Signs of Cancer

From a persistent cough to a sore that won't heal... experts reveal the 10 'red flag' symptoms that mean YOU could have cancer

• A long-term cough could indicate lung cancer, while a changing mole could be a sign you are suffering skin cancer, experts say
• Unexplained weight loss is a red flag for a number of forms of the disease, including liver cancer which claimed the life of David Bowie, aged 69
• Difficulty swallowing, an unexplained lump, unexplained bleeding and changing bladder habits are also red flag symptoms
• Persistent pain could be a sign of pancreatic cancer, that killed actor Alan Rickman - as well as many other forms of the disease
• Experts advise anyone displaying 1 or more red flags to visit their doctor  

By LIZZIE PARRY

A persistent cough, a sore that refuses to heal, unexplained weight loss and changing bladder habits.

They may seem innocuous, irritating facts of life.

But experts warn people not to dismiss them and six other key changes in the body, for fear they could be a sign of something far more sinister.

The 10 red flags for cancer are ingrained in the minds of doctors and healthcare workers the world over. 

But on World Cancer Day, experts are reminding members  of the public to familiarise themselves with the key symptoms, in a bid to save lives.

Currently 8.2 million people die from the disease across the world each year - 4.7 million men and 3.5 million women.

Of those, four million deaths are premature, those people aged 30 to 69 years old.

In many cases early diagnosis can mean the difference between life and death for cancer patients.

A survey by researchers on behalf of Cancer Research UK last year found almost half of those displaying at least one red flag for cancer did not visit their GP, thinking their symptoms 'trivial'.

Among the signs are unexplained weight loss, which can indicate a number of forms of the disease, including liver cancer, which claimed the life of icon and singer David Bowie in January aged just 69.

Days later actor Alan Rickman lost his battle with pancreatic cancer, also aged just 69. One symptom of that disease - and other forms - is persistent and unexplained pain, experts say. 

If you or a member of your family is suffering at least one of these 10 red flag symptoms, experts advise you book an appointment with a doctor straight away:

1. A persistent cough

Red flag for... lung cancer

Most lung cancers do not cause any symptoms until they have spread too far to be cured.

But, symptoms do occur in some people in the early stages of lung cancer.

A new cough that does not go away, or changes in a chronic cough or 'smoker's cough' can be an early indication of the disease.

In addition, chest pain linked to coughing, deep breathing or lauging as well as hoarseness and coughing up blood are early warning signs.

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Unexplained weight loss can be a sign of various forms of cancer, including liver cancer - the disease which claimed the life of icon David Bowie aged just 69 last month

2. A change in the appearance of a mole

Red flag for... skin cancer

Melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, can appear anywhere on the body, but they most commonly appear on the back, legs, arms and face and even underneath a nail.

Though less common, they often spread to other organs in the body, making them more deadly.

The most common sign is the appearance of a new mole or a change in an existing mole.

Signs to look out for include a mole that is:

• getting bigger 
• changing shape 
• changing colour 
• bleeding or becoming crusty 
• itchy or painful

A helpful way to tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma is the 'ABCDE' checklist:

Asymmetrical – melanomas have two very different halves and are an irregular shape.

Border – melanomas have a notched or ragged border.

Colours – melanomas will be a mix of two or more colours.

Diameter – melanomas are often larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter.

Enlargement or elevation – a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma.

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A changed mole can indicate a person has skin cancer (picture posed by model)

3. A persistent chance in bowel habits

Red flag for... bowel cancer

The three main symptoms of bowel cancer are blood in the stools or faeces, a change in bowel habit, such as going more frequently, or having looser stools, and abdominal pain.

However, these symptoms are very common, and can easily be attributed to other conditions.

As the vast majority of people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over the age of 60, these symptoms become more important with age.

Most patients with the disease will present to their doctor with one of the following symptoms combinations:

• a persistent change in bowel habit, causing a person to go to the toilet more often and pass looser stools, together with blood on or in the stools 
• a persistent change in bowel habit without blood in their stools, but with abdominal pain 
• blood in the stools without other haemorrhoid symptoms, such as soreness, discomfort, pain, itching, or a lump hanging down outside the rectum 
• abdominal pain, discomfort or bloating always provoked by eating, and sometimes resulting in a reduction in the amount eaten and weight loss
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4. A sore that doesn't heal

Red flag for... many types of cancer

A sore or ulcer in the mouth that fails to heal is the most common symptoms of mouth cancer, according to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.

