Probiotics Good for You

Probiotics for good health

by Kavita Devgan
Sometimes more than big changes, all we need is one small change to net large health gains. Including probiotics in the diet is that one change I wish everyone would make.
So what’s a probiotic? Sounds complicated, but it isn’t really! Let me explain: our stomach has a lot of bacteria (billions) present naturally in it - some good, and some bad. The good ones (scientists say there are about 400 types of these) help keep our digestion humming, immunity in top shape, and diseases at bay! Basically they serve as a key line of defence against toxins that invade our body. The bad ones, do the exact opposite! When we are stressed, eat wrong, take too many medications, OD on alcohol and junk etc, the ratio of good vs bad (bacteria) gets skewed, and that’s when all the troubles start. Maybe in the beginning this shows up just in the form of a bloated, constipated, can’t seem-to-digest-anything feeling, but slowly the problems scale up. 

A shot of health
Now in an ideal world we should be able to tame all the wrong steps (say no to booze at the post conference office party, and eat by 9 every night…) but that’s easier said than done! Can’t really risk making the boss angry now can we! And how can you eat your dinner till the next days presentation is ready… The temptations and spoilers are way too many!

That’s where probiotics come in handy as a good habit by helping you digest and better assimilate nutrients from food. These are also loaded with B vitamins, packed with essential enzymes our body needs - and also add millions of healthy bacteria to the intestines besides edging out the bad ones (thus tipping the balance more towards good than bad). Plus they are a good antidote to antibiotics, which tend to kill good bacteria along with the bad, and also for those who eat a lot of junk food. Junk as we all know is loaded with fat and preservatives which suppress good bacteria in our gut.

Score big!
A good probiotic food contains millions and millions of live bacteria which join hands with the good bugs already present in our gut and boost health exponentially So where do you find them? 

Foods that deliver healthy bacteria (natural probiotics) include blue cheese, buttermilk, kefir, Miso soup or paste and sauerkraut. Luckily now we have lots of options in the market: Probiotic milk, yoghurts, even ice-creams and yoghurts. Some tablets and capsules are also available. But like I always say: stick to real when it comes to food.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?

Am I getting enough Vitamin D?

• By Emer Delaney - Dietitian
• Are your ‘sunshine vitamin’ levels low? Discover why you need vitamin D, how to get more and what to do if you're concerned about your levels...

  

  Why do we need Vitamin D?

  Vitamin D is made in our skin via direct exposure to sunlight. Our liver and kidneys then convert it into a form we can use. Vitamin D is extremely important for strong bones and teeth, as it helps us absorb the calcium we eat and it also controls the amount of calcium in our blood.  It’s really important that our vitamin D levels aren’t low or our body won’t absorb the calcium we eat.  

  There aren't any visual signs of vitamin D deficiency. If our levels are very low and we are severely deficient, we are at risk of developing weaker bones which is a condition known as osteomalacia. Severe deficiency in children may result in soft skull or leg bones and their legs may look curved or bow-legged, which is a condition called rickets.  As low levels are common in the UK, it's worth getting tested if you're concerned. Ask your GP for a blood test.

  Vitamin D levels explained

  Vitamin D blood ranges	Classification
  Under 25nmol/L	Deficient
  25 - 50nmol/L	Insufficient
  50-75nmol/L	Sufficient
  Over 75nmol/L	Optimal

  How much sun do we need? 

  During the summer months, approximately 20-30 minutes of direct sunlight two to three times a week should be enough for a fair skinned person to make the vitamin D they need.  For the elderly and darker skinned people, exposure time or frequency needs to be increased two to tenfold to get the same level of vitamin D synthesis as fair skinned individuals. 

  A word of caution though, too much sun exposure can be damaging due to the risk of developing skin cancer. Only spend a small amount of time in the sun without sunscreen either early in the morning or late in the afternoon and the rest of the time be sure to cover up and avoid any chance of sunburn. 

