Category: Health News

Thinking of becoming Sober Curious?

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Ahhh….A drink after a long day to take the edge off before bed, and then maybe a few more on the weekend to help you loosen up when you go out with friends. Socially, drinking is one of main ways we enjoy being with friends.

The trouble is it’s easy for those units to mount up, without even being aware of it (when I ask my clients to write down how much they actually drink, many of them are very surprised). And over time it can have really detrimental effects on your health, mood, energy levels and weight. Because some of these problems can creep in overtime, you may find it difficult to link them directly to drinking.

The recommended guidelines for alcohol are no more than 14 units a week, with at least 2 alcohol free days per week. A typical bottle of wine will contain 10 units. It’s easy to get through a bottle with three generous glasses in a night! Let’s face it, whoever pours a small glass?

Do you ever wonder if you drink a little too much? Maybe it’s crossed your mind on occasion that you have a problem with alcohol (even if you’ve not spoken those words out loud)? Do you use alcohol like a social crutch to give you confidence at parties and events? Do you often wonder what life would be like without alcohol or even why on TV, films and even in real life the alcohol flows freely at practically every event? It’s like we should all be drinking, and without it, we must be having less fun.

Have you ever thought about cutting down? And then maybe worried that not drinking seems somewhat suspect. After all, abstaining is often interpreted as a tacit indication that you struggle with alcoholism (itself a stigma and kept private), or that you’re just a virtuous teetotaller who’s a party- pooper and doesn’t know how to have fun! Trying to cut back though can be difficult and often meets with disapproval from others.

While you might be eating well, doing your yoga or Pilates, meditating, getting your 10,000 steps every single day, at the end of a long day, you get back from work, kick off your shoes and head for a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc. Soon, one glass is a second glass, which becomes the rest of the bottle.

I wonder if that sounds familiar?

If any of these questions above have crossed your mind, perhaps you are sober curious.

The sober curious movement is gathering pace and not drinking is really rather trendy. To be clear, ‘sober curious’ is not the same as sobriety (being 100% sober). According to Ruby Warrington, author of the book Sober Curious, it’s not that you’re either a drinker or teetotaller. Rather, it’s about bringing a “questioning mindset to every drinking situation, rather than going along with the dominant drinking culture”. Sober curious is a movement that welcomes you at any stage of your questioning the role alcohol plays in your life.

It may be that you have already dipped your toe into extended periods of sobriety – Dry January, Go Sober for October. Being sober curious the rest of the time is a natural extension. There are even sober bars popping up where you get to socialise over mocktails and kombucha rather than a G&T.

Author Ruby Warrington – the first to coin the phase – began thinking about her alcohol consumption in 2010 in terms of its impact on her health and wellbeing. She was drinking in a very socially-acceptable way. The way you might see openly portrayed on social media, it wasn’t like she was drinking secretly or during the day. Maybe a few glasses of wine on a few weeknights and a mini-binge at the weekend. Like many, she was simply doing it without question.

But then she began to question the role it played in her well-being, drinking less and less often. And then she stopped almost completely. With that came relief from hangovers, sleepless nights, and anxiety, plus a new sense of self-confidence and a stronger ability to cope with daily life. She calls her approach to drinking sober-curious, which she describes in her book Sober Curious.

Feel like exploring this for yourself?

Being sober-curious starts with asking yourself:

Why am I choosing to drinking right now?

Is it expected of me that I will have a drink right now? If so, how do I feel about that?

What will this drink do for my health and general well-being?

Think about what it is that you actually want.

It’s also important not to focus on what you’re cutting out. Instead, focus on everything that you’re cultivating or creating space for now in your life by looking beyond drinking.

When you do drink, ask yourself: How is this drink actually making me feel compared to how I thought it would make me feel? You might begin to notice that alcohol makes you feel tired and groggy and doesn’t give you the lift or the release you were looking for. And these experiences might make it easier to choose not to drink on some future occasions.

If people question you, it may sometimes be easier to have an excuse. For example, “I’m just not drinking this month” or “I’m driving.” Sometimes it’s easier to shut down the question, depending on who’s asking and whether you are comfortable sharing. Don’t be afraid to say to friends that you’re taking some time off from drinking, that you’d like to do something different instead (on a night you would normally go to a bar) . Remember, you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone. But if you feel the need to, I always tell my clients to use me, their nutritionist, as the reason!