Furthermore persistent pain in the mouth can also be a sign.

As for the rest of the body, experts at Cancer Research UK say a person should seek advise from a doctor if a spot, wart or sore doesn't heal after several weeks, even if it is painless.

The skin repairs itself very quickly and any damage should typically heal within a week or so. 

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Abdominal pain can indicate pancreatic cancer, the disease which killed actor Alan Rickman, pictured as the Sheriff of Nottingham, right, last month, also aged 69. Persistent, unexplained pain can be a sign of a number of other forms of the disease as well

5. A persistent difficulty swallowing

Red flag for... oesophageal cancer

A number of medical conditions can make it difficult to swallow. 

But if you are having difficulty swallowing and the problem doesn’t go away after a couple of weeks, it should be checked out. 

The key sign of oesophageal cancer is a difficulty swallowing. This problem may contribute to weight loss, which can also indicate the disease is present.

6. Unexplained weight loss

Red flag for... a number of cancers

Most people with cancer will lose weight at some point. 

When you lose weight for no known reason, it’s called an unexplained weight loss, according to the American Cancer Society.

An unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more may be the first sign of cancer. 

This happens most often with cancers of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus (swallowing tube), or lung. 

Experts at Cancer Research UK add that small weight changes over time are quite normal, but if you lose a noticeable amount of weight without trying to, tell your doctor.

7. A persistent change in bladder habits

Red flag for... bladder or prostate cancer 

Problems urinating can include needing to pee urgently, more frequently, being unable to go when you need to, or experiencing pain. 

These symptoms can all be caused by conditions other than cancer, but it’s important to tell your doctor if you experience any of them. 

A slow or weak urinary stream, or the need to urinate more often, especially at night, can indicate prostate cancer specifically.

Blood in the urine is also a sign.

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A persistent change in bladder habits can indicate a person is suffering bladder cancer, pictured under the microscope. In men, the symptom can also be a sign of prostate cancer

With bladder cancer, the disease can cause changes in urination, including having to urinate more often, pain or burning during urination and feeling as if you need to go right away, even if the bladder is not full. 

These symptoms are also more likely to be caused by a benign condition such as infection, bladder stones, an overactive bladder, or an enlarged prostate (in men). 

But, it is important to have them checked by a doctor so that the cause can be found and treated, if needed.

YOUR CHANCE OF SURVIVAL 

BREAST CANCER: 96 per cent of women survive for at least one year, 87 per cent do so for five years, and 78 per cent for a decade.

SKIN CANCER: 88 per cent of men survive for five years or more. For women the figures are even better, with 92 per cent predicted to survive for at least five years.

LUNG CANCER: Just 8 per cent of men survive for five years or more, compared with 12 per cent of women.

PROSTATE CANCER: Some 85 per cent of patients survive for five years or more.

BOWEL CANCER: 59 per cent of men survive for five years or more. For women, the figure is 58 per cent.

8. An unexplained lump

Red flag for...  many types of cancer

A great many cancers can be felt through the skin, though typically they occur in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes and soft tissues of the body.  

A lump or thickening of tissue can be an early sign of the disease, but it can also indicate some forms of the disease are in an advanced stage.

You should visit a doctor, especially if you have just found a lump or noticed a lump has grown in size.

The American Cancer Society note that some breast cancers can show up as red or thickened skin rather than a lump.  

9. Persistent, unexplained pain

Red flag for...  many types of cancer

Pain can present in the early stages of a number of cancers, but especially with bone and testicular cancers.

A headache that will not go away or get better with treatment can be a sign of a brain tumor.

Furthermore, back pain can indicate cancer of the colon, rectum, or ovary.

In most cases, where pain is felt and cancer is diagnosed it is an indication that the disease has spread from its primary location in the body.

10. Unexplained bleeding

Red flag for... many types of cancer, namely bowel, cervical or vulval cancer

In both the early and late stages of the disease, unexplained bleeding can occur.

Coughing up blood can be a sign of lung cancer, while blood in the stool is an indication of colon or rectal cancer.

Cancer of the cervix or the endometrium - the lining of the uterus - can cause abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Blood in the urine can indicate a person is suffering bladder, kidney or prostate cancer.

