TV was good last night so you didn’t get round to preparing lunch. You’re sat at your desk and getting hungry as it is coming up to lunch-time but you are sick of the places to eat near work. All claiming to offer difference but it is pretty much the same; two pieces of bread with a something small and unfulfilling in the middle or some overpriced meal which feels like it doesn’t even touch the sides.

Whether it is baked, grilled, microwaved or fried, you are sick of it and you are trying to be good, so need something substantial that will make you last until afternoon snack time.

 So what’s the solution?

 Well this week, I had this very same dilemma. There was nothing to eat around my place of work so I ventured into M&S and found a quick and easy quick solution for lunch on the go.

 First: Pick your protein. M&S currently have offers on their deli items 3 for £6. The lean chicken and the fish options are the healthiest. Ideally you would stay away from processed meats. My favourites are the poached salmon fillet or the grilled calamari rings.

Second: Go to the salads to go section. There seems to be a reoccurring offer of 2 for £3 on most of their salads. They also have added some new additions to this. I love the nutty superfood salad and the minty greek salad.

So in total you have 3 deli items and 2 salad. This means you have two lunches and an extra protein snack. Totalling £9 and working out at £3.50 for each lunch, it sounds a great way to have enjoy healthy options without the need for cooking or preparing.

 It such a great idea to stockpile these if you can at work and even condsider having a couple of M&S fuller for longer meals in your freezer at home for when your cupboards are bare and you don’t know what to eat.

 If there is not an M&S near you, just stick to the idea of lean protein and a wholefood salad. Be careful to check the dressings as these can often be laden with sugar.

 Always remember to:

-Take a break from your desk while you are eating your lunch to fully concentrate on you meal to optimise digestion.

 -Chew your food thoroughly. You food should almost be liquid when swallowed. The process of chewing assists your body to produce the enzymes to break down the food and trigger the digestion.

- Enjoy your food.

I was fortunate to be invited to a launch of a new natural supplement for waist reduction. I was given the opportunity to interview Dr. Paul Clayton, an Immunologist and expert on Beta-glucans, a key ingredient in this product. The idea of 30 Days™ is that it targets fat around the middle by using a combination of Beta 1,3-16 glucan, polysaccharides derived from the cell walls of bakers yeast that have been proven to modulate the immune system. In combination with a blend of herbs, 30 Days™ assists the body’s ability to excrete waste.

30 Days™ promote the use of a colon cleanser alongside containing a combination of magnesium hydroxide, vitamin C and bioflavonoids. I just want to make it clear that I am by no means endorsing any product. I was given a sample of 30Days™ Waistline and 30Days™ Colon Cleanser and asked if I would blog about it. I decided that I couldn’t write about a product that I hadn’t had experience with so decided to experiment with a friend.

Meet Donna. Donna is a 42  year old from South London and works as a Project Administrator for a drug and alcohol service. I gave Donna the product on 21st February and she began taking it the day after.

Her measurements were as follows: Waist: 35.5 inch, Hip: 42.5 inch, Bust: 39.25 inch.

Donna took the sample as directed and we took measurements and photos again on 27th March, when she ran out of the product.

New measurements: Waist: 33 inch, Hip: 42.5 inch, Bust: 38 inch

As a scientist, I am intuitively sceptical of uncontrolled experiments. It is possible that it could have been a placebo effect. I am also not one to advocate the use of diet pills or quick fixes but this product seems to have some effect at losing inches as It is quite clear here that Donna has lost inches around her bust and waist.

I spoke with Donna after and she said that she felt great. When asked about the taking the supplements and her diet, Donna said that the regime was easy to follow and she felt a bit more like she wanted to eat better in the last two weeks of taking the supplement. Whether this has had an effect on influencing the results, who knows!

This is NOT recommended for a replacement of a healthy lifestyle. My firm belief that a positive change in body composition and health is only associated with a following a healthy lifestyle, choosing nutritious food, including exercise and balancing the mind. Together the body is brought into sync.

If you would like more information on 30 Days™, please visit http://www.my30daysdiet.co.uk/

I have just got back from a small trip to Sydney where I spent the majority of two weeks. Where I thought I would be promised sun, sea and sand but what I got was rain (they are having a bad summer) and egg whites. Yes egg whites. Everywhere I went, I was offered a menu offering a ‘healthy option’ consisting of egg whites, generally in omelet form. But is Sydney and probably other cities still in the dark ages?