Can you ever drink if you’re sober curious? Of course! Being sober curious is not about never, ever drinking. It’s simply being more mindful about when and why we drink, and how it fits in with the other things we want in our life. And that’s something we could probably all do with more of in every aspect of our lives.

SOBER CURIOUS RESOURCES

Sober Curious by Ruby Warrington

The Sober Diaries: How one woman stopped drinking and started living by Clare Pooley

Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health by David Nutt

Alcohol Lied to Me: How to Stop Drinking and Get the Real You Back by Craig Beck. There are some excellent hypnosis tracks to go with this book by Craig Beck

Arthritis: What You Need To Know

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As we get older, one of the things that can start to happen is that we experience aches and pains. If your aches and pains are a regular feature of your life, it’s definitely worth asking your doctor or physio for advice. Sometimes that regular twinge you are getting is something more serious, but don’t let the possibility of ‘something more serious’ prevent you from getting it checked out. If it’s nothing but creaking joints, that’s great. If it’s something else, well we can work on that too.

You may have guessed that the ‘something else’ I am thinking about is arthritis. I want to share some of my top tips for using food to help alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis.

Types of Arthritis

There are 2 types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage between bones and joints wears down, allowing bones to rub together rather than giving them the protection and cushion they need. Cartilage is made up of collagen and other substances that make connective tissue both flexible and strong. Cartilage covers the ends of bones where they meet the joints — and deterioration over time can affect the shape and functionality of the joints, making it painful and difficult to carry out everyday tasks.

Under the age of 45, it’s more common in men, and over the age of 45, it’s more common in women. By the time they get to 50, 80% of people will have symptoms associated with this type of arthritis, which starts as a stiffness in the hips, back, knees or other joints. The joints then become increasingly swollen and inflexible.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects someone’s joints and causes ongoing pain, swelling, stiffness and limitations in terms of movements. For most people, their rheumatoid arthritis symptoms tend to flare up at times and become worse when inflammation levels rise, but then become better for a while, only to return once again. It can be triggered by genetics, or a bacterial or viral component, and also environmental or lifestyle factors. About 80% of sufferers are women. The body – for whatever the reason – develops antibodies against its own tissue, and it attacks the cartilage and connective tissue. Over time, joints become inflamed and enlarged.

There are a number of factors that are important in managing arthritis:

  • How good your digestion and detoxification are
  • Blood sugar balance
  • Inflammation
  • Levels of essential fats
  • Allergies

Underlying Causes

The key to improving the symptoms of arthritis is to work on the underlying causes rather than just treating the symptoms.

Digestion

The scene for inflammation – even if that inflammation is elsewhere in the body, e.g. the joints – is often set in the digestive tract. If the gut environment is disturbed (a disruption in the normal balance of bacteria), this can lead to bacterial infection, parasites, intestinal permeability (aka ‘leaky gut’), allergies and intolerances.

What then happens partially digested food proteins get into the bloodstream, along with other toxins and microbes, putting greater pressure on the body’s detoxification processes. Once the liver starts to become over-taxed, any dietary or environmental toxins may cause further inflammation.

A programme that works on creating a good gut environment is ideal. Probiotics and prebiotics can be very helpful.

Blood Sugar Balance

There is a big link between inflammation and how well your body responds to insulin, the hormone produced in the pancreas to help control blood sugar levels. If your body has a reduced sensitivity to insulin, for example due to long-term poor dietary/lifestyle habits or you are diabetic, this can lead to high levels of sugar and/or insulin in the blood. Too much of either is toxic and can trigger inflammatory reactions.

Learning to balance your blood sugar levels plays a key role in managing the symptoms of arthritis. This is achieved through eating adequate amounts of protein at every meal and snack, increasing the amount of non-starchy vegetables, and considering the quality and the quantity of the starchy carbohydrates you eat.

All of my work with clients looks at balancing blood sugar, which focusses on eating real foods (not weird things you can only buy at health food shops), keeps you feeling full, and helps you manage your cravings.

Inflammation

In pretty much every circumstance, joint problems are linked to inflammation and sometimes also to problems with the immune system (autoimmunity).

The body produces chemical agents in the body to either switch on or reduce inflammation.

Prostaglandins are one of the main chemicals in this process, and these are the easiest to manipulate with diet. There are 3 different types. Types 1 and 3 are anti-inflammatory and type 2 is pro-inflammatory (causes inflammation and promotes pain).

