"Whole foods are better than processed foods"

Whole food and lifestyles impact on health

Whole food and lifestyles impact on health-MediaCast Source: MediaCast

Conflicting diet advises causing chaos.


Julie Sladden, a general practitioner (GP), Psychiatry and emergency medicine share her insights into the exploration of whole food, lifestyles and how they impact on our health during National Nutritional Week of the 14-20 Oct.

Dr. Julie Sladden has told SBS that whole foods are better than fast foods or processed foods (Junk foods) and would like to encourage Australian to stick to whole foods, as it has been practicing by many generations to keep them healthy.

Dr. Sladden said that we are bombard with conflicting advises and researches of what type of diet or what guidelines of dietary that we should follow, but recommending that the Nutritional Therapy Association of of Australia want Australians "to get back to the very basic nutrition base is the most important thing" which is eating more whole foods that has kept many generations healthy. That is eating whole foods that are locally and seasonally grown to keep us healthy.
"There has been studies that have come out overwhelmingly saying that saturated fat isn't the cause for cardiovascular diseases that was we once thought of and (Low-density lipoprotein-LDL) cholesterol isn't the cause either but what actually causing this rising rate of current diseases has been the contribution of high sugar diets and refined foods and inflammatory foods and other lifestyles matters," said Julie Sladden, a GP, Psychiatry and an Emergency Medicine health practitioner.
Julie Sladden said that each and every individual of us has different genetic make up, we are living in different environments and our lifestyles factors that we live in as well as the level of activities we do, determine the "bio-individuality make up" therefore there is no one diet solution fits all. So everyone has to listen to their body and choose whatever foods that are suitable for them, for instance diabetes patient should take low carbohydrate diets so they can control their sugar level.

Sladden mentioned that though DNA testing might help some one to consume some certain type of diets that are suitable for their health needs, by simply listening to our body and how our body react to those foods such as if we are tired in the afternoon, we may eating too much carbohydrates and we should have some protein diets.

In regards to gene testing, it may work fine for some one but it cannot tell the whole picture as it may not consider the level of activities we do, the environmental toxin we live in or the lifestyle that we practice.
"Processed foods are never good for us, we really need to stick to those whole unprocessed foods and that has been true across generations,'' said Julie Sladden.
She also would like people to check out the Australian new healthy dietary guidelines and also discuss with their health practitioners about new dietary researches and listen to their bodies what type of foods suit their body best.

When discussing about some people who hate eating vegetables, Dr. Sladden said that we need to do some experiment with foods, try to hide it in different forms like stewed, slow cook or soup that are not in real vegetable form.

Dr. Sladden also would like to recommend Australians to check out for more information and resources about nutrition and dietary guidelines and to access free online week course called "Nutrition one on one", you can call the Nutritional Practitioners in your areas or join NTA Facebook page to your journey to better health.#

Listen to more Hmong news from SBS Radio Hmong program website at on Thursday 6 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and on Thursday at 11 am AEST. You can download SBS Radio App to instal in your smartphone from App Store at  and from Google Play at .

Besides, you can download podcasts in Hmong and English from from which you can subscripe to iTunes store or either download podcasts from as well as from as well as in RSS at 

You can also follow #SBSHmong Facebook page at . Like, subscribe, share, comments and have a chat with SBS Radio Hmong Program and share our stories and news to your friends or share your stories with us so we can present to Hmong communities. Call us on + 61 3 9949 2259  for a chat or message as through Facebook messenger. And if you want to comments directly with us please send your comments to or send it to .


Share