19Apr 2017 by Cassandra Bendall
Why are we so afraid to eat fats?

Why are we so afraid to eat fats?

Health
Has the nutrition world gone mad? Time and time again, I hear the words; “Cass, why are you eating that!? It’s full of fat! or “Cass, why are you putting olive oil on your food? It’s full of fat!” For years we have been told that eating dietary fats, essentially makes us fat. This message has been drilled into us so much so, that “low-fat” products are taking over our lives and are often considered to be the healthier choice. The link between saturated fats and coronary heart disease (CHD) was made many years ago1,2, since then, manufacturing has gone crazy over the “low-fat product” scenario that we associate the word fat with “bad” or “weight gain”. It is important to take each fat at face value because not all…
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11Apr 2017 by Cassandra Bendall
Prebiotics and Probiotics: what’s the difference?

Prebiotics and Probiotics: what’s the difference?

Health
You have probably heard the terms ‘prebiotics’ and ‘probiotics’ thrown around but what actually are they and what is the difference between the two? What is the difference between the two? Probiotics are live microorganisms found in bacteria, yeast or fungi, and when taken in large doses they can help improve and maintain the health of your gastrointestinal tract, as well as helping to aid digestion. In order for the good bacteria to survive in our bowels, we need to feed them with prebiotics. Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that allow for good bacteria to stick to the bowel wall, whilst helping to stimulate their growth2. Probiotic = live microorganisms Prebiotic = non-digestible fibres How do they affect our health? Gut health is becoming more and more pivotal in the world…
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18Jan 2017 by Cassandra Bendall
5 Easy Ways to Include More Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Your Diet

5 Easy Ways to Include More Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Your Diet

Food
Move over coconut oil, the real superfood is in the house! Extra virgin olive oil is the new and emerging health trend that we should be encouraging everyone to try! With an array of health benefits associated with its consumption, along with its delicious taste, there is no wonder we are going crazy over drizzling olive oil all over everything! Extra virgin olive oil is a key component of the Mediterranean dietary pattern and is considered the healthiest choice of olive oil. Multiple intervention trials have used extra virgin olive oil as their primary dietary fat and have seen a reduction in cardiovascular disease in both a primary and secondary setting. So on that note, here are 5 easy ways you can incorporate more extra virgin olive oil into your…
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18Dec 2016 by Cassandra Bendall
The Survival Guide for Honours: Tips and Tricks

The Survival Guide for Honours: Tips and Tricks

Other
Have you thought about doing Honours? Whether you are a nutrition student or a dietitian, the option to do Honours in Nutrition is available to anyone who has done undergraduate or post-graduate studies in this field. I completed my Honours year in 2016 at La Trobe University and I ended the year with First Class Honours. My thesis was titled, ‘The Effect of the Mediterranean Diet on Visceral Fat in Australian Patients Post-Cardiac Event’, we aimed to explore whether the Mediterranean diet could reduce visceral fat at 3-months and whether this effect was sustained or larger at 6 months in a non-Mediterranean population group. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the AusMed research team, which is led by Professor. Catherine Itsiopoulos, A/Prof Audrey Tierney, A/Prof Mike Kingsley…
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15Dec 2016 by Cassandra Bendall
High Healthy Fats Diet Effect on Weight

High Healthy Fats Diet Effect on Weight

Body Composition, Health
  In the past, high fat diets have been slammed for their ability to increase weight and effect our overall health. Although, diets which are high in fat are often high in saturated fats and trans fats, which have been continually linked to obesity and cardiovascular disease. But what about a diet which is high in healthy fats such polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) and monounsaturated fats (MUFAs)? More recent systematic reviews have highlighted the ability of high healthy fat dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet, to support modest weight loss in centrally obese individuals. In addition to this, the Mediterranean diet has also been shown to reduce waist circumference among a Mediterranean population group, as well as also reporting significant declines in body weight after a 5-year follow up period.…
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04Dec 2016 by Cassandra Bendall
What Is a Mediterranean Diet and What Are the Benefits?

What Is a Mediterranean Diet and What Are the Benefits?

Health
What is a Mediteranen Diet? The Mediterranean diet is a way of eating based on traditional foods and drinks of the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. The archetypal traditional ‘Cretan’ Mediterranean diet was first established three decades ago as a cardio-protective diet in the Seven Countries Study. Keys and co-workers found that residents in Crete in Greece had the lowest mortality from heart disease and this was positively associated with their dietary pattern. This traditional dietary pattern is characterized by an abundance of plant-based foods such as leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, onions, garlic, herbs, whole grain cereals, nuts and seeds, olive oil used as the main added dietary fat, moderate amounts of low-fat dairy products, fish and seafood, smaller quantities of red meat and red wine to be consumed in…
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