Omega-6 fats can convert into either type 1 or type 2 prostaglandins. Eating a diet high in omega-6 polyunsaturated animal fats (found in processed food, ready-made meals, meat and dairy produce – particularly non-organic) has the body producing more of these less desirable type 2 prostaglandins. Reducing animal proteins and dairy products can bring symptomatic relief.

Omega-3 fats on the other hand, can only go down the route towards the anti-inflammatory type 3 prostaglandin. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are found in foods like walnuts, flaxseeds, hemp, chia seeds, and oily fish. Monounsaturated fats, e.g. avocados and olive oil, are also anti-inflammatory but work differently and are not involved in these specific pathways.

High levels of sugar and insulin can also direct the conversion of omega-6 fats down the type 2 pro-inflammatory pathway.

There’s another group of chemicals called ‘free radicals’. These are highly reactive oxygen molecules that “steal” electrons (a negatively charged particle that orbits the nucleus in an atom of matter) from neighbouring molecules to stabilise themselves.  You might have heard of free radicals in skincare commercials. They are linked to accelerated ageing, cancer and other diseases. What helps keep these unstable molecules in check are antioxidants (again, something often talked about in skincare).

Antioxidants are found in large amounts in brightly coloured fruit and vegetables. The different colours tend to indicate the type of antioxidants produced – all are good. What we know about antioxidants is that they have a synergistic effect – eating a variety of different ones (by eating a large range of different coloured fruit and veg) has a greater effect that eating the same volume of the same type of fruit or veg.

Bottom line? Eat a LOT of vegetables and a moderate portion of low sugar fruits like berries (which have some of the highest antioxidant levels of all fruit).

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, talk to me about whether a more restrictive diet would work for you. This further cuts out all grains, nightshade foods (like potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and aubergines) and other foods thought to play a role in causing an inflammatory environment.

Levels of Essential Fats

Omega 3 fatty acids (found in oily fish, seeds like flax, pumpkin and chia, and walnuts) are important to include daily because of their anti-inflammatory properties, which are well-documented.

Allergies

Many people with inflammatory conditions have allergies or intolerances, some of which may be due to leaky gut, where food proteins are able to get through the gut lining, triggering an inflammatory immune response. Common offenders are dairy products, yeast, wheat and gluten, other grains, eggs, beef, chilli, coffee and peanuts. If you experience arthritis – or in fact any other inflammatory condition, there may be mileage in having a food intolerance test. Ask me for details.

Food Action Plan

Remove Gluten and Dairy products

Reduce Animal protein

Increase non-starchy vegetables of all kinds (eat a rainbow of colours),vegetable protein such as pulses, oily fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil

Increase specific foods: celery, chilli, garlic, ginger, pineapple, red peppers, shiitake mushrooms, sweet potato, turmeric

Supplements– there are also numerous supplements which have been researched and can help reduce inflammation, including fish oil, curcumin, proteolytic enzymes, Boswellia. Ask me for details as it’s best to take them under supervision.

Stay Active

Low-impact exercise which doesn’t overly stress sensitive joints, including cycling, walking, water aerobics and yoga is beneficial for strengthening the muscles around the affected joint. this provides added support and reduces strain. Exercise has been shown to help lower inflammation and can even help prevent unnecessary replacement surgeries.

Juicing and Smoothies- How Healthy Are They?

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Smoothie vs juicing Fruit and veg is good for you. No one would argue with that.

There has been a great deal of research in recent years to support the claim that eating more fruit and veg may be able to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, while also helping to manage your weight. It can be a challenge to eat five portions of fruit and veg each day, even when you like vegetables. And now a new report suggests that eating 10 portions is what we need to stay healthy for longer. Most people don’t come nearly close to having enough, and I bet you’re wondering how on earth you’re going to manage that!

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of juicing and smoothies. Both are trending right now and there’s a huge debate. But what is better for your health – and losing weight- and are there any downsides? I’m going to give you the lowdown on both so you can get the hard facts from a nutrition professional and make an informed choice.

SMOOTHIES

The Benefits of Smoothies

When you make a smoothie, the whole lot is whizzed up in a blender. The juice and the pulp go in. This means that smoothies contain fibre. Fibre is good for you for so many reasons. It’s great for the digestive tract, helping to bulk out stools which helps you ‘go’ more regularly. Fibre supports weight loss because it helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the body, meaning that fruit and sugar-rich vegetables like beetroot and carrots are less likely to give you a blood sugar spike – ­ albeit a natural one. Fibre absorbs cholesterol in your digestive tract and flushes it out of your body, which is helpful for reducing risk factors for heart disease.

