Ashley Barnes | Other
Ashley Barnes
Phone: +61 2 6768 3222
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25.01.2022 It’s Microbiota Monday! So what is a microbiota? It’s the term used for the normal bacteria found in the human body. In fact, there are trillions of live micro-organisms living in your gut! So let’s talk about why a healthy gut is so important! The main role of a human gut is to digest and absorb our food. This isn’t the only role! Many studies have shown the role of the gut on immune health and even mental health. ... One of the best ways to promote a healthy gut is to consume prebiotics and probiotics. So what are they and where can you find them? Prebiotics vs Probiotics Prebiotics are a type of carbohydrate that only gut bacteria can feed on. This means consuming prebiotics help good bacteria grow. Prebiotics are found in every day food including vegetables, grains, legumes and soy beans but can also be found in a nutritional supplement. Probiotics are live micro-organisms. They compete for space with potentially harmful bacteria in your gut. This leads to less bad bacteria and more good/healthy bacteria. Probiotics are found in fermented foods, including yoghurt, aged cheese, cottage cheese, sauerkraut and kefir. You can also buy a probiotic supplement from the chemist. So why all the praise for probiotics? they help promote a healthy immune system due to their anti-inflammatory properties some recent evidence links a healthy microbiota to improved mental health due to the gut-brain relationship. Did you know that approximately 95% of your serotonin (the happy chemical in your brain, also assisting with sleep and digestion) comes from your gut! may help improve gastrointestinal symptoms such as constipation and diarrhoea. can be used to assist with treatment of some gastrointestinal conditions such as IBS and ulcerative colitis following antibiotic use can help restore healthy gut bacteria as antibiotics can cause some healthy bacteria to be destroyed as well as harmful bacteria NOTE: probiotics are safe for most healthy Australians, however if you have a reduced immune system you should consult a dietitian or your regular GP. For help choosing which probiotics would be suitable for you, consult a dietitian.
24.01.2022 It’s Fruit Facts Friday! Let’s talk about Outstanding Oranges! 1) Oranges are high in Vitamin C which is important for your immune health. It helps you fight viruses and infections. But don’t wait until you’re sick to get that glorious Vitamin C in your body as it works better before you get sick! 2) They contain antioxidants which can protect against some diseases and reduce inflammation!... 3) Fresh oranges are full of fiber, important for gut health, lowering cholesterol and feelings of fullness. So skip the juice and have a fresh orange instead! 4) They’re a great source of potassium which is important for healthy hearts, muscles and nerves! Four more reasons to have an orange today!
23.01.2022 I found this quote online and thought I’d share it. It’s worth mentioning the importance of those occasional discretionary treats. In the right amount and frequency they can help you stay on track long term and make your diet more interesting! Remember it’s a lifestyle change that will have the biggest effect on your health. A restrictive Fad diet can have adverse effects on your health, lead to low self esteem and nutritional deficiencies. So enjoy a healthy, varied diet with all 5 food groups daily and small treats but not too often!
22.01.2022 Today I wanted to touch base on label reading by comparing two brands of similar products Blueberry Greek Yogurt. In any flavoured yogurt, in particular, we tend to look mostly at fat, sugar and calcium. It’s important to also look at the energy, protein and salt. The winner between these two varieties (i.e. the healthier option) is Chobani. Why is that? It’s lower in energy, saturated fat and sugar.... Higher in protein which is excellent for feelings of fullness. NOTE: The difference between the two brands for calcium and sodium (salt) was minimal so hard to choose a winner for those two categories. It’s also worth mentioning that the healthiest alternate to any flavoured Greek yogurt is by adding your own fruit to plain Greek yogurt.
