The Plant Based Pod

Nella D  [00:00:00]: Health, and welcome to Gone Plant Based. And my name is Health Dee, and I'm on, plant based a whole food plant based, no added oil, no processed sugar diet. And it's doing me the power of good. And so far to date, I've lost over £41. I'm desperately trying to get to the 42 pound mark because, in old money where I come from in England. We, use stones and pounds, and that would mean £42 would be 3 stone. But that doesn't take away from the £41 I'm delighted to have lost so far. So the journey continues. Nella D  [00:00:48]: But what I would like to talk to you about today is something that I think is well, for me, it's important. You see, I'm one of those awkward people that has a lot of food intolerances, drug intolerances. For example, I I can't have penicillin like a lot of people. And an awful lot of drugs I react to. So, it's gonna be great if I can get healthier and be dependent on less drugs because then that's not gonna be an issue at all. But in terms of food, I'm pretty intolerant. Well, I have celiac disease, so there's the gluten aspect. I'm intolerant of dairy, And that seems to be something that runs in my family a bit. Nella D  [00:01:39]: My son is even worse than I am. He suffers worse than I am, but I certainly know. I can get away with a bit of it. And when it's an added ingredient in something, so long as it's not, like, full cream or something. If it's just part of the ingredients, then I can usually get away with it so long as I haven't had much of it. But, Nevertheless, even if you can get away with it, it can't be doing you any good if it's something your body will, at some point, reject. It doesn't like it. Now there's lots of other things, and I'm not gonna bore you with all the things I'm tolerant of and intolerant of. Nella D  [00:02:16]: But I want to talk to you today about nuts. Now I love nuts, and nuts are great, aren't they? Purfind. They stall their weight loss. So far, that hasn't happened to me. And if it does happen to me, then, obviously, I'll have to rethink. But they're a great source of omega threes, vitamins, minerals, and natural fats, the the natural oils that are within them. So they're very helpful to the diet and very natural to the diet. I suppose if we go back to the old hunter gatherer conundrum, I expect they ate a lot nuts. Nella D  [00:03:00]: Well, The thing about nuts, though, is some years ago, I used to treat myself to a packet of fruit and nuts. So it was based, nuts and raisins and sultanas and banana chips and stuff like that. And I used to have this little portion every day. And after a few days, I started to get stomach pains. And I didn't know what it was, but there were real griping stomach pains, you know the type. And, I didn't make the connection with the nuts, for quite a few days because I just thought it was a one off, and Perhaps I'd picked up something. I don't know. But, anyway so I carried on. Nella D  [00:03:46]: And sure enough, After a few days, I realized these pains started, a little while after I'd eaten the fruit and nuts. So I decided, well, I'm gonna have to experiment here. There's obviously something that's not agreeing. So I, decided to just Try the Nuts. And, yes, it was the nuts. So I thought, oh, no. Another thing I'm intolerant of. I'm a very intolerant person, obviously. Nella D  [00:04:15]: Anyway, I completely stopped nuts. And then at Christmas, I'd perhaps have a few peanuts. And if I had too many peanuts, I'd get away with it. Now they're legumes, actually, actually, but it's still something thing within the nut. I looked into it. I looked into it. I couldn't find it, and I just assumed I'm just intolerant of nuts. And this went on for years until I read a fascinating article. Nella D  [00:04:42]: And on all nuts and seeds and a lot of legumes, there are enzymes. In the natural state, they are coated with enzymes. One of them is called phytic acid. And phytic acid is very helpful. In fact, you know, we probably wouldn't have the harvest that we have without it because what it does is it creates a bitter taste. And if you had that, if you had a walnut on top, it's a bit bitter. I like it, but it's a bit bitter. But I'm gonna eat it because it's good for me, but it's bitter. Nella D  [00:05:17]: It's the phytic acid. And all these nuts and seeds and legumes in nature have these enzymes. But phytic acid is great because what it actually does is it protects the seeds and nuts. And what happens is, you know, your your little bugs, they they come along, And they want to nibble in and eat all the food, but it's toxic to them. So they probably scurry away and saying, yuck. Disgusting. I'm not gonna eat that. Or I don't know. Nella D  [00:05:51]: Maybe it kills them. I I don't know, actually, if it kills them or not, but I hope not. But, anyway, let's hope it just frightens them off because they don't like the taste. So, yeah, it it's there, and it protects the seeds from pests and diseases. And If you don't get rid of that, then it causes digestive problems. Now, obviously, some people who are