Dietary fibre also activates a few hormones really helpful in weight loss (called PYY and CKK and GLP-1, since you ask). These are appetite suppressors, meaning you’ll want to naturally eat less the more veg you consume. Fibre also decreases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, and increases another hormone called leptin, which tells your body you’re full. So, all in all fruit and veg are the good guys.

Fibre isn’t the only good thing in a smoothie. In a 2012 study in which scientists blended and juiced grapefruit, researchers found that the blended fruit had a higher concentration of the beneficial phytochemicals than juices because that compound is primarily found in the fibrous membranes of the fruit.

Given a smoothie can be packed with fibre, it can even serve as a meal replacement if you’re smart about what you add in it- more on this next (breakfast would be the perfect example).

The Downsides to Smoothies

When you eat fruit and veg you have to chew them which helps breaks down the fibre This in turn slows down the release of the sugars, helping to prevent a blood sugar spike which can lead to fatigue, low mood, increased hunger, weight problems, sleep problems etc.

On the other hand, when you blend fruits and vegetables in a machine, although the smoothie still contains fibre, it’s been broken down (literally pulverized) super-fast during the blending process- basically, the blender is doing the work your digestive system should be doing, which takes both energy and time to digest.

Even if you’re making your smoothie at home, using only fruits and vegetables with no other added ingredients, you can drink it in just a few minutes, compared with the time it would take to eat the same fruits or vegetables whole. It’s very likely that you are also getting more calories and sugar when you drink a smoothie than when eating whole fruits or vegetables. Research shows that we don’t register liquid calories as accurately as food we’ve chewed. So, smoothies enjoy a “health halo” that can be misleading.

The Best Way to Have Smoothies

If your idea of the perfect smoothie is only fruit and some liquid … Well, that’s a sugar bomb waiting to happen and is likely to upset your blood sugar balance. Plus, if consumed too frequently, this will have you start piling on the pounds.

But, if you combine a little bit of fruit and mostly veg, with a healthy source of protein such as yoghurt, a handful of nuts and seeds, nut butter  or a protein powder that would be best. Why? Firstly, with the addition of protein you’ll have a healthy, nutritious and filling meal to take with you on-the-go. And secondly, you’ll help avoid the blood sugar spike.

Also, quantity is important. To give you an idea, according to the national Eatwell Guide, we should only be having one serving of smoothie or juice, which is 150ml. That’s the same as a “mini” can of cola and less than half the size of a standard can of soft drink. If you’re using mostly veg in your juices and smoothies, and adding protein to your smoothies then the amount can be increased.

JUICING

The Benefits of Juicing

When you juice, your juicers extract the water and nutrients from what you feed it, leaving behind the pulp. Many juicers will also have a filter attachment, so you can remove even more ‘bits’ from your juice.

Given the lack of fibre, juices provide an almost immediate energy boost. The bulk of the vitamins and minerals found within a fruit are typically in the juice rather than the fibrous pulp. And without the fibre, the nutrients are absorbed into the body more efficiently. Additionally, the digestive system doesn’t have to work hard at all to process what you’re consuming. The cherry on top is that juicing allows you to eat a far higher range of nutrients from leafy greens and vegetables you wouldn’t normally eat in such quantity or blend – like cabbage and wheatgrass! Typically, juices (rather than smoothies) are a great way to detox.

 Downsides to Juicing

When you juice, the fibre is usually removed. And without the fibre slowing digestion of the sugar in fruit, the juice drives up your blood sugar rapidly which can lead to symptoms discussed above. This can also contribute to insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

If you juice mostly vegetables, you’ll get a potent dose of phytochemicals and disease-fighting compounds without all the sugar. But do it incorrectly, and you can get more sugar than a soda. Thing is, many “green juices” actually do have more sugar than a can of soda. Why? Because people don’t like bitter green juices and so most contain lots of fruit juice, carrots, and beets. A study in 2014 found that, on average, fruit juices contain 45.5 grams of fructose per litre, not far off from the average of 50 grams per litre in fizzy drinks.  If it has more than 5 grams of sugar, stay away.

Verdict

Which is better depends very much on what your health goal is. Juicing offers the possibility of getting in a greater concentration of nutrients, increasing your fruit and vegetable consumption, and possibly making it easier on your tummy if have a hard time digesting the fibre in vegetables.

