It is often said that an apple a day keep the doctor away – but now in-depth research looking at more than 150 studies has shown this might well be true.
It concluded that flavan-3-ols, a compound found in high quantities in apples, can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
For maximum benefits, aim for 500mg of flavan-3-ol a day, which is the equivalent of an apple, some berries and two cups of tea.
Stress can lead to weight gain and make you more likely to overeat. We live in an increasingly hectic world, and stress is an unwelcome fixture in many lives. Emotional stressors are something we have to deal with on a daily (or in some cases, hourly) basis, and we are frequently exposed to physical stressors, too. Alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, pollution, lack of exercise, over-exercising and poor sleep patterns all add to the stress that is threatening to tip you over the edge and lead to low mood.
When the body is stressed, the small structures that control your hormones, known as the adrenal glands, go into overdrive, causing a rise in your metabolic rate. For the body to try to counteract this, we ‘use up’ nutrients faster than we can replace them. Couple this with a typical ‘pick me up’ diet of sugary, carbohydrate-rich, grab-and-go foods, and stress quickly gives way to anxiety, depression and illness.
Next time you’re feeling the pressures of life, try ditching the wine and ice cream, and munch on the best calming foods for stress relief instead.
Papaya
Add this exotic fruit to your morning smoothie. Vitamin C is used in large quantities by the adrenal glands, therefore long-term stress can result in a depletion of this immune-boosting antioxidant. Guava, strawberries and kiwi fruit also warrant a thumbs up.
Fish
Fish is high in vitamin B12, which is essential for combating irritability, depression, anxiety and insomnia. B12 works in synergy with folic acid, so combine your fish with folate-rich spinach for a nutrient double whammy.
Pumpkin seeds
These nutty nibbles contain L-tryptophan. This is an essential amino acid that causes a boost in serotonin (the body’s natural anti-depressant) and melatonin (our natural sleeping aid). As it’s not produced within the body, we have to consume tryptophan-rich foods. Other sources are turkey and baked potatoes.
Almonds
Magnesium deficiency, a common side effect of stress, can magnify symptoms. Due to modern farming and processing, much of the food we consume is lacking in this vital mineral. Therefore, we have to try harder to include foods that are naturally rich in this disease-combating marvel. Nuts, in particular almonds, are rich in magnesium and should be included in small amounts, daily.
Swiss Chard
During periods of stress, we excrete more potassium than usual, which can lead to some pretty unpleasant side effects over time. Almost every organ, cell and tissue needs potassium in order to function optimally. It also aids smooth muscle contraction (including the muscles that control digestion, which is why stress and irritable bowels often go hand in hand). Dark leafy greens, such as swiss chard, can go some way in rectifying this.
Eggs
Not only are eggs rich in a whole host of valuable nutrients, including zinc, which is an essential immune booster, but they are also one of the best sources of protein around. Our protein stores are used up quickly during periods of stress. Plus, considering protein is used in almost every function right down to cellular level, it’s essential that stores are replenished regularly.
Tea
Apparently there’s a reason us highly stressed Brits stick the kettle on when things get too much. According to studies, four cups of black tea per day may promote a feeling of calm and aid in de-stressing. If you find your caffeine sensitive, stick to herbal teas, such as chamomile.
Honey
Sleep-inducing and tranquilising, honey truly is one of nature’s best remedies. Try drizzling over your morning oats for breakfast or stirring into some warm milk for a good night’s rest.
Struggling to lose weight? It may be time to think about your gut health. There’s a growing amount of research revealing the importance of your gut health when it comes to weight loss. Here’s a look at the role your microbes play in weight management.
What is the gut microbiome?
Did you know that you have around 400 bacterial species and an estimated 100 trillion microbes in your gut? Known as the gut microbiome, its composition and diversity can have a profound effect on your health.
Not only does your gut health and microbiome regulate your metabolism and help you absorb nutrients from food, it can also influence whether you are lean or obese and how well you respond to weight-loss programmes.
Your microbiome performs a number of important roles when it comes to metabolic health. This includes how much energy your body absorbs from food, your appetite and satiety. It also has a role in the production of certain vitamins and short-chain fatty acids.
