Diary: Wynne and Ryan on summer holidays in TW

Spending summer in TW is not so fun at all.  Beside having 35C everyday, typhoon visits us very often too.  The first typhoon is expecting to come tomorrow...

The kids are on holidays.  Ryan basically doesn't have much things to do since I didn't sign him up for any summer program, but I do teach Ryan at home...spelling, colouring, reading etc.  After a year in Smart Start, he speaks a lot of mandarin at home but sometimes, he mixes up mandarin with cantonese...  As for Wynne, she attends a local summer program where she gets to speak more mandarin with her friends...which is very good, I am not expecting her to learn chinese writing but at least she needs to speak fluent mandarin.  Oh, speaking of Wynne, she has shown a tremendous improvement in english speaking/literacy skills which really amazed me.  She uses phonics to spell the words and starts reading chapter books... but I hope she can speak up a little bit more and express her feeling in the class.

Nutrition Article: Are you having a happy diet?

Published in Centered on Taipei monthly magazine Jun 2013/Jul 2013 issue
Written by Michelle Cheung Chi-Kwun - State Registered Dietitian of Health Professions Council (UK)

Understanding our mood

We all have up and down days and stress can affect people from all walks of life, leading to both physical and psychological health issues; therefore, it is very important to cope with the emotional stress as soon as you realize it.  One of the main substances in our brain generating signals that not only control mood but also food intake is SEROTONIN.  If you are always craving for sweets and chocolate, probably your serotonin level is low.  On the other hand, higher serotonin levels help us to resist food that we don’t need, even when delicious temptations are readily available.  Studies showed that low serotonin levels are associated with depression.  Moreover, when you are under stress for a long period of time, health complications such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, shortness of breath and even heart diseases may arise.

If you find yourself grumpy, depressed or irritable, be sure to think of what you have eaten because diet could be one of the factors to such behavior and feeling!  Even though some foods make you depressed (eg. Caffeine, sweets and desserts, alcoholic beverages, etc.), some foods do actually make you happy.

There are several nutrients involved in our nervous system including the B vitamins (folate, niacin and riboflavin), vitamin C, selenium and magnesium, etc.  In this article, let us focus on 3 nutrients.

Introducing 3 Nutrients to stay HAPPY

1.     Omega 3 fatty acids

Omega 3 fatty acid is one of the important elements to make neurotransmitters.  Lacking omega 3 fatty acid in our body affects the level of serotonin and so does our mood.  Studies showed that omega-3 fatty acids in fish are associated with lower risk of depression, and people with mood disorders have relatively lower omega 3 fatty acids level in their body.

Food (per 100g)	Content of omega 3 fatty acids (mg)
Salmon	1,429
Tuna	1,141
Crab	361
Oyster	291
Halibut	258
Canned tuna in water	233
Shrimp	222

 2.     Tryptophan

Tryptophan, one of the essential amino acids, is the building block of serotonin.

Food sources: oatmeal/banana/milk/cheese/turkey/tofu/peanut/poultry/peanut butter

However, we have 20 types of amino acids in our body, and tryptophan is just one of them.  The remaining 19 amino acids will compete with tryptophan for the transportation in our brain; therefore, we need the assistance of the 3^rd “happy nutrient”—Carbohydrate!

3.     Complex Carbohydrate (Low glycemic index-GI carbs)

 

Carbohydrates can help transport all amino acids except tryptophan into different cells from the blood, causing a reduced level of other amino acids and a relatively larger proportion of tryptophan in the bloodstream, tryptophan is able to transport to our brain at a higher rate.  As a result, it allows our brain to utilize tryptophan more efficiently and the conversion rate of serotonin in our brain will be increased.

On its own, carbs can affect our mood as well.  Many people tend to skip carb as they perceive carb as fattening!  Studies showed that people who followed a very low carbohydrate diet (taking the amount in ~ 1/2 cup of rice and 1 piece of bread per day) for a year, experienced more depression, anxiety and anger than those assigned to a low-fat, high-carb diet that focused on low-fat dairy, whole grains, fruit and beans.

When our blood sugar level is low, we are more prone to be fatigue, anxious, easily distracted by others; however, if we consume sugary foods or simple carbs, our blood sugar level surges up and becomes very unsteady, and so does our mood, and that’s why skipping meals and consumption of simple carbs are discouraged.  Low GI carbs (complex carbs), on the other hand, are carbs that have a minimal effect on our blood sugar level after consumption and they are digested more slowly; hence they not only help to stabilize our mood but also keep us feeling full for longer. 

Low GI carbs: Whole grains, oatmeal and cereals, starchy carbs (eg. Corn/potato), pasta, fruits, beans and legumes

Tips to stay HAPPY:

1.     Consistent eating pattern, include 1 or 2 snacks between main meals (eg. Fruits)
2.     Avoid simple carbohydrate and focus on whole grains
3.     Moderate protein food intake including fatty fish
4.     Eat a wide variety of food; avoid alcoholic beverages and excessive caffeine intake

Michelle Cheung is currently a full-time mom to 2 but was previously working as a Clinical Dietitian in Hong Kong.