22.01.2022 Each day this week I will be posting some information on each of the 5 food groups. Let’s start with vibrant vegetables. The vegetable food group also includes beans and legumes. Here’s just a few reasons why this food group is so important! - high in a variety of vitamins including Vitamin C which is found in all vegetables! ... - contains important minerals including iron and zinc! - some contain carbohydrates (potato, sweet potato, corn and green peas) which is a very important energy source for our bodies. - legumes contain plant protein important for strong muscles and are essential building blocks in the body - vegetables are high in dietary fiber which is essential for gut health and helps you feel fuller for longer! - Fun Fact: consuming a wide variety of coloured vegetables ensures good intakes of all vitamins and minerals as vegetables of a similar colour often contain the same vitamins and minerals. Plus, a mix of colours always looks pretty on a plate! For more information on the five food groups or for some healthy recipes visit www.eatforhealth.gov.au
21.01.2022 Happy Dietitians’s Day! Today we celebrate extraordinary APDs. Those who make a difference to the health and nutrition of the community. I thought I would share why I decided to become a dietitian. I wanted to be a dietitian from an early age, probably around 15. I’ve always had an interest in everything food. I love cooking, baking and creating recipes. I also love the science behind food and how our bodies process and use the nutrients from food we consume! In my senior y...ears of high school I chose Food Technology, Hospitality, Biology and Chemistry. An excellent basis for my dietetic study. This was also when I started to realise I wanted to work in the theory side more then cooking/hospitality. That was a hobby I could still keep on the side. I studied my degree at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. Prior to this, I had no idea how challenging of a university degree it would be. The challenge was well worth it. I loved the degree and the people I got to work with. In my final years it became clear I wanted to work in community health/outpatient care. Prior to getting my first dietitian job I had the opportunity to work in a variety of different food service jobs. I also hold a Certificate I in Hospitality. This has extensively increased my knowledge of the hospitality/food service aspect of the Australian Food Industry. Which has come in handy in my current job! I love being a dietitian. I get to talk about food all day, talk to some amazing people alongside teaching people to be healthier. I am constantly learning as this field continues to grow. My studies not only help my patients but also help my family, friends and I to live healthier and happy lives. I am so proud to be a dietitian and be able to promote the importance of a healthy, well balanced diet. Working in food and nutrition is an excellent and rewarding field. I am forever grateful to be a part of such a rewarding industry. #DietitiansDay2021 #ExtraordinaryAPDs
20.01.2022 Today’s post is all about fantastic fruit!! There’s so many reason to include fruit in your daily intake. Here’s just a few of those reasons: regular intake can reduce the risk of some cancers (such as colorectal) and chronic diseases such as heart disease. ... they are low calorie helping to maintain a healthy weight full of vitamins (including vitamin C and Folate) and minerals (such as potassium) an excellent source of dietary fiber, which is essential for gut health and feelings of fullness a healthy carbohydrate source giving you long lasting energy throughout the day fresh or canned fruit (in juice) are excellent options but the occasional small glass of fruit juice (with no added sugar) can help reach your 2 serves of fruit each day! For more information on the Australian Dietary Guidelines or some healthy recipe ideas head to www.eatforhealth.gov.au
19.01.2022 Having a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about eating healthy. It’s also about being physically active. A lot of us spend too much time sitting which has poor effects on our health. To help promote this and to show support for an excellent cause I have decided to Step Up to Breast Cancer. This means I will be aiming to walk 10,000 steps each day in August. If anyone would like to donate to this wonderful cause the link is below. I would appreciate any donations. If you would a...lso like to join the challenge you can find the information on the below link as well. https://fundraise.nbcf.org.au/fundrais/ashleybarnes/step-up
19.01.2022 A common trend that I see with my patients is a high intake of added sugar, which is often from drinks. It’s relatively common knowledge that soft drink and energy drinks contain added sugar. But did you know that there are around 5.5 teaspoons of added sugar in 250mL’s of each drink. Fruit juice is often marketed as being a healthy drink however it also contains sugar. Some options have added sugar and others (pure fruit juice/no added sugar options) have natural sugar...s. The below example shows that there are almost 3 teaspoons of sugar in 250mL’s of pure orange juice. This would be counted in your daily fruit serves, so although it has vitamins and minerals, be careful of your serving sizes. NOTE: 250mL’s is the equivalent to 2 servings of fruit. Remember!!!! Water is always the best option as it has no sugar and has many important roles in the body!
15.01.2022 Happy Dietitian’s Week to all the amazing, inspiring and supportive dietitian’s! Dietitian’s are: supportive experts in food and nutrition ... food lovers passionate about helping others strong believers in long term healthy lifestyle changes helpful with chronic disease, acute illnesses and improving general health Dietitian’s are NOT: food police perfect eaters only meal planners fans of fad diets only used for weight loss drinking kale shakes every day or only eating salads. #DietitiansWeek2021 Dietitians Australia
12.01.2022 It’s finally Spring! The weather is warmer, the days are getting longer and there are so many fresh fruits and vegetables in season! Let’s talk about the benefits of consuming seasonal produce. Often seasonal produce has much better flavour. This is due to produce being picked when it is riper. Out of season produce is often picked too early, losing some of that delicious taste! Growing foods in greenhouses can also change the flavour. Seasonal produce is much more nutr...itious as it often hasn’t travelled as far and will get to the shops quicker. The fresher the produce, the less nutrients, including antioxidants, are effected. Buying fruit and vegetables that are in season are much cheaper. Therefore you can save money on your shop and afford to buy more healthy produce. A big benefit of buying local seasonal produce is supporting Australian Farmers and other small businesses. Not only is the quality much better but you’re helping keep the Australian economy and businesses alive.