On the other hand, fibre IS super important in your diet, and in juices you are missing out – plus you could also be losing other important elements like antioxidants.

For weight loss, energy, mood, PCOS, high cholesterol the added fibre is a huge bonus for balancing your blood sugar levels. Smoothies provide this. They also bring the possibility of adding other beneficial ingredients, like collagen (for arthritis suffers), protein powders, prebiotics, nuts or seeds.

Ultimately, you need to consume more fruit and veg than you are currently eating. Both smoothies and juices give you options to consider.

 HEALTHY JUICES

Green juice

2 apples

4 stalks celery

1 orange

½ lemon

5 handfuls spinach

½ thumb ginger root

Start with the spinach. A good tip is to try to roll it into a ball in your hands before feeding through the juicer. Peel the orange and lemon, then juice. Cut the apples into halves, then juice the rest.

Green goddess

3 cups spinach

6 stalks celery

2 pears

½ cup parsley

½ lemon

Start with the spinach and parsley, rolling them into a ball in your hands before feeding through the juicer. Follow with the lemon (peeled), then juice the remaining ingredients.

Liver cleanse

1 apple

1 beetroot

3 beet leaves (or a small handful of spinach)

4 carrots

1 stalk celery

½ thumb ginger root

Cut the beetroot and apples in half to juice. Add the ginger and celery. Roll the leaves into a ball (makes it easier to juice). Cut the skin from the pineapple (but leave in the core – it has extra enzymes), peel the orange and then juice.

HEALTHY SMOOTHIES

Put all the ingredients in the blender with a cup of liquid (water or almond milk, etc.) to start with and increase liquid to desired consistency.

Berry nice

½ avocado

75g fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tbsp chia seeds

½ tbsp coconut oil

¼ tsp cinnamon

½ banana (ideally frozen)

Small handful of ice

Water, as desired

Hidden greens

25g vanilla protein powder

1 kiwi, peeled

Handful of strawberries

Handful of kale

Handful of watercress

1 tbsp cashew butter/cashews

2tbsp broccoli sprouts

Small handful of ice

Water as desired

Blueberry + kale

Handful blueberries

Handful kale

1 small banana

1 tsp cashew or almond nut butter

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Small handful of ice

250ml coconut or almond milk

Mindless Weight Loss

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By London Nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

Introduction

Brian Wansink from Cornell University has spent much of his scientific career trying to understand what influences our food choices. His conclusion is that most of us are unaware of what influences how much we eat. We all think we’re too smart to be tricked by packages, lighting or the size of plates. We might acknowledge that others can be tricked, but not us. Yet every single one of us is influenced by what’s around us when it comes to deciding what and when we will eat.

In other words, we over-eat not because of hunger, but because of family and friends, packages and plates, names and numbers, labels and lights, colours, shapes and smells, cupboards and containers.

Read on to hear about his fascinating findings from decades of research into behaviour and eating patterns.

Brian Wansink on how to lose weight without thinking about it

The average person makes well over 200 decisions about food every day. Breakfast or no breakfast? Bread, bun or bagel? Part or all of it?

Every time we pass a dish of sweets or open up our desk drawer and see a piece of chewing gum, we make a food decision. Yet we can’t really explain most of these 200-plus decisions. Most of us are blissfully unaware of what influences how much we eat. Because although you can eat too much without knowing it, you can also eat less. Because, let’s face it, the best diet is the one you don’t know you’re on…

Strategy 1- Remove The Mindless Margin

Just ten extra calories a day – one stick of gum or three jelly beans – will make you a pound heavier in a year. And 140 calories a day – or one can of soft drink – will make you put on a stone. And you won’t even notice.

Fortunately, the same thing happens in the opposite direction. This is known as the mindless margin: those few extra calories that you can consume – or not consume – every day that you really don’t notice. By cutting out 100 to 200 calories a day, you can lose weight. That can mean not having one of your daily Starbucks. Or not tucking into a packet of crisps when you get in from work.

Cutting out your favourite foods entirely, however, is a bad idea: you’ll just feel deprived. Cutting down on how much you eat of them, on the other hand, is mindlessly do-able.

Simply dish out 20 per cent less than you think you will want before you start to eat. You probably won’t miss it. For fruit and vegetables, though, think 20 per cent more. If you cut down the pasta you eat by 20 per cent, increase the veggies by 20 per cent.

