Quirky Cooking Chats

AQJ 08: Fat Adapted: Using healthy fats as an energy source

This episode begins with Jo sharing where she is at with her and her family’s health and GAPS journey, the ups and downs, and the importance of marking time while waiting for the gut to heal.
The discussion then turns to fats, and Jo and Leah are joined by a return special guest, Mark Follett. Mark explains how to identify healthy fats and the not so healthy ones, and how to incorporate fats into your diet. He also talks about how to get your body fat adapted, which means your body is able to use fats as an energy source. We discuss what this means for everyday people and sports people alike, what the benefits are for the family, for athletes, and for those in the workplace.
The insights that Mark offers are part of his own personal experiences and he makes reference both to research on the subject, and also to how it feels, and the practical, everyday benefits
If you are still confused about where fats fit into our diet, this episode will impart some knowledge and direction for personal research. Below are links to information that is discussed during this podcast:
-Dr Stephen Phinney and Co: http://www.artandscienceoflowcarb.com/research/
– Tim Noakes: http://originaleating.org/the-noakes-foundation/prof-tim-noakes
– Bitters: http://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/bitters-the-revival-of-a-forgotten-flavor/
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AQJ 07: How Gut Health Affects Hormones, Fertility & Women’s Health – with Samantha Bulloch

In this episode we interview Samantha Bulloch, ND, Clinical Director & practicing naturopath, who is an expert in women’s health issues and helps many families with healing infertility issues. Samantha gives us a fascinating insight into what is happening in the body when gut health breaks down, and how it affects everything else in the body, including hormones and fertility. She explains how the gut can be healed, and the difference that can make in a woman’s body.
This podcast is not just for women wanting to fall pregnant – it’s information every woman should know about her own body, from young teens to mature ages. And it’s helpful for the guys too.
An amazing podcast that you don’t want to miss!
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AQJ 06: Why am I more sensitive to foods, now that I’m on GAPS?

Are you on an elimination diet of some kind, whether GAPS or another one, and finding it frustrating that you seem to be reacting to foods more strongly than you used to? In this episode Jo and Leah discuss why this happens in the early phases of GAPS, and why it’s not a bad thing.  Your body gives you warning signals, and an elimination diet helps you learn to listen to those signals.
You’ll also learn what you can do to support your body through any reactions you may have, realising that every body is different; how to reduce the load on your body; and learning to be patient with yourself as it will take time for your body to heal.
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AQJ 05: Gut healing, de-toxing, and how it feels to go through the die-off phase of GAPS

For most people, it’s a bit scary to think of moving away from your usual way of eating to a gut-healing diet like GAPS, and one of the scariest things is the thought of the de-toxing and die-off symptoms that you’ll go through.
So how does it feel to go through the die-off phase of GAPS? What kinds of foods were we eating before we started GAPS, and what happened when we switched to gut-healing foods? What happens when your body begins to change over from feeding on sugars, to using fats for fuel?
In this episode, Leah’s husband Mark joins the show to share his experiences of the first couple of weeks of GAPS, and explains from a scientific viewpoint what the body is going through during this time of change.
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AQJ 04: The How To’s of Making Home Changes for Health and Healing

Whether you are beginning the GAPS diet, or just working towards a healthier lifestyle, your home is an important place to start. In this episode we share our practical tips for preparing yourself and your home. Learn about detoxing your home and personal care products, finding the right water filter, helpful kitchen tools, getting started with broth making, how to save time on meal prep, finding good food suppliers, choosing the right time to begin, where to get information from, and more. This podcast will help you put together your action plan so you can start confidently!
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AQJ 03: Preparing for Change: Where to start with GAPS

What is the Gut and Psychology Syndrome diet? What caused our families to embark on this journey? How have we avoided being overwhelmed by the many changes?
In this episode, Leah and Jo delve deeper into their personal stories to help listeners understand the whys and wherefores of beginning GAPS. They give a good explanation of what GAPS involves and the difference between GAPS and Paleo, and why some people find the need to go down this road. Whether you are beginning GAPS or not, you will be inspired by this episode to get started on the healthy lifestyle changes you need, without being overwhelmed.
Jo and Leah also explain how to transition to GAPS gently, what the first couple of weeks feel like, the emotional hold food has on us, how to break up with sugar, and how to put these changes into practice in everyday life with a balance of structure and flexibility.
Keep up with our family’s day to day journeys via our Facebook pages: Quirky Cooking and Leah Follett, and feel free to post your questions there.
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AQJ 02: A Quirky Christmas! Surviving and Thriving this Season

Throughout the year many of us have made lifestyle changes that will not fit into our usual Christmas celebrations. Our family is now following a modified GAPS diet, and many others have changed the way they eat in the past year because of newly diagnosed allergies. This episode is about incorporating your favourite Christmas traditions into your new lifestyle, so that the whole family can enjoy a happy, healthy holiday season! There’s no need to feel like you’re missing out – let’s share ideas for a Quirky Christmas.
We’d love for you to share your healthy, quirky Christmas ideas by posting a photo on our Facebook pages, or tagging us on Instagram or Twitter. Hashtag your photos #aquirkychristmas – let’s make some new traditions!
Merry Christmas!
Facebook: Quirky Cooking and Leah Follett
Instragram: jowhitton and akesisbalance
Twitter: QuirkyJo and akesisbalance.com
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AQJ 01: Our stories: why sometimes wholefood isn’t enough

Welcome to the first episode of A Quirky Journey! Grab a cuppa, sit down, and enjoy getting to know Jo and Leah as they share their personal stories with you. Learn about the health challenges that prompted them to seek healing through food, how their experiences led them to where they are now, why sometimes whole foods is not enough, why they decided to go down the path of a GAPS/Paleo diet, how they’ve coped with big diet changes in their families, and the events leading up to the decision to start a podcast.
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