Health Advice

To improve the quality of your skin the best method is to get nourishment from your diet. Supplements are used to and are specially formulated to fill nutrition gaps that may be caused from your diet. They can help maintain a healthy looking completion and contain antioxidant vitamins such as A, C and E. Beta Carotene can also protect the skin from damage caused by daily contact with pollution and smoke.

Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6 are especially useful for dry skin (more so if you don’t have fish in your diet).

All supplements should be taken and work best with a healthy balanced dies hence why 5 portions of fruit and vegetables are recommended.

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Heartburn, constipation, diarrhoea, sickness and irritable bowel syndrome are all classed as part of the common digestive complaints that many of us face.

In today’s busy lifestyle - eating properly is the first casualty, as a result indigestion affects a third of and serious problems such as IBS are now on the rise. On the positive side there are a few simple steps you can take to prevent the usual stomach upsets which in turn will make you feel much better.

Eating in a hurry, may cause you a stomach ache, indigestion, bloating and heartburn. Three quarters of us rush our food, 44% have our meals on the go and as result 51% of us suffer indigestion during the night. Most people may get there first ‘experience’ of this before they are 35. Chewing is the most important form of digestion, things like stress also effect your digestion as it can cause too little acid to be produced which in turn means your food isn’t digested properly. On the other hand stress may cause too much acid leading to heartburn.

The solution is to sit down for at least 20 minutes to eat a meal and avoid fizzy drinks. If you have to eat on the go then smaller portions of carbohydrates along with some fruit and vegetables are better. For trapped wind chamomile or peppermint tea should help ease the discomfort.

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The difference between the two groups are actually very small, in my opinion as a life-long practicing vegetarian, the minor distinctions between the two groups of people are mainly influenced by ethical issues and more of a conscious social decisions.

• Vegetarian - describe a person who does not consume any animal meat products, including poultry, eggs or fish.
• Vegan - describe a person who does not consume any animal meat products and more importantly any animal by-products including milk, honey, and some also restrain from wearing clothes made from animal products such as leather, fur and feathers.

The major difference between the two are Vegetarians have less dietary restrictions than vegans as they consume some animal by-products like milk, butter and cheese, whether you choose to be a vegetarian or a vegan, there are a large number of resources available online providing mouth-watering recipes.

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Fruit and Vegetables which make up your 5 A Day, help set you up for a healthier lifestyle, not only are they packed with nutritional vitamins and minerals, but they also provide an excellent source of fibre, nutrients and antioxidants, to help build up your immune system, research also proves that it may also reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Although dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals do not count towards 5 A DAY, it worth noting that, To maximise Iron absorption in the body it’s recommended that vitamin C is taken with Iron supplements, and to maximise Calcium absorption in the body it’s recommended that vitamin D is taken with Calcium supplements.

In order to life a healthy life, a healthy diet must consist of the following food categories along with your 5 a day.

• Meat, Fish & Eggs - Rich in saturated fats, protein and omega-3 oils, these are the main build blocks for growth and aid development of the brain and nervous system.
• Milk and Dairy products – Rich in calcium which is needed to supplement healthy and stronger bones, note cow’s milk contains Lactose which in is one of the most allergenic foods, and the symptoms are commonly described as lactose intolerance.
• Starchy Foods - full of carbohydrates to provide your body with energy. carbohydrates (CHO) a natural compound that consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, carbohydrates are essential to the body as they are rapidly converted into glucose, a form of sugar that’s used by the body.

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Being worried about what your children are eating is normal for every parent.

These days it’s recommended that a baby who is being breastfed continues on breast milk alone for up to 6 months if possible.

From the age of weaning (which is generally between 4-6 months) until the child reaches 5 years old it is essential that children get the right nutrition as its this age that they develop rapidly! As the little ones have small appetites they need to have regular meals and snacks which are packed with energy and nutrients.

To get them use to eating all the right kind of foods it’s better to introduce them to a wide variety. For a balanced diet try to include:

• Fruit & Vegetables
• Milk & Dairy Products
• Starchy Foods
• Meat, Fish, Eggs and Alternatives (pulses/beans)

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Calorie intake and healthy eating is being promoted more and more and an area that is also receiving a great amount of publicity!

Daily calorie intake for adults are: 1940 calories for women and 2550 calories for men. (UK Department of Health)

These figures are only estimates, but of course this ranges greatly depending on factors such as lifestyle, diet, exercise and also personal factors like weight, age and height also need to be taken into consideration.

To lose weight the rule of thumb is for you to eat less calories then your body actually needs. For example – if you want to loose 1lb in a week you need to reduce your daily calorie consumption by 500.

It is also said that diets known as Calorie Restricted Diet have had positive effects such as extended lifespans and improved health – but these scientific tests were carried out on species and the theory is that humans who follow such diets will also see a similar result.

These days most foods have a count displayed on the packaging allowing to individuals to get the visibility of how much calories are in each food – for example a packet of crisp will be 106 calories etc. Recently there was a call for restaurants to have this information at hand for customers which would in turn help reduce the rise in obesity that we are now seeing in this country.

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