Image: http://rockleyfarm.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/curates-egg.html

 So with eggs containing about 200mg of cholesterol, the idea is that if you consume eggs then your cholesterol will rise. It was previous thought that this was the case and consuming cholesterol-rich foods had a direct impact on the production of cholesterol in our bodies but this has now been blown out of the water by research showing it is not the case and in fact it is the saturated fat of foods that is the problem.

 So what exactly is cholesterol and why is it important?

 Cholesterol is a fatty substance that is known as a lipid that is mainly made in the liver. It is found in all the cells and vital for normal functioning of the body. Cholesterol is important because it assists with manufacturing of hormones such as ostrogen, progesterone and testosterone, manufactures bile acids (helps absorb fat & regulate cholesterol), and also production of vitamin D.

Cholesterol is transported in the blood by proteins. Together they are called lipoproteins. This is where good cholesterol and bad cholesterol come in.

 LDL (also known as your bad cholesterol) carries cholesterol from your liver to cells that need it. Too much however can be a problem as can clog up your artery walls, leading to Cardiovascular Disease.

Image: http://www.cbc.ca

 HDL (also known as your good cholesterol) carries cholesterol from cells and back to the liver to be broken down or excreted by the body.

 Your cholesterol can be measured by a simple test by your GP.

So why should we eat the whole egg?

Eating the egg yolk not only contains more protein than just eating the whites but also contains vitamins A, D & E. Now if you have seen the press on vitamin D, you will knowhow important it is and how deficient people are in it.  Moreover research has shown that egg yolk consumption actually increases our good cholesterol (HDL) with no increase of (LDL).

As a rule of thumb, packaged foods are what you want to be careful of. Eggs are a whole food therefore a perfect option to consider on a balanced diet. It also very much depends on the way eggs are cooked; poaching or boiling are the healthiest ways to cook.

References:

Bupa (2012) Cholesterol. Accessed: http://www.bupa.co.uk/individuals/health-information/directory/c/cholesterol

Gray J, Griffin B (2009) Eggs and dietary cholesterol- dispelling the myth. British Nutrition Foundation Nutrition Bulletin, 34: 66-70

 NHS (2012) Cholesterol. Accessed: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Cholesterol/Pages/Introduction.aspx

Vishwanthan R, Goodrow-Kotyla E, Wooten B, Wilson T, Nicolosi R (2009) Consumption of 2 and 4 egg yolks/d for 5 wk increases macular pigment concentrations in older adults with low macular pigment taking cholesterol-lowering statins. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 90: 1272-1279.

Whenever I am in the supermarket, the one aisle I feel slight dismay in is the cereal aisle. It’s almost like walking into a cartoon theme park, where all you see is a animated cartoon characters with the fake promises of filling children with ‘fortified vitamins and iron’ and telling us that they will keep us full till lunch time. But it’s complete rubbish. Even with a health revolution, these newly created breakfast cereals are still laden with sugar that will sure enough send you on a rollercoaster of highs and lows.

In addition, with so much talk in the media recently about the amount of sugar in breakfast cereals, I thought I would share with you one of my favourite breakfast recipes. This breakfast is packed with energy giving nutrients and also is a slow burner so will assist you with keeping you fuller for longer.

So what will you need:

Whole Rolled Oats

Small handful of Raisins

Handful of nuts (almonds are great)

Roughly 3 teaspoons of cinnamon (or to taste)

Half a teaspoon of Mixed Spice

Desired low sugar fruit (E.g Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries or ½ Apple)

A dollop of full-fat natural yoghurt

To make:

• Take a lunchbox size Tupperware and fill ¾ full of uncooked oats.
• Throw in your handful of raisins (only a few to give flavour as have higher levels of sugar than most fruits.
• Add the spices
• Close the lid and give the box a good shake
• Open the box and fill to the top of the oats with water.
• Stir and refrigerate over night.
• In the morning, spoon out into a bowl, add the almonds and serve with your desired fruit and a dollop of full-fat natural yoghurt.

In this recipe, no milk or cooking is needed. By soaking the oats, you make them easier for your body to digest. It takes about a minute to make this recipe and should last you about 3-4 days. You don’t necessarily need to have it at breakfast, it can be great as a healthy snack.

If this recipe doesn’t take your fancy and you are still on the look out for a supermarket cereal, then make sure you look at the back of the packet and as a rule of thumb pick one that has only 10g of carbohydrates of which are sugars per 100g.

Enjoy

Protein Power

Whenever I have spoken to anyone about protein, the immediate reaction I get is “isn’t that for bodybuilders who spend their life flitting between the gym and the mirror?”.