12.01.2022 Today is all about Magnificent Meat! this group includes lean red meat, poultry/eggs, fish, legumes/beans, tofu/soy based alternatives, nuts and seeds well known for its protein content which is essential for muscle growth and body repair. Protein also helps keep you fuller for longer ... full of minerals (including iron and zinc) and vitamins (such as B12 and vitamin E) the fish and seafood portion of this group contain omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia and age related macular degeneration just remember too much protein can cause weight gain and effect your kidney function, so ensure you follow the recommended serves according to your age group and gender. This information and more is found at www.eatforhealth.gov.au
11.01.2022 For our last food group, let’s talk about wonderful whole grains this group includes bread, rice, pasta and cereals high in fiber, helping reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. It’s also important for bowel health contains vitamins (including: folate, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin E) and minerals (such as iron) ... our body’s main source of carbohydrates for long lasting energy a source of protein helping keep our body’s strong and functioning well remember....... carbs are not the enemy. There is a place for whole grains in our diets, it is just about finding the appropriate balance, like all food groups. For more information please head to www.eatforhealth.com.au
11.01.2022 Last night, while attending a course on the Psychology of Eating, Weight and Body Image (run by Glenn Mackintosh) I was directed to this YouTube video. This is such a great analogy of weight loss that I had to share it. One of the causes of minimal weight loss or weight loss followed by weight regain is this idea that everyone should be in the healthy weight range to be healthy. That all humans are the same. As a dietitian I strongly believe in individualised care. There is ...not one nutritional plan that will work for everyone. We all have a variety of factors influencing how we should eat to be healthy. This includes genetics, ethnicity, gender and lifestyle factors. We as dietitians are trained to analyse this and give advice that is suited to you as an individual. For anyone who has tried several diets that have led to little or no long term significant weight loss. This video will help you understand why. https://youtu.be/H89QQfXtc-k
06.01.2022 It’s #DietitiansDay! Sending a big thank you to all my dietitian colleagues who continually make me proud, proving that #DietitiansMakeADifference. Special mention to DG Dietetics & Fitness for always being super supportive over the last 8 years! Happy Dietitians Day!
06.01.2022 Snacking is something that is sometimes frowned upon by the general public. In reality there is a place for snacking in your diet as long as it’s healthy snacks! Snacks can help reduce the portion sizes for main meals and better manage your hunger/appetite without craving those discretionary foods! I’m well aware that the healthier options below aren’t quite the same as the high calorie, unhealthier options but they provide many more health benefits! I encourage the occasional unhealthy snack but try and choose mostly healthy snacks.
03.01.2022 Lately I’ve been spending some time looking into the different alternates to wheat pasta. I’d like to compare two products today. The same brand, the products looks very similar but made up of different ingredients. Let’s talk about the pulse pasta. San Remo has a few different pulse pasta’s but let’s look at the chickpeas version. This product contains 75% chickpea flour. higher in protein important for muscle growth as well as growing and repairing new cells... lower in carbohydrates which can be beneficial if trying to reduce carbohydrate intake for various reasons (including weight loss and diabetes management) higher in dietary fiber for bowel health lower in sodium to support healthy hearts Compared to wheat pasta, pulse pasta (chickpea) is an excellent alternative and a clear winner for most Australian’s.
02.01.2022 Today is World Egg Day! I’m a big advocate for the nutritional benefits of eggs! They’re full of vitamins and minerals, high in protein and low in calories. Let’s celebrate with eggs with some interesting facts from Australian Eggs!
01.01.2022 Let’s talk about Delightful Dairy! There are many reasons to include dairy in your diet but here’s just a few: this food group includes milk, cheese, yoghurt and calcium fortified soy based alternatives a regular intake of dairy can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. ... dairy is an excellent source of carbohydrates and protein full of vitamins (including riboflavin and B12) and minerals (such as calcium and iodine) For more information head to www.eatforhealth.gov.au
01.01.2022 Today I wanted to talk about some common dairy myths that my patients often ask me about. Myth 1: Reduced fat options contain more added sugar than full fat options: For the most part, this one is not true. The main goal of the reduced fat options is simply to reduce the amount of fat in the product. ... Most of these options (milk, cheese) do not have added sugar. There are some exceptions such as yoghurt which can have added sugar, but this is not the case for all yoghurt. That’s where label reading is important! Myth 2: dairy is fattening: This is another misconception. It is true that if you eat excessive amounts of dairy it can lead to weight gain (similar to most healthy and unhealthy food options). If dairy is consumed within the recommended serves each day dairy generally won’t cause weight gain. Myth 3: Plant based options are healthier. This one depends on several factors. Some plant based alternatives (soy or almond) can be a great option for people with an allergy or intolerance. However others are less healthy such as coconut milk, which is very high in saturated fats. If choosing plant based options remember go for calcium fortified as calcium does not naturally occur in plant options. Generally speaking if you haven’t been advised to limit animal based dairy from a dietitian or other health professional, there’s no need to limit these options! Myth 4: dairy causes inflammation There have been many studies conducted in this area. They have shown that dairy can assist in reducing inflammation likely through the anti-inflammatory properties of vitamin D, fatty acids and calcium.
01.01.2022 Today is World Kindness Day! It’s no doubt we all need a little kindness and positivity especially this year. So let’s all do one kind thing today for someone else. Maybe even share some delicious food with a friend!
