Why are nitrates in beetroot good for you, but those in bacon bad?
Nitrates are processed by the body in different ways, depending on their source. All nitrates we consume are converted to nitrates in the stomach, where they can be made into two other components.
The nitrates derived from vegetables such as beetroot, spinach and rocket tend to become nitric oxide, which protects cells, regulates heart rhythm and widens blood vessels.
The nitrates derived from processed meats are much more likely to convert into cancer-promoting nitrosamines before or after consumption. Nitrosamines form due to reactions with proteins and iron also found in the meat.
Drinking a small glass of orange juice with your occasional bacon sarnie can help, as vitamin C reduces the formation of nitrosamines.
New
evidence suggests that magnesium can help your body to regulate vitamin D
levels. Previous studies have shown vitamin D tends to be low when the
body’s magnesium supplies are depleted.
Latest research
found that the presence of magnesium in the body regulates higher levels of
vitamin D (a moderate vitamin D level has been linked to the lower risk of
cardiovascular disease).
It is
recommended getting magnesium from food sources rather than supplements – try
dark leafy greens, whole grains, dark chocolate, nuts, bananas and avocado.
We’re
living in a society where our to-do lists are never ending, and we’re expected
to do it all: work, raise children, keep up with social engagements, go to the
gym, cook meals, clean the house – the list is endless. We often get so
caught up in our commitments that we lose touch with how our bodies feel and
what they’re telling us.
We need to
let go of what our minds tell us we ‘should do’ and start listening to what our
bodies tell us we need. Here are just a few ways you can aim to reconnect with
your body’s natural cues:
Give yourself a break from exercise if you’re feeling fatigued We all know those days when we feel truly exhausted after a hectic week, a sleepless night, a stressful event, and going to the gym is the last thing we feel like. Instead of forcing a terrible workout, it might be a good idea to take a break and spend that extra hour relaxing or catching up on sleep.
It’s not
about avoiding exercise whenever you ‘don’t feel like it’- regular exercise is
important and can be a great stress reliever. However, on those days when
you’ve already over-worked yourself and are feeling truly sore or tired, it’s
important to take a day off to rest if your body tells you to. If you still want
to be active in some way, you could always go for a walk in the fresh air, or
do some slower-paced yoga.
Respect your injuries One of the worst things you can do when you’re experiencing an injury is to ignore it and keep going at full pace. Exercising with an injury can cause serious damage and will only worsen the injury, which means more recovery time and potentially putting your health at risk.
If you’re experiencing a serious injury, be sure to visit your doctor who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed. Most minor injuries take a few weeks to recover at least, so you should avoid exercising or placing strain on your injury at all. Once you get back to the gym, start out slowly and build your way back up – it’s unrealistic to expect to get back at full form.
Prioritise sleep when you’re feeling run-down With so much going on in our lives, it can be difficult to get as much sleep as we need. While the number varies for different people, experts suggest adults need around eight hours of sleep a night.
When we
get run-down and our immune systems are compromised, getting enough sleep is
absolutely key to helping our bodies fight infection and keep us healthy. If
you’re feeling ill or low on energy, try to prioritise your sleep.
Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues Due to the effects of diet culture and our modern lifestyle, our relationships with food is complicated and many of us have lost the connection with our hunger and fullness cues; we either ignore hunger pangs when our bodies crave energy, or continue to eat past the point of feeling satiated.
Being
tuned in when our body needs food, and when it’s had enough, is key to our
physical and mental health. If you’re suppressing your hunger instead of having
a snack or meal when your body tells you to, you’re depriving yourself of
the energy you need to live. This can lead to crashes in your blood sugar,
mood, and much more serious consequences when driven to the extreme.
Alternatively, regularly over-eating when you’re not hungry, either out of
boredom or for emotional reasons, can lead to disease and weight gain.
Work to
distinguish when you’re actually hungry or full, or when you’re under- or
over-eating due to emotional or environmental reasons. Eating is intuitive,
therefore you’ll be surprised by what your body is actually telling you when
you start to listen to it.
Your
flexibility is, put simply, the ability of your joints and body parts to
achieve their full range of motion, allowing you to do simple, everyday tasks.
Like most things, your flexibility decreases with age as your muscles lose
their natural suppleness and become more prone to developing aches, tears and
pains.
Working to
maintain your flexibility is very important for a number of reasons – some of
the benefits include:
An increased range of motion If your muscles are tight, you’ll experience a reduced range of motion throughout your body. This can make it difficult to do simple things such as reaching overhead or bending down. Working on your flexibility will make your everyday activities (as well as exercise) much easier.
The prevention of injury When you don’t stretch, you increase your chances of injury as the tendons and ligaments around your muscles stiffen. Tight muscles reduce your range of motion, making it easier to injure yourself. Flexible joints require less energy to move through a greater range of motion. Working on your flexibility increases your range of motion and lowers your risk of injury to the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Reduced back pain There are multiple muscles that feed into your back. When these muscles get stiff and tight, it’s common to experience pain. For example, when your hamstrings are tight, they pull the pelvis down and create more pressure on the lower back. Tight hip flexors and pelvic muscles will also place extra stress on the spine.
Stretching
all these muscles regularly will help to ease tension and soreness which will in
turn relieve pain in the back and other areas of the body. The more flexible
your pelvic muscles, hamstrings, hip flexors, and quadriceps, the less stress
you’ll feel in your lower back.
