The Outspoken Nutritionist

1. They don’t actually grow on trees, but on the Musa sapientium, the world’s biggest herb, which grows up to 35 feet tall
2. Bananas are a great source of potassium, which can help lower blood pressure, aid muscle growth and prevent muscle cramps, as well as providing energy
3. Bananas provide all 8 amino acids - the building blocks of protein - that the body has to obtain from diet
4. Each year at Wimbledon, the players, officials and ball boys and girls consume a whopping 23,000 bananas
5. Prone to diarrhoea?  Very ripe bananas - the ones with brown spots - will help as the pectin, potassium and magnesium will soothe your upset stomach
6. Had a big night?  Bananas are also a great hangover cure.  They replace lost potassium which will reduce nausea, and the magnesium will ease any headache
7. Bananas are the food British people buy more than any other from supermarkets
8. If you’re on holiday and get bitten by a mosquito, banana skin can reduce the itching and swelling
9. Doctors in India report that two bananas a day can reduce blood pressure by up to 10%
10. Bananas contain three separate sugars, providing more carbohydrate than any other fruit, as well as high amounts of fibre.  The sugars enter the blood stream at different speeds, helping maintain a steady blood sugar level

For many people, eating a healthy diet is easy at home. 

You make sure the shopping trolley is overflowing with cruciferous vegetables, wholegrain carbohydrates and lean protein while sprinting past the fizzy drinks and desserts. 

But what happens when you’re out and about and all the temptations of Japanese, Greek, Thai, Italian or good old-fashioned pub food is there, calling out to you seductively from the menu?

Well, do not fear.  With a little information in advance of the next table’s ‘fish n chips’ arriving and making your mind up for you, you can make health conscious choices no matter which cuisine you dine from.

Pub Grub

The Good:

• STEAK - a small amount of red meat can help dilate blood vessels because of arginine, an amino acid found in red meats.  Portion size is important, though, as a little really goes a long way.  Choose the leanest cut - rump, sirloin and fillets - and you don’t need to feel guilty after this outing to your local
• SIDE SALAD - you’re already familiar with side salads, but are you eating them?  Even this small increase in your consumption of raw vegetables is going to increase your intake of folic acid, vitamins C and E, lycopene, and alpha- and beta-carotene.  That’s good news!

The Bad:

• HIGH FAT STARTERS - yes, they look tasty, but they won’t fill you and are often more saturated fat than beneficial nutrients.  Mussels in a creamy sauce… mushrooms in breadcrumbs… ribs… chicken wings… onion rings… scampi… just say no!
• CHIPS - duh!  Opt for a jacket potato instead and, as long as you don’t drown the poor thing in butter, you’ll be making a much healthier choice

Thai

The Good:

• TOM YUM GOONG - this shrimp soup is around 100 times more effective at inhibiting the growth of cancerous tumours than other foods analysed, and explains (in part) South East Asia’s low rate of cancer
• STIR FRIES - Thai stir fries are made with sesame oil, which can lower cholesterol, and lemongrass, which helps detoxify organs

The Bad:

• GREEN CURRY - there’s a villian hiding in green curry that counteracts the good associated with ingredients like coriander, lemongrass and chilli… it is coconut milk, which is full of saturated fat and makes this meal an unhealthy choice
• ICED TEA - made incredibly sweet to counteract the hot foods, which is bad news for your teeth

Italian

The Good:

• PRIMAVERA - any meal described as ‘primavera’ means it is based around lightly steamed or boiled vegetables including peas, broccoli and courgette
• MOZZARELLA - if you’re a cheese-fiend, go for this option, it’s higher in calcium and lower in fat than parmesan and taleggio

The Bad:

• CREAMY SAUCES - instead of alfredos and carbonaras, go for an arrabiata sauce, which is rich in the antioxidant lycopene and also boosts the metabolism, great for anyone wanting to lose a few pounds

Greek

The Good:

• SPANAKOPITA - three times the power in this vegetarian pie that combines spinach, feta and olive oil, helping you ward off heart disease and cancer
• DOLMADES - that’s ‘rice and onions in vine leaves’ to you and me, but these bundles of joy are low in calories and high in vitamins C, E, B6 and K

The Bad:

• MOUSSAKA - even the healthful phytonutrients can’t save this bowl of saturated fat, which combines egg, milk, cheese and minced meat… all fried and ready to attack your body

Japanese

The Good:

• SASHIMI - raw tuna, salmon and mackerel will have you singing the omega-3 song - just watch portion size.  Important as they are, they’re still ‘fatty’ acids
• MISO SOUP - tasty, low in fat, and high in B12 and zinc to boost your immune system

The Bad:

• SOY SAUCE - yes, it’s as compulsory as having moussaka at Greek restaurants… but you’ve seen where that’s been getting you!  Soy sauce is high in sodium and can increase your risks of high blood pressure - only indulge if there is a low sodium version available
• CHICKEN KATSU - (and anything else deep fried) There’s enough choice when eating Japanese to never have to resort to these dishes.  Instead, opt for the flash-fried, grilled, boiled, or raw options

Many people attempt to avoid eating out when on a healthy eating mission, which is a huge shame.  There are so many cuisines out there to experience, and it’s possible to give your body the nutrients it needs even in the most tempting places.