  Amount of sun required to compensate for 49 days of no exposure

  Skin type	Minutes of July sun required
  Fair	10 - 12 mins
  Asian	30 mins
  African/ Afro-Caribbean	120 mins

  What affects our Vitamin D levels?

  Several different factors can affect our vitamin D levels such as skin pigmentation, age, season, clothing and use of high factor sunscreens. As elderly people have thinner skin they are unable to make as much of the vitamin as younger people. Also, the position of the UK means that 90% of it lies above the latitude that permits exposure to the sun rays necessary for vitamin D synthesis. The southern part of the country is marginally better positioned for vitamin D synthesis (the closer you are to the equator the better). All of these factors will have an effect on our levels.

  Approximately 60–70% of the UK adult population have insufficient levels of vitamin D in winter and spring and 16% are considered deficient. At the moment, there are no recommendations for daily intake. Whilst UK recommendations have not been set for the general population, some groups are at higher risk for developing deficiencies.  These include:

  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women
  • People who have darker skin, such as those of South Asian, African or Afro-Caribbean descent
  • Men and women who are over 65 years of age
  • Babies and children aged six months to five years 
  • Adults who stay out of the sun or cover up when outside 

   Vitamin D in our diet

  Foods that naturally contain vitamin D include oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, tinned salmon, herring and kippers.  Some foods are fortified with small amounts of vitamin D, including breakfast cereals, infant formula and margarine. There are smaller amounts found in eggs and some red meats, such as duck, goose, pheasant and venison however, the exact amount is unknown. Breast milk also contains vitamin D and mums should make sure they aren’t deficient as this will affect the levels in their milk.  

  Vitamin D-rich foods

  Food per portion	Vitamin D content
  Kipper (140g)	35µg
  Herring (140g)	31.5µg
  Mackerel (140g)	24.5µg
  Tinned salmon (140g)	17.5µg
  Sardines (140g)	10.5µg
  Duck eggs (2)	3.75µg
  Hen eggs (2)	2.5µg

  
  
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Eating Mindfully

How to eat mindfully

• By Nancy Siragusa
• Mindfulness is no longer a mystical concept. Numerous books, websites and dedicated apps promote the practice as a potential antidote to many modern-day ailments. Nutritionist and mindfulness expert, Nancy Siragusa tells us how we can all eat more mindfully, and how it can help our health...

  

  Mindful eating is all about paying attention to the way we eat. Research has shown eating mindfully improves digestion, regulates our appetite and helps us enjoy our food much more. It’s even dubbed the antidote to dieting, as tuning into what we eat can be enough to help us make better choices and avoid overeating. 

  What is mindfulness?

  

  Mindfulness is the practise of present moment awareness based on ancient wisdom like Buddhism. In recent years,meditation experts such as Jon Kabat-Zin, and Andy Puddicombe of Headspace, have helped the world see that it’s not just a spiritual practise, it is grounded in science and is relevant and helpful to all of us.

  Practising mindful eating simply means being present when we eat - paying attention to it and being aware of it. As a mindfulness teacher and registered nutritionist, this is my favourite thing to teach clients. It’s a powerful and easy way to learn how to be mindful, as it’s fun, helps us eat well and is easy to practise as we already eat several times a day! Just tune in and enjoy.

  How to do it

  Here’s how to practise eating mindfully at each stage of the process, and the benefits you can expect.

  Start by practising one step on one snack for a few days, then try the next one. Eventually you can combine all five steps on a whole meal, and experience being fully mindful whilst you eat.

  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit so keep at it and it’ll come more naturally. Ultimately, it will give you a sense of understanding, appreciation and respect for food that will make it an easy habit to continue.

  Step 1: When hunger strikes

  When you are hungry, become aware of your body and notice a couple of breaths. What is your body telling you? Spend a couple of moments noticing the sensations that give you that message. No need to change them, just become aware of them and explore the feeling.