The first few years of your life are particularly important for shaping your gut. However, research has shown that the composition of your gut microbiome can alter through dietary and lifestyle changes.
Can your gut health influence weight loss?
It has been known for a while that the composition of the microbiome between obese and lean people is different. New research reveals that the health and composition of your gut microbiome may influence your weight loss ability.
It appears that certain bacteria help break down carbohydrates (like those found in whole grains) into simple sugars. This makes them easier to digest and potentially less likely to be stored as fat.
In addition, research has shown that certain bacterial species (including a group called prevotella) produce higher levels of compounds known as short-chain fatty acids (such as butyrate, acetate and propionate). These substances reduce inflammation in the body, improve insulin sensitivity and, in turn, may facilitate greater weight loss.
Other clinical trials have also shown that certain types of bacteria present in probiotics can help with weight loss. Studies on more advanced treatments such as faecal microbiota transplantation (a procedure in which gut bacteria from a healthy person is placed in a patient to replace good bacteria that are missing) have been shown to lower inflammation. It has also been shown to improve insulin resistance and may even be a potential treatment for type 2 diabetes.
There are also bacteria species (such as bifidobacteria) known to produce short-chain fatty acids. These appear particularly important when it comes to metabolic health and weight management. Research has linked a higher level of these fatty acids to better insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake. In turn, this can influence fat composition. The short-chain fatty acid called propionate supports the production of hormones which influence satiety. By controlling appetite, it may be easier to stick to a weight-loss programme.
Are there ‘fat’ and ‘skinny’ bacteria?
Does ‘skinny bacteria’ exist? Strictly speaking, there are no ‘skinny’ or ‘fat’ bacteria. What matters is your microbiome composition, and the diversity of species and the range of certain beneficial microbes. While it does appear there are specific bacteria species (such as akkermansia muciniphila) associated with lean body weight, there is no magic bullet or quick-fix weight loss gut health supplement. Your gut bacteria won’t directly cause you to lose weight; it is via their activities throughout the body that influence inflammation, how you utilise energy, how you burn fat, as well as how hungry or full you feel, that they help you lose, gain or maintain your weight.
So, how can you modify your microbiome and improve your gut health to aid weight loss? One of the key ways is eating more plant-based foods rich in prebiotic fibres and plant compounds known to enhance beneficial gut microbes. While it is useful to include probiotic-rich fermented foods – such as yoghurt, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, kimchi or kombucha – for weight loss benefits, prebiotics should take centre stage in your good gut health diet.
These Asian superfoods are perfect for anyone hungry for better health and fitness.
1. Sashimi
Raw fish contains more omega-3, for a cardiovascular health boost.
2. Pak Choi
This is a source of sulforaphane, with anti-cancer properties.
3. Wood Ear Mushrooms
Packed with stamina-boosting polysaccharides.
4. Ramen
Contains dissolved collagen, to slow skin ageing.
5. Miso
Fermented soya beans are full of probiotics, for gut health.
It’s the workhorse vitamin, reinforcing your bones, bolstering your immune system and easing harmful inflammation.
The latest evidence suggests that vitamin D may reduced respiratory infections, autoimmune diseases and even your risk of dying from cancer.
The NHS suggests that between March and September, you’re probably getting plenty from the sun – but after that, you’re at risk of deficiency.
If this is severe, you could develop symptoms such as muscle weakness, fragile bones and bone pain.
Aim to take 1000 IU (international units) each day. While 600 IU is enough to avoid deficiency, a little more may help you build up your blood level of vitamin D, so you can unlock its full disease-preventing potential.
Enzymes in your skin can convert UV rays into vitamin D, but the amount generated depends on your skin colour, where you live and the time of year. So, seek it out in food. Canned salmon (716 IU in a serving) and cooked trout (648 IU) will push you towards the goal. A portobello mushroom contains 316 IU, a glass of milk has 100 and an egg has about 40.
Prioritise these foods rich in vitamin D, as they also carry other disease-preventing benefits. However, taking a supplement will ensure you hit your IU target.
