The Mineral that Could Protect Unborn Babies

jude@hw.com (Administrator) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:36:10 GMT

The Mineral that Could Protect Unborn Babies

Around 1 in10 pregnant women suffer from pre-eclampsia. This nasty condition causes high blood pressure, blood clotting and kidney damage. Every year, in the UK, six mothers die from it, and 1,000 babies,

But now it is thought that a simple mineral deficiency may cause it. A deficiency of selenium has been linked to pre-eclampsia.

The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford investigated selenium levels in over 100 pregnant women. The mineral was significantly lower in those who developed pre-eclampsia. Women with the lowest selenium level had a four-fold risk. This was published in The American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Britain has a low selenium consumption of 34 micrograms a day compared with a recommended 55 micrograms. This is because the soils are deficient and thus, so are the vegetables grown on them.

It is also cheap to take a supplement of this mineral. Foods rich in selenium include brazil nuts, shell fish, tuna, kidneys, whole-wheat, sunflower seed and lentils.

If you are thinking of starting a family, or just making sure you have a healthy pregnancy, please give me a call. I trained in the Foresight programme back in 1998. It is a brilliant way of resolving infertilty as well as making sure you have a really healthy, strong and happy baby. Call me on 0844 8001197 for a no obligation chat.

Does a high fat cause type 2 diabetes?

jude@hw.com (Administrator) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:31:47 GMT

Does a high fat cause type 2 diabetes?

Some research has found that high-fat diets affect the way in which the body utilises insulin and this may be a major contributory factor in the development of type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes used to be called "late onset diabetes" but even young people are developing this disease now and the general incidence of it has doubled over the last 30 years.

I have noticed in my nutrition practice, that had it has become much more prevalent to find clients in their 40s and 50s on diabetic drugs. It is also not unusual for these clients to also be on cholesterol reducing medications. I find this really worrying, because these are medications which we used to think of being prescribed for elderly people.

Why the concern?

There is concern about type 2 diabetes because it predisposes a person to circulatory diseases, macular degeneration, peripheral neuropathy, increased risk of some cancers, impotence, obesity and reduced life span. Frankly, if it isn't tackled, there could be a massive amount of sick people in 20 years and it is feared that these people will be a huge drain on the NHS. Personally, I find it sad to think that someone could become unnecessarily ill through nutrition, when food is something we can control, if we have the knowledge.

So why is it on the rise?

Some new research may be shedding light on why people are developing diabetes more frequently.

If you are familiar with the glycaemic index, you might recall how blood sugar levels are kept stable by the hormone called insulin. When we eat food containing sugar or carbohydrates which convert to sugar, these sugars enter the blood stream. The level of them is monitored by pancreatic beta cells and when these detect sugars (glucose) they release a hormone called insulin. Insulin takes the sugars and stores them for later use. Some of them go into storage in the muscles and liver to provide immediate energy. Once these storage facilities are filled up, the surplus is converted into fat and delivered into the fat cells for longer term storage.

Writing in the journal Nature Medicine, Researchers at the University of California and the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute have just published research on mice and samples of human pancreatic cells which demonstrate that a high fat diet interferes with this process.

The important enzyme which allows the cells to absorb sugars is called GnT-4a. However, this research showed that when there are high levels of fatty acids in the bloodstream (that is, high levels of fat from a high-fat diet), the body is not able to make this enzyme so easily. So then the pancreatic cells are not able to detect the amount of sugars in the blood and cannot produce the right amount of insulin. This caused high blood sugar and low blood insulin, fatty liver and other factors which have been associated with insulin resistance and diabetes.

What might this mean for weight gain?

As reported in my previous article, we are now getting around 40% of our calories from fat, which is considered high. Not only does this add concentrated, easy to absorb calories to our energy intake, but it also then impairs insulin’s function leading to glucose intolerance which further diminishes a person’s ability to lose weight. It then can become a vicious circle. Sometimes people with impaired glucose tolerance and associated conditions like syndrome X, feel hungry even after they have eaten a meal, making it even more challenge for them to lose weight. They are caught between a rock and a hard place.

