This blog is being written from my own personal experience. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with breast cancer in June.
I am not going to say it’s been an easy road. Actually it’s been bloody hard.
I am so lucky to work with a highly skilled team of professionals who are passionate about health and well-being. And who are supporting me.
I think the most important advice I was given from day 1 was KEEP MOVING!
There will be days when you just want to curl up and die. It’s not about running a marathon, it’s not doing a spin class.
I know the thought of exercise can be daunting when you are ill. It can be as simple as walking around the block. Some days it’s just hanging out the washing. Or even watering the garden. But move that body.
Our amazing personal trainer Alex supported and nurtured me through a session today that she tailored to my physical capabilities at this stage of my health and treatment.
I am keeping good health. I have had no other illness or sickness.
My specialist team always commend me on how well I am doing and how I am in such good health for someone going through this treatment. And I say it’s because I move my body. I think exercise has played a big part in my treatment and my good health.
Do I want to some days ? Hell no ! But I know the evidence and medical benefits exercise has for cancer patients.
Please click here and read from The Cancer Council for more information and call our team at Physiologic to see how we can help you or a loved one.
Did you know that by assessing your body’s ability to use fuel we can tell you exactly at what intensity levels you achieve best results and how much nutrition your body needs to maximise performance?
Two physiotherapists and a nutritionist, all experienced ultra runners (Mark Barrett, David Coombs and Delina Rahmate) have come together to provide you with a high end assessment and plan at reduced cost to help you achieve your peak performance. Starting from Saturday 1st September. To make a booking call 5578 7155 (mention “Performance Special”)
*Assessment and plan are suited to all levels of fitness. Both individualised.
Metabolism Assessment
Physio and metabolism expert Mark will analyse your body’s ability to burn fuel both at rest and during running. A 60 minute assessment using high end metabolic equipment.
Results & Advice
Physio and Running Coach Dave Coombs will talk to you about your own training goals, explain the data from your test and teach you how to use this data to get the most out of your training. Learning how to use your personal metabolic profile allows you to get the very best out of your training, whether you are aiming to lose weight, run your first 5k, or train for a mountainous ultra.
Read about David Coombs experience with the testing and heart rate training here
12 Week Training Plan
Use the data from your metabolic test, combined with your own personal training goals with a 12 week training program from Physio and Running Coach Dave Coombs. Dave has helped train runners for events across the globe, from 5k to Ultra. Your personalised program will be unique to you and reflect your personal metabolic profile as well your specific time availability, current fitness level and individual goals. Your full program is a 12 week roadmap to improved health and maximised performance. During the program you will be able to stay in touch with Dave as often as you like to seek his advice with your training.
Nutrition Assessment & Advice
Learn to get the most out of your health and metabolic test in an initial consultation with our Clinical Nutritionist Delina Rahmate. Delina will discuss your results from a
nutritional perspective as well as comprehensively assessing your current health status and goals (both training and health). This one hour consultation delves into digestive health, hormones, stress and other neurological factors, weight and body composition, medical history, blood or other results and any supplement you may be using.
Nutritional and Lifestyle Plan
Using the metabolic test as well as the information from the initial consultation and your 12 week training program, Delina will create a personalised nutritional and lifestyle plan to assist you in reaching your goals. The program is designed around your needs, training and nutritional goals, your likes and ability when it comes to food preparation, cooking and your budget. With the combination of your 12 week training program with Dave Coombs the nutritional plan will assist you in achieving optimal health and performance. Delina is available throughout the program period as often as you need.
Save up to $352 on this special!
In addition, you may be able to claim on your health fund
Your thyroid may be affected as a response to chronic stress.
By Delina Rahmate- Clinical Nutritionist
When we are under prolonged levels of stress we will begin to experience multiple system issues, one of these is a change in our metabolism and consequent weight gain particularly around our midsection. We may also begin to feel puffy and fatigued. Due to the complexity of the thyroid I have only looked at a snap shot on what may be happening to your thyroid as a result of chronic stress.
Essentially under the stress response, fight or flight, our thyroid hormone conversion is going to be down- regulated to peripheral tissues. This is a normal response to threat. It should only be short lived. When the stress response becomes chronic and we are experiencing high levels of stress daily we begin to experience more dysfunction in the body leading to various symptoms, inflammation, disorders, and disease.
Often this is when you may begin to expect something is wrong with your metabolism, you may be gaining weight and feeling tired without changing your diet. You may visit the Doctor and have blood tests done. In the earlier stages of dysfunction you may be symptomatic however your pathology does not reflect a thyroid issue, your blood test may show a normal TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and T4. This can leave you feeling confused about what is really going on with your body as the bloods appear to be normal. Testing TSH, however, does not represent the thyroid hormone status of all the peripheral cells, it represents T3 in the pituitary. In stress situations T3 is upregulated to pituitary and downregulated to peripheral cells.
