Fad diets... or not so fad...

As a Clinical Nutritionist, a lot of my time is spent reading about different fad diets.  It is amazing how much of my time goes on reading about diets such as:

The Cabbage Soup Diet
The Peach Diet
The Air Diet (yes, this really does exist and consists of not eating anything but air... I won't go into that one).
The Paleo Diet
Vegan
Vegetarian
5:2 or Fast Diet
Low Carb
High Carb
The Dukan Diet
The Atkins Diet
Gluten Free

And so the list goes on... and on...

The science behind some of them is actually good, for example the 5:2 or Fast Diet that I have written about before, is a great anti-aging diet that reduces the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), by reducing the production of this hormone your body is able to concentrate on repairing itself instead of concentrating on multiplying cells continuously.  You can read more about it here.

The thing is that a lot of the problem with fad diets (and where they get their bad name from) is that people don't understand what they are doing.  How many times have you noticed a colleague at work has lost weight and you ask them how.  The answer you get tends to be a very abbreviated account of the diet they are on...

"I'm on the Dukan Diet where you only eat meat on one day and vegetables with meat the next and you alternate days like this."

So off you go and start eating meat and meat and vegetables on alternate days and end up with a whole host of health problems.  Mainly because your colleague didn't go into detail about the need for fibre or when you can and should introduce fruit, or the need for exercise and drinking lots of water... I'm not endorsing the Dukan Diet here, but if people actually took the time to understand what they are embarking on and how to do it correctly then there might not be so many problems.

Even the Paleo Diet, which is getting back to basics and only eating natural unprocessed foods and avoiding modern foods such as bread, pasta, cereal and dairy produce, gets a bashing from the British Dietetic Association (BDA).  This Association warns that by avoiding all dairy produce could leave people with dangerously low levels of calcium and weaken their bones.  I beg to differ... but only if those on the Paleo Diet do it properly.  It is a known fact that milk produce does not provide calcium for bones because of one simple bodily mechanism.  When you consume milk produce it produces a acid state in the body... something the body hates, it much prefers to be alkaline, so the body leeches calcium from the bones to lower the level of acidity in the body.  So, if you want to make sure you have enough calcium while on the Paleo Diet then you need to make sure you are getting enough leafy green vegetables, broccoli, fruit, and raw almonds.  Mother nature provides us with everything we need and she certainly didn't expect us to be guzzling milk by the gallon after weaning.

I have never been a fan of restrictive dieting, where entire food groups are eliminated (except milk produce).  Going gluten free is not a good thing unless you have Celiac Disease.  Whole grain cereals proved lots of vitamins (especially from the B group), minerals and fibre.  So keep bread as whole grain as possible and eat in moderation, you really don't need carbs with every meal.  Any type of processed flour such as pasta, white bread, doughnuts, white rice, white flour has been stripped of any "good things" it may have had to start with.  Most of the vitamins are found in the husks, when wheat is refined the husks are eliminated and bang goes the goodness.  So if and when you have carbs make sure they are whole grain - and that means brown rice, brown pasta, etc...

There is also an extremely wide range of gluten free produce, which means Celiacs have a much easier time of things nowadays, but take a look at the ingredients on some of those gluten free products.  Gluten free CAKE is still CAKE with all the sugar and fat a normal cake would have!!!

Atkins has taken a beating over the years because it is high in saturated fat... but then recent studies have proved that saturated fat isn't a problem and the rise in heart disease is due to vegetable fats such as margarines high in trans fats.

Vegans and vegetarians are just as much at risk as those on the Paleo Diet...

"I don't eat animal produce... none at all."

Ok, I can understand and respect that, but are you getting all the proteins your body needs to repair itself?  Are your children vegans because that's what you believe is healthy?  Ok, no problem, but are
they getting all the protein they need to grow and develop?  There is BIG science behind different diets.  Removing animal products as a source of proteins means you have to replace them with something else.  Plant proteins exist and very good ones too; legumes (chick peas, peas, lentils), quinoa, nuts, Tempeh and Tofu, leafy greens, hemp, chia seeds, sesame, sunflower and poppy seeds.... and so the list goes on.  Being vegetarian or vegan means making sure you are getting everything your body needs.... Hey!  Oreo cookies are vegan but they sure as hell aren't healthy!!!

Restricting certain foods to certain times of day also promotes bingeing.  According to the BDA, Beyoncé is on the "vegan before 6" diet which