And a bloody discharge from the nipple may be a sign of breast cancer.  

Eat Almonds if you want to lose weight!

Desperate to lose weight? Eat ALMONDS! Handful a day 'wards off hunger and replaces empty calories from junk food'

• Eating a handful of almonds a day boosts a person's diet, a study found
• Scientists asked 28 sets of parent-child pairs to eat almonds each day
• They found both parents and children's diets greatly improved
• Eating almonds increased their protein and lowered their salt intake 
• For, almonds replaced savory snacks that have empty calories, study said

By LISA RYAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Many of us struggle to maintain a balanced diet.

We long to lose weight and stay trim – but can’t seem to put down the chips or cookies.

But now, a new study revealed that all we need to do is swap those unhealthy snacks for almonds.

Eating a handful of almonds a day replaces those empty calories, while decreasing a person's salt intake and increasing their protein, according to University of Florida scientists.

The findings suggest that incorporating almonds into a person’s diet could improve overall health.

The team of researchers set out to study the effect that the addition of almonds can have on a person’s diet.

They analyzed data collected from 28 parent-child pairs in North Central Florida.

For three weeks, the parent participants ate 1.5 ounces of whole almonds each day.

Similarly, the children ate half an ounce of whole almonds – or the equivalent amount of almond butter – each day.

At the beginning of the study, the scientists measured the participating parents and children’s Healthy Eating Index, which is a measurement of diet quality.

The Healthy Eating Index assesses a person’s adherence to the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

A score under 51 indicates a poor diet, while a score between 51 and 80 shows a need for improvement, and a score over 80 reflects a healthy diet.

The parents’ average score at the beginning of the 14-week period was 53.7 (plus or minus 1.8), while the children’s were 53.7 (plus or minus 2.6).

However, after the almond intervention the Healthy Eating Index score for both parents and children increased.

The parents’ average rose to 61.4 (plus or minus 1.4), while the children’s average increased to 61.4 (plus or minus 2.2).

All participants also increased their component scores for protein foods.

Furthermore, they decreased their intake of empty calories.

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The study found that participants who ate almonds each day scored higher on the Healthy Eating Index, and had lower intakes of salt and savory snacks, in addition to higher intakes of protein

The scientists believe that the participants were replacing salty and processed snacks with almonds.

They noted that over the past 20 years, per-capita consumption of nuts and seeds decreased in children between the ages of 3 and 6 – while consumption of chips, pretzels and other savory snacks increased.

As a result, the scientists were most interested on seeing the impact of adding almonds into young children s’ diets.

Study author Alyssa Burns, a doctoral student in food science and human nutrition, said: ‘The habits you have when you are younger are carried into adulthood, so if a parent is able to incorporate almonds or different healthy snacks into a child’s diet, it’s more likely that the child will choose those snacks later on in life.’

The researchers also honed in on how easy or difficult it was to incorporate almonds into those children’s’ diet, since it’s an age when food preferences are developed.

Ms Burns said: ‘Some of the challenges that we saw were that the kids were getting bored with the almonds, or they didn’t like the taste of the almond or almond butter.’

And so, the study suggests that parents incorporate almonds into their children’s diets in creative ways – such as adding them to familiar foods, such as oatmeal or sandwiches.

The study also found that such whole food approaches are important for a person's health.

Ms Burns added: ‘Adding a variety of fruits, vegetables and nuts to your diet can improve your overall diet quality.’ 

Want to live longer? Have Patience!

If you want to live longer, just be patient: DNA of people with quick tempers ages faster than those who are easy-going

• Telomeres are biological caps found at the ends of chromosomes
• Short telomeres have been linked with ill health and premature death
• Research has found a clear link between shorter telomeres and impatience
• This suggest impatient people could age faster and die younger

By FIONA MACRAE FOR THE DAILY MAIL

Patience isn’t just a virtue. It could also help you live longer.

Research shows that the body’s DNA ages more quickly in people who are impatient - and women are particularly prone to the effect.

The finding comes from researchers in Singapore who put more than 1,000 healthy students through a test of patience. 

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Patience isn’t just a virtue. It could also help you live longer. Research shows that the body’s DNA ages more quickly in people who are impatient - and women are particularly prone to the effect. 

This involved a game in which they told they could either be given a gift of $100 the next day or wait a month for larger amount.