Due to the lack of supporting evidence you may be told to eat less and exercise more as a way of controlling your symptoms. This may increase the stress response/Cell Danger Response (CDR). If the stressful state continues then a weight struggle persists, often for years, before the next phase happens and you start to develop an autoimmune attack on your thyroid. Regular blood tests do not detect thyroid antibodies so this can go undetected as bloods will still appear to be normal. You once again may be told the same thing- to eat less, exercise more and look at managing stress through referral, stress management techniques and possible medication.
Eventually if stress remains unresolved phase III kicks in. This is when the autoimmune / immune response creates so much damage to the thyroid that the gland can no longer make enough hormone to support the pituitary gland, TSH will rise and T4 will drop below lab range. Pathology tests will now show that there is a thyroid issue. Unfortunately it is now a chronic problem.
Due to the complexity of the chronic stress response and how it effects other body systems it is important that you seek good advice on managing your return to optimal health. As a Clinical Nutritionist I can work with you and your Doctor to find out the best approach that will work for you. Metabolism testing is also an excellent tool in helping understand what is going on with your body.
If you feel like some further very technical reading you can search “Cell Danger Response”, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23981537 and you will find an amazing paper that explains the CDR.
Nutrition to support the thyroid
To support the thyroid we should choose a diet rich in tyrosine, iodine, selenium, zinc, vitamin E, vitamin A and antioxidants.
The following is a list of healthy foods to base your diet around to support your thyroid.
Grains and legumes: Always choose wholegrains: amaranth, brown rice, millet and quinoa. Chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, black beans, lima beans
Vegetables: Organic where possible (particularly when you eat the skin such as tomatoes), cooked cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and kale. All seasonal and local vegetables.
Fermented vegetables.
Seaweed such as dulse, kelp and wakame
Brightly coloured fruits such as berries, kiwi fruit, pineapple, papaya and other seasonal fruits
Fats and oils: Cold pressed oils, coconut oil, ghee
Pot set yoghurt and kefir
Fish: Alaskan fish, pacific ocean fish, farmed oysters and mussels, oily fish such as mackerel
Grass fed meat, bone broth and liver
Free-range chicken
Free-range eggs
Salt such as Celtic or Himalayan
Turmeric, onions and garlic
FlaxseedBrazil nuts
Sunflower seeds
Exercise
Daily exercise stimulates thyroid hormone secretion and increases tissue sensitivity to thyroid hormone.
Recipe to support the thyroid
What is lovely about this dish is its simplicity and diversity. You can use a wide variety of veggies here — there is no right or wrong as long as the veggie can survive the roasting! You can easily use sweet potatoes, beets, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips, radishes, onions, garlic cloves, leeks, peppers, zucchinis, fennel, carrots or eggplant. These Veggies can be prepared ahead of time and added to salads to boost the flavour and interest. A great recipe for your balancing your hormones.
Roasted Vegetables and Moroccan Spice by Magdalena Wszelaki
Prep time:15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins | Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
Vegetables of your choice (see the list above). Pictured are: asparagus, parsnip, carrots and leeks
2 tablespoons coconut oil, warm it if needed so it’s liquid
sea salt
Moroccan spice blend
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Toss the veggies with coconut oil, sea salt and the Moroccan blend.
Lay them out on parchment paper so they don’t touch each other too much.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Serve with your favourite protein and a green leafy salad sprinkled with sunflower seeds.
New and existing patients we are offering a NO GAP Initial Consultation for treatment of;
– a new condition or
– a new area of your body
Private health members will not pay an out of pocket gap. Non insured patients you can take advantage also for only $49 *
In this session you will receive;
– a complete assessment of you condition
– diagnosis of your problem
– treatment of your condition
– treatment plan ongoing to get you the outcome you want
All of this normally valued at over $100
Take advantage of this offer to use your health fund benefits before they run out
* Conditions apply
– Bookings with Tim and Kelly only
– Appointments only available Tuesday-Friday 9:30am-2:30pm
– Offer only for NEW clients or Existing clients with a NEW condition
Different foods go through different metabolic pathways in the body. They can have very different effects on hunger, hormones and the amount of calories that we burn off.
In this article we have a look at foods that can be included in your diet that have been scientifically proven to be weight loss friendly without breaking the bank.
1. Chia seeds- are highly nutritious little seeds that contain 12g of carbohydrate per gram however 11 of the 12 grams are fibre making them a low carb friendly addition to the diet. The amounts of fibre means that chia seeds can absorb up to 12 times their weight you can see this effect when you put chia seeds in water they will expand and form a gel. This swelling of the seeds will occur in your stomach making you feel fuller and consume less calories.
