Is it safe to have a few alcoholic drinks when im pregnant?The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) advises that women who are pregnant should avoid alcohol especially in the first three months because of the increased risk of miscarriage. The Department of Health recommends that you avoid drinking alcohol altogether if you’re pregnant. This is because if you drink when you are pregnant the alcohol passes to your unborn baby through your placenta. In the developing immature body of your baby alcohol is broken down much slower than in an adult's body. As a result, the alcohol level of the baby's blood can be higher and remain elevated longer than the level in the mother's blood. This could cause the baby to suffer lifelong damage. No level of alcohol use during pregnancy has been proven safe. So it would be wise to avoid alcohol whilst pregnant to ensure you and your unborn baby is in the best possible health.
Can I cook with Extra Virgin Olive Oil?
Is it true you shouldn’t cook with extra virgin olive oil?Unrefined, cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil has one of the lowest smoke point of all forms of olive oil. This is because extra virgin oil is the least refined, most nutrient dense and contains the largest concentration of fragile nutritive components. When heated to a high temperature the oil burns, turns rancid, and in turn lets out free radicals which are carcinogens. Extra Virgin Olive Oil does not have as high a smoke point as butter or coconut oil. For these reasons, I don't recommend cooking with extra virgin. Keep extra virgin olive oil for salad dressings, drizzling on cooked vegetables or adding to smoothies. To cook with use butter, coconut oil or toasted sesame oil instead.
I'm desperate to lose weigh please help!
I’m desperate to lose weight for the summer but can’t seem to stick to any diet for long. Since January I’ve tried herbal life, lighter life and diet chef, but can’t seem to stick to them for longer than a few weeks at the most, what is the best diet advice? We seem to be bombarded with the latest diet, the fastest way to lose weight or how some celebrity lost a stone or two. In reality we seem to have lost touch with the joy of eating, we have forgotten what normal healthy food is and have bought into the concept that we need man made food products or supplements. There is no quick fix, no magic pill for getting the body of your dreams, but that doesn’t mean that you have to starve to get there nor should it be a hard drawn out process either. Your body was made to be healthy. As a society we seem to have been brainwashed by the media and clever marketing from food companies and we no longer seem to know what is good for us anymore. Margarine sales are a prime example of this as is the rise of fat free yet high sugar products, all made to make money and clever marketing makes us believe we are doing the best for our health, however the truth is we are now fatter and unhealthier than ever before. The biggest myth is that you need to eat less to lose fat. Many of the clients I see are surprised how much they can eat and still lose excess fat. Eat fewer calories and you will lose weight, this is a distorted. A calorie is a calorie right?! The theory goes like this; in order to lose weight we must eat less, this creates a calorie defect which creates weight loss. Well the truth isn’t quite as simple as this not all food is digested in the same way, so whilst a calorie is a calorie how that calorie is absorbed once in the body is different dependent on what type of food the calorie came from. The quality of where the calories come from is really important too. One study conducted by Pawlak D et al 2004, fed two groups of rats diets with identical nutrients, except for the type of carbohydrates, one group had high-GL the other had Low-GI. The animals were fed in a controlled way to maintain the same mean bodyweight for 18 weeks. At the end of the 18 weeks the rats on the lower GL diets had lower rates of body fat and higher amounts of lean muscle mass compared with the rats on the high GL diet. Further research has also shown similar results in mice. Mice on the high-GI diet had almost twice the body fat of those on the low-GI diet after 9 weeks. This shows that the type of food you eat is very important. You don’t need to remove carbohydrates completely nor do you need to eat a low calorie, fat free diet. What you need to learn is how to eat in a way that helps provide your body with enough energy and nutrients but also helps you lose excess fat. It may sound very complicated but it’s easier that it sounds. The most beneficial thing anyone can do to gain health and lose excess weight, is too shift the focus from weight loss altogether and focus on eating real food, then the weight will take care of itself. By real food I mean food that hasn't been tampered with, vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, nuts, rice, butter ETC. Yes even butter has benefits when eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet.