They were then asked how much this would need to be for it to be worth waiting for.

The more money a volunteer said they would need wait, the less patient they were deemed to be.

A TEST OF PATIENCE 

Researchers in Singapore put more than 1,000 students through a game in which they told they could either be given a gift of $100 the next day or wait a month for larger amount.

They were then asked how much this would need to be for it to be worth waiting for.

The more money a volunteer said they would need to wait for, the less patient they were deemed to be.

Someone who said it would take $120 in a month’s time for them to wait, was judged as more patient than one who said they would hold off for $105.

So someone who said it would take $120 in a month’s time for them to wait, was judged as more patient than one who said they would hold off for $105.

The volunteers also gave blood samples which provided clues to how quickly they were ageing.

The researchers zeroed in on tiny structures called telomeres.

These are biological caps which are found at the ends of chromosomes and protect the DNA in them from damage, much like the caps on the ends of shoelaces prevent fraying.

As we get older, our telomeres get shorter and shorter, leading to DNA becoming damaged and raising the odds of age-related illness.

Shorter than average telomeres are seen as a sign of ill health and premature death and the structures are considered so important that the scientists who discovered them seven years ago were awarded a Nobel prize for medicine.

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The researchers zeroed in on tiny structures called telomeres. These are biological caps found at the ends of chromosomes (illustrated) and protect the DNA from damage. As we get older, our telomeres get shorter and shorter, leading to DNA becoming damaged and raising the odds of age-related illness

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It isn’t clear just how impatience speeds up ageing in DNA (illustrated) but it maybe that related to the stress associated with making hasty decisions. Impatient people may also be drawn towards unhealthy lifestyles, and the study may have failed to fully account for this

TELOMERES AND ILL HEALTH

The researchers zeroed in on tiny structures called telomeres.

These are biological caps which are found at the ends of chromosomes and protect the DNA in them from damage, much like the caps on the ends of shoelaces prevent fraying.

As we get older, our telomeres get shorter and shorter, leading to DNA becoming damaged and raising the odds of age-related illness.

Shorter than average telomeres are seen as a sign of ill health and premature death and the structures are considered so important that the scientists who discovered them seven years ago were awarded a Nobel prize for medicine.

Now, research has shown there to be a clear link between shorter telomeres and impatience.

This stood even when other factors, including socio-economic status and how healthy a person’s lifestyle was, were taken into account.

It isn’t clear just how impatience speeds up ageing but it maybe that related to the stress associated with making hasty decisions. 

Impatient people may also be drawn towards unhealthy lifestyles, and the study may have failed to fully account for this.

Differences in sex hormones may explain why women are particularly affected, the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports.

The researchers said that while it is possible that there is something about shorter telomeres that sparks impatience, they believe it to be more likely that hastiness causes the damage.

Professor Richard Ebstein, of the National University of Singapore, said: ‘With an increasing per centage of the world’s population “greying”, the determinants of successful ageing are of paramount importance.’

Benefits of Chocolate!

Good news for chocoholics! Eating treat once a week 'boosts memory and concentration'

• Those who ate chocolate once a week or more performed better on tests
• Improved memory, concentration, reasoning and information processing
• Experts: This may be due to flavanols abundant in chocolate and cocoa 
• Flavanols have previously been shown to lower the risk of dementia, fight weight gain and reduce chances of heart disease and type 2 diabetes

By MADLEN DAVIES FOR MAILONLINE

For many of us, sinking our teeth into a bar of chocolate is one of life's greatest joys. 

Now, a study has found it may improve memory, concentration and problem-solving skills.

Researchers discovered those who ate any type of chocolate at least once a week performed better on a range of brain tests than than those who didn't indulge.

This may be due to a compound called flavanols in the sweet treat, which are abundant in dark chocolate but less so in milk or white chocolate, they said.

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Eating chocolate once a week may improve memory, concentration and problem-solving, a study has found

Flavanols are a type of antioxidant, a compound which may prevent or delay some types of cell damage, and are also found in citrus fruit, tea and wine.

They have already been shown to reduce the risk of dementia, as well as fighting weight gain and lowering the chances of conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

The study, by the University of South Australia, used data from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS), which tracked 1,000 people over 30 years and measured a whole range of health indicators.

They examined whether eating chocolate habitually was associated with better brain function.