In fact this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Why so important?

Protein originally comes from the Greek word ‘Protos’ meaning first and has an influence in all of our body’s cell processes. Digestion of protein occurs in your stomach and intestine. Here is where the protein is broken down into smaller units, called amino acids. Different types of amino acids are pieced together to make a number of combination’s  (like bricks building different shaped houses).

The body then uses these amino acids to make proteins it needs for life function.

Your body can produce some amino acids on its own but others have to be obtained from the diet through protein rich foods

(http://bestsourcesofprotein.net/)

So how much protein?

This varies when considering everyone is different but the recommended daily amount is roughly 30-40g according to The Food Standards Agency. New research shows individuals may require more than this to maintain body composition and mobility. Sufficient protein will assist the body to grow, repair, assist with the aging process and help keep you full (especially helpful in dieting).

What to look for?

When choosing meat, look for lean versions but vegetables can be limited due to being low in these building blocks needed to make whole proteins but one that tops the list is Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wa); a high protein seed that is classed as a complete protein as it has all the building blocks. You can cook it just like rice or even buy Quinoa flakes to make as porridge.

Quinoa

(http://www.healthline.com/health-blogs/diet-diva/quinoa)

Snacking

Protein in meals can be fairly straight forward but what about some high protein snacks to keep you going. Below are a few ideas for packing in some protein in between meals:

• A handful of mixed unsalted nuts and seeds (e.g. almond, brazil, walnut, hazelnut, sesame, flax, pumpkin, sunflower). Tip: carry a pot of mixed nuts around for hunger pangs or keep a pot on your desk at work.

• Plain live natural (unsweetened) yoghurt with: a handful of seasonal berries (lower sugar e.g. blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries). Optional: one tablespoon of freshly ground seeds (50% linseed; 25% pumpkin; 25% sunflower) for additional fibre, protein and essential fatty acids.

• Whey protein: Yes it’s not just for muscle boys, whey protein is produced from sweet whey, a natural by-product from cheese manufacturing where milk is separated into curds. Good brands isolate whey protein using a combination of Cross-Flow Ultrafiltration and Microfiltration techniques.  Nutri Ultrameal or Pulsin are some to think about. See below). Add to a smoothie or enjoy on its own. There are even non dairy alternatives.

• 3 Oatcakes with
• cottage cheese
• hummus
• nut butter (e.g. almond, peanut)
• tuna (can buy tinned; but there are no omega 3 in tinned tuna)
• smoked salmon
• prawns
• chicken slices
• tinned sardines

• Hummus – with raw vegetable sticks

• Edamame (soy) beans

• Hard boiled eggs

References:

Food Standards Agency. (2006) FSA Nutrient and Food Based Guidelines for UK. Online: http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/nutguideuk.pdf

Herman J. (Date Unknown) Protein and the body. Online: http://pods.dasnr.okstate.edu/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-2473/T-3163web.pdf

Layman DK. (2009) Dietary Guidelines should reflect new understandings about adult protein needs. Nutrition & Metabolism, 6:12

Whey Protein:

Pulsin: http://www.pulsin.co.uk/

Nutri Ultra Meal http://www.nutri-online1.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=460 Call 0800 212 742 to order.

We live in a world of sugar. The amount of sugar consumed on a daily basis would put Hansel and Grettle to shame. We buy grilled chicken thinking we are being healthy but you turn over the packet to see it has been coated with a lovely glaze of brown sugar (I don’t know why they bother with brown, sugar is sugar). And all we do is go on about making sure we get low fat yoghurt, low fat cheese, low fat, low fat, low fat. The problem with ‘low fat’ versions of products generally replace fat content with sugar content, which most people are unaware of. Also, one major misconception is that all fats are bad, when often they are not the problem. We need fat in our diets and people need to realise that fat doesn’t necessarily make us fat. The one thing that has a huge impact on making many people fat is sugar. It has been argued that sugar may well be the most probable cause for many diseases in the 21^st century.

In wartime we had sugar about but it was deemed a luxury and as such was rationed. Did we have the prevalence of heart disease or a diabetes epidemic as we do today? No, and the reason why was because sugar wasn’t used as it is in the quantities it is used today.