The best way to build immunity defense is with a healthy and nutritious diet. 50% of the food we consume in the Western World is processed, meaning somewhere down the line in its production, it has been chemically or mechanically altered.
Consuming these foods regularly is a dietary regime that can lead to a whole host of health complications, not least making us more vulnerable to experiencing regular colds and flu.
Many people are turning their focus towards more plant-based and whole-food diets that are far kinder to our bodies.
If you are a Vegetarian or Vegan, note that many meat substitutes are in fact also processed food, so try and get your protein from more natural sources such as lentils, beans and oats.
Try and also consume ingredients such as garlic, ginger and turmeric, all of which possess properties that can help the body’s immune system feel boosted and stronger, keeping you from getting ill.
There are three types of Diabetes: Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease where the pancreas produces very little insulin or no insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is, largely a lifestyle disease, found mainly in adults as they get older. Gestation diabetes is developed by pregnant women and it usually goes away after birth.
This suggests that type 2 diabetes can be both prevented and reversed. So what are the steps that can make sure we never suffer from it, or if we do, we manage to get out of its grip? In truth they are basic, but that’s what also makes them difficult, and they are just three:
While this is the usual formula of “exercise more and eat less” the reality is a lot more involved and a number of very recent studies have given us a lot of what we need to successfully unpack it. Diabetes type 2 can be controlled with drugs but these sometimes have unpleasant side-effects and the quality of life of the sufferer drops, anyway so it is worth exploring the alternatives.
Exercise for diabetics
A 15-year long study that looked at two control groups, one using diet and exercise and the other medication found that the diet and exercise group fared by far the best, reducing the incidence of diabetes by almost a third, as opposed to just 18% in the group using medication.
Beginners could start with brisk walks and vigorous swimming and then, as their physical conditioning improves, move on to slightly more demanding aerobic activity.
Resistance exercise should be undertaken at least twice weekly on non-consecutive days involving either moderate or vigorous workouts.
The study however found that combined aerobic and resistance training three times a week in individuals with type 2 diabetes may be of greater benefit to blood glucose control than either aerobic or resistance exercise alone.
Diet for Diabetics
Diet can no more be divorced from effective diabetes type 2 prevention than it can from any other aspect of fitness and exercise. But that doesn’t mean restrictions. As a matter of fact restrictions, quite naturally, lead to over-indulging in other foods and also breaking the restrictions from time to time which means that overall health and weight goals are compromised.
Studies have shown that high-fat diets affect insulin production in the body and increase the likelihood of type 2 diabetes. So a reduction in fat intake is the first step. In addition to this, the latest studies have indicated that when diabetics eat vegetables and protein first and carbohydrates afterwards in their meal, glucose levels in the blood drop.
While more work needs to be done in this area, the suggestion is that the way foods are combined and the order in which they are consumed affects the chemical processes of the body in ways that can help those with diabetes type 2.
When it comes to protein a recent study found that people who ate diets high in red meat, especially processed red meat, had a higher risk of type 2 diabetes than those who rarely ate red or processed meat, so protein quality does matter.
As a matter of fact in what is definitely good news for those who suffer from diabetes and exercise, researchers discovered that whey protein, which is used by athletes and weightlifters to improve fitness, stimulates the production of a gut hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which boosts insulin.
From a dietary point of view then diabetes sufferers should:
For diabetes type 2, in particular, there is the suggestion that a diet that is high in protein can reverse the disease and when combined with exercise it can potentially cure it.
Nutrition for Diabetics
One of the problems with diabetes of all types is the fact that it damages nerve endings leading to reduced feedback, slowed responses and an impaired control over our body. The medical term for this is peripheral neuropathy and it can seriously affect the quality of life of diabetes sufferers.
There is good news here too with studies showing that nerve damage can be reversed provided nutrition is improved to include: Alpha lipoic acid (which protects nerve cells from further damage and assists in the repair of damaged nerve cells), L-arginine, (to improve blood flow), Omega-3s and omega-6s (which also aid in nerve repair) and B vitamins (there is some evidence that taking a balanced B complex, helps with peripheral neuropathy).
