Which Foods Will Give You Most Weight Gain – and Loss?

This is one of those studies from the US that will either cheer you enormously, or cause you to rethink your shopping trolley. It seems that the humble potato crisp may be the most dangerous food for your hips.

The man responsible for this – and other news – is Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPH, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Schools of Medicine and Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. He has laid out weight-associated foods by the pound and has calculated that roughly half of the average 3.35 pounds a healthy, non-obese American gains over four years could be chalked up to eating more potato crisps – though he doesn’t say exactly hw many so does one small bag of Smith’s non-salted really count?!

His results were reported in the June 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine and the foods most strongly associated with weight gain are these:

• Potatoes
• Sugar-sweetened drinks
• Unprocessed red meats
• Processed meats
• Alcohol

What is interesting to me is that there is little difference in his analysis between processed and unprocessed meats, but if you are looking to lose some pounds then over a four-year period the most weight loss was associated with these foods:

• Yogurt
• Nuts
• Fruits
• Whole grains
• Vegetables

This pretty much follows the well-known data that a vegetarian/vegan diet will generally help you lose weight and be healthier all round. In fact as we age, and tend to put on weight, such a diet may have only a slight creeping gain of 0.8 lb on average per year.

Two non-food items that will put on the weight are giving up smoking and too much television watching. If either of these is a factor for you then not surprisingly, physical activity will help you lost some of that extra weight effectively and healthily.

A Healthy Alternative:
If you want a savoury snack, then instead of crisps what about a brand new concept? Savoury Veatable bars are eaten fresh from the fridge and are soft and chewy. They only have 99 calories per bar and although I have to say I was not keen on the idea, once I tried one my favourite was the Tomato Pizza version which contains tomatoes blended with onions, cheese olive oil and mixed herbs and really was very tasty.

You might prefer the other two varieties: Roasted vegetable or Thai Sweetcorn. They are made from diced and roasted vegetables, 100% natural, gluten and wheat free, high in fibre and count as one of your five a day.

You should find them in health stores, or direct from www.veatable.co.uk.

And if you are serious about weight loss, make sure you get a good night’s sleep as a lack of it can slow the rate at which you burn calories, increase blood sugar levels and make you feel hungrier. Researchers at the University of Chicago recently studied a group of dieting men and women, some of whom had 8.5 hours sleep a night, the others just 5.5 hours, they found that those that got adequate sleep lost over 50% more weight than their sleep-deprived counterparts.

Time for a snooze, then?

An Alternative to Antibiotics

Antibiotics are among the greatest achievements of medical science, but we have learned to treat them with caution. This once-perceived all-purpose weapon has failed in the battle against infectious diseases and bacteria are increasingly developing resistance to antibiotics. The good news is that researchers have now found a therapeutic equivalent which could replace penicillin and related drugs.

The World Health Organization is warning about resistance to drugs which were once so potent as more pathogens are becoming immune to antibiotics and some bacteria can no longer be combated WHO figures show that in 2010 nearly half-a-million people were infected with a strain of tuberculosis which is resistant to many antibiotics and that one third of those infected died.

The growing spread of resistant pathogens is directly attributable to the indiscriminate use of penicillin and other antibiotics so congratulations to the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Leipzig who have found an alternative to the established antibiotics. In the future, antimicrobial peptides will take up the battle against pathogens.

They have already identified 20 of these short chains of amino acids which kill numerous microbes, including enterococci, yeasts and molds, as well as human pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, which is found in the human oral cavity and causes tooth decay. Even the multi-resistant hospital bug Staphylococcus aureus is not immune, and in their tests its growth was considerably inhibited. Antibiotic peptides unlock their microbicidal effect within a few minutes and work at a far lower concentration compared with conventional antibiotics. Another key factor is that the peptides identified in the tests do not harm healthy body cells.

Not just us, but also our food could benefit from the antimicrobial peptides given that the bacterial contamination of food products costs the industry billions every year. Fresh lettuce, for example, are badly contaminated by yeasts and molds and this breakthrough means that the shelf-life could be improved by adding antimicrobial peptides during the production process.