Strategy 2- See All You Eat

When people put their food on a plate, they eat about 14 per cent less. So instead of eating directly out of a package or box, put everything you want to eat on a plate before you start eating – whether it’s a snack, dinner, ice cream or even crisps. Leave the packaging in the kitchen and eat elsewhere. You’ll also eat less if you are able to see what you’ve already eaten.

Strategy 3– Be Your Own Tablescaper

Continue reading “Mindless Weight Loss” →

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Sylvia Salvendy

Slow Cookers

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By London nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

Benefits of Slow Cookers

The advantage of the slow cooker is that it is able to do the cooking without any human intervention. The cooker takes the heat and indirectly applies it to the food so that the food cooked slowly and evenly. As the slow cooker uses low heat, the food is not burned without stirring. Furthermore, the slow cooker is an economical appliance to use for cooking. It uses as little electricity as a 75-watt light bulb and substantially less energy as compared to an electric oven.

The slow cooker means you can go to work all day and come back to enjoy home-cooked food without having to spend time in the cooking process. In the morning before leaving for work you can easily place all the food ingredients in the slow cooker and set it on low. By the time you  come back from work in the evening, a tasty, nutritious, home-cooked dish will be ready.

Tips For Using Slow Cookers

1. Keep it convenient- Make the slow cooker fit your schedule. Prepare a recipe in the morning and let the slow cooker work all day. Or, get everything ready the day before, cover and refrigerate overnight, and wait until morning to start slow cooking.

2. Use fresh ingredients- Avoid using frozen ingredients, especially meat and poultry, which take longer to cook and can disturb the overall timing of a recipe.

3. Stock the crock the right way-For best results, the slow cooker should be half to two-thirds full. When making soups and other dishes that need to simmer, leave a two-inch gap between the food and the top of the slow cooker. Place ingredients that take a long time to cook—root vegetables and large cuts of meat, for example—on the bottom of the slow cooker so they have maximum heat exposure. More delicate items, such as rice, pasta, dairy products, and certain vegetables, should be added during the last hour of cooking.

4. Keep the lid on, stir sparingly-In general, keep the lid securely on the slow cooker to avoid heat loss, which slows down cooking. However, it’s ok to occasionally lift the lid and stir. In fact, if your slow cooker has hot spots, stirring can be helpful.

5. Season later, not sooner- Slow cooking tends to mellow seasoning so be sure to taste your dish to see if you need to add additional salt and pepper at the end of cooking. Better yet, wait until cooking is nearly complete to season your dish. It’s also a good idea to add fresh herbs near the end, as they have a tendency to blacken when cooked for any length of time.

Slow Cooker Recipes

Continue reading “Slow Cookers” →

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Sylvia Salvendy

Food to boost your mood

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by London Nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

Can you alter your mood through your food?

Many people are seeking to take control of their mental health using self-help, and to find approaches to help reduce the need for, or to use alongside prescribed medication. One self-help strategy is to make changes to what we eat, and there is a growing interest in how food and nutrition can affect emotional and mental health. We don’t have the whole story yet, but there are some interesting clues. Food appears to affect our mood by bringing about chemical and physiological changes in our brain structure.

A survey in the UK (1) of 200 people found that 88% of participants reported that dietary changes improved their mental health significantly: 26% said they had seen large improvements in mood swings, 26% in panic attacks, 24% in cravings, 24% in depression, 22% in irritable/aggressive feelings, 19% in concentration/memory difficulties. People also said that cutting down on food “stressors” and increasing the amount of “supporters” they eat had a beneficial effect on their mood. Stressors highlighted included sugar (80%), caffeine (79%), alcohol (55%), chocolate (53%), wheat-containing foods (48%), additives (47%) and dairy (44%). Mood supporters included water (80%), vegetables (78%), fruit (72%), oily fish (52%), nuts and seeds (51%), ‘brown’ (wholegrain) food (50%), fibre (48%) and protein (41%).

In addition, Mind, a charity which helps people take control of their mental health, has received numerous reports of improvements in a wide range of mental health problems by people making dietary changes, including: mood swings, anxiety, panic attacks, cravings or food ‘addictions’, depression (including postnatal depression), irritable or aggressive feelings, concentration, memory difficulties, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), obsessive-compulsive feelings, eating disorders, psychotic episodes, insomnia, fatigue, behavioural and learning disorders, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD) (2).

Which foods can negatively affect mood?