more tolerant of foods than someone like me. It might take longer. It might not be so noticeable. Nella D  [00:06:30]: Bar. There is a way you can deal with it. Because because I don't have, dairy in a plant based diet, I have plant milk. So we make a lot of almond milk. I love almond milk. Sometimes we make walnut milk. Sometime well, we used to make oat milk, But oat milk's another one that I've gone a bit funny with, so we'll forget that. It it does although it doesn't have gluten, it has another, protein in it that is similar to gluten. Nella D  [00:06:59]: It's called avenin. And, some people who are celiac respond to oats in the same way. So that started to happen, unfortunately. But when it comes to plant based milks, We often make almond milk. And the way around this is to soak your nuts and seeds. Now seeds won't take so long. But what we do is, overnight, we put, say, half a cup of raw almonds into a big jug. We fill it with cold water, And then in the morning, we rinse them, put them in the blender, put in a liter of water, blend it, strain it. Nella D  [00:07:46]: We've got almond milk, or it could be walnut milk. What actually happens is it gets rid of the phytic acid just by soaking it. And it's the same with all of your nuts. So if you're using a lot of nuts in cooking and you don't want anyone to get an upset stomach or to absorb or to have to try and digest this thing, this enzyme that is toxic to insects and certain diseases and viruses and things in the soil, then you can soak them. And I do that now with all nuts and seeds. Seeds, I don't soak for long, maybe maybe half an hour. You can soak them overnight. But, certainly, when it comes to making creams, nondairy creams and milks, etcetera, the plant based milks, all have the nuts. Nella D  [00:08:44]: They're nut milk soaked the night before. So they they get a good 8 to 10 hours of soaking before it's made into milk. But one of the nice things about that that it does, that overnight, even though you're gonna get rid of the phytic acid, which is good, is it it plumps them up. So the milk is actually creamier and smoother, which is really nice. It's worth doing. Now if you've got one of those super duper powerful blenders like a Vitamix or a Blendtec, You'll often see recipes where it will actually say, no need to soak the nuts. Because these blenders are so powerful, they will make good plant milk with raw nuts. Well, you haven't got rid of the phytic acid, have you? So it's well worth oh, and you don't get the creaminess as as much, but it's well worth soaking in us. Nella D  [00:09:40]: Get rid of that phytic acid. We don't need it. It's there to repel. It's there as a toxicity. It's there to protect the nut and the seed to survive, but we can just wash it off. Now another way, and this is something perhaps you can make a comment on if you know about it, is quite often, I'll, roast walnuts before I use them in a recipe. So if you're making, plant based burgers. And you're gonna chop up some walnut because it has a kind of meaty texture. Nella D  [00:10:15]: So It's quite nice, especially when you're transitioning to plant based from being a meat eater. Toast them, and that seems to get rid of the bitterness as well. So I'd be interested if anyone out there does know if actually toasting the nuts, gets rid of the phytic acid as health, if heat can destroy the phytic acid, because I do find they're not as bitter once they've been toasted, or is it just simply the nice toasty flavor covers it? You know, it it it it disguises it. It masks it. I don't know. But That's one thing I've learned. And whether you have tolerances or intolerances, you probably wanna get rid of that phytic acid. It's not meant for us to be digested. Nella D  [00:11:10]: So even though you may not react, soak your nuts, soak your seeds, and, enjoy. And thank you. Thank you very much for joining me here today on Gom plant based. I'm building up the channel. I'd love you to hit subscribe and the little bell that, you know, means you'll get notifications. So bit by bit, the channel's gonna grow, and I hope there's lots we can share, lots planned for the future. But for now, soak

Gone Plant Based [00:00:00]: Many of us are taken back to our childhoods when we sit at the kitchen table and watch steam rise from a bowl of oatmeal. If like me, you had it sweetened with a spoonful of sugar, you marveled and savored every mouthful of the watery syrup it created, the perfect topping for a sweet tooth. Things have changed, and as an adult doing my best to eliminate sugar and follow my plant based diet, that topping is now more likely to be fresh fruit and flax meal. The 1st person who showed us how to cook the oats and water into a hearty meal may have been a parent or someone who nurtured us, someone who had a vested interest in ensuring we were nourished well, they may have made it with milk to make it creamier and held the belief that it was better for us. As competitive siblings, we'd also argue over who got the cream from the top of the milk bottle first to enhance this creaminess. As