When the realisation that sugar was becoming the problem spread, along came diet foods and drinks with the lovely chemical sweeteners we know and love, such as aspartame. Aspartame is found in a lot of diet drinks and is used because it is zero calories and provides a sweet taste. However, there are a hugely debated risks such as cancer. So where is the balance? We shouldn’t eat sugar because it is going to make us ill and fat and we shouldn’t eat chemical sweeteners as they make us ill and may cause cancer.

Well, along comes Stevia…

 Image: Wikipedia

Originating from Paraguay and Brazil, Stevia is an effective natural noncaloric sweetener that is 300 times sweeter than refined sugar that is widely used in Asia, South America and has just arrived in the UK.

What differentiates Stevia from all the other sweeteners? According to an analysis of several studies, not only is Stevia considered a safe substitute for sugar, evidence shows it has supporting roles in diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammatory disease as well as supporting the immune system and acting as an antioxidant.

Stevia is now available in most supermarkets. Being so sweet, you will find other ingredients added to dilute the sweetness. Examples are Dextrose and Maltodextrin, both natural carbohydrates derived from corn. Do check the ingredients to ensure you are getting pure and natural ingredients and not added nasties and just because it’s a natural sweetener, it doesn’t mean we can open the top and eat with a spoon. It will still have an impact on the body so remember – little and often.

Back soon!

TNN

Reference: Thomas J, Glade M (2010) Stevia: It’s Not Just About Calories. The Open Obesity Journal, 2: p101-109.

So most of us have survived January. Many feel that they ate way too much over the Christmas period so have embarked on a new regime of eating healthily, coupled with tremendous amounts of exercise. Gyms and health shops are packed but as with every year, towards February and March this health-kick seems to dissipate and before long we are back to our old routine of indulgence with the added monthly unused gym membership fee debiting from the account.

A massive problem for some is that they behave like patron of health throughout the week and then as soon as the weekend arrives, unexplained binging occurs. I’m sure you are particularly familiar with the case of having to eat the last calorie and sugar laden food item simply to finish the pack and get rid of it and also eating everything possible in sight because “I’m starting my diet tomorrow”.  We are all guilty of this at one stage or another, we then simply spend the next few days feeling guilty whilst looking in the mirror over-analysing, the self-conscious wishing we hadn’t spent the last day gorging on treats.

So below are a few simple tips to keep you on track this February and avoid binge eating…

- Try not to purchase ‘treat’ food in multipacks. It sounds like a good idea at the time as cheaper but it gives rise to temptation once they are in the cupboard looking at you each time you open it. 

 - Include health snacks into your day as well as three planned meals. Try to get something down you first thing in the morning to get your metabolism going. If you are not a big eater in the morning, start with a small amount of natural yoghurt or a piece of fruit and work up to bigger servings. Sticking to planned eating will help avoiding temptation. 

 - Look for ways to reduce stress as it can have a massive impact on binge eating. Perhaps listen to a relaxation track, meditating, yoga or just simple breathing. Take regular breaks at work away from your desk to break from any stress-inducing work.

- Some find they binge eat when they are bored. Aimlessly opening the fridge and gazing into it looking to see what they can concoct. Realise this and do something to fight the boredom. Perhaps a new hobby or even exercise. 

 - Make sure you are getting enough sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep then you are more than likely to binge eat to keep your energy up. Remember it’s not just the quantity of sleep but the quality so make sure you are sleeping well. 

- You are the only one that really knows yourself. Think, is it really hunger or just a craving? Remember cravings will always go away so look at prevention strategies for them. 

- Realise that diets do not work and just trigger undesirable cravings for particular foods, particularly if certain food items are prohibited. Don’t place a ban on foods, plan the treat into your routine and consume in moderation. You will be amazed at how good you feel and may not want to have it. 

- Consider keeping a food diary to track what you eat. Track how you feel when you are eating to identify patterns of emotion and also time. This will help you see when and why you binge eat. If this sounds like a chore then take photos of your food.

TNN

A report released today (January 16^th 2012) has pretty much slammed Nutritional Therapy as a vocation. The report details how 15 Nutritional Therapists were essentially mystery shopped by clients posing with a series of health problems.

Photo: studenthealth.ku.edu

WHICH? have presented information to indicate that Nutritional Therapists were offering dangerous advice, promising to rid cancer through diet, diagnosing without consulting the client’s GP and using non-evidenced practice to diagnose. The report then calls for the government to take drastic action to regulate this business.

 A press release from the British Association of Nutritional Therapy (BANT) states:

- BANT did not decline to comment on this article but was unable to comment for the print edition because WHICH? did not provide all the promised transcripts/questionnaires in a timely fashion. It is disappointing that WHICH? appears to have little interest in conducting a genuine review of the effectiveness of nutritional therapy preferring instead to use fictitious consultations and a biased panel of ‘experts’.

