“Everyone should eat more liver and bone broth, on a daily basis” – Natasha Campbell-McBride!

Generally, most people would be highly skeptical and suspicious of a statement like this however at the MINDD conference, seminar delegates that comprised of doctors, practitioners, researchers and the general public didn’t stir, yet listened and seemed captivated by this ‘prescription’, in the opening section of Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride’s second presentation.

It was such a tremendous privilege to have the opportunity to be in the presence of Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride at the MINDD forum. Her insightful, well-researched book ‘Gut and Psychology Syndrome’ ( GAPS) is fascinating and was reinforced through both of her captivating MINDD forum presentations.

At For Life Retreats, we are deeply inspired by the work of Dr. Natasha and her GAPS protocol, and this is demonstrated through our seminar presentations, our workshops as well as our menu, which incorporates GAPS food options.

So this week are continuing our  MINDD forum report, on some of the critical insights from Dr. Natasha’s presentations . Some myths will be debunked and it is our hope you are motivated, educated and inspired to take this information on board and integrate it in some form.

First up – some alarming statics!

• 3 in 5 adults in Australia are overweight or obese
• 1 in 4 children are overweight or obese
• Heart disease affects 1 in 6 Australians
• 280 Australia’s develop diabetes type two everyday – the fastest growing chronic disease in Australia
• 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women have cancer in Australia

Sugar – why is it so harmful?

Sugar, the white stuff, the hidden stuff, the refined form – not only is it in the most obvious of foods but also in the form of processed carbohydrates . It is Dr. Natasha’s belief that the real cause of disease is from the intake of sugar and processed carbohydrates! And that the consumption of processed carbohydrates is the basis of modern disease epidemics.

It’s common knowledge that we need to be conscious of reducing or removing our sugar intake.

But what happens when we eat too much over an extended period of time? Is it really that harmful?

You might think “oh no I’m all good I don’t eat this stuff” but be aware if you like your cereal or fruit based-muesli, fruit and toast for breakfast, more fruit as a snack, sandwich for lunch, a bit of chocolate in the afternoon and rice or pasta for dinner, you are constantly in carbohydrate sugar overload!

In a nut shell, we know our pancreas removes sugar from our blood stream through the hormone, insulin. Insulin helps keeps our blood sugar level from getting too high (hyperglycemic) or too low (hypoglycemia). When we eat, insulin is released into the blood stream where it helps to move glucose from the food we have eaten into cells to be used as energy.

It is Dr Natasha’s view that too much insulin in the blood stream leads to permanent inflammation in the body. She goes on further to say that chronic overproduction of insulin is due to chronic glucose overload from processed carbohydrates which causes chronic inflammation as well as alters gut flora and feeds pathogenic microbes in the gut ( as well as a list of other problems).

“To much insulin in the blood, leads to permanent inflammation in the body and that perpetual inflammation is the basis of modern disease , and the cause of cancer, heart disease, dementia, rheumatoid arthritis & alzheimers”. 

Cholesterol – what do we need it?

Dr. Natasha’s presentation moved onto the controversial topic of cholesterol. We have been conditioned for many years to believe that we must reduce our cholesterol but what if we were to inform you that people with high cholesterol may actually live longer?

The GAPS author suggests that saturated fat is essential for us and a vital part of the structure of every cell in the body. It’s the preferred source of energy for the heart muscle, essential for tissue repair, for immune system structure and function and essential for brain structure as well as crucial in certain hormone processes.

According to Dr. Natasha, older people need to eat more animal fat (a rich source of saturated fat) and goes on to say that the older we become, the more cholesterol we actually need. Ultimately, it is Dr. Natasha’s recommendation that saturated fat should be eaten on a daily basis to heal and that we need it for brain function, to therefore aid the prevention of parkinsons, alzheimers and dementia- common diseases found in the elderly.

( Please consult your health care physician if planning to make any changes to your diet if on medication) 

Did you know that our liver produces cholesterol and our organs actually require it to function? Toxins break down cholesterol in the liver! Ever wondered why all of a sudden you feel angry emotions? Perhaps you have have low levels of cholesterol questions Dr. Natasha.

But hang on – don’t we need to lower our cholesterol to avoid heart disease?

Why does the heart foundation urges us to eat more margarine and other apparently cholesterol lowering foods?

Do we actually know what is the real cause of heart disease?

According to Dr. Natasha, metabolic syndrome ( too much insulin in the blood) as well as man made chemicals, processed foods, abnormal gut flora, lack of sun exposure leading to Vitamin D deficiency is the cause of heart disease epidemic!

So what should we do?

How can you apply this to your food planning and preparation?

You can incorporate unprocessed organic foods such as:

• Grass fed meats with plenty of fats
• Wild cooked fish
• Organ meats – livers for example
• Meat stock & bone broths
• Pastured organic eggs
• Fresh organic local vegetables and fruits
• Unprocessed nuts and seeds (activated)
• Fermented organic dairy ( if you can tolerate it)
• Organic whole grains and sourdough beard ( if you can tolerate it)
• Organic beans and pulses ( activated and fermented)

Note: Wholegrains and legumes are not included in the GAPS protocol

At For Life Retreats, we encourage an eating plan that not only helps your digestive system thrive, but incorporates Dr. Natasha principles above.

We’d love to share our For Life Retreats Bone Broth Recipe to get your started. Bone Broth is heavily featured in the GAPS protocol because of its belly-friendly nourishing nature. Give it a go! Perfect for those winter mornings for a thriving digestive system.

In Health & Compassion,   

 Your For Life Retreats Team