What to do?

It is not clear from the research what type of fats were used in this study and it may be that different fats have different effects on this enzyme. It would be interesting to see if all the fatty acids have this effect. In the interim, it would seem prudent to have adequate beneficial fats and oils to the level of around 20-25% of daily energy intake, and derived from healthy sources like seeds, nuts, oily fish and flax oils. Foods which are very high in fat, fried foods, dressings, mayonnaise, spreads, pizza, fatty meats and fast food, are best monitored in order to keep fat levels down.

I have supported several diabetics in reducing and then stopping their medication safely with their doctor’s supervision. Type 2 diabetes can be reversed; recent science shows this to be true. It is best undertaken by a nutritional therapist with a good understanding of it and how diet impacts it. If you have this disease and would like help with it, and/or with weight loss, please call me for a chat on 0844 8001197.

The best time to exercise for weight loss

jude@hw.com (Administrator) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:06:35 GMT

The best time to exercise for weight loss

Exercise is a great fat burner

As we all know, exercise is a brilliant way to burn energy. Depending on what type of exercise you do, and the weight that you are, you can burn quite a few calories with moderate exercise. For example, you can expect to burn over 300 calories with a brisk walk for an hour and 450 calories or more with an aerobics class.

This makes an enormous difference to your calorie deficit over a year. If you walked for an hour five times a week, you could expect to burn about 1,500 calories a week which is 78,000 calories a year. As a pound of fat contains around 3,500 calories, that would equate to an annual loss of over 22 pounds.

Exercise alters the way that your body burns and stores fat. One of the ways that it does this, is that it improves the body’s use of insulin, the fat storage hormone. The good news is that exercise also helps prevent type 2 diabetes and a host of other complaints, which are now thought to be related to high circulating insulin levels.

Exercise also increases fat burning enzymes and reduces fat storing enzymes, both during exercise, and afterwards.

Exercising after meals helps burn more fat

Now it has also been discovered that the time that you exercise in relation to eating, has an effect on your body's ability to burn fat. Exercising after meals has a particularly beneficial effect for fat loss. This was discovered by scientists working at Surrey University and Imperial College London and published in the Journal of Endocrinology in 2007.

What was discovered was that people feel less hungry after exercise, and this carries on to the next meal.

In the research, 12 volunteers were fed the same breakfast. Then, an hour later, half of them worked out for an hour on an exercise bike while the other half sat quietly.

Both groups were left for another hour and then allowed to eat as much as they liked.

Obviously the people who exercised burned more than twice the calories than the people who sat quietly, 492 compared to 197 calories.

The people who had exercised tended to eat more too as expected, 913 calories versus 762 calories of the non-exercising group.

Most people believe that exercise increases your appetite and thus you eat more food to compensate for the additional activity. However, the opposite appears to be true. When the total amount of energy burned during exercise was taken into account, the exercising people took in fewer calories overall. They ate 421 less calories compared to 565 calories consumed by the inactive group.

Researcher Dr Denise Robertson said: "In the past we have been concerned that, although exercise burns energy, people subsequently ate more after working out. This would cancel out any possible weight reduction effects of exercise. But our research shows that exercise may alter people's appetite to help them lose weight and prevent further weight gain as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle."

Exercise affects the hormones which switch off hunger

What was discovered was that the levels of hormones called PYY, GLP-1 and PP increased during exercise and immediately after. These are the hormones that trigger feelings of satiety; they switch off hunger.

This is great news, and great motivation for those who are trying to lose weight. Not only does exercise burn calories, but it also has an effect on appetite which means that overall you are likely to eat less.

The important thing with exercise, is to choose something that you enjoy and that is sustainable. If you can plan your exercise to follow your meals, and you are maximising your body's fat burning potential too. Although, high impact aerobics or activities involving jumping around may not be the best option on a full stomach! But walking, cycling, and weight training could certainly be feasible.