Having some extra virgin olive oil in the diet can help reverse a lot of the nerve damage and may also help combat type 2 diabetes directly.
Summing up
Type 2 diabetes does not have to be a permanent condition but we do need to take active control of our lifestyle by making the right choices in terms of staying fit, losing some weight and eating foods that help our body stay healthier. The quality of protein we consume is also important particularly when it comes to preventing type 2 diabetes or reducing its impact, when it is already present.
The body is a complex chemical factory. When things go awry we can still work to improve its chances of rebalancing and recovering through our own actions.
Making sure you eat three satisfying meals a day, with an optional two snacks, is crucial to warding off any food cravings in between meals. Have plenty of the following in your everyday diet, rather than taking supplements that may disrupt your nutritional balance.
Chromium – this regulate blood-sugar levels and is found in wholegrain cereals, black pepper, thyme, organic meat and cheese.
Magnesium – found in meats, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, beans, apricots, curry powder, wholegrain cereals, wheatgerm and nuts.
Iron – iron from red meat (especially liver) Is most easily used by the body; other good sources of fish and Sawyer, and you can get some from eggs and green leafy vegetables.
Zinc – rich sources are wholegrains, brewer’s yeast, wheatgerm, seafood and meat.
Tryptophan – milk and eggs contain plenty of this amino acid.
Balance
Choosing healthy can be confusing, with the jungle voices and advice on offer. My definition of eating well is really simple: eat with variety and in moderation – it’s the best health insurance you can invest in.
I’m a big fan of light food, and it’s clear that in the industrialised world people are generally over-saturated with calories, which is causing an alarming rise in obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Both under- and over-eating saps our energy. Naturally, we need to eat more when we are physically active and less when we are not. A healthy weight is a long-term project – quick fixes and diets are often working against us.
Having a health-conscious attitude about eating is good, but be wary of developing fixations and unhealthy relationships with food – it should be enjoyed without guilt. It’s better to be relaxed about it and have the occasional treat if you want to, as long as you maintain a healthy balance.
When it comes to nutritional benefits, vitamins have long stood front and centre. But what about those equally important essential mineral workhorses that labour undercover with no recognition?
I’m talking trace minerals, compounds needed – albeit in microscopic quantities – to keep your body running as nature intended. Unlike vitamins, there are no non-essential minerals, meaning you have to get them all via your diet.
Although trace minerals are, typically, harder to be lacking in, certain current food trends – swerving dairy, for example – could put you at risk of deficiency, symptoms of which include chronic fatigue, cognitive decline and depression.
Here are some of the key essential minerals to get yourself acquainted with:
1. Iodine: The Thyroid Manager
Not only is iodine crucial for neurological development, it also plays a major
role in healthy thyroid function. Without it, your active thyroid hormone,
triiodothyronine, wouldn’t exist.
Which food is it in?
White fish and dairy products.
2. Copper: The Fat Burner
Research has shown that copper is essential for metabolising fat. It’s also
proven as a brain booster; deficiency has been linked to Alzheimer’s.
Which food is it in?
Sunflower seeds, cashew nuts, green olives and shellfish.
3. Selenium: The Immune System Helper
Selenium boosts immune system function and is a key player in egg formation and
fertilisation.
Which food is it in?
Brazil nuts and eggs.
4. Molybdenum: The Liver Lover
Molybdenum supports an enzyme called sulphate oxidase, which is integral to the
conversion of toxic sulphites into more inert sulphates, which the body can
then excrete in the urine.
Which food is it in?
Foods that grow above ground are higher in molybdenum than those that grow
below. Think cauliflower, beans and oats.
5. Manganese: The Bone Booster
This one is essential for bone growth and can help to reverse bone mineral
density loss when taken as part of a calcium, copper and zinc supplement.
Manganese activates glycosyl transferases, an enzyme need for the formation of
proteoglycan molecules present in cartilage.
Which food is it in?
Tea is probably the simplest source for most people. Not a tea person? Try
porridge with cinnamon or cloves instead.