We are still not there yet, so in the meantime if you want to fight infection and bacteria there are some natural aids you can use instead. Garlic, aloe vera and Echinacea have been in use for years and a relative newcomer is grapefruit seed extract which is a very powerful natural antibiotic.

New Targeted Topical Relief for Pain

Ask any doctor who are the most frequent visitors to their surgery and fairly high up the list are people with pain from bad backs, arthritis and muscular aches and pains. Dr Chris Steele, from ITV’s This Morning programme, recently said that although most GPs routinely prescribe painkillers and anti-inflammatories (NSAID’S, usually in pill form but they often don’t solve the problem without some side effects. Nor are side effects the only problem, there is also the risk – when codeine is prescribed for long-term pain – of addiction to the painkillers themselves.

What many doctors are not prescribing however is a more effective, faster, route to pain relief without side-effects but which is happily now available over the counter.

There are literally millions of people in the UK who regularly suffer pain triggered by work, lifestyle or injury and for most of us our response is to turn to the medicine cabinet and swallow a couple of painkillers. Now there is another solution: new research by the makers of Deep Relief – an innovative dual action, topical pain relief gel – has shown in clinical trials that their topically applied gel targets the pain and brings faster relief more effectively than painkillers do.

It does this through a unique combination of two active ingredients – ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and levomenthol. Ibuprofen reduces inflammation, the main source of pain, while levomenthol produces a cooling and counter-irritant effect to help minimise pain signals. In addition, ibuprofen is quickly absorbed through the skin thanks to its synergistic effect with levomenthol.

They also ran tests against the other leading pain gel medications and Deep Relief gel was found to be absorbed faster and more effectively so that it gave relief longer than two other topical pain relief gels (Ibuleve Speed Relief Gel and Ibuprofen Gel).
Commenting on these latest research results, Colin Brown, Director of Research and Quality Development at Mentholatum, makers of Deep Relief, said: “The laboratory data suggests that that the presence of levomenthol in the Deep Relief gel results in more of the ibuprofen being delivered quicker up to four hours after application compared to the other formulations tested. Such findings suggest an obvious synergistic effect between levomenthol and ibuprofen, helping delivery of the ibuprofen.

These latest findings follow earlier research, which showed how Deep Relief gel can significantly reduce pain. In a placebo controlled trial at St George’s Hospital and Medical School, London, 225 patients aged 16 to 60 with sprained ankles were given Deep Relief, a menthol only formulation or a placebo. The patient group using Deep Relief gel showed significant improvement in pain reduction when walking, standing and at rest, with lesser effects seen in the menthol-only group. As a result, this research and the latest laboratory research we have just commissioned, continues to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Deep Relief dual formulation of ibuprofen and levomenthol.

Chronic and persistent pain can be extremely debilitating, leading to depression in around 16% of people who have it. Long-term use of painkillers certainly carries other risks too: liver and stomach damage, ulcers, addiction, headaches plus less serious side effects such as nausea, dizziness, constipation and vomiting.

The benefit of a topical gel is that you can apply it directly to the site of the pain and it is of course an easy and convenient form of pain relief that you can carry with you. Deep Relief is indicated for the relief of rheumatic pain, muscular aches and pains and swellings and for adults and children over 12 years. Available in pharmacies and the recommended price for a 50 g tube is £5.10.

How Dehydration Can Affect Allergies – 6 Simple Ways to Avoid It

If what summer means to you is stocking up on giant boxes of tissues and avoiding going out of doors, then there is a hidden factor that you may not be aware of. It seems that many allergy sufferers are also dehydrated, so that no matter how much water they drink they suffer from dry skin and a parched mouth.

Generally we are dehydrated as a nation, despite all those water bottles so ostentatiously displayed on desks and in gym bags. Studies estimate that 75% of us are prone to the ill health effects associated with chronic dehydration,. But what has that to do with your allergies? Well, allergies are caused by a histamine reaction in the bodyand histamine is an important neurotransmitter that primarily regulates thirst mechanism for increased water intake. It also establishes a system of water rationing for the available water in the drought-stricken body.”

