Villa Market :: The original supermarket since 1974

	Organic Organic refers to the way agricultural products are grown. Organic production is based on a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers. Organically produced foods also must be produced without the use of antibiotics, synthetic hormones, genetic engineering and other excluded practices, sewage sludge, or irradiation. National organic standards require that organic growers and handlers be certified. Consumers can look for the “Organic” label on the products they consider for purchase. Products labeled “Organic” are just that – they contain all organically produced ingredients.
	Hormone Free Food quality is measured in so many ways that it takes a trained grocer to recognize the subtle differences. Here is the strength of Villa Market. As a family owned market Villa has complete quality control of the products it stocks and over the years it has formed solid partnerships with reliable food producers and suppliers who meet villa's high quality standards. Villa is renowned for its meat quality. Most are free range which naturally brings out the best in flavor. For its beef supply, Villa has a perfect process certificate and raises cattle without the use of steroids or hormones.
	Gluten Free - Wheat Free - Low Carb Gluten is a protein found in grains including wheat, rye, barley, triticale and oats. This protein, a component of gluten, can cause problems for some people – the most common being coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis (a gluten induced skin sensitivity). The small intestine of a person with coeliac disease is sensitive to gluten. Even tiny amounts of gluten can cause harm. When the lining of the small intestine is damaged, nutrients are poorly absorbed. Untreated, this can result in a range of disorders including malnutrition, osteoporosis and infertility. While there is no cure, a lifelong adherence to a strict gluten free diet can manage the disease. The symptoms of coeliac disease may include: • anaemia • digestive upsets, such as flatulence and bloating • diarrhea or constipation • nausea • vomiting • abdominal pains and cramps • weight loss • fatigue and generalized malaise Foods to enjoy Despite the restrictions, a person with coeliac disease or gluten intolerance can still enjoy a wide and varied diet. Corn (maize), rice, soy, potato, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, lentils and amaranth are all gluten free. Some gluten free foods are: Meat products - plain meat, fish, chicken, bacon, ham off the bone and meats that are frozen or canned but with no sauce. Dairy products - eggs, full cream milk, low fat milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, fresh cream, processed or block cheese and some soymilks. Fruits and vegetables - fresh, canned or frozen but not sauced; fruit juices, nuts and peanut butter. Cereal and baking products - corn (maize) flour, soya flour, lentil flour, rice (all types), rice flour, rice bran, potato flour, buckwheat, millet, amaranth, breakfast cereals made from corn and rice (without malt extract), polenta and psyllium. Bread, cakes and biscuits – made from gluten free flours and ingredients, most rice crackers, corn cakes, rice crisp breads, corn tortillas and corn taco shells. Pasta and noodles - gluten free pasta, rice noodles, bean vermicelli and 100% buckwheat noodles. Condiments - tomato paste, jam, honey, maple syrup, cocoa, all kinds of vinegars (except malt), some sauces and some salad dressings. Snacks - plain chips and corn chips, popcorn and plain chocolate. Drinks - tea, coffee, mineral water, wine, sports drinks, spirits and liqueurs (check these for gluten-containing ingredients first). Wheat Free True wheat allergy is very rare (less than .5% of the population) and is usually detected very early in life, when babies and toddlers go onto solid foods. Wheat allergy is when there is a severe sudden onset, allergic reaction to one or more of the protein fractions in wheat which is an auto-immune response of the body. Usual symptoms are immediate and can include: • coughing • asthma • breathing difficulties • allergic rhinitis • eczema /skin rashes • stomach cramps • nausea / vomiting Wheat Intolerance Wheat intolerance (due to gluten sensitivity) is actually quite common. Up to 15%, or one in seven people is gluten intolerant. Wheat intolerance is when you have difficulty digesting wheat. It is a slower onset but certainly involves the immune system. Symptoms can include: • aching joints • gastro-intestinal problems • depression • eczema • low blood iron levels Wheat intolerance is caused by gluten (protein contained in wheat, rye barley, triticale and oats). The treatment is a gluten free diet, and people who have suffered for years improve dramatically within a couple of weeks after a wheat-free diet.
	Dairy Free Milk is one of the most common food allergens and can go undiagnosed creating a variety of illnesses. Milk or dairy allergy arises when a person cannot tolerate the protein in cow’s milk. Colicky babies, dry cough, frequent ear blockages, nose mucous, diarrhea, hives, eczema, asthma are common symptoms of an allergy to milk. All milk products should be avoided with milk allergy. Lactose intolerance Lactose intolerance arises when people are unable to digest the sugar in milk known as lactose. It is a common food intolerance that affects at least one in ten people. Lactose is an enzyme that is present in the lining of the gut. This intolerance happens when there is not enough lactase present in the gut to digest lactose. Lactase breaks down to lactose, a sugar found in milk and most milk products.