They analysed its effects on memory, concentration, reasoning and information processing.

This included testing their ability to remember and recall a list of words or remember where an object was placed, retain information, process it and then recall it.

They found those who ate chocolate at least once a week performed better on those who ate chocolate less than once a week. 

Lead author Dr Georgie Crichton, of the University of South Australia, said: 'Chocolate and cocoa flavanols have been associated with improvements in a range of health complaints dating from ancient times.

'They have established cardiovascular benefits, but less is known about the effects of chocolate on cognition and behaviour.

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Chocolate is thought to boost memory and thinking skills due to compounds called flavanols, which have previously been shown to ward off dementia, heart disease and type 2 diabetes 

Previous research has mostly examined the effects of chocolate consumption on brain performance immediately after eating a chocolate bar or drinking a cocoa drink.

But his research looked at habitual intake of the treat.  

The association between chocolate consumption and better brain function remained significant even when the researchers adjusted for factors such as age, sex, education, cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, total energy and alcohol intake, he added.

However, he emphasised that chocolate should be consumed as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle. 

He said: 'Of course chocolate intake should be considered within an overall healthy eating pattern, with consideration given to total energy intake and an individual’s energy needs.'

A previous study found a daily dose of chocolate could help keep dementia and Alzheimer's at bay.

Researchers found that consuming cocoa every day helped improve mild cognitive impairment – a condition involving memory loss which can progress to dementia or  Alzheimer's – in elderly patients.

Become A Healthier Eater!

Ten mind-tricks to make you a healthier eater! Brilliantly simple tips from a top food psychologist...

• For the past 70 years we’ve flirted with every possible way of eating in the hope of long life - but healthy eating can remain elusive
• The secret may not be eating less, be being more relaxed around food 
• Here, top food psychologist Professor Jane Ogden offers simple ways to improve our intake 

By PROFESSOR JANE OGDEN

For the past 70 years, we’ve flirted with every possible way of eating in the hope of health and long life. After the low-fat diets of the Sixties, the low-carb, Atkins plans of the Noughties and today’s sugar-free recipe books, you’d think we’d have cracked it.

Yet a good diet can still feel elusive. As a health psychologist who has studied eating behaviour and obesity for 25 years, I see where so many people go wrong and how simple it can be to get it right.

So here, I unravel the art of being a healthy eater: someone who follows a balanced diet and has a rational approach to food that allows them to keep to a sensible weight without trying too hard.

The good news is that it’s nothing to do with counting calories — or even worse, ‘dieting’ — and everything to do with being kind to yourself and trying to relax about food... 

HUNGER IS NOT A SIGN TO SNACK 

Healthy eating is obviously about putting the right kinds of food in your body, but it’s also about having the right attitude to food.

Food plays too many roles in our lives. We use it to cheer us up when we’re sad or bored and to communicate the kind of person we are.

To be a healthy eater means eating for the right reason: hunger. It’s time to rediscover the feeling of hunger. An easy way to do this is to stop snacking and start having three proper meals a day.

Studying the behaviour of overweight and obese people, I often hear them say they overeat because they feel hungry between meals.

But they’re not really hungry — they’re getting hungry. It’s natural and not something to panic about if you’re eating a proper breakfast, lunch and dinner. It just means you’ll really enjoy your next meal.

Eating when you’re hungry is a nice feeling. I’ve found that it’s only when people don’t eat proper meals that they want snacks.

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Comfort eating? Food plays too many roles in our lives. We use it to cheer us up when we’re sad or bored and to communicate the kind of person we are

THREE-MINUTE CRAVINGS RULE

Remember that hunger isn’t just a physical process to do with how full or empty the stomach is — feelings of hunger essentially come from the mind. So if you crave something and feel you can’t think straight until you’ve had it, it’s worth exploring what is going on psychologically.

People like to think cravings are biological or due to an ‘addiction’, and tell themselves they ‘need’ a chocolate bar. In fact, it’s not the actual food they crave, it’s the meaning they have wrapped around the food. Chocolate represents a distraction, a break from work or a treat after a hard day.

Craving episodes last only a few minutes, so distract yourself — chat to a colleague or take a walk — then see if you still feel so desperate for it.

Last year, psychologists at Plymouth University and Queensland University of Australia reported that playing the computer game Tetris for three minutes reduces the strength of cravings for food and soft drinks. They suggested that during a craving, people visualise food they are thinking about — a visual task such as Tetris can disrupt this.