When the body is dehydrated, histamine production increases significantly as its primary job is to make sure that the available water in the body is preserved for the most vital functions. It is the ‘drought mechanism’ if you like, and it creates a chain of events that affects numerous functions in the body, including the suppression of antibody production. This means that the body will simply not be as well equipped to deal with unhealthy invaders, such as pollen and other antigens.

That’s why during summer, when pollen season is in full swing, our eyes are invaded with the pollen agents, and the dehydrated body lacks the antibodies to adequately neutralize the pollen. So in response, the tear-producing glands of the eyes work overtime to wash the pollen away from the delicate membranes.

The histamine reaction and suppression of antibodies are just two of the many ways the body adapts to dehydration and although dehydration is not the only cause of allergies, it can be the primary cause. And the good news is that you can easily remedy it.

It can take time to fully rehydrate your body, but keep going as in the beginning a parched body – like dry ground – does not absorb all the water but it just runs out and away. It may seem like you are forever running to the loo in the early stages, but be persistent with your water intake and this will regulate as your starts to absorb and utilize the water better at the cellular level.

Top Water Retention Tips
1. Drink water – obvious but true – and plain, not carbonated. Not soft drinks or teas and coffees, but plain water.

2. Check the amount you drink, and the recommendation to rehydrate a dehydrated body, which is at least 1.5-2litres a day and during exercise or hot weather, you should increase your water intake significantly.

3. Don’t guess, but measure and record your water intake and that may be easier by setting out a number of bottles a day, or using a litre measuring jug and keeping track of how often you fill it. .

4. Filter your drinking water at source, at the tap, or in a filter jug or use reputable bottled water from a guaranteed source.

5. Little and often is best so make sure you drink regularly throughout the day as your body can only absorb about 12 to 16 ounces of water a time. The most important time to drink water is first thing in the morning so drink a large glass then, and add some fresh lemon juice to a detox start to the day. After breakfast have another large glass and try not to drink with meals, but in between so that you do not to dilute your digestive juices.

6. Unless you have high blood pressure, it can also help to add sea salt to drinking water because your more frequent urination means you are losing sodium. Not processed salt, and about a quarter teaspoon per litre will be plenty.. Salt itself is a natural antihistamine and if you add in a multimineral supplement then you will ensure proper electrolyte balance.

Saffron & Resveratrol Could Help Fight AMD (Age Related Macular Degeneration)

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an eye condition that affects a tiny part of the retina at the back of your eye. It causes problems with your central vision, but does not lead to total loss of sight and is not painful so you notice it when you’re reading, looking at photos or watching television. AMD may make this central vision distorted or blurry and, over a period of time, it may cause a blank patch in the centre of your vision.

At the moment, the exact cause for AMD is not known, but some things are thought to increase your chances of developing it. It gradually develops with age, starting at around 50 and is most often seen in people over the age of 65. More women have AMD than men, and there may also be a genetic link. Smoking also greatly increases the risk as does lifelong exposure to high levels of sunlight for outdoor workers.

Symptoms vary from person to person, but usually the first problems people notice are with their ability to see detail. You may have problems reading small print, even if you wear your usual reading glasses, or you may find that there is a slight smudge in your sight or that your vision has a small blurred area in the centre. Straight lines may look distorted or wavy or as if there’s a little bump in them. You may also find you become sensitive to bright light or that you see shapes and lights that aren’t actually there. Sometimes people may only notice these changes in one eye.

Regular eye tests will establish whether you have AMD and prevention is something you can pay attention to. Minimising your risk factors through not smoking or exposing your eyes to bright sunlight without sunglasses are things you can control, though sadly aging and family history are not.

