounds of miracle fruit can help to repair cell damage and therefore we recommend caution with taking miracle fruit (or any derivatives) when undergoing radiotherapy or some chemotherapy agents (including doxorubicin and platinum-based therapies such as Cisplatin, Carboplatin and Oxaliplatin).

Some side effects of stomach ache and throat discomfort have been reported although these seem to be rare.

As always, please speak to us, your doctor or health professional before taking any alternative therapies to ensure it’s safe alongside cancer treatment or any medications you’re taking.

Where to get it?

You can find miracle fruit online and there are some farms up in Queensland. Capsules are selling online for approx $2.50 per capsule. The ingredients are generally the miracle berry pulp and a binding agent. We recommend looking for a natural binding agent if you can.

Do NOT take miracle fruit capsules or supplements if you’re undergoing radiotherapy or platinum-based chemotherapy (check with your dietitian, pharmacist or oncologist). You’ll need to avoid miracle fruit for 2 days either side of these treatments due to the antioxidant load.

Is it worth it?

We might just have to order some and give it a try for ourselves! And we’d love to hear from you if you already have!