IMAGINE HOW YOU’LL FEEL AFTER A CAKE

Many people weaken at the sight of a shiny eclair or a basket of fries. But a good way to resist is to think about how you’ll feel afterwards — guilty, overly full and wishing you hadn’t.

Psychologists call this ‘anticipated regret’ — a technique shown to be effective for changing health behaviour such as exercise and food choices.

You could even picture your liver struggling to digest that food or the pockets of fat in your tummy or thighs desperate to suck up the calories.

If you embed that image in your mind, linking it to the food, you won’t want it the next time it’s winking at you from the shop window.

Even better is to think about how wholesome and smug you’ll feel after eating something healthy. I never liked running, but after doing a charity run following a friend’s death, I started doing it more regularly.

What motivates me is to think of the smug feeling I’ll have when I’ve finished. Don’t frame it in your mind as a loss — frame the healthy choice as a gain. You’ll feel proud of yourself for looking after your health.

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Good advice: People like to think cravings are biological or due to an ‘addiction’, and tell themselves they ‘need’ a chocolate bar. In fact, it’s not the actual food they crave, it’s the meaning they have wrapped around the food

HEALTHY EATERS HAVE A GOOD LUNCH

How and where you eat is important, too: which means at a table, not at your desk, in front of a TV or while walking.

It’s become fashionable to say you’re too busy for a lunch break, but if you sit down and eat something mindfully — paying attention to the fact you’re eating — your brain will register ‘I’ve eaten’ and you won’t be so prone to cravings and hunger pangs later.

Last year, I led a study published in the Journal of Health Psychology where we gave 60 women a cereal bar to eat. One group had it while watching TV, the second while walking and the third talked to a friend while eating.

They were then offered snacks including chocolate, carrot sticks and crisps. Those who had eaten while walking ate five times more chocolate.

Any distraction can disrupt the brain’s ability to process the fact you’re eating and its impact on your hunger. We don’t recognise food we’ve had and want more.

JUST BECAUSE NIGELLA DOES IT ...

The modern world has become obsessed with food, in the form of controlling what we eat and cutting out food groups such as sugar or gluten or devouring cookery TV shows and books and needing to make every meal exciting. I’m afraid neither of these is healthy eating.

Celebrity chef-style meals tend to be high in butter, salt and fat. They also make food preparation seem complicated, so people feel intimidated by cooking from scratch and give up and buy ready meals and oven chips.

I wish there was a TV show that showed how to make pasta with stir-in pesto and salad — a typical dinner in my house. The truth is that most people probably have only a handful of recipes in their repertoire, such as spaghetti bolognese and shepherd’s pie, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Meanwhile, demonising certain foods, whether it’s carbs or wheat or sugar, also sets up an unhealthy preoccupation. Ultimately, it often makes these foods more alluring — and irresistible at moments of weakness.

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It's all about timing: How and where you eat is important, too: which means at a table, not at your desk, in front of a TV or while walking

Indeed, in my studies of successful dieters — people who lose weight and keep it off — many report replacing a restricted diet, where certain foods are banned, with a flexible one that enables them to treat themselves without feeling guilty. ‘I don’t feel deprived of anything . . . I feel as if I’m enjoying normal food, not diet food,’ one told me.

So unless you have a medical reason such as coeliac disease or an allergy, there is no food I’d avoid completely, apart from perhaps fizzy drinks, which are high in sugar and have no value.

It’s fine to sometimes have cakes, chocolate, biscuits, but keep them out of the house — don’t go down the biscuit aisle at the supermarket. Instead, enjoy these things on special occasions. That way you won’t feel deprived and can truly indulge.

A healthy eater sees food as fuel — something to be enjoyed, but not something to fixate on.

And rather than being a perfectionist, it’s better in the long run to be a few pounds heavier than you’d like, but have a realistic diet that fits your life.

WHAT IF YOU LIKE ‘UNHEALTHY’ FOOD?

Some people say their problem is they like all the ‘wrong’ things and find food such as broccoli and wholemeal bread unappetising. These tastes may have formed from when you were a child, but you can unlearn them.

We often end up changing our tastes during a window in life when other things are changing, for example, when we start a new relationship — we change to fit in with other people.