The foods and drinks that most often cause problems are those containing alcohol, sugar, caffeine, chocolate, wheat (such as bread, biscuits, and cakes), dairy products (such as cheese), certain artificial additives (or E numbers) and hydrogenated fats. Other commonly eaten foods, such as yeast, corn, eggs, oranges, soya and tomatoes may also cause symptoms for some people. A qualified nutritionist can help identify suspect culprits.

How can your food boost your mood?

1. Don’t avoid carbohydrates, but choose the right ones-The connection between carbohydrates and mood is all about tryptophan, a non-essential amino acid. As more tryptophan enters the brain, more serotonin is synthesised in the brain, and mood tends to improve (3). Serotonin, known as a mood regulator, is made naturally in the brain from tryptophan with some help from B vitamins. Foods thought to increase serotonin levels in the brain include fish and vitamin D.

There’s a catch though: while tryptophan is found in almost all protein-rich foods, other amino acids are better at passing from the bloodstream into the brain. Thus, by eating more carbohydrates you can help boost your tryptophan levels; carbohydrates seem to help eliminate the competition for tryptophan, so more of it can enter the brain and help boost your mood. However, it’s important to make good carbohydrate choices like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, which also support positive mood in other ways by helping to stabilise blood sugar levels and contributing important nutrients and fibre (4).

2. Eat More Omega-3 Fatty Acids-your brain is 60 % fat if you take out all the water. This fatty tissue needs replenishing, but you need to know which fats will nourish your brain the best. Essential fatty acids known as Omega-3 and Omega-6 are intimately involved in brain function and deficiencies or imbalances in brain fats are now known to be associated with numerous mental health problems.

In particular, researchers have noted that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (found in oily fish, flaxseed, and walnuts) may help protect against depression. This makes sense physiologically, since omega-3s appear to affect neurotransmitter pathways in the brain. Past studies have suggested there may be abnormal metabolism of omega-3 in depression, although some more recent studies have suggested this association may not be as strong as previously thought. Aim for two to three servings of fish per week, of which at least 1 should be oily (5).

Some common symptoms of omega-3 deficiency or omega-3: omega-6 imbalance include:

  • Excessive thirst
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Dry or rough skin
  • Dry hair, loss of hair or dandruff
  • Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or breast pain
  • Eczema, asthma or joint aches
  • Dyslexia or learning difficulties
  • Hyperactivity
  • Depression or manic depression
  • Schizophrenia

The best foods to feed your brain are:

  • Omega-3: flax seeds (linseeds), hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, anchovies, eggs.
  • Omega-6: sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds.

3. Eat a Balanced Breakfast- eating breakfast regularly can lead to improved mood, along with better memory, more energy throughout the day, and feelings of calmness (6). It seems sensible then to reason that skipping breakfast would do the opposite, leading to irritability, anxiety and fatigue.  So what should you be eating for a good breakfast? Lots of fibre from whole grains, nuts or seeds, as well as legumes (such as baked beans), some lean protein, omega-3 and/or omega-6 fats

4. Follow a Mediterranean Diet– the Mediterranean diet is a balanced, healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fruits, nuts, vegetables, cereals, legumes, and fish — all of which are important sources of nutrients linked to preventing depression.

In particular, the low levels of the B vitamins folate and B12 status have been found in studies of depressive patients, and an association between depression and low levels of the two vitamins is found in studies of the general population (7). These B vitamins help to control “methylation”, a chemical process which goes on throughout the brain and body and helps to turn one neurotransmitter into another.  The brain uses these neurotransmitters to communicate, sending messages from one brain cell to another. Folate is found in Mediterranean diet staples like legumes, nuts, many fruits, and particularly dark green vegetables. B-12 can be found in all lean and low-fat animal products, such as fish and low-fat dairy products.

5. Balance your blood sugar levels- The most common underlying imbalance in many types of mood disorders is fluctuating blood sugar levels. The negative effects of imbalanced blood sugar levels include irritability, poor concentration, fatigue, depression and food cravings- especially for sweet foods or stimulants such as tea, coffee and cigarettes, all of which in turn send your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster. Here are the most common symptoms of blood sugar imbalances:

  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Heart palpitations
  • Fainting, dizziness or trembling
  • Excessive sweating or night sweats
  • Excessive thirst
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Frequent mood swings
  • Forgetfulness or confusion
  • Tendency to depression
  • Anxiety and irritability
  • Feeling weak
  • Aggressive outbursts or crying spells
  • Cravings for sweets or stimulants
  • Drowsiness after meals

A few simple steps you can take to help balance your blood sugar: Continue reading “Food to boost your mood” →

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Mood and Performance

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A Corporate Nutrition article by London Nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

The power of mood on staff motivation

Research has shown that the mood people bring with them to the workplace at the start of each day, “waking up on the right or wrong side of the bed” influences worker mood throughout the day more powerfully and consistently than any other variable (1). This is not surprising since the boundary between our work and non-work roles is permeable (2). Our mood at the beginning of the day may come from challenges and opportunities we are presented with, positive or negative family experiences before leaving for work, or even the commute into work.