  Benefits: When you listen, your body will tell you if it is actually hungry and what it’s hungry for. Learning to accept and therefore tolerate hunger stops us from knee-jerk eating food that we don’t really need. 
   

  Step 2: Choosing what to eat

  

  Look or think about the choices, becoming aware of what’s on offer. Notice all the factors at play – the different foods, what they’re made of, how they are prepared, how they smell, the cost. Notice the choice is yours, and what thoughts or feelings arise from each option, without trying to change them.

  Benefits: To stop and notice the foods on offer opens our eyes to the choices we make. It allows us to make informed choices that nourish us – whether that’s by making a wholesome choice or one that’s indulgent!
   

  Step 3: Preparing your food

  Take the time to be mindful as you prepare to eat. It might be as you are peeling back the paper as you walk along, sitting at your desk lifting the lid, or beginning to peel, chop and fry. It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re eating – just notice the textures, sounds, smells and what everything looks like as your food is in front of you.

  Benefits: We eat with our eyes too, and paying attention to the food you're preparing stimulates and focuses your body, ready for eating. It helps the body to prepare for what it’s about to do, so you’ll find your digestion and appetite signals working much more efficiently. If your mouth waters – you know you’re on track!

  Step 4: Eating

  

  Arguably, the most fun bit. Start by having a good look at what you’re about to eat. Take note of the textures, shapesand colours, then, notice any smells and sounds. When you take a bite, notice the temperature, the texture and all the different tastes. Be aware of how the food feels on your fork or in your hand, then how it feels in your mouth. Notice your mouth chewing away, and your breathing as you go.

  Benefits: Being mindful when we are eating food allows the body to respond properly to what it’s doing. If you eat whilst worrying about your next meeting, the body is in stress mode and digestion is compromised. Eating mindfully also allows for the proper signals to be sent to the brain when we’re full, preventing us overeating. 

  Step 5 – After you’ve finished

  

  When you’ve finished eating (or are having a break), become aware of your body. Again, noticing the breath is a helpful way to engage with yourself. Notice the feelings of fullness, or emptiness, any movement in your body or any tastes that linger.

  Benefits: Becoming aware of feelings after we’ve eaten allows the body to return to a resting state, which aids digestion. Much of our appetite comes from how full we’re accustomed to feeling, so bringing our attention to this can help interrupt habitual overeating.

Are you getting enough iron?

Spotlight on... high-iron

• By Jo Lewin - Associate nutritionist - Are you getting enough iron? Jo Lewin explains when you should eat a high-iron diet and which foods may help ensure you get your daily dose.

  

  Iron is an essential nutrient for growth and development and plays a critical role in transferring oxygen around the body. It constitutes a vital part of haemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of red blood cells. Haemoglobin is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and carbon dioxide from the tissues to the lungs. The mineral also plays a part in energy production, muscle function, DNA synthesis and the immune system. We get most of the iron we need from food and our body carefully monitors its levels of iron; absorbing more when demand is high and less when stores are adequate. Iron is stored primarily in the bone marrow and liver.

  The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for iron is 8.7mg/day for men and postmenopausal women. For younger women it is 14.8mg per day, with an additional requirement recommended during pregnancy.

  Iron deficiency is surprisingly common in the UK and is particularly prevalent among infants under two, teenage girls, pregnant women and the elderly. According to government surveys, the majority of women do not reach their dietary target of 14.8mg.

  Iron deficiency

  Iron deficiency may be due to one or a combination of the following factors:

  • Blood loss. This is the most common cause of iron deficiency in women of childbearing age. This is most often due to excessive menstrual bleeding. Other causes of blood loss include bleeding from peptic ulcers, haemorrhoids and donating blood.
     
  • Increased iron requirement. Periods of growth during childhood and adolescence sharply increases the need for iron. The increased need for iron during pregnancymay not be met through diet alone and so supplementation may be advised to pregnant women as necessary. If you're pregnant and are concerned you may be deficient in iron please consult your doctor.
     