So print this article and stick it in your pocket before Uncle Sid’s birthday!

To our wellbeing
The Outspoken Nutritionist

Adult onset - or Type 2 - diabetes is as epidemic level with some 10 million adults suffering from the condition.

While this form of diabetes is yet to be understood completely, hereditary factors are seen to play a role, with a concordance between 60%-90% for identical twins and clear differences in its prevalence in different ethnic groups.

It seems, however, that while genetic factors somehow create susceptibility for glucose intolerance, it is non-genetic environmental factors that progress this to full adult onset diabetes.

Of these environmental factors, obesity and sedentary lifestyle are the main contributors, with dietary choices - especially a high intake of saturated fat - also increasing risk of developing the condition.

Once adult onset diabetes has developed, a comprehensive nutrition plan is the cornerstone is therapy, with many adult onset diabetics requiring no additional therapies.

However, since some 75% of diabetics’ deaths are heart disease related, the aim of this nutritional programme cannot only be to control blood glucose.  The programme should also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In actuality, the recommendations for diabetics are very similar to those given to the general population, but as diabetes is a chronic disease, nutritional programmes have to be adapted so each individual can follow the programme as a lifelong practice.

The majority of adult onset diabetics are overweight or obese, and body weight reduction should be a primary goal.  Even a modest reduction of 5%-10% of basal body weight can improve blood glucose control, reduce insulin resistance and favourably affect blood pressure, which is often a cardiovascular risk factor presented by diabetics.

The most important aspect of diet management for Type 2 diabetics is ensuring less than 10% of calories are from saturated fat.  This amount should be further reduced to less than 8% for diabetics at higher cardiovascular risk.

This is important as saturated fat intake has detrimental effects on cholesterol (increasing LDL cholesterol), insulin resistance and blood pressure.

Cholesterol intake should also be reduced to less than 300mg daily, or below 250mg daily for those with raised cholesterol.

Quality protein should provide 10%-20% of calories, and the remainder of calories should be a combination of carbohydrates and unsaturated fats (especially monounsatured fatty acids).

Recommended carbohydrates should be rich in dietary fibre and/or be low glycaemic.  Fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and legumes have been shown to improve blood glucose control in both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics.

Fibre-rich foods have a low glycaemic index, and following a diet rich in low glycaemic foods can have a positive impact on cardiovascular risk factors.

Additionally, Type 2 diabetics should restrict their salt intake to below 6g daily, and should reduce their alcohol intake to 20g-30g daily, or lower for those who are overweight or who have hypertension.

With the introduction of a comprehensive nutrition programme, adult onset diabetes can be avoided in at risk groups, and once developed can be regulated, with the associated cardiovascular risk factors being minimised and even overcome.

While the recommendations within this article would be of benefit to diabetics, each individual should personally consult a qualified nutritionist for specific advice.

To our wellbeing
The Outspoken Nutritionist

Since the 1960s, life expectancy for people in developed countries has increased by nearly 10 years, leading to a greater incidence of chronic diseases such as arthritis, hypertension, heart disease and adult onset diabetes.

 This has caused the long-term use of many prescription and over-the-counter drugs to escalate, increasing the frequency and severity of drug-nutrient interactions.

 While the short term use of drugs is less likely to have any adverse effects on a person’s nutrition, there is still a worrying potential for it to.

 These interactions fall into one of three classifications:

 1) Physicochemical - the depletion of a nutrient by a drug, leading to loss of the nutrient and lower activity of the drug

2) Physiological - drug-induced changes in appetite, digestion, metabolism and excretion - all of which can affect the body’s nutrient status

3) Pathophysiological - when a drug impairs nutrient absorption or metabolism, or a drug inhibits the metabolic process

 Frequently, drug-nutrient interactions are bi-directional - while the drug may impair the absorption of some vitamins, the drug absorption is also often impaired by vitamins.

For example, drug classes including antimicrobials, hypoglycaemic and hypocholesterolaemic agents can all be affected by the presence of food, with elderly patients particularly at risk.

