Healthy Food Guide

If you haven’t seen Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar yet, in a nutshell, it dramatises the scandal surrounding ‘wellness’ influencer Belle Gibson who, in the 2010s, amassed a huge online following, launched a meal-planning app and scored a cookbook deal. Impressive achievements for one so young. But to get there she faked having terminal brain cancer and told her followers she had rejected traditional medicine and was surviving through 'clean' eating and lifestyle. The story is sad and maddening for many reasons, but it’s also a reminder we need to be judicious about who we turn to for health advice. Anyone can make a social media account. They're not bound by codes of ethics, practice or conduct, like those in healthcare, journalism or professional fields are. People can and do fabricate…

Healthy Food Guide (HFG) magazine is your complete guide to healthy eating. Our recipes use easy-to-find, affordable ingredients. Cook with HFG and you’ll always enjoy a nutritious meal. You can trust our advice. All our health information is supported by solid scientific evidence, not media fanfare. We smooth out any confusion caused by ‘pseudoscientists’. We give unbiased opinions and are not affiliated with any food manufacturers. All branded food in HFG has been approved by our dietitians. Advertisers cannot influence editorial content. Dietitians review all our articles so they’re always accurate with up-to-date information. A full list of references is also available on request. Every recipe in Healthy Food Guide is healthy Our recipe writers work with qualified dietitians to develop all our meals. A nutritional analysis is provided for every recipe. We test each meal…

Q I’ve decided to try cutting out alcohol this year, after reading about potential links to cancer. What can I drink instead that’s not boring and is healthy and not too sugary? Abby, NSW & A As interest in health and wellness grows, more people are embracing a sober-curious or alcohol-free lifestyle. Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning even small amounts can increase the risk of certain cancers. Cutting back certainly offers plenty of health benefits – and with a growing range of alcohol-free alternatives, making the switch has never been easier. The quality of alcohol-free wine, beer and spirits has come a long way, with many closely mimicking the taste of their alcoholic counterparts. There are plenty of low-sugar options too – just be sure to check the label, as some…

ZOOMING IN ON FAULTS As we have had to adapt to more meetings online, we are now experiencing more 'Zoom fatigue' and may feel less happy with how we look. A US study showed participants who attended frequent online meetings tended to be more dissatisfied with their looks as they grew increasingly exhausted by the meetings. This meant greater use of tools to adjust the way they looked in the calls, and made them less keen to use Zoom-like tech . PLOS One GP or GPT? One in 10 Australians may have already used ChatGPT to ask medical questions, according to research, while a further 39 per cent were considering doing so in the next six months. People who face barriers to healthcare access, such as those with limited English or low health…

In a great example of turning a negative into a positive, researchers are calling on blood services worldwide to follow Australia’s lead and allow blood donations from people with haemochromatosis. People with the inherited disorder store too much iron in their bodies which can damage joints and organs and lead to cancer if untreated. Treatment involves removal of about half a litre of blood, typically every 12 weeks. This is often done at medical practices, with the blood being thrown away. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is the first in the world to allow people with the disease to donate both blood and plasma, and the donations can be used to save lives, rather than being binned. Transfusion…

Can a craving for food, especially when not hungry, really be considered an addiction? The idea of food addiction is a controversial one. When the term ‘food addiction’ is used, it usually expresses the desire for certain types of foods – normally ones that are not the healthiest of choices. Is it possible then to elevate what someone calls a food addiction to the same level as a drug or gambling addiction? Sugar addiction. Fast food addiction. Carb addiction. It seems we are in the middle of a food addiction epidemic. But everyone is addicted to food to some degree; just try going without eating for 24 hours and you’ll be craving it. But this is no different to the ‘craving’ we have for oxygen if we stay underwater for too…