  • Inadequate dietary intake. This is also a common cause of deficiency. It is good to remember that plant-based sources of iron are a little harder for the body to absorb and that vitamin C will aid in absorption of all forms of iron. Typical infant diets, which are high in milk and cereals, can also be low in iron. Try a cereal fortified with iron to up intake.
     
  • Diminished iron absorption. This is often due to reduced gastric acid secretion in the stomach; such as atrophic gastritis (common in the elderly), chronic diarrhoea or prolonged use of antacids.

  Anaemia

  Periods of rapid growth such as adolescence, heavy bleeding, busy lifestyles and lack of iron in your diet will result in your body drawing on its iron reserve. Initially there are no symptoms, but as your iron supply dwindles, so does your body's ability to produce healthy red blood cells. The result is low numbers of red blood cells circulating the blood, a condition called iron-deficiency anaemia. Symptoms of anaemia include weakness, fatigue*, pale complexion, breathlessness, palpitations and an increased susceptibility to infection. Anaemic children have difficulty concentrating and may find it difficult to learn. Doctors can determine levels of body iron stores through a serum ferritin test.

  *A note on haemochromatosis...

  Haemochromatosis is a specific genetic disorder in which iron builds up over time, leading to excessive levels. If you have a family member with haemochromatosis, you should be screened to determine if you are at risk.

  It is hard to diagnose – but one of the symptoms is fatigue. If you are feeling very tired all the time, it is recommended that you go to your GP and have a blood test before embarking on iron supplementation.

  Read more about it at the NHS website.

  Supplements and safety

  Anaemia requires a careful diagnosis and treatment to correct the underlying cause. Consult a doctor before taking an iron supplement. When prescribed by a doctor, iron is typically taken in a form called ferrous salts - ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumerate or ferrous gluconate. Side effects of iron supplements may include constipation and stomach upsets so be cautious and do not exceed the recommended amount. Keep all supplements containing iron out of reach of children.
  

  Friends and foes

  It must be pointed out that there are two forms of iron. Haem iron is found in animal products and is the most efficiently absorbed form of iron. Non-haem iron is found in plant foods and the body finds it more difficult to absorb by comparison. Vitamin C is a strong promoter of iron absorption, and when vitamin C rich foods are combined with foods rich in iron, absorption of the iron is substantially increased. Watch the amount of tea you consume as a substance called tannins found in tea is thought to inhibit the absorption of iron. Be aware that decaffeinated teas contain just as much tannin as normal tea. Foods high in phytates and oxylates, such as spinach, nuts, chocolate, parsley and rhubarb may also have a negative impact on iron absorption so just make sure you try to eat a varied, balanced diet.
  
  

  Rich sources of iron

  Liver, beef & lamb	Soybeans
  Clams, mussels & oysters	Lentils
  Kidney beans	Tofu
  Leafy green vegetables	Blackstrapp molasses
  Dried figs & apricots	Quinoa
  Oatmeal, rye	Chickpeas
  Brewers yeast	Pinto beans

Low-fat diet -- why isn't it working?

Why isn't my low-fat diet working?

• By Kerry Torrens - Nutritional therapist - Kerry Torrens explains why some low-fat diets are high in sugar, and how the white stuff may be scuppering your weight-loss goals...

  

  Although we think of sugar as the stuff in our sugar bowl, that's not the full picture. Many foods, such as white bread, pasta and rice, are made up of sugars, and that's what we break them down to when we digest them.

  These foods, like sugar, can cause blood sugar swings and cravings, and if you eat too many your body converts the excess into fat for storage. Some low-fat diets are high in these types of foods, so take another look at your diet and focus on making these simple changes:
  

  Swap...

  ...white bread, rice and pasta with wholegrain versions, like oats, granary or wholemeal breads, brown rice and wholewheat pasta.

  Avoid...