Aspirin, however, commonly causes gastric irritation and so should be consumed with food.  Aspirin also appears to alter the transport of folate, and 70% of rheumatoid arthritis patients display low folate concentrations.

Antacids, commonly taken to relieve heartburn, neutralise gastric acid by modifying the gastric pH, often leading to reduced absorption of calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.  Regular use can also lead to reduced absorption of B12, a particular concern for the elderly who are already at risk of B12 deficiency.

Antibiotics can cause Vitamin K deficiency and impair blood clotting.  Tetracycline antibiotics in particular bind to calcium in dairy products, preventing effective absorption of both the calcium and the antibiotic.  Calcium deficiency naturally leads to reliance on bone calcium, subsequently causing osteoporosis, a common problem for the ageing population.

Anticoagulants such as warfarin work by interfering with the metabolism of Vitamin K, and users should be warned about the consumption of foods high in Vitamin K in case this interferes with the effectiveness of the treatment.  Furthermore, elderly anticoagulant patients taking antioxidants such as tocopherol, or doses of Vitamin C greater than 10g, can be at increased risk of of haemorrhages.

Evidently, as more and more people rely on long-term use of drugs, there is a greater need for understanding of drug-nutrient interactions.

If you, or someone you know - particularly anyone who is elderly - are using prescription or over-the-counter drugs, consult a qualified nutritionist to ensure you are minimising the possibility of any adverse drug-nutrient interaction.

To our wellbeing
The Outspoken Nutritionist

The meat controversy has been raging for years, with opposing views saying that meat increases health problems and the Atkins diet encouraging endless steaks but limiting intake of blueberries.

But what is the truth?

And why does the meat debate get as heated as a sizzling beef fillet?

The problem for many meat eaters is that they are so used to defending their dietary choices to new vegetarian friends and relatives that they respond defensively as soon as meat is criticised for leading to health problems.

When this is added to the fact that most vegetarains don’t make that choice for supposed health benefits, but for moral reasons, it’s clear that this is an emotional subject for all parties.

But it’s one that needs addressing.

The fact is, as a meat-eater, you are twice as likely to visit the doctor as a vegetarian.  You’re also twice as likely to be admitted to hospital.

Many meat eaters, when presented with this information, explain how they could never cut meat from their diets, and how other animals were actually placed on Earth for us to eat.

Well… I’m not here to debate who should be eating who…

And I’m certainly not in the business of lecturing to anyone who doesn’t want to change what they’re doing.

But if you’re a meat eater, you need to at least have the knowledge to make an informed choice.

Knowledge like this:

Your risk of heart disease and cancer - especially stomach and colon cancer - is directly related to how much meat you eat.

Your digestive health is also related to your meat consumption, with a high meat intake being linked to incidences of diverticulitis, colitis and appendicitus.

So, if this is the case, why do so many people believe meat is an important part of their diet?

Well, it comes back to the misinformation that people have been fed for years by media sources.  In this case, the misinformation relates to protein. 

Diets like The Atkins Diet recommend HIGH PROTEIN intake, with a strong focus on meat as the primary source of this protein.

The High Protein Myth is, in my opinion, one of the big contributors to the increase in heart disease and cancer… and it’s something you should be wary of when making food choices.

You are actually in more danger of eating too much protein than not enough!

While protein is an important part of your diet, foods that are rich in protein produce an acid when metabolised.  This acid, when lots of high protein foods are eaten, can dramatically change the blood’s acid pH, which the body cannot tolerate.  To neutralise this, the body is forced to use one of two alkalines - sodium or calcium.  When the body reserves of sodium have been used up, calcium is taken from the body.

So, the more protein you eat… the more calcium your body loses.

This is bad news for bones, and contributes to osteoporosis, a disease that is reaching epidemic level.

What can you do to protect yourself?

The best thing you can take is to begin focusing on quality of meat over quantity.  For a while, chicken has been described by many as the best meat choice, but this is actually not true.  When you eat meat, have the highest quality meat you can possibly afford.  Avoid meat products like complex burgers and sausages and choose, instead, organic steaks.

And a final tip: while fish will provide you with essential omega fats, it’s important to remember the state of the waters that our supply of fish live in.  The fish we are eating contain traces of pollutants, chemicals, and antibiotics.  Limit your fish intake to twice weekly.

To our wellbeing
The Outspoken Nutritionist

I thought I’d start by confronting one of the most controversial topics at the moment.

Multivitamins: Friend or Foe?

Newspapers recently have been filled with reports about dangerous supplements that might even shorten your lifespan!

But is this the whole story?

No.