I help my clients to find the best ways to exercise for their lifestyle and enjoyment and monitor them over time so that they can really see the changes happening in their body composition (fat and muscle levels), as well as general markers of fitness like fasting blood sugar and triglyceride levels and blood pressure.

Please call me to discuss how I can help you to achive your goals 0844 8001197.

You might also find the chart useful as they show how much energy is expended during exercise.

What are essential fats?

jude@hw.com (Administrator) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:38:45 GMT

What are essential fats?

In order to survive and thrive, the body needs fatty acids and can make all but two of them: linoleic acid (LA), in the omega-6 family, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the omega-3 family. Because the body is unable to manufacture these two fatty acids, they must be supplied by the diet and are therefore called essential fatty acids (EFAs).

Omega-3 fatty acids are found in coldwater fish (and fish oil), perilla and flaxseed oils. They contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are usually lacking in the typical Western diet, which is usually imbalanced by foods which contain high amounts of omega-6 fats. EPA and DHA can be synthesized in the body from ALA, but most people consuming the average Western diet may be unable to adequately convert ALA to EPA and DHA. Hence, have all been advised to eat oily fish a minimum of three times a week. Personally, I would be inclined to take a supplement in addition to this, and definitely take daily omega-3 s if you are unable to or choose not to eat oily fish.

Because fish oils contain omega 3 fatty acids, they have therapeutic benefits in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, immunological, and arthritic diseases. Fish oils are also important in the treatment of childhood deficiency diseases such as rickets, because they contain vitamin D.

Omega-3 fatty acids may also be of benefit in the management of conditions such as septicaemia and septic shock, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, inflammatory bowel diseases, scleroderma, type II diabetes and cancer. A study examining levels of fatty acids in the fatty breast tissues of breast cancer patients concluded that total omega-6 may be contributing to the high risk of breast cancer in the West and that omega-3s, derived from fish oil, may have a protective effect. (Bagga et al. 2002).

Omega 6 fatty acids are found in highest quantities in sunflower, walnut, soy bean, safflower and corn oils. As I have said above, these are essential fatty acids and so we do need to include these in our diets. The best way to do this is to avoid the use of these kinds of concentrated forms of the omega 6, replace liquid cooking oils with one's that contain low levels of this, for example, olive oil. Then be sure to enjoy healthy whole foods which contain them in healthy balance. Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and soy beans are good sources of small amounts of these essential fats.

Before we humans started farming, (which isn't very long ago in our human evolution, a mere 12,000 years), we would have eaten a variety of plants, seeds, nuts and animals specific to the area in which we lived. These contained fats and oils in small amounts. The animals that we hunted were relatively lean compared to farmed animals of today. Because they grazed on grass and other plants, the fat in their bodies was high in omega three fatty acids. Today, many farmed animals are grain fed and have relatively high omega 6 fatty acid content compared to omega 3 fatty acid content. So not only do they have a lot more fat, but they have a lot more fat that is not beneficial if over eaten.

It would appear that we can get most control over our over eating, by going a bit "Stone Age", eating fresh food and preparing our own meals and snacks so that we know what's in them.

I enjoy sharing my knowledge of nutrition with my clients and anyone esle who will listen! Spread the word and come and join me on Facebook too by clicking the little icon below.

Does fat make you fat?

jude@hw.com (Administrator) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:06:31 GMT

Does fat make you fat?

If you take a look at the current dietary advice on weight loss, you are likely to read a contradictory mixed bag of information. Some "experts"* advise you to cut out all fat, whereas other "experts" advise that fat speeds up fat loss.

Looking at all the scientific studies, it is clear that fat is a crucial substance which we need in order to be healthy and that specific fats are important for healthy metabolism. Essential fatty acids found in fats and oils are recommended by doctors and nutritionists for many good scientific reasons. However, there is clear evidence that we need to monitor our fat intake because too much fat is implicated in obesity. So how much fat is healthy? Is fat addictive? How can we enjoy our food while eating less fat? All these questions are answered in this article.