A new supplement that offers help in this area is Saffron 2020 which has been designed to tackle the eye disease in its early stages helping to reduce the risk of vision loss and improve a sufferer’s quality of life from the onset of the disease. The nutritional supplement is made up of a unique formulation of saffron, the macular pigments lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamin A and resveratrol. It also contains vitamin C, E and B2, zinc and copper, all of which work together to help protect DNA, proteins and lipids from damage and help maintain healthy eyes and normal vision. You may only know saffron as a cooking ingredient but the yellow powder that is derived from from the stigma of the saffron crocus has been used across Europe and the Middle East to promote health.

More information on the supplement at www.Saffron2020.com and for help with AMD the Macular Disease Society has local groups which meet throughout the country and also offer a telephone counselling service. www.maculardisease.org

Don’t let your baby’s umbilical cord go to waste

A tricky subject this: in some parts of the world, particularly China, the placenta and umbilical cord area as valuable health resources but in the West we are rather more squeamish and the subject of stem cell research and implementation is still open to debate. However that cord could save a life, so in my usual fashion I am giving you information, and what you do with it of course is entirely up to you.

Future Health Biobank, the UK’s leading private family cord blood and cord tissue bank, is sending out a message to alert parents to the potential of their baby’s umbilical cord and don’t automatically let it go to waste. The umbilical cord blood is the richest source of the body’s stem cells, the important building blocks of life. Their job is to multiply and transform into the cells that make up our blood, bones, tissues, tendons, organs – in fact everything that makes us physically what we are. They can build from scratch but they can also restore and repair as we grow and age. These vital cells are already being used to treat thousands of people for an ever increasing list of medical conditions – currently some 85 different blood and immune system disorders. In fact the use of stem cell transplants is now standard medical practice in many countries.

Up until now, the most common source of stem cells has been bone marrow, but umbilical cord blood and tissue are much richer sources as well asbeing a much simpler and less invasive way to obtain them. After birth and the delivery of the placenta the cord is simply clamped and the blood is collected along with approximately 15cm of cord tissue if both samples are required. The whole procedure takes less than ten minutes and is completely painless.

One of the disadvantages in the use of bone marrow is the difficulty in finding the perfect match but with umbilical cord stem cells there is a 100 per cent match for the baby and a high probability of a match with siblings, parents and perhaps even grandparents. For families with a history of cancers or many other diseases the availability of stem cells can be a life saving resource and scientists are now investigating ways to use the specialised stem cells in cord tissue which can differentiate into bone, cartilage, tendon or muscle and even nerve tissue. These stem cells also appear to have immunosuppressive properties and thus may be able to combat chronic inflammation.

If you think this is something you might want to do, then if the birth is going to take place at an NHS hospital which is linked to either the UK’s public cord blood bank or the Anthony Nolan Trust, then you can ask for the umbilical cord blood to be donated. However this is not nationally available so for the majority of parents-to-be the only realistic option is to consider a private collection , particularly if they wish to save the cord tissue as well as cord blood as this is not currently collected for the public bank.

Information packs and articles available at www.futurehealthbiobank.com

Why Holiday Preparation Should Include Your Health

We all look forward to our holidays and start thinking in advance about what to pack, what to wear, what we did with the sun tan lotion and so on. What we don’t often think about is that we also need to prepare or bodies to cope with the stress of travel, time zones and changes in climate, temperature and local food and drink.

Happily someone has thought of it and with the Advanced Nutrition Programme made it easy for you to have a happy, healthy holiday.

So what do you need to do to prepare for that all important break? Well there are steps you can take to protect yourself from the inside and with this in mind leading nutrition expert Patrick Holford has formulated an Advanced Nutrition Programme which includes a new Travel Pack that contains a two months supply of three supplements specifically formulated to help safeguard nutrient intake, support immunity and aid digestion.

If anyone says that they don’t get stressed over all the details and planning that go into organizing a trip, then they are exceptional, and it is certainly true that going on a trip, whether for business or pleasure, can place greater demand on our nutrient levels, and eating different foods – however pleasurable – can adversely affect our digestive system.

In addition, the dehydrating effects of flying, greater exposure to infection and the increase in incidences of norovirus can also take their toll on your body.