But if everything else in your life is constant, changing tastes can be done by simple repetition — drilling that change into your routine. If you keep doing something, even if you don’t like it, a new habit will form and within a month you’ll want to do it.

A brain scanning study demonstrated how pliable our tastes are. Psychiatrists at Tufts University in the U.S. followed overweight people on a weight-loss programme. They were helped to eat healthy foods when hungry.

At the start, the reward centres in their brains lit up when they saw pictures of high-calorie foods. But after six months, they showed an increased reward response to low-calorie foods and decreased response to junk food.

I’d advise doing the same: buy the foods you’d like to eat more of, so you’re forced to have them when you’re hungry at meal times.

You might not lose your sweet tooth, but you may start liking an apple with lunch instead of crisps, or stop wanting pudding after your meal.

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Don't so it! 'My rules for food shopping are: write a list for the whole week and shop for the whole week, buy basic ingredients not meals, and only get foods you’ll feel good — smug, even — after eating'

DON’T READ THE FOOD LABELS

My rules for food shopping are: write a list for the whole week and shop for the whole week, buy basic ingredients not meals, and only get foods you’ll feel good — smug, even — after eating.

I wouldn’t encourage people to read labels. People only really read them on ready meals, which should be avoided at all costs.

Far better to buy fruit and veg — which don’t have labels — fish, meat and basics such as rice, pasta, tinned tomatoes and cheese, than to decide between a shop-bought curry or a shop-bought shepherd’s pie.

Cooking from scratch is rule number one of a healthy diet. Indeed, when people report success from a rule-based diet — for example, cutting out sugar or carbs — it’s usually simply because they force you to cook from scratch.

Even if you’re short of time, I always remind people that in the ten minutes you spend stabbing the lid of a ready meal, putting it in the microwave and finding a plate, you could cook pasta with tinned tomatoes and peppers.

If you’re worried you’ll overeat, don’t cook as much. If you want extra for the next day, put a portion on a plate and immediately put the rest in the fridge or freezer so you don’t pick.

NEVER SAY DIET TO YOUR CHILDREN

We should watch the language we use around children to instil in them a healthy attitude towards eating. I would avoid words such as ‘diet’ and any talk of yours, their or other people’s body weight.

If you’re losing weight, don’t let them see you celebrate getting thinner — instead, let them see you celebrate the fact you’re fitter and can do more with your life.

My other rules are: eat with your children, only bring foods into the house that you want them to eat, and let them see you eating well.

Always frame eating well in a positive light. Don’t say: ‘I’m sorry, you have to eat this because it’s good for you.’ Do say ‘This is tasty and crunchy’ or ‘Yum, we’ve made shepherd’s pie.’

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Reverse sexism: It’s been suggested that men are unlikely to diet because the weight loss industry is strongly targeted at women, and men feel terms such as ‘diet’ are not considered manly

NEVER PUT YOUR MAN ON A 'DIET'

Recent statistics show 65 per cent of men in England are obese, compared with 58 per cent of women.

Yet research shows men are less likely to see being overweight as a problem or engage with weight loss services.

It’s been suggested this is because the weight loss industry is strongly targeted at women, and men feel terms such as ‘diet’ are not considered manly.

If you’re trying to eat more healthily, it’s vital to tell those around you.

I often advise men to find other ways to frame it if they’re embarrassed. So, rather than saying ‘I’m counting calories’ or ‘I’m on a diet’, try: ‘I want to start looking after myself.’

STOP KIDDING YOURSELF

Deep down, most people know the essentials of healthy eating. They know that all they have to do is eat lots of fruit and vegetables, complex carbohydrates (brown bread and pasta, rather than white), some protein and relatively low amounts of fat and sugar.

However, we are flooded with ever-changing advice about things such as saturated versus unsaturated fat, added sugar and intrinsic sugar, and people use that confusion to justify giving up and carrying on behaving in a way they know isn’t right.

This is also partly why fad diets can be alluring — people prefer to jump on a simple rule and tell themselves that’s all they need to do. But these kind of diets aren’t sustainable and don’t fit with most people’s lives.

If you’re overweight or unhealthy, it’s not because you’re eating butter rather than olive oil, or because you’re drinking cola and not diet cola.

Those are tiny parts of your diet. It’s all the other things you do — from mindless snacking to de-stressing every night with wine or chocolate.