you observe the gentle steam drifting from your bowl of porridge, you may have been reminded of a television commercial in which children were eating oatmeal for breakfast and then strolled to school with a glowing orange aura. Do you also remember that advert for ready break? If not, imagine 8 year olds in duffle coats walking through the fog with their bodies glowing orange light. Not only does this humble dish have sentimental value, but it's also a starting point for learning about the profound effects then our dietary choices have on our health. Gone Plant Based [00:01:26]: It's often our 1st breakfast cooking lesson. Oatmeal represents both our history and our future health, whether we are eating the simpler instant oatmeal packets or the more complex options we may select now, we should explore the varieties, health advantages, and reasons why oatmeal is still considered a nutrient dense breakfast choice, let's take a closer look at this food and learn how to bridge the gap between nostalgic recollections and responsible eating practices. There are many different types of oatmeal from steel cut oats to instant varieties, and each one goes through a different processing stage. The least processed oats are steel cut, which keeps their chewy texture and requires longer cooking times, while instant oats are precooked and dried for convenience. Old fashioned oats, also known as rolled or porridge oats, are steamed and rolled flat for a shorter cook time. Notwithstanding these variations, all oats start out as whole oat groats and have a similar nutritional profile, rich in carbs, fats and protein, that is modified for serving size. The most notable ingredient in oats is beta glucan, a soluble fiber that lowers LDL cholesterol and is essential to good health. Beyond processing variations, oatmeal's ability to lower cholesterol illustrates its inherent health benefits. Gone Plant Based [00:02:51]: However, it also emphasizes the need to make thoughtful decisions regarding added sugars in ready made flavor enhanced varieties. Better to make your own healthy additions, methinks. Oatmeal varieties are as diverse and abundant as their health benefits. Oatmeal has a more comprehensive effect on general health than just lowering cholesterol. In addition to lowering bad cholesterol, beta glucan fiber helps with weight management and dietary satisfaction by promoting a feeling of fullness. A stable digestive system, a healthy heart, and stable blood sugar levels are associated with regular oatmeal consumption because of its low glycemic index. Because of its many advantages, oatmeal has risen above its modest origins to become a staple of a healthy diet, earning it the title of superfood. Impact on blood sugar levels and satiety is one of oatmeal's most notable health benefits. Gone Plant Based [00:03:48]: Slowing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates is one of the notable effects of the soluble fiber beta glucan on the glycemic response. By controlling blood sugar spikes, this action contributes to the prevention of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, because oatmeal contains fiber, which makes you feel fuller for longer. It's a great choice for people trying to control their weight or cut back on calories. When compared to ready to eat cereals, oatmeal has a greater capacity to stifle hunger, which highlights its importance in a nutritious diet that maintains energy levels and discourages overindulging. Selecting the best oatmeal can be difficult given the variety of varieties available. All unflavored oatmeal provides comparable benefits in terms of nutrients, glycemic response and satiety, according to nutritional analysis, excluding the flavoring and added sugars of instant varieties. Because they are less processed and have a lower glycemic index, steel cut oats are a slightly healthier option, especially for people who are controlling their blood sugar levels. That being said, not everyone's schedule will be accommodated by the longer cooking times. Gone Plant Based [00:05:03]: Both traditional and instant oatmeal present themselves as nutrient dense, time saving options that can be included in a balanced, healthy diet, when selected in their unflavored varieties and topped with wholesome toppings like fruits, nuts, and seeds. To maximize oatmeal's nutritional value, it's important to be aware of added sugars and to embrace its adaptability. Oatmeal has shown itself to be much more than just a basic comfort food on its journey from childhood memories to an adult staple health food. Its health benefits, which range from regulating blood sugar and cholesterol to promoting fullness and weight loss, establish it as a nutrient dense mainstay in our diets. Recalling mornings spent with our loved ones, we also anticipate mornings propelled by I well informed decisions that combine nostalgia with dietary knowledge. Oatmeal serves as a link between nostalgic past experiences and a future of wholesome eating, demonstrating the idea that sometimes the most basic foods have the greatest effects.