  ...low-fat diet foods, which tend to be high in sugars, and have smaller portions of the regular versions.

  Be wary...

  ...of 'sugar-free' foods, which contain synthetic sweeteners such as sucralose, saccharin and aspartame. As they're sweet, they don't help to curb your sweet tooth and send confusing messages to your brain, which can lead to overeating.

  
  Balance...

  ...your carb intake with lean protein such as fish, chicken and turkey, as protein slows down your digestion, which helps to manage cravings.

  Stick to...

  ...one glass of fruit juice a day (or dilute it) and keep sweet soft drinks and alcohol for weekends. Instead, enjoy herbal teas or water with slices of lime or orange.

  For a pick-me-up...

  ...have a piece of whole fruit with a handful of nuts or a small tub of plain yogurt, both of which contain protein that slows digestion.

  Or, if you really need a sweet fix, try a natural sugar substitute like stevia. It's sweeter than normal sugar but doesn't cause the same kind of rise in blood sugar levels.
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Want to feel fantastic? Eat these 10 foods!

10 foods to make you feel fantastic

Stock up your trolley with these 10 superfoods and you'll feel and look better than ever...

Blueberries

The ultimate immune-boosting food. Rich in anti-oxidants.

Carrots

High in carotene, known to boost the immune system.

Lettuce & salad greens

Tangy varieties, such as chicory and endive, stimulate the liver, making them great detoxifiers. Most lettuces contain valuable amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

Beetroot

Bursting with minerals and has anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, immune-boosting and detoxifying properties.

Brazil nuts

You only need to eat two or three a day to benefit from their great combination of immune-boosting nutrients: vitamin E, selenium and B vitamins.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit has immune-boosting, antiseptic, wound-healing and anti-bacterial properties.

Garlic

Strengthens the heart and blood, and has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties. Also thought to help lower blood pressure. A key ingredient is allicin, which has cancer-fighting potential.

Cranberries

Best known for helping to prevent and treat urinary tract infections, especially cystitis, in women. They have both anti-fungal and antiviral properties.

Ginger

Stimulates the immune system and circulation.

How much fat is in your grilled chicken?

How much fat is really in your grilled chicken?

• By Jenni Muir - Food writer - As common on our shopping lists as toilet roll and tea bags, chicken is a low-fat, lean, healthy choice - right? Not necessarily, says Jenni.

  

  My husband can remember when chicken was an occasional treat. His family didn't even have it once a week when he was growing up. And as it was an occasional treat, they wouldn't give its fat content a second thought. (Mind you, they didn't give the fat content of their weekly Cornish pasties a second thought either!)
   

  But these days, don't many of us buy chicken as our default healthy protein for midweek suppers? And maybe choose it over cheese, ham or beef in the sandwich chains because we assume it is low in fat? After all, for years we've been hearing nutrition advice to choose white poultry as the lean option, and we've come to love it. You might even say we've come to rely on it.

  
  Yet research by the highly regarded Professor Michael Crawford and colleagues at London Metropolitan University has shown that chicken - whether battery farmed or organic - is no longer a lean choice. They compared 52 chickens from various supermarkets and found that there were three times the calories coming from fat as from protein.
   

  ''Consumers, and many nutritionists, still think chicken is a protein-rich product. But now it is a fat-rich product,'' says Crawford. Which makes me wonder how long before this will be reflected in the calorie and fat counts used by the food industry on packaging, and by nutritionists in recipe calculations.
   

  Or is it time we stopped listening to nutritional advice altogether? There is an interesting new book by American scientific journalist Michael Pollan regarded Michael Pollan called 'In Defence of Food' in which he argues that 'Thirty years of official nutritional advice has only made us sicker and fatter while ruining countless numbers of meals.' His advice is: 'Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognise as food'.
   

  My great-grandmother certainly recognised chickens. What she wouldn't understand is why they weren't reared in a coop in the back yard.