Better posture When we spend time hunched over a computer, certain muscles in our body — such as shoulders, back, core, and neck — actually shorten. This can have a big impact on your health, even increasing the amount of cortisol (the stress hormone) being released in your body. Stretching will help to lengthen and strengthen your muscles, reducing the effort it takes to maintain good posture throughout the day and can help you to feel more relaxed.
What are some different ways to stay flexible? The best way to maintain flexibility is to stretch regularly. Whatever your age, you should try to stretch for a short period at least once a day. If time is short, focus on stretches that work the larger muscle groups such as shoulders, hamstrings, hips and lower back, and calf muscles – areas that are prone to stiffness and soreness as we age.
Yoga is
also a great way to stay flexible and supple as postures focus on lengthening
muscles and relieving tension in the body.
As any
parent will know, a consistent exercise routine is one of the first things to
go after you have children. With shifting priorities, less time to yourself,
reduced sleep and less energy, it is entirely normal for new parents to find
themselves exercising less.
While it
is common for your usual exercise routine to slow down or even come to an
abrupt halt, it can still be possible for parents to incorporate some form of
exercise into their week. Regular exercise is essential to the well-being of
everyone, parents included. It has been proven to have a positive impact on
depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. It relieves stress,
improves memory, results in better sleep, and boosts overall mood.
How can I do more exercise as a parent? While finding the time and motivation to exercise as a parent is tricky, there are a few ways you can include more in your daily routine. The important thing to realise is that your definition of what makes up exercise has to shift after you have children. Change your perspective, and exercise and activity aren’t as hard to achieve as you might think.
1. Be active throughout the day One of the most efficient ways to fit exercise into your day is to make it a part of your usual daily activities. For example, instead of taking an hour to go to the gym, you can be active in a number of different ways such as walking to the shops instead of hopping on the bus.
2. Exercise more efficiently One of the skills you pick up very quickly as a parent is time management and making the most of every free second you have. You need to exercise more efficiently with the time you do have – an effective workout doesn’t need to eat up a large chunk of your time, it can be done in 20 minutes. For example a HIIT routine is high in intensity and speedy.
3. Invest in home gym equipment If you are working out at home, it might be worth investing in a few items to help you out. Equipment doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive – a workout mat, resistance band, skipping rope and a set of dumbbells are just a few things that could help you do the job.
4. Make exercise a family affair One of the most effective ways of squeezing in exercise is to involve your children. Not only will you get more exercise, but your children will too. A few ways to exercise together are to walk/cycle/run around your local park (an idea might be that you run while you kids cycle so you move at a similar pace), play ball games together such as football, or go swimming.
We all know how important exercise is, but it’s just as vital to listen to your body when you’re feeling sick. While pushing through a workout after a hard day can sometimes be a great idea, it’s not always the best idea to force your body into exercise.
Sugar increases our risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. New guidelines advise cutting our intake to 6 teaspoons a day (25-30g). A can of fizzy drink contains about 9 teaspoons!
And, while sugars are found naturally in fruits, veg and milk, it’s the added sugars – sucrose, syrups, fructose and fructose corn syrup – that do most damage to our health.
Sugars with lower glycaemic index (GI) are metabolised slower, helping you to avoid sudden spikes and dips in blood sugar.
Here is a lowdown of the pros and cons of the alternatives:
Stevia: GI = 0
This is low in fructose and almost calorie free. However, it’s a lot sweeter than sugar and can leave a bitter aftertaste.
Xylitol: GI = 7
Naturally present in fruit and veg, it’s one of the most popular low GI alternatives. It has fewer calories and can prevent tooth decay. However, like fibre it’s not fully digestible, so can cause bloating.
Honey: GI = 30 (raw)
Raw and Manuka honey contain antioxidants and have antimicrobial benefits. Raw honey has a much lower GI than processed. Avoid processed honey as it can contain up to 53% fructose.
Agave nectar: GI = 30-40
This has a relatively low GI. It’s reputation as a healthy sweetener has been questioned however. It’s high in fructose – containing up to 70% – which is higher than demonised high-fructose corn syrup.
Coconut sugar: GI = 35
Contains iron, zinc, calcium, potassium and inulin, which may slow glucose absorption. It’s calorie content is similar to sugar’s.
Maple syrup: GI = 54
This contains manganese, iron and calcium and has a lower fructose level than honey, so is easier to digest. However, it is often highly processed with high GI.
Diet is the first port of call in the fight to stay healthy, and prevention is better than cure. Here are my top tips to keeping your immune system strong throughout the cold season:
Fill up on a rainbow of fresh fruit and veggies so you’re getting all the vitamins you need. Immune-boosting vitamin C is the star of the show here. It’s especially high in kiwis, peppers, kale and leafy greens, citrus fruits, broccoli and berries.
Garlic has antibacterial properties and has the antioxidant allicin, which helps counteract the effects of free radicals in the body.
Chilli also has antioxidant properties as well as acting like a decongestant.
Ginger is a good warmer as well as soothing the stomach.
Stay hydrated and eat foods rich in soluble fibre such as avocado, tomatoes and other fresh fruits and veggies, plus insoluble fibre like brown rice and wholegrains.
Zinc is another immune system booster. Fresh beef and baked beans are good sources.
When light levels drop in the evening, the pineal gland switches on the production of the sleep-inducing hormone Melatonin. It’s then released through the night, keeping you asleep until the morning, when levels drop again.
The blue light from smartphones and other technology can suppress Melatonin, disrupting your sleep-wake cycle. Turn off two hours before bed and keep your room as dark as possible.
Get rid of blisters
Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties, so can help prevent infection and help clear blisters. Soak your blistered feet in it, or put some vinegar on a cotton pad and dab it onto the affected area.