Why is fat important?

Fats and oils occur naturally in meat, poultry, oily fish, dairy, grains, seeds, and nuts. Fats and oils are needed for many processes in the body. They insulate us from the cold, and keep our skin soft and supple. They are crucial for the functioning of the brain and the hormones and they play a vital role controlling inflammation and pain. They are very important for maintaining the membranes of cells and allow the absorption of certain vitamins. Fats can also be used by a body as a source of fuel. Certain components of fats and oils, called fatty acids, are also crucial for health. Omega 3 fatty acids are proving very important in the prevention and management of diseases including certain cancers, immune disorders and circulatory and cardiac disease.

Fats are also because they make food tasty. A very low diet (15% or less) is unpalatable to most people.

So how much fat should we include in our diet?

We are advised to consume about 20 to 25% of our daily energy intake, from fats and oils. The average Westerner consumes a lot of fat, around 40% of daily calories. Most of the foods that we eat contain some fats and then we add more to our food via frying, salad dressings, spreads and so on. Processed food is often high in fat, as well as sugar and salt.

What's the problem with fats in terms of weight management?

It may be difficult to effectively control our intake of fat for a number of reasons and this may lead to fat gain. Firstly, the fat content which we evolved with is much lower than the amount we now consume.

Modern humans consume a lot of extruded oils which have been pressed or refined from plants and then put into bottles and these oils are obviously 100% fat. The oil is also used to make margarine and spreads which are about 80% fat. Margarine is barely 100 years old as a food. It took some time for the chemists to be able to make the substance attractive enough for people to choose it over butter.

In nature, to get the oil, we have to eat the whole food. Think of 15 gram tablespoon of olive oil. This contains the same amount of oil as 27 medium olives. To consume 15g of corn oil you would have to eat over 1 ¾ pounds of sweetcorn!

There is evidence that our bodies have not developed the regulatory mechanisms deal with this amount of oil, so we are unable to control our intake of fat intuitively. Our satiety hormones don’t kick in as they do with protein. Hence, it is possible to consume a lot of extra calories eating foods high in fat, before the body’s satiety mechanism switches on.

Secondly, not all foods are equal in terms of how our body processes them and uses them as energy. Fats are utilised and stored very efficiently. The energy in food is measured in calories, a calorie being the body’s energy currency. If we take the calories contained in the same weight of food, we learn that fat contains 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbohydrate are less than half the calories at 4 calories per gram. So in terms of volume, we can eat twice as much weight of protein and carbohydrates as fats for the same number of calories.

Then there is what is known as the “thermic effect” of food. Every time we eat, it costs calories to utilise or store that food. Fats, carbohydrates and proteins use different amounts of energy in this process. When you eat 100 calories of fat, it costs just 3% of its calories of energy to metabolise that fat. The thermic effect of carbohydrate is 20%. Processing protein requires the greatest amount of energy – up to 30% of its energy is used to metabolise it. So while 100 calories of fat would take just 3 calories to process, that same 100 calories of protein would take 30 calories to process.

So looking at fat positively, you might say that it is a high energy, easily utilised, and energy efficient fuel for the body!

Is it possible to have an addiction to fatty foods?

The third reason why fatty foods may be fattening is the effect that they exert over the biochemistry and neurochemistry of the body.

One experiment looking at the “cafeteria diet” published in the American Journal of Nutrition in 1995 also supported the hypothesis that fat makes you fat. Women were allowed to eat freely from a selection of cafeteria foods and the ones who ate the higher fat foods got the fattest.

In 2001, the International Journal of Obesity Related Metabolic Disorders also found that when offered a choice of foods, rats prefer high-fat and/or high-sugar food items over their nutritionally balanced normal rat diet. In addition, they may overeat by 20-40% calories and develop obesity.