- We would have hoped that the panel would have included qualified and experienced nutritional therapists who would have been able to assess the performance of the targeted practitioners against the National Occupational Standard, (Skills for Health). As in other professions, assessment of practitioner performance would normally involve experts from that profession. Concern was expressed about lack of referrals to GPs but our review reveals frequent reference to working with the client’s GP or consultant. However, several of the clients made up stories that they were either dissatisfied with their GP and did not wish to make contact, would not provide details or said that they were moving to a new GP.

- As the professional body for nutritional therapists, BANT is dedicated to the advancement of nutrition science and the safe, evidence-informed practice of nutritional therapy. Instilling public confidence and offering consumer protection is of primary importance to BANT. BANT members are bound by a strict code of ethics designed to protect patient interests and procedures are in place to deal with any complaint brought against a BANT member.

- BANT would welcome the opportunity to discuss the future of nutritional therapy regulation to further develop safe and effective practice. We agree that practitioners should come under statutory regulation. So what now?  Well to me it spells out there is a need to regulate this business to ensure consumers are getting the very best treatment with absolutely no risk. At the moment anyone can set up a clinic as a ‘Nutritionist’ without any formal qualification, so essentially I agree with WHICH? on that aspect. In order to practice under BANT there is a strict code of ethics and a Nutritional Therapist needs to show that they have completed an accredited course in Nutritional Therapy. With regulation, this will ensure the so-called quack medicine does not take place. If you are to visit a Nutritional Therapist, ensure they are a member of a governing body like BANT.

 Now I have nearly finished my training at the Institute For Optimum Nutrition and from the beginning it has been drummed into us not to diagnose and always keep in contact with the client’s GP. As Nutritional Therapy is a Complementary Medicine, it seems it will always be under constant scrutiny. However, this is not a problem for someone who is passionate about his or her work and a productive and fair critic will be welcomed.

We are surrounded by an ill-health epidemic, proven to be linked to the modern diet. So how about some reports showing how Nutritional Therapy can benefit the health of an individual and not just slamming it? I’m sure Nutritional Therapy is not the only field that would benefit from a review. I have a friend that went to a Dietician for help with gaining weight and they were informed to eat more desserts and doughnuts – now tell me the logic in this?

I would welcome your comments on this matter as I think it’s an important topic of discussion…

- TNN

The media is full of frightening stories surrounding Nutrition. We are constantly being told what we should and shouldn’t eat and the papers are full of stories about magic pills for ailments, such as Heart Disease, Alzheimer’s, cancer and not forgetting to mention those miracle diets that “enable” the trusting investor to lose 10 pounds in one week while boosting their IQ by 50 points.

 Even as someone who has spent years studying nutrition, I often find it a challenge to filter the constant stream of contradicting nutritional advice. I can’t imagine how overwhelming it must be for someone with limited or no knowledge of the subject. Take the recent advice on egg consumption, for example. One minute we are told, “eggs are BAD” as they may increase your bad cholesterol. Then a few months later “eggs are good” and may benefit our cholesterol only for us then to be told that eggs are bad once again. How is it possible not to be confused by all of these mixed messages? So, I invite you to join me as I wade through all the information, evidence and science (or lack of it) behind the headlines, in an effort to find the truth. Presenting a clear and accurate picture of the evidence I aim to provide a balanced, non-biased and realistic view of nutrition and what your food can do for your health, whilst encouraging you to make up your own mind.

My earliest memory of an awakening interest in nutrition was around the age of 10. My mum had recently shed almost 4 stone and had become a leader for a popular weight loss group. I remember her asking me to take a photo of her before her first night at work. The transformation in her was amazing: she looked great and you could see in her eyes that she felt on top of the world. As I took those photos it dawned on me that food has the power to change our lives. I had seen what could happen when someone switched from what could be defined as the ‘average British diet’ to a diet that was rich in fruit, vegetables and fresh produce. Admittedly it was the 90s so there were a few things in her diet that weren’t perfect (as was the case with 90s fashion!), but the principles were there.

I guess you can say this was the beginning of my nutritional adventure and now, as a training nutritionist, I don’t want to keep my learnings to myself – I want to share them with everyone!

Keep an eye out for my regular blog posts and if you have any topics you’d like me to blog about then just let me know.

(Photo: ThinkStock)