The handy Travel Pack covers all these areas and contains:

Probiotics – 75g of powder that contains three strains of beneficial bacteria which support healthy digestion and maintain a healthy gut flora balance, especially when under attack by holiday bugs. Take ¼ teaspoon in water, juice or sprinkled on cereals.

Skin Vitality – 60 capsules containing a broad spectrum multi-nutrient that contains a wide range of easily-absorbed vitamins, minerals and plant extracts to help maintain your energy levels. Take one a day with a meal.

Skin Vit C – 60 capsules to help support your immune system and ward off any colds while travelling. Vitamin C and bioflavinoids, hesperidin, rose hip and rutin help defend against skin ageing. Take one a day with a meal.

Personally, I start my programme a week before I travel so I have a reserve to build on, particularly with the probiotics as my stomach is my most vulnerable area. Simple tips to maximize your holiday health include drinking plenty of water as dehydration can lead to headaches, dizziness and dry skin and cutting back on alcoholic and caffeinated drinks when you fly so you arrive looking and feeling fresh.

I always travel with herbal teabags: valerian and chamomile to aid sleep, and antioxidant-rich green tea as it reduces the inflammation and damage associated with sunburn as well as boosting the immune system.

The Travel Pack costs £42.25 for two months supply and you can order at www.advancednutritionprogramme.com by clicking on products, then wellbeing and then packs.

Thyroid Drug Increases Risk of Bone Fractures in Women

Many women suffer from underactive thyroid, but a common drug taken to relieve it can have serious effects on bone strength according to a recent study for the British Medical Journal.

Hypothyroidism is a fairly common disorder, caused by low levels of thyroid hormones. With the availability of either natural hormones taken from animals, or synthetic hormones (levothyroxine), doctors now treat the disorder by replacing the missing thyroid hormones. A found that elderly people with high levels of the artificial hormone may have an increased risk of bone fracture.

Hormones secreted by the thyroid gland are critically important to health because they affect the metabolism of every cell in the body. Thyroid hormones regulate the metabolism of glucose to release energy, as well as affecting protein synthesis and metabolism of fats.

Because the body creates thyroid hormones by using iodine, a healthy level of iodine in the diet is important because as well as being vital for general metabolism, there is also evidence that iodine in the diet can help in avoiding cancer.

The study was done at the Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto, where researchers looked at 213,500 people aged 70 or over. Patients in the study received at least one prescription for levothyroxine (the synthetic hormone) between 2002 and 2007. Results showed a significantly increased risk of fracture in people who were either taking or had recently taken levothyroxine.

As people grow older, there is a greater likelihood of diminished levels of thyroid hormones, with possibly as many as 20% of older people receiving treatment for hypothyroidism. But as doctors treat the disease by administering hormones, one of the possible side effects is a decrease in bone density. In some cases, bone density may reach the point that broken bones become more likely.

A researcher from the British Medical Journal study said that the condition needs more study, as not enough is known about the link between thyroid hormone and bone density in the elderly. A study published in 2010 on the link in elderly men did not find a decrease in bone density, but a study the same year in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism did find such a link in postmenopausal women. A 2010 review article looking at drug-induced osteoporosis also noted high doses of thyroxine as a possible cause of low bone density in postmenopausal women.

Patients who are receiving hormone therapy should have hormone levels checked regularly, to see that levels do not grow too high, or for that matter too low. Some patients may not wish to take hormones acquired from animals, but the synthetic form of the hormone, levothyroxine, like any artificial drug, has the potential for side effects.

If you are taking a thyroid supplement then discuss with your doctor as to whether you would benefit from taking a different form.

Non-Surgical Help To Banish Bunions

As a long term sufferer myself – along with celebrities like Victoria Beckham, though hers are from wearing impossibly high in height and cost heels – I welcome anything that will help me avoid surgery. The success rate is not high, and I sat next to a surgeon at dinner many years ago who told me to avoid it if at all possible as a) it is very painful and b) unless you change the way you walk and distribute your weight you have a fair chance of developing them again.

