chia seed

1 Comment Posted on Diet, Patient Talk

Chia Seeds – Find out more about this amazing Superfood


Chia seeds

Chia seeds

As many of you will know I’m rather partial to what are called superfoods.  While, it seems, there is no formal definition of Superfood the terms is, typically, used to describe foodstuffs which have a high nutrient value.  Therefore offering greater health benefits than the run of the mill stuff we often eat.

In fact superfoods are still a bone of contention in our house.  My wife claims I secretly grated broccoli, which she hates, on her food while she was pregnant with our first child.

For more background on superfoods please have a look at https://patienttalk.org/?p=276 .  It includes links to pro and anti superfoods discussions.

But to return to the point of the blog.  Last week my wife returned home brandishing a copy of a magazine which gave a recipe for a dish which included something called chia seeds.  Which, according to the article, were superfoods?  “What on earth are Chia seeds?” I exclaimed.   To which I received the traditional “search me” look.

So I decided it was my duty, as a healthcare blogger, to find out more about the health benefits of chia seeds.  Indeed in America the chia craze has been going for a few years but it seems that Europe is about to catch up.

Chia is a member of the mint family which grows in Latin America.   Apparently   it was  a staple of Aztec and Mayan cooking. However it is the seeds themselves which are of particular interest.  Chia seeds contain:-

a)      More Omega 3 fatty acids than salmon.

b)      A great source of antioxidants.  You can read up on antioxidants here https://patienttalk.org/?p=252

c)       Very high in dietary fibre

d)      A source of calcium and iron and a number of B vitamins

e)      May lower cholesterol and help prevent heart disease

Chai seeds are often used by athletes and a table spoon of the seeds has been described as the equivalent of a smoothie of salmon and spinach.

So how do you take it?  Well it is a common addition to smoothies and health drinks.  Have a look at https://patienttalk.org/?p=638 for more info.

The downside of chai seeds is the cost.  But if they take off we can only hope it will come down.

In fact today is going to be the first time I’ve tried chai seeds.  I’ll be using this recipe for BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH SUPER CHIA GARNISH for Stylist Magazine which can be found here http://www.stylist.co.uk/life/recipes/black-bean-soup-with-super-chia-garnish.  Once we have tried it I’ll give you an update.  Given that I love black beans I’m sure I’ll be a fan.

If you have used chia seeds it would be great if you can tell us how you found them using the comments box.  If you have any recipes then please share them as well

Many thanks in advance.


4 Comments Posted on Multiple Sclerosis, Patient Talk

Multiple Sclerosis and Diet Part Two – MS and the Gluten Free Diet.

MS and Gluten free

MS and Gluten free

As regular readers may recall we ran a blog recently on the subject of multiple sclerosis and diet.  For the first post we looked at MS and the Paleo or caveman diet.  You can read up about it here https://patienttalk.org/?p=1383.  As you can see it created a lot of interest.  A number of commenters both on our blog and on the Facebook MS page (https://www.facebook.com/MultipleSclerosisTalk) said they had found benefit from a gluten free diet.

So we thought we would look more closely at the gluten free diet and how it might be of value to people with multiple sclerosis.

Now gluten free diets are used to treat a number of medical conditions.  Obviously gluten intolerance and the similar, but unrelated condition, Celiac, come to mind.  You can find out more about Celiac in a past blog here https://patienttalk.org/?p=349.

So what is a gluten free diet?  Well, as the name suggests it is intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains such as spelt and rye.

This means that people who require a gluten free diet need to avoid products from those cereals.  So typical cereal-based items which need to be avoided can include bread, pasta and beer.  That being said, gluten free alternatives are available and they include other grains and starch sources which include chick pea flour, arrowroot, millet, quinoa, taro, teff, chia seed, almond meal flour, coconut flour, pea flour, corn-starch and yam.  These are normally available in your local health-food store.

Now many people with MS do find improvements with the diet.  This may be in part due to “non-celiac gluten sensitivity”.  It is thought that such sensitivity in a person with multiple sclerosis may increase the severity of their neurological symptoms.

One of the objectives of this blog post is to allow our readers to share their experiences with the gluten free diet as a treatment for multiple sclerosis.  It would be great if you could tell your story in the comments box below.   You may wish to think about the following questions when framing your answer.

a)   Have you ever used the gluten free diet to treat your MS?  And for how long?

b)  How effective was it?

c)    Tell us a bit about the realities of the diet.  Was it more expensive and time-consuming?

d)  Please share an average day’s menu with us.

e)   Would you recommend this diet?

f)     Any advice for a person with MS about to embark on a gluten free diet.

Feel free to use the comments box below to share your story and include any links you think may be of use.

Thanks very much in advance.