A days eating could look something like this:-
Breakfast - Poached eggs on whole grain toast spread with a little butter Snack - Apple and 10 almonds Lunch -Chicken pesto and salad wrap Live natural yogurt with fresh or frozen berries Dinner - Salmon with new baby potatoes served with green vegetables If you would like more advice or a tailor made diet, please contact me on Kirsten@thefoodremedy.co.uk or on 07780007361 Also vist www.thefoodremedy.co.uk for recipes and healthy food ideas
Different coloured vegetables and fruits
How important is it to eat different coloured vegetables and fruits?
There is a good reason why it is recommended to eat a rainbow of different coloured fruits and vegetables each day. Each different coloured vegetable provides a range of phytochemical (plant nutrients)
Red fruits and vegetables are coloured by natural plant pigments called "lycopene" or "anthocyanins." Lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and pink grapefruit, for example, may help reduce risk of several types of cancer, especially prostate cancer. Lycopene is found in tomatoes.
Anthocyanins in strawberries, raspberries, red grapes and other fruits and vegetables act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. Antioxidants are linked with keeping our hearts healthy, too.
Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables are usually coloured by natural plant pigments called "carotenoids." Beta-carotene in sweet potatoes, pumpkins and carrots is converted to vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy mucous membranes and healthy eyes.
Green fruits and vegetables are coloured by natural plant pigment called "chlorophyll." Spinach, green peppers, peas, cucumber and celery also contain lutein. Lutein may help protect the eyes from developing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts
Blue/purple fruits and vegetables are coloured by natural plant pigments called "anthocyanins." Anthocyanins in blueberries, grapes and raisins act as powerful antioxidants that protect cells from damage. They may help reduce risk of cancer, stroke and heart disease.
White fruits and vegetables are coloured by pigments called "anthoxanthins." They may contain health-promoting chemicals such as allicin, which may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and may help reduce risk of stomach cancer and heart disease.
People who eat more generous amounts of fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including strokes, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and perhaps heart disease and high blood pressure.
The Food Remedy for gout
I have previously suffered from gout, Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening in the future?
Gout is a condition that causes pain, inflammation and swelling in the joints. The condition is due to high levels of uric acid in the blood, leading to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint tissue. Uric acid is normally a harmless waste product which is produced by the body when it breaks down a substance called purines.
Diets which are high in purines and high in protein have been long suspected of causing and increasing the risk of gout. This is because purine foods increase levels of uric acid in the bloodstream which contributes to gout. Studies show that when purine foods are eliminated from the diet incidents of gout decrease.
Treatment is therefore aimed at controlling uric acid in the blood and involves weight loss where appropriate. Long term goals should be focused on nutrition and reducing susceptibility to recurring flare ups. Although food sources only account for between 10-29% of uric acid in the body diet can reduce levels enough to prevent crystallization.
*This includes reducing/avoiding food high in purines. I.e. offal, herring, mussels, yeast brewers and bakers, sardines, sweet bread, shellfish, mackerel, anchovies, fish roe and game.
*Avoid fried food and food high in saturated fats (most fast foods and pre-packaged ready meals)
*Focus on eating a high fibre mainly vegetarian diet, this help creates a alkaline environment in the body and increasing uric acid solubility and it also helps reduce body fat, as excess weight (obesity) can also raise uric acid levels
*Focus on food low in purines such as rice, millet, avocadoes, green vegetables, goats milk and yogurt, eggs and non-citrus fruits, alpha sprout, celery these all help to clear uric acid.
*avoid crash/ fad/ high protein diets as rapid weight loss can often make gout worse.
*Remember to drink water at regular intervals during the day as this helps the body excrete uric acid
*Eat a variety of berries daily. Cherries, blueberries, black berries, raspberries and hawthorn berries. This is because berries contain anthocyanidins which have potent anti-inflammatory properties which help neutralise excess acidity including uric acid.
*Include omega 3 essential fatty acids found in salmon, seeds, seed oil, walnuts and rapeseed oils, these could help reduce inflammation and may also help prevent further attacks of gout whilst providing the body with essential nutrients.
*Take light aerobic exercise such as swimming/walking this helps increase circulation which helps the body eliminate toxins quicker. Start off gently even 15 minutes a day is of benefit.
*Alcohol should be eliminated or dramatically reduced; beer in particular contains high levels of purines in addition to alcohol.
*Bromelain found in pineapples has a wonderful anti inflammatory effect in the body
Including fresh pineapple could be of great benefit.