It is Mental Health Awareness Week so I want to share a few tips about the brain and how to keep it healthy.
The average human brain weighs around 1.3kg and consists mainly of water and fat with some protein, carbohydrates and salts.
To help keep your brain in tip top condition the easiest thing to do is make sure it has enough water to function correctly. Do this by drinking around 6-8 glasses of water every day. If you don’t like plain water try drinking it hot with a squeeze of lemon or lime or chilled with strips of cucumber infused into it. Herbal or fruit teas, either hot or cold, can also be a tasty option.
The type of fat in the brain is crucial to how well it functions. The essential fatty acids known as omega-3 and omega-6 are ones that we need to get from our diet. We tend to have plenty of omega-6 but not enough of omega-3 fats. To increase intake of omega-3 to help improve memory, cognition and recall try to incorporate these omega-3 rich foods in to your diet:
Oily fish - salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring and trout
Walnuts, flax seeds, chia seeds and hemp seeds are plant-based options although they aren’t as easily used by the body and brain as the type found in fish
Keeping a steady stream of energy to the brain is really helpful to avoid mood swings. To do this avoid too much sugar or highly refined (white) carbohydrates such as bread, pasta or rice. Instead choose wholegrain versions of these, have some protein with every meal (yes, that includes breakfast) and make sure there are also plenty of veggies on the plate!
Additionally, keeping active is good for the brain as well as the body as exercise actually helps to grow more brain cells. It doesn’t have to be too strenuous but do make it regular (and fun!)
May is an exciting month as new season foods really start to appear.
Often the fresh, seasonal spring produce doesn’t need much cooking. Think lightly steamed or roasted asparagus and broccoli served with pan fried salmon and buttered new potatoes for dinner.
Or a lunchtime salad of watercress, radish, spring onions with feta cheese and a balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil dressing.
And for a treat, how about a rhubarb crumble? Replace around half of the flour in the topping with porridge oats and chopped nuts to bring the protein level up and slow the release of the carbs.
Yum!
It's easy to feel short on time and money when thinking about eating healthily. But one thing can help to save time and money, make it easier to eat healthily AND avoid food waste: Meal planning.
Meal planning can help to reduce food waste and therefore save money by just buying the items needed and not get tempted by the ‘buy one get one free’ offers that can often be wasted or other offers for things that don’t get eaten. Also making sure the right ingredients are in the fridge or cupboard stops having to make multiple, time-consuming, trips to the shops to pick up bits and bobs.
Meal planning is also important to help keep on track with healthy eating. The temptation of a takeaway or grabbing an unhealthy snack is significantly reduced if there is already something tasty waiting in the fridge!
Use this process to reduce food waste, eat healthier and save both money and time
- Make a list of your meals for the week, including lunches, breakfasts and healthy snacks. Base your meals on vegetables, oily fish, beans, nuts and wholegrains
- Check your fridge and cupboards for what you have already that can be used whilst still in date
- Make a shopping list of the ingredients you need (and remember to take it with you!)
Planning is one of the keys to managing weight as well as the prevention of chronic health conditions like type 2 diabetes. But you don’t have to do it alone. I can help you to plan your meals and lifestyle to get your health back on track with personalised nutrition and lifestyle guidance.
Grab some British asparagus during its short season. One of the signs of spring is the arrival of British asparagus in shops and markets. Although asparagus can be bought all year round, for the best flavour, freshness and nutrition (as well as reducing food miles) choose seasonal British asparagus.
Benefits include vitamins C, A, K and folate whilst being low in calories. It contains fibre which helps to fill you up and supports a healthy digestive system. Asparagus also contains a healthy helping of antioxidants which help to protect your cells from the harmful effects of free radicals and oxidative stress (which contribute to chronic disease and ageing!)
To retain the most nutrients eat asparagus raw in salads or lightly steamed. It's also really lovely roasted or griddled in olive oil. Try dipping the griddled spears in poached or boiled eggs for a tasty protein rich breakfast that starts your day with a vegetable portion too!
Easter is a time of hope, renewal and spending time with family and friends. After the restrictions affecting the last two Easter periods it feels particularly welcome.
But for those who struggle with weight or have diabetes the prospect of being surrounded by chocolate and other goodies can be worrying. Add in the pressure of not wanting to be the killjoy or being encouraged to go off track by relatives and it can be overwhelming.
So it is worth taking a step back and thinking about how to manage the Easter period. One option is to plan and ask for help. If you know that someone is going to buy you a huge chocolate egg then maybe ask for something a little smaller or maybe some spring flowers instead. Trying to reduce the temptation might be the best solution for you if you are determined to stick to your healthy way of eating over the period.
Alternatively, you might decide not to worry about what you are eating over Easter. You make a conscious decision to eat some chocolate and have the odd hot cross bun. By doing this you might feel less tempted to binge later and in fact eat less of the treats overall.
Either plan to remove temptation or decide to indulge a little. Either is fine and the choice is totally yours: do whatever you feel works best for you.
Be kind to yourself, relax and enjoy the Easter period.
Be honest, do you spend your time wisely? Do you want more time to do the things you enjoy? Do you think you run out of time all the time but actually spend it doing things you don’t really intend to? April is Stress Awareness Month and not having enough time for our own self-care can hugely contribute to our stress and therefore our health.
A simple technique to help you identify where your time leaks away is to write down what you do and for how long. Do this for a few days or a week and it should become clear where your weak spots are. Maybe it’s hitting the snooze button too many times, losing an hour on social media during a post-lunch slump or perhaps bingeing on box sets when the kids are in bed. None of these are terrible in themselves but if they are just happening without you actively choosing to do them, then you might feel stressed and frustrated about the time available to do the things you really want to do. Think about what you want to do more of and use that as motivation to break away from those activities that suck up your time.