 

Article: Fat and Exercise

Text: Michelle CHEUNG, Dietitian
Published in Centered on Taipei, 2013 March issue

Article: One man's food may be another man's posion: understanding food allergy

 

Published in Centered on Taipei monthly magazine Dec 2012/Jan 2013 issue

Diary: 家人最愛麵條

我們一家都喜歡吃麵條的，爸爸愛吃東莞米粉、女兒和兒子愛吃意大利粉，所以我們總會試試不同種類的。到了台灣，當然要試當地出產的麵條了。吃過台南關廟麵和新竹米粉，真的要讚!  女兒超愛吃關廟麵啊，反而我較喜歡吃新竹米粉﹐煮多久都是爽口的!

值得一提，如果對麥麩有不耐症或敏感便不可以吃關廟麵或意大利粉了，因為含有小麥的關係。反之，米粉就沒有大影嚮，可以安心吃。麥麩不耐症或敏感亦要注意食物中含有大麥或稞麥的成份，如麵包、餅乾及早餐穀物，另外大部份啤酒都含有大麥。

Article: Crayfish Party in Sweden!

Having spent a nice and breezeful morning with a lovely swedish lady, I get to know more about Sweden, a country with a long day and short night, snowy and freezing winter and still chilly summer (seems not a very ideal place to live).  Every August, the Swedes hold a crayfish party with everyone wearing a funny party hat and lanterns hanging outside the house.  Of course, crayfish is the main dish and you will have it with beer and the purpose of the whole event is to get drunk and have fun!  I had crayfish once when I was in Shanghai and Shanghainese love eating it with their bare hands (gloves on), and we can finish up to 30 pieces of crayfish each time per person!

Let's see what are the nutrients of Crayfish.
Per 100g Crayfish (cooked, moist heat)
90kcal
17g protein
1.2g fat
270mg P
300mg K
133mg Cholesterol

It belongs to the meat group so basically it provides protein.  Dietary fat is considerably low but its cholesterol content is higher than either pork or beef with separable lean and fat, given the same weight.  So my advice is, if your cholesterol level is high, I would suggest you to have it occassionally and limited your intake.  Remember your cholesterol intake is 300mg per day if your cholesterol level is at the borderline; however if you have hypercholesterolemia, you should not take more than 200mg cholesterol per day.  Also, starch and veg should be included in your meal to make it a Balanced Meal!

Written by Michelle CHEUNG, R.D.

“One man’s food may be another man’s poison”—Understanding food allergy

Article: “One man’s food may be another man’s poison”—Understanding food allergy

Food is essential to our life as it provides energy and nutrients.  All of us eat to survive, and most of us enjoy eating.  However, some people indeed cannot tolerate some kinds of food and may develop adverse reaction afterwards.

Differences between Food Allergy and Food Intolerance

Are food allergy and food intolerance interchangeable?  Both are food reactions but they are different.  Food allergy can be serious and life-threatening; even a tiny bit of allergic food can cause immediate (symptoms may occur within minutes to 2 hours) and severe reactions such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, nasal congestion, stomach cramps, shortness of breath, angioedema of the lips, face, tongue and throat, and etc.  Its abnormal response to a food protein involves the immune system and there is no cure for food allergy, a complete and strict avoidance of the food allergen is the only prevention from the adverse reactions.

The prevalence of food allergy in children has shown an increase of 18% between 1997 and 2007.  Eight foods causing 90% of allergic reactions in the United States are as follows:

Milk	Eggs
Wheat	Soy
Peanuts	Tree nuts
Fish	Shellfish

On the other hand, food intolerance reactions are of slower onset (symptoms occur hours to days) and do not involve the immune system.  Food intolerances are much common than food allergies.  Lactose intolerance, coeliac disease and wheat intolerance are types of food intolerance.

Diagnosis of food allergy

It is necessary to visit your doctor if you are suspected from food allergy, a skin prick test, specific IgE and basophil histamine release are the methods for allergy testing.  Once the allergenic foods are suspected, a restricted and tailor made diet should result in the disappearance of symptoms or at least a significant reduction.  Such diagnostic diet may be prescribed by the dietitian and should be supervised by the doctor.

To food allergic people: How to avoid?

Basic tips for eat out/take-away meals

1.     Read the menu thoroughly

2.     Ask the waiter/waitress if in doubt

3.     Inform the chef in advance booking

4.     Watch out for hidden ingredients

-Peanut oil used in cooking

-Peanuts in satay sauce, chocolate, ice cream or candy bars

        -Nuts in cake/dessert

5.  Always bring the emergency treatment kit (Injectable epinephrine)

Food labeling

Food label is mandatory in UK or the rest of the European Unit and the following food ingredients must be clearly illustrated on the food package:

Peanuts	Tree nuts	Eggs
Milk	Fish	Crustaceans (lobsters, crabs and prawns)
Sesame seeds	Soya	Cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, barley and oats)

Nutritional management

Nutritional management is important in food allergy.  Prolonged food avoidance may lead to specific nutrient deficiency and consequently, a disorder may arise.  It is necessary to talk to a dietitian regarding to the diet plan and the management should include:

1.     Total avoidance of food allergens

2.     Education on food allergy

3.     Provide alternative nutrient sources

4.     Sample meal plan

Food challenge test may be given over a few weeks and after following the food challenge test, the suspected allergenic food will be reintroduced to the diet.  Recording any allergy symptoms that occur when the food is reintroduced helps to confirm the diagnosis.  However, if a severe reaction to the food has had resulted, food challenge test cannot be used.

Feel and live better

Some food allergies can be outgrown and if they don’t, a balanced diet is important in order to keep ourselves healthy and remember there is always a substitution.

 

Written by: CHEUNG Michelle Chi-Kwun, R.D.