	Diabetes People with diabetes either lack insulin or their insulin does not work properly. As we age, our bodies become less able to use insulin effectively, so it is important to design your daily foods to prevent sudden peaks or rises in blood sugar levels. Your overall health can improve through optimal nutrition. The latest approach to diabetic management is to: • use low fat foods • use high fibre carbohydrate foods • use anti-oxidant foods • exercise daily Excess fat can adversely affect overall diabetes control, body weight and cholesterol levels, so it is important to keep fat intake low. Low fat foods reduce the strain on the pancreas, which secretes insulin. High fibre foods of grains and legumes digest slowly, giving insulin the time it needs to utilize glucose. Chromium, a metal, forms part of a compound called the "glucose tolerance factor". This assists insulin to get glucose into body cells more efficiently. Select foods containing chromium are whole grain cereals, fish and shellfish, oysters, potatoes, egg yolk and beef. Anti-oxidant foods are fresh vegetables and fruits providing Vitamin C, beta-carotene and Vitamin E. These protect against cardio-vascular disease. Exercise is important in keeping the body's glucose tolerance system in good condition and in burning up excess blood glucose. Dietary Suggestions • reduce total fat intake, particularly animal fats. • increase linoleic acid (omega 3’s) by eating nuts, linseed meal, chicken and fish. • increase foods rich in fibre and unrefined carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrain breads, oats, cereals and pasta. • spices such as cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf and turmeric improve insulin efficiency in using up glucose. • try to include the carbohydrates which are slowly digested and absorbed leading to a smaller rise in blood glucose. Good choices include rye or grainy breads, pasta, oats, barley, legumes (baked beans, kidney beans, chick peas, lentils), fruits (apples, oranges, stone fruit) starchy vegetables (sweet potato, corn), low fat milk and yoghurt. • reduce sugar, synthetic sugars and sweet foods such as cakes and biscuits, candies and soft drinks which are high in fat and low in nutritional value. • buy low fat meat, cheese and milk products. • lower salt intake to 2,400 mg per day. • avoid processed foods containing nitrosamines such as pickled and smoked fish and meats. • avoid take away foods which are fried in batter, crumbs and pastry, and creamy sauces. • use low fat cooking methods such as steaming, microwave, baking, grilling or stir frying. • maintain recommended weight for height.
	Low Fat You need a wide range of fats and oils to live and stay healthy. It is all a question of which fat to choose and use. Good fats in proper balance play an essential role in maintaining your health. Your body needs to manufacture twenty different fatty acids, all from just two essential fatty acids: Omega-3 (linolenic acid) and Omega-6 (linoleic acid). These fatty acids maintain cell membranes, transport fats around the body and are needed to make hormones. A deficiency of omega-3’s has been strongly implicated as a main cause of heart disease, immune system breakdown, cancer and other diseases. By eating a wide range of foods you can meet your daily requirements for essential fatty acids. Ideally we require a balance of 2/3 omega-3 and 1/3 omega-6. These essential fatty acids are necessary even for weight loss because weight loss requires the action of many hormones and these hormones are manufactured in your body from essential fatty acids. Dietary suggestions Increase omega-3 fatty acids • Use oils such as flaxseed, canola, walnut, soybean or cod liver oil in salad dressings or dips. These oils must NOT be heated as this destroys the content. • Eat 150g/week of nuts such as walnuts, macadamias, almonds or hazelnuts as snacks. • Use nut spreads in preference to margarine. • Consume 3 eggs a week. • Eat fish such as salmon, herring, tuna, cod, mackerel or sardines six times a week for lunch or dinner, hot or cold meals. • Add linseed (flaxseed) to bread and cereals. Increase omega-6 fatty acids • Eat dark green leafy vegetables each day, 50% raw and 50% cooked. • Consume wholegrain breakfast cereals and breads. • Use seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower as snacks or as garnishes for vegetable dishes. Increase omega-9 fatty acids • Use oils such as olive, peanut, macadamia and sesame. Mix with omega-3 oils for salad dressings and dips. • Combine avocado in salads or use as toast toppers or as a spread for sandwiches
	Low Salt A low salt diet is used for people with diseases that affect fluid balance or conditions where control of severe heart failure, impaired liver function, high blood pressure, kidney disease and Meniere’s disease. The Dietary Guidelines for a food labeled ”low salt” must contain no more than 120 mg of sodium per 100gms (120mg/100g). Intake of Dietary Salt (sodium) • A normal salt diet – between 1100 - 3300mg per day • A high salt diet – between 4000mg – 6000mg per day • A low salt diet – between 400mg – 1000mg per day Heart Failure Heart failure causes the body to hold onto extra sodium. The sodium causes extra fluid to build up in the body, which makes the heart work harder. It also causes symptoms such as swelling of the ankles, feet or abdomen, shortness of breath, or weight gain. High Blood Pressure / Hypertension High blood pressure or hypertension is a persistent elevation of blood pressure above normal. Sodium chloride (salt) is one dietary factor that has been associated with the development of hypertension. A decrease in dietary sodium has been shown to decrease blood pressure in individuals suffering from hypertension. Meniere’s Disease Meniere’s Disease is a problem with the fluid-balancing regulator in the inner ear, causing an imbalance in fluid pressure between two inner ear fluid chambers. Typically people with Meniere’s disease experience repeated bouts of vertigo, tinnitus (hissing, ringing, or roaring sound in ear), a build up of pressure in the ear and hearing loss. Excessive salt intake can make Meniere’s disease worse by causing extra fluid retention in the endolymphatic chamber. Limiting salt intake to 1500 mg per day can have a favorable impact on Meniere’s disease. Note: There are several conditions where a low salt diet is not appropriate and may be harmful. These include pregnancy, when diuretics are prescribed and following bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. Dietary Suggestions To Help Reduce Salt Intake • Try flavoring foods with fresh onion and garlic, herbs, spices and lemon juice. • Rinse canned vegetables, beans and fish to remove much of the salt. • Use more fresh fruit and vegetables’ as they are naturally low in sodium. • Limit and reduce consumption of take away foods, salty foods such as pickles, cured, salted canned, smoked or processed meats and fish, salted snacks, canned soups. • Limit and eventually stop using salt and high sodium seasonings in cooking. • Take the salt shaker off the table and omit salt from recipes and food preparation. • Reduce the amount of high sodium products and seasonings you use such as soy sauce, sauces, dressings, garlic and onion salts, stock cubes / powders, MSG and salted nuts. • Reduce consumption of cakes, biscuits, muffins or products using baking powder (sodium bicarbonate). • Look for low salt and unsalted food products. • When eating out ask that your food be prepared without added salt.

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Villa Market Wellness Centre