There are 168 hours in a week; make sure that some of your time is spent bringing you what you need, whether that’s joy, laughter or peace.
"Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you." Carl Sandburg, American writer.
On Sunday I was a lucky enough mum to be made this gorgeous gluten-free orange cake by one of my sons. Because it doesn’t contain any flour it is lower in carbs than many cakes. Instead, it uses ground almonds which, along with the eggs, contain protein. This makes it more filling than ordinary cakes so reducing craving for more sweetness later. But the absolute best thing about this cake is that it is delicious!
Zest a large orange, keep the zest for later.
Place the zested orange in a saucepan, cover with water and simmer for around 2 hours. Remove from the pan and cool slightly before whizzing with a stick blender (or chop very finely with a knife).
Whisk 3 eggs and 140g caster sugar until pale and doubled in volume.
Fold in 150g ground almonds, a rounded teaspoon of baking powder and the orange puree and zest.
Pour into a lined, 20cm square tin and bake (190/fan170/gas mark 5) for around 25 minutes or until set.
Remove from the oven and glaze with a tablespoon of warmed marmalade for a lovely sticky, zingy finish. Serves 8.
Serve warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt or (if it lasts that long) it is equally lovely cold
I’m guessing that no-one is that keen on having less time but since the clocks are going forward by an hour on Sunday morning that’s the reality this week.
This weekend to minimise the effect of the loss of the hour you might consider going to bed a bit earlier. Or try spreading the clock change over the whole weekend: for young children who don’t know that clocks have changed it can be helpful to shift their routine by 20-30 minutes a day and this works for adults too.
Getting enough good quality sleep is crucial for health and well being. If you struggle with doing the things you know you should be doing for your health then consider if you are getting enough sleep. If you are tired your body will crave sweet things to give it an energy boost. And if you are tired you are likely to have less willpower to resist the ‘treats’ that might give you an instant list but will leave you feeling worse later on. So rather than berate yourself for a lack of willpower, maybe think about investing in yourself by getting more sleep.
And if you really want to invest in your health ahead of the summer then contact me for a Health Review to be happy in your skin and confident in your food choices.
The beautiful spring sunshine and the approach of the equinox on Sunday has got me thinking about vitamin D. Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin because we make it when sunlight hits our skin.
In the UK because of our northerly position and the cold weather (which keeps us covered in woolly clothes for much of the year) we might not get enough sun exposure and many people are deficient in this vitamin which is essential for bone health, the correct functioning of the immune system and heart health. Vitamin D levels are often at their lowest at this time of year as any sun we do see in the winter isn’t strong enough to activate the skin mechanisms involved.
It's difficult to get enough vitamin D from diet alone as it is in a limited number of foods, notably oily fish, eggs and mushrooms. Which is why sun exposure in the warmer months is important to keep your levels topped up. So now we are into spring and there is warmth back again, getting some vitamin D from the sun is possible again.
This weekend is the perfect opportunity to get out into the sun and start to make a difference to your vitamin D levels. If you are unsure of your levels it is quick and easy to check it through a blood test, then you will know if and how much supplementation is required, in addition to safely getting some sunshine. So by being outside, whether it is reading in the garden, taking the dog for a walk or doing some gardening you can be improving your health as well as taking a moment for yourself.
Chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, which literally means ‘food of the gods’. And, historically, chocolate was so prized, cacao seeds were used as a form of currency (and, of course, some enterprising sorts even found a way to make counterfeit cocoa). It turns out those Mayans and Aztecs knew a thing or two because modern scientific research is finding new ways in which chocolate – good quality chocolate, at least – can be worth its weight in gold when it comes to your health.
The healthiest forms of chocolate are dark chocolate (70% cocoa content or higher) and cacao nibs, the original, natural form. (Just in case you are wondering, the health benefits of milk or white chocolate, and any of the processed sweetened stuff are slim to none!)
Here’s what it can do for your health.
FIGHTS AGAINST DISEASE
Dark chocolate and cacao nibs are high in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that can damage the cells in your body. Two groups of antioxidants found in dark chocolate are flavonoids and polyphenols – and they’re found in greater amounts in chocolate than either tea or red wine. The higher the percentage of cocoa in your chocolate bar, the greater the number of antioxidants.
GOOD FOR HEART HEALTH
Research also shows the flavonols in dark chocolate have a positive effect on heart health by lowering blood pressure, improving blood flow to the heart and making blood less sticky and able to clot.
MAY HELP LOWER CHOLESTEROL
The polyphenols in chocolate are thought to be involved in cholesterol control. In one scientific study, researchers found a decrease in both total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol of 6.5% and 7.5%, respectively.
BETTER BRAIN FUNCTION
Eating chocolate also increases the flow of blood to the grey matter in the brain. It’s been suggested that cocoa flavonols would benefit conditions associated with reduced blood flow to the brain, including dementia and stroke.
MAKES YOU HAPPY
The essential amino acids in dark chocolate help increase the production of the happy hormone serotonin, which can help alleviate feelings of anxiety and depression. Chocolate also contains the chemical phenylethylamine, which occurs naturally in your body and gives you the same boost you feel when you fall in love!
CHOCOLATE FRUIT AND NUT CLUSTERS
100g dark chocolate
15g dried cranberries
25 ready to eat apricots
40g pecan nuts
5 rough oatcakes
2 tsp xylitol
40g flaked almonds
Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl set in shallow water over a low heat. Blend all ingredients (except almonds) in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the blitzed mixture and the almonds to the melted chocolate and coat thoroughly. Spoon into 10-12 cake cases and chill in fridge until set.