Up to 15 million people suffer from bunions, those painful bony swellings at the base of the big toe, with the majority of sufferers being, not surprisingly, female and particularly the over 45s. They are not pretty, in fact are the whole reason I have not worn sandals or flip flops for years, and they cause a red, bony bump at the base of the big toe which becomes painfully inflamed when shoes rub against it – a problem made worse by high heels which throw the body weight forward.

If you are also looking for a more natural solution, then I have been test wearing/footing an effective ‘Bunion Night Splint’ which has been created by NeoG following consultations with many sufferers looking to relieve the pain of their bunions.

The splint completely immobilizes it so that uninterrupted healing of the bump can take place. I confess it was a bit of a fiddle to get it to fit exactly right as the splint provides adjustable positioning control to maintain ideal bunion and toe alignment. However, once done it does not need tackling again and you get two splints, one left and one right, which can be adjusted for both fit and comfort, though nipping out to the loo in the middle of the night might mean you have to adjust how you walk!

If you are wondering why you are afflicted, then it can be hereditary so blame your mother but the main cause is fancy but unsuitable footwear. High heels and pointed toes exacerbate the problem and cause the big toe to become angled inwards, forcing the bone to protrude from the side of the foot, where a painful, swollen bunion then forms.

The Neo G Bunion Night Splint is an effective, but not instant, solution as I have been wearing it for at couple of months before noticing a significant difference to the shape of my foot and to the pain but it is definitely worth persevering with.

If it sounds like it might work for you then you can only buy it online at www.physiohouse.co.uk or www.neo-g.co.uk

A Natural Alternative to Antacids

If you find that you are swallowing antacids after a meal, or even before one as a preventive, then it is probably a good idea to look at what natural alternatives are available to you – particularly if your diet is not always as healthy as it could be.Two ingredients long associated with helping both digestion and stomach upsets are peppermint and ginger and they are both found in Viridian’s High Potency Digestive Aid.

Prevention is always preferable to undergoing a cure, and a course of these vegan (and Kosher) capsules could well be the answer. They provide a combination of enzymes, betaine hydrochloride, peppermint and ginger to help promote a healthy and well-balanced environment for digestion to take place with optimum efficiency.

Stomach Acid
If you are suffering with stomach and intestinal problems such as heartburn, indigestion, gas, and reflux then it is a common misconception that these symptoms are caused by overproduction of stomach acid. Doctors reinforce this belief when they routinely prescribe stomach acid blocking medications but usually without first monitoring the stomach’s acid producing function or suggesting simple dietary changes.

In fact the above symptoms can equally be caused by under as well as over production of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid, HCL) and the aim of a digestive aid is to restore balance to the system in either case.

Hydrochloric acid serves three important functions:

1. to break down proteins, preparing them for assimilation.
2. to act as a protective barrier, killing many potentially harmful micro-organisms in our food.
3. to act as a venting mechanism when we eat acid forming foods and start the process of neutralizing them in the body.

When buying supplements of every kind I always suggest you look at the ingredients and in particular at whether they have a high level of active ingredients and a minimum – preferably zero – fillers or chemical additives. Viridian is the leading brand of ethical vitamins, which in this case means that they have a commitment to pure ingredients, environmental awareness and charity donations. In fact they give 50% of available profit to charity and on the 2nd of June had reached £120,000, mainly going to children’s and environmental charities.

On the purity front it is why their products are in capsule and powder form as these require no extras to be added during encapsulation or bottling where tablets do need various additives to bind them into tablet form. Environmentally, too they practice what they preach so their products are in glass bottles, not plastic, all of which can be recycled.

If you want to reduce the acidity in your body, then in addition to a supplement such as digestive aid then it makes sense to tackle the problem at source and eliminate, or seriously reduce, these items in your diet:

1. Sugar
2. Salt
3. Dairy Products
4. Wheat
5. Night Shade vegetables such as tomato, aubergine, peppers, potatoes
6. Cranberries/any unripened fruit
7. Meat
8. Diet foods as they are also full of both sugar, salt and chemical enhancers and sweeteners.

Digestive Aid from Viridian is available in health stores, or bymailorder from Viridian Nutrition

 

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