2. Cruciferous vegetables- these are vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and Brussel sprouts. They are very high in fibre and tend to be very filling. Along with their high levels of fibre they also contain decent amounts of protein higher than most other vegetables. A combination of fibre, protein and low energy density are a perfect addition to a weight loss diet. They are also high in antioxidants and indole-3 carbinol to assist in repairing the damage caused by oxidation, decrease the risk of cancer and assist in the management of hormonal pathways. These vegetables are best consumed cooked if you are at risk of thyroid issues.
3. Soups – foods with a low energy density tend to help people consume less food overall, these foods are usually high in water content like the cruciferous vegetables and many fruits. We can also create this ourselves by adding water to foods like soups. As winter approaches heart-warming soups become a perfect addition to our diets as starters or as a meal in themselves. Studies have shown that when the same food is consumed as a soup we often eat less as we feel more satisfied and fuller quicker and therefore decreasing the amount of overall calories that we consume. Studies have also shown that eating soup prior to a meal decreases the amount of calories consumed at that meal as well as later in the day.
Here are a few simple recipes to help you include these weight loss friendly foods into your daily diet;
Raspberry Chia Seed Parfait [Vegan friendly/Gluten Free/Dairy Free] Chia has 5 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons and is also a complete protein source.
Ingredients For the Pudding:
– 6 tablespoons chia seeds
– 2 cups of almond milk
– 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
– 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
– 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
For the Raspberry Purée:
– 2 cups frozen raspberries (or other berries)
– 1/2 cup water
– 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or drops of stevia until the right sweetness)
For the Topping:
– Apples and pomegranate seeds (or whatever you like! Such as coconut yoghurt , berries
and a sprinkle of seeds/ muesli)
Potassium Balance Broth (Makes 4 serves) (Vegan friendly/Gluten Free/Dairy Free): Low in calories and high in nutrients.
Ingredients
– 4 Cups of filtered water;
– 4 medium zucchini finely chopped;
– 425 grams green beans roughly chopped; 1 small bunch of parsley;
– 3 tomatoes finely chopped;
– 2 cloves of garlic,
– 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped,
– 1 tsp sea salt.
Method
– Put all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a gentle boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 mins with the lid on. Serve as is or blend for a creamier soup.
Ingredients
– 2 tablespoons grapeseed or coconut oil
– 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
– 2 cups (200g) thinly sliced leeks (white parts only)
– 1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt, plus more to taste
– 1 large head cauliflower, chopped
– 7 cups (1.65L) vegetable broth (Massell stock powder works well)
– 1/4 cup (35g) raw unsalted cashews or 1/4 cup (35g) blanched slivered almonds
– 3 tablespoons chopped chives, to serve
Method
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic, leeks, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for about 3 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the cauliflower and sauté for another minute.
2. Add the vegetable broth, increase the heat to high, and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is completely tender.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly; stir in the nuts.
4. Pour the soup into your blender in batches and blast on high for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.
5. Return the soup to the saucepan and warm it over low heat. Stir in salt to taste.
6. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with either chopped chives or grated nutmeg.
With the winter sports season fast approaching it is essential to make sure we are doing everything to minimise injury risk and rehabilitate our injuries correctly. Too often do I see running related sports participants come into the clinic with persistent calf tightness, calf muscle tears, achilles tendon pain or even shin “splints” who have weak and poor calf function that is driving a lot of their pain.
A major risk factor for these types of injuries is lack of calf strength, capacity and power.
Due to the demands of their chosen activity – whether it be walking , running or football – the calf needs to have to ability to tolerate the stress going through the lower leg. The calf propels us forwards during walking / running and jumping and acts as a shock absorber for bones and other connective tissue in the lower leg.
The calf complex is made up two portions;
the gastrocnemius (the thicker and bulkier muscle)
the soleus (the deeper calf muscle)
The gastrocnemius can take around 1-2 x your body weight during running and is normally simply trained by a straight legged calf raise ( heel raise). However the soleus can take up to 8 x your body weight!! .. and can be trained simply by bending the knee during the calf raise (see video below).
Too often do I see people neglecting the soleus in rehab and prehab exercise programs, when it is arguably the most important muscle in running related sports! Exercises to strengthen the soleus muscle should be included in all strength routines by the everyday population , runners and sporting teams to reduce the likelihood of foot, ankle and calf related pain. It also needs to stress the calf adequately so the amount of load going through it is enough to mimic the demands of your activity.
For further guidance on how you can reduce the likelihood of calf or any lower limb pain let us know at Physiologic – Call now 55787155.
This blog is being written from my own personal experience. Unfortunately I was diagnosed with breast cancer in June.
sio and metabolism expert Mark will analyse your body’s ability to burn fuel both at rest and during running. A 60 minute assessment using high end metabolic equipment.
heart rate training 
health, hormones, stress and other neurological factors, weight and body composition, medical history, blood or other results and any supplement you may be using.
If you feel like some further very technical reading you can search “Cell Danger Response”,
Take advantage of this offer to use your health fund benefits before they run out