High fat diets may also not help you to exercise or think, both skills which are handy when getting fit and trim! In 2009, Oxford University researchers showed that rats fed a high-fat diet show a stark reduction in their physical endurance and a decline in their cognitive ability after just nine days,

A recent study by Departments of Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of California also demonstrates that it is likely that fatty food is “addictive” if. It may explain why it is very difficult for the average person to eat a handful of crisps or a few chips and why we can overeat fatty food beyond normal levels. In this study, it was found that fatty foods produced endocannabinoids (cannabis-like compounds produced in the body). The endocannabinoids are known to play an important role in regulating ‘rewarding’ feeding behaviours. Se we feel good when we eat fatty foods because our bodies are stimulated to produce these chemicals and this the leads to overeating and reinforcement of eating fatty foods.

Why do we have this mechanism?

It may be that because fat wasn't so readily available and yet such a valuable resource, the human body evolved mechanisms that made us overeat fat when it was available, so that we were able to store this material for future energy needs and insulation of vital organs in a harsh climate and environment. I am a great believer in the marvellous design of the human body, so although the ability to store fat in the present time may seem a distinct annoyance or disadvantage, in previous history it was a useful adaptation for survival!

How to control fat intake

The easiest way to achieve a healthy level of fats and oils is to avoid processed food which can have a lot of added fat in order to make it more palatable and to improve the appearance and texture of the it. If you cook all your food from fresh, remove all visible fat and are conservative with dressings and cooking oils, you will be reducing your energy intake from fat significantly.

It is easier to control your nutritional intake and eating habits, by eating fresh food and preparing your own meals and snacks so that you know what's in them. You will also want to think of some good strategies so that you are psychologically prepared to respond to high-fat foods when out of your safe food environment. Going supermarket shopping, going out for a meal or visiting friends may mean being presented with high-fat foods, and having pre-thought responses prepared for those and other common events means that you can make better food choices.

Some fans of the high protein low carbohydrate diet advise eating nuts. Nuts are great but they are very high in fat. Can you eat a few? If you can great. If you tend to eat bags of them they will make you fat. A small bag of peanuts containing 50 grams of nuts, has nearly 300 calories, most of those from the 25 grams of fat (that is 5 teaspoons of fat! Remember, a teaspoon contains about 5 grams of liquid).

It may be helpful to keep any high-fat snack type food out of the home, certainly if you have a relationship with that food that means that you don't feel in control of your consumption of it. Then you can decide when you want to enjoy a high-fat snack in an appropriate and controllable setting. You might decide to not have crisps and chips in the house, but to enjoy a small portion of those at certain times. This could also be very beneficial for any children you have the care of, if you want to help them to nurture long-term behaviours that will lead to health and longevity.

If you have become used to over eating fatty food, there may be a transition in adapting to cooking and eating lower levels of fat. As you learn how to prepare meals with a healthy fat percentage and to adapt favourite recipes, you will have successes and disappointments. So remember to be supportive and nurturing during this time and focus positively on the changes you are making. It is as a process, a journey, so let go of perfectionism and enjoy your discoveries and increased health.

I often help my clients to create new recipes or adapt favourite recipes as part of the coaching process. I am a great cook as well as a nutritional therapist, so I love to educate people about food, and the amazing beneficial chemicals in foods as well as to help them get pleasure from what they eat and freedom from the horrid diet demons.

If you would like to review the beneficial effects of essential fats and how to strike a balance, read this short and important article on EFAs.

Top 5 Articles

The Mineral that Could Protect Unborn Babies

The Mineral that Could Protect Unborn Babies

Does a high fat cause type 2 diabetes?

Why the concern?

So why is it on the rise?

What might this mean for weight gain?

What to do?

The best time to exercise for weight loss

Exercise is a great fat burner

Exercising after meals helps burn more fat

Exercise affects the hormones which switch off hunger

What are essential fats?

What are essential fats?

Does fat make you fat?

Does fat make you fat?

Why is fat important?

So how much fat should we include in our diet?

What's the problem with fats in terms of weight management?

Is it possible to have an addiction to fatty foods?

Why do we have this mechanism?

How to control fat intake