Gone Plant Based [00:00:02]: Hi, everyone. My name is Nela, and welcome to Gone Plant Based. Gone Plant Based, as you can imagine, is about plant based diets. And a couple of years ago, I gave up on being plant based. I'd gone plant based to help me restore my health, and I gave up because I ended up having a health condition that, I think, mentally, it just made me feel quite helpless, and I became very reliant on my partner, Jackie. And Jackie doesn't follow a plant based diet, so I felt it was unfair to continue. However, when I had been plant based, what had actually happened to me was I lost a lot of weight, which I needed. I was in the morbidly, and still am, in the morbidly obese category. Gone Plant Based [00:00:57]: And I did lose a lot of weight, and I felt a lot better. And more than anything that surprised me was I was able to reduce some pretty hardcore medications that in in itself, although they help you at the time and help you get through the day, long term. They're not such a great idea. If you can manage without them, all the better. But I couldn't had I not gone plant based, but I gave up. And what happened in those 2 years was such a shame, really, because I put all the weight back on and more. I ended up with more health conditions, and I got to a point where I reached drop bottom. So I have an autoimmune condition. Gone Plant Based [00:01:45]: I have Parkinsonism, type 2 diabetes, emphysema and lots of other little stragglers along the way. Like, we all have our aches and pains. But I have rheumatoid arthritis, and that is causing a lot of problems at the moment. So what happened was at the end of last year, round about the end of October, I had an appointment with my rheumatologist, and I'd been really suffering with pain, with rheumatoid arthritis. And he gave me a quick get you out jab of steroids. Plus, I was steroid dependent anyway, and he did a load of blood tests. And the blood test showed that the autoimmune disease activity had gone through the roof. It was much higher than before, so, it quadrupled, so that needed to be addressed. Gone Plant Based [00:02:41]: And meanwhile, all the other things were being addressed. But I've been on an awful lot of drugs, and I've become steroid dependent, which is obviously not good. But all the things that are there that say that you will find it hard to lose weight. Like, being on steroids, you put on weight. Yes. You can, and it's very hard to lose weight on steroids. Being over 60. I'm 62 now. Gone Plant Based [00:03:07]: Being a woman who's gone through the menopause, Yeah. Been there, done that one too. All those things. Oh, yes. Being inactive. I mean, I'm talking to you from my wheelchair. I can't walk very much or very well, so I'm dependent on an electric wheelchair to give me some assistance, not a 100% of the time, but most of the time. So so all of these factors should it's very difficult for me to lose weight. Gone Plant Based [00:03:39]: Well, at the end of October, after seeing that rheumatologist and making some big I thought the only thing I know because I've hit rock bottom is to go back to a time where I felt good, where I lost some weight, and where I was able to get rid of some of the powerful medications that I was taking and depending upon. It would be to go back to going plant based. But the problem I had here, you see, was I was a lot more disabled than I had been a few years back. And how to do it because you have to do it properly. And for me, it was going whole food, plant based. No added oil. No added sugar. Everything would come naturally from Whole Foods, so it would mean a lot of preparation. Gone Plant Based [00:04:31]: And Jackie, my partner, is not a plant based person, and that's absolutely fine. But she very kindly offered to help by cutting up and peeling and preparing some foods with me. So we sat at the kitchen table together, and we got going. And I started back with making soups and batch cooking, doing stuff like, great big pots of soup in the Instant Pot so I could freeze them. And that would mean on the bad days, I could just get something out the freezer, defrost it, and I could eat. And Jackie could do what Jackie does with her diet, or she could join me. And sometimes she does. She does like some of the plant based foods, just not all of them. Gone Plant Based [00:05:22]: So, basically, I got back into going plant based again. Now in that 1st month of being plant based, thanks to the help that I had with Jackie. I lost over a stone in weight or over £14 in weight. In fact, I lost even more than that, and it was getting pretty ridiculous. It's now slowed right down, which, actually, I'm quite relieved about because I feel like I'm adjusting. But so far, and this to date is the end of January, I have lost 17.2 kilos, so I'm nearly at the 3 stone mark. I'm about 3 or £4 off, about £3 off 4 stone. I think it's 39 point something pounds. Gone Plant Based [00:06:19]: But, already, my clothes baggier, and I'm feeling better, and I've got more energy. And in that short space of time, I've been able to reduce my steroids from, a maintenance dose of 10 milligrams a day down to 7 and a half milligrams a day. I'm going based 1 to 1 and a half milligrams per month. In the past, I've been told, oh, yes. Just do a couple of weeks, then come down another milligram until you get to 5, and then come and see us because we need to know that, you know, your your system hasn't packed up and depends on it a 100%. But it never worked, so I just decided I was gonna do it slower. And if it means that I get to where I want to be, and it's taken longer, so be it because I've got there. That's what matters. Gone Plant Based [00:07:15]: So I'm doing it roughly half a milligram, to 1 milligram per month rather than per fortnight, and so far, it's going very well. Right. Now what's