Can the whole story be fit into a newspaper article, or online article?

Probably not.

But I’m going to attempt to give you a wide enough understanding of the issues at play.

First, why did anyone ever think multivitamins were necessary?

Two reasons:
1) It was found that each individual vitamin is necessary for certain bodily functions
2) It was found that the quality of our food had declined to such an extent - through questionable farming practices, increase in pollutants, and poor diet choices - that even the most health-conscious amongst us are not receiving adequate amounts of vitamins from our diet.  For example;

Two peaches would have provided your RDA of Vitamin A in 1951
Today, you would need to eat more than 53 peaches to meet your RDA!

Can you afford the time and money to eat 53 peaches a day JUST to provide you with your Vitamin A?

And so, the need for supplements was created.

The problem, in my opinion, is that the supplementation industry was never properly monitored and standardised.

Did you know that while there are thousands of dietary supplements, there are only a handful of supplement manufacturers?

Most brands are identical to hundreds of others, with only the labels and prices being different!

So, what’s the problem?

There are two main issues…

1) Virtually all multivitamin products use some level of synthetic ingredients, which are not easy for the body to digest and can - if used long-term - cause health problems
2) People have begun to supplement individual vitamins as well as, or instead of, a multivitamin following recommendations by their friends, a well-meaning relative, or a poorly focused media report

So what can you do?

First, do not ever supplement individual vitamins or minerals unless a medical doctor has advised you to do so.  Multivitamins are sold as a complex for a reason - they are the levels that most people require!

Supplementing individual vitamins is a dangerous game to play.  Don’t do it.

Secondly, only use a multivitamin that:

- Is made from ALL NATURAL VITAMINS.  Not 50% natural, or 80% natural… accept only 100% natural vitamins
- Is made from pre-digested minerals.  Minerals in most multivitamin supplements are not in a form that humans can digest.  There are rare multivitamin products out there that offer minerals absorbed and digested by plants, which humans can digest.  Hunt these products out.
- Includes phytochemicals to help the absorption of the vitamins and minerals.

Intimidated?  Don’t be.

High-quality multivitamin supplements are out there, and your body needs them. 

You won’t find them in your local supermarket, or even your health food shop.  But they are out there.

If the recent media reports have left you uncertain about your current multivitamins and you would like a review of these, just email enquiries@thenutritionwebsite.com for a free review.

To our wellbeing
Katie Forrest

Dr Budweiser Hawkins is a bit of a rarity…

He’s a medical doctor who knows his stuff about nutrition.

(Yes, I said it.)

He’s seen firsthand the damage that people are doing to their health by neglecting nutrition, and he is travelling from his home in Las Vegas to tour England with his powerful message.

Dr Hawkins has a captivating presentation style, offering easy to understand information in a way that leaves you in no doubt of his enormous knowledge.

Dr Hawkins is in more and more demand with UK radio and television each time he does a speaking tour, and is definitely a rising star in the international nutrition world.

Whether you want to start, or accelerate, your journey into nutrition, attending one of these events would be an excellent start.

EVENTS

Saturday, 10 May 2008
The Olympus, Triangle Way, Burgess Hill, West Sussex. RH15 8WA
From 7pm
Cost: £10

Sunday, 11 May 2008
The Art Gallery, 107 Fore Street, Edmonton, London, N18 2XF
From 6pm
Cost: £10

SPECIAL SPORTS & WELLNESS FOCUSED EVENT!
With Additional Guest Speakers:

TESS BURROWS & PETE HAMMOND
Veteran Expeditionists In Training For The SOUTH POLE RACE
Monday, 12 May 2008
The Old Town Hall, 29 The Broadway, Stratford, London, E15 4BQ
From 7pm
Cost: £10

Tuesday, 13 May 2008
Menzies Strathallan, 225 Haglay Road, Birmingham, B16 9RY
From 7.30pm
Cost: £10

Thursday, 15 May 2008
Novotel Manchester West, Worsley Brow, Worsley, M28 2YA
From 7.30pm
Cost: £10

Friday, 16 May 2008
Sudeley Castle Banqueting Room, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, GL54 5JP
From 7pm
Cost: £10

Saturday, 17 May 2008
Abbeyfield Community Church, Colchester, Essex
DETAILS TO FOLLOW - CONTACT ME

Sunday, 18 May 2008
Full Gospel Revival Centre, Nottingham
DETAILS TO FOLLOW - CONTACT ME

To book your place(s) at these events, contact me on 0845 8802 373 or enquiries@thenutritionwebsite.com

Dr Budweiser Hawkins’ talks always sell out, so be sure to book early.

To our wellbeing
The Outspoken Nutritionist