Employees are rarely able to check their emotions at the door, nor are they emotional islands while at work. Whereas start-of-day mood might lead to greater “stickiness” in work mood later in the day, ongoing work interactions can be an important source of positive or negative fluctuations in work mood throughout the day (3). In short, our interactions with others might influence our work mood during the day through the emotional state and mood of others (4).

Consequently, staff with low mood could potentially de-motivate their colleagues by their attitude and lead to underperformance. Conversely, staff with positive mood could help optimise work performance among co-workers.  Thus, the emotions we experience at the start of the day and the emotional state of those we interact with at work can consequently have a profound effect on how we feel and ultimately perform at work.

The effect of mood on work performance-why it matters

Research has found that negative mood can reduce performance outcome; for example, in customer service work settings, it has been shown to reduce the turnover of calls per hour (5).  Workers in a negative mood also need to expend effort to conceal their mood to co-workers and customers (6) which uses up valuable mental and physical resources (7) and could lead to underperformance at work.

On the other hand, positive mood can help employees obtain favourable outcomes at work (8). In particular, research has Continue reading “Mood and Performance” →

Digiprove sealCopyright secured by Digiprove © 2011 Sylvia Salvendy

Antioxidants and Safe Suntanning

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by London Nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

How Antioxidants and Vitamins Can Help Prevent Sunburn

The amount of antioxidants that you have in your skin plays a major role in your development of sunburn. The more antioxidants you consume, the lower your risk of sunburn. Studies on UVA and UVB sunlight have taught us that our cells essentially “shut down” when the damage caused by sunlight becomes too great. When certain kinds of skin cells (called keratinocytes) are overexposed to UVA and/or UVB sunlight, they experience one particular type of stress called oxidative stress which can overload our antioxidant levels. Damage to our DNA is also part of what happens in sunburn cell formation. Foods containing effective antioxidants to boost your “internal sunscreen” include:

  • Goji berries (not the juice)
  • Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Green tea
  • foods rich in the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin ,including dark green leafy vegetables, kale, spinach, broccoli, corn, peas, Brussels sprouts, and romaine lettuce
  • vitamin C rich foods such as bell peppers, broccoli, papaya, Brussels sprouts, and strawberries
  • selenium rich foods such as mushrooms and different types of fish, including cod, pawns, tuna, snapper, halibut, and salmon
  • vitamin E rich foods such as sunflower seeds, almonds, olives, and dark green leafy vegetables

Safe Tanning Guidelines

If your skin is unused to the sun, it is important to build up your tolerance regularly and gradually. To start with, limit your exposure to 10 minutes a day, then progressively increase your time in the sun so that you can have normal sun exposure with little risk of skin cancer.

Time of Day – Early morning is the best time to sunbathe if you have not already built up a base tan, because you’re less likely to burn in the mild morning sun than later in the day.

Regular Intervals – Regular sunbathing is extremely important; you can’t cram all of your sun exposure into a two or three week vacation period and expect to experience the benefits. Intermittent overexposure can increase the danger of skin cancer. Thus, frequent, short periods of exposure are best.

Skin Exposure– For optimal benefit, strive to have at least 40 percent of your skin uncovered.

Optimal Exposure Time – A light-skinned person fairly far from the equator (such as in the UK or the northern U.S.) needs at least three 20 minute sessions per week, in bright midday sunlight and with few clothes. Longer will be needed if sunbathing occurs at off-peak times for ultraviolet light (before 12 PM or after 3 PM) or at the beginning or end of the summer (April or September).  A dark-skinned person, of course, should be outside significantly longer.

Call us now on 0207 724 4445 /07812 163 324 or email us at info@yournutritionalhealth.co.uk to find out more about you can use antioxidants to optimise your long-term health!

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Nutrition and Health News

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