this channel about? Well, it is about the change that happens within you when you go plant based. You make the decision, and it's about being held accountable as well. And I I think that's really important. I hope to make videos that well, I don't hope to make videos, but I will make videos if I go through a period where I'm finding it very difficult to stick to this way of eating, where for example, we had one very recently, and I actually put back on a kilogram and a half. I put back on just over £3. It's come off again now, but the reason was we had a power cut for 5 days. Gone Plant Based [00:08:14]: So everything in my freezer, all the batch cooked foods from Whole Foods, no added oil, pure plant based, I couldn't access because we didn't wanna defrost the freezer. We did in the end, on the last day, manage to get a generator and keep it so that it saved it, but we couldn't actually get access to it. And we had no heating, no light, no cooking facilities apart from one little camping gas, ring, which we were short on gas canisters, so we had to save them for the hot water. And it it meant that we had to eat out a lot. We ate takeaway. We went to restaurants. And we live in the west of Ireland, and the Irish are fabulous foodies. They make the most incredible food. Gone Plant Based [00:09:07]: They have brilliant chefs. But, usually, there is only 1 plant based option on the menu. And it's not cooked the way that I would cook it on a whole food plant based, no added oil. Diet. It's usually cooked in oil, and it has things in to make it very flavorsome that are not compliant with the way I've been eating. So during that power cut, it did mean that I put back some weight. Now I knew once we got power again, I was going to actually lose it, but it's a setback, isn't it? It means, like, a week and a half has gone before I've got back to where I was before the power cut. So there we have it. Gone Plant Based [00:09:52]: A week and a half, I'm now back to where I was before the power cut, and and that's how it goes. That's how it it's rock and roll. But the other side that I would like to cover in this channel is the psychological side as well, the food psychology, the nutrition, but I do love to cook. And all throughout my college and my teenage years, I have had work cooking. I grew up in a household where everything was cooked from scratch. I've loved cooking. I do love cooking. I also love growing food as well. Gone Plant Based [00:10:32]: Now I don't do the bulk of that. Jackie does that. And she has a fabulous Gardening channel called Gone Potty Gardening. So please do have a look at that and subscribe to Gone Potty Gardening, and that's on YouTube. So we grow as much as we can in the west of plant climate, and we freeze what we can for the winter, then when we can't get it fresh. And I love cooking. For me, it's like a a fabulous I'm like the mad scientist. Oh, let's try a bit of this. Gone Plant Based [00:11:05]: I wonder how that works with that. Great. I love it. So I will include some of our recipes, what works. I'll also talk about disasters. But I'd also talk about the psychological aspect of, you know, trying to lose weight. When when you're in that category of, is virtually impossible. I mean, I saw an endocrinologist about my diabetes, type 2 diabetes, which I have and is coming under really good control now. Gone Plant Based [00:11:42]: But when I saw her, it was out of control. And she took one look at me, and she said, You'll never get off steroids. I can tell by looking at you. Now she might be right. I'm gonna try and prove her wrong. Oh, I'm gonna try and improve things anyway, but I'm I'll try and prove her wrong. And I'm sure that she would love me to prove her wrong. She was a really good person, but but at least I can do something about it I can hopefully reduce, get down to the minimum my my body can survive on, which would be something. Gone Plant Based [00:12:13]: But, yeah, I came to this like most of, other plant based people with the movies, Forks 7 knives, that kind of thing. What the health? I was very inspired by doctor Brooke Goldner as well because, she reversed her cured her autoimmune disease, a very serious case of lupus, By going plant based. She herself is is a doctor, and so she knew what was going on. And she knows how this works, and she helps a lot of people now reverse diseases. Doctor Esselstyn And doctor t Colin Campbell with their fantastic work, that shows that you can reverse heart disease, which is pretty amazing, really. Once you think something's damaged and no good, it's about damage limitation rather than cure. And, just a little example, time, when I first went plant based, my cholesterol was very high. My blood pressure was very high. Gone Plant Based [00:13:27]: And within 6 months of eating a plant based diet, my cholesterol was normal, and I was off all blood pressure medications. So That was before I went type 2 diabetic, of course, but that all happened when I stopped eating plant based. So it just shows you, doesn't it, that, you know, it really does work, and I've put it to the test. I've put it to the pure test that I've been plant based. I improved all my bloods and, several health conditions. And then I went off and went back to how things were before. Everything came back and a ton more. And now I've gone back to it. Gone Plant Based [00:14:10]: And, hopefully, I'm gonna start doing some reversing again soon. Already started with the steroids. There's sometimes stuff there you can't do anything about, but let's see what we can do something about. But I really enjoy this way of eating, it sorted out a lot of problems. It sorted out a lot of gastric problems as well that I was having. So there you go. We won't go into too much details about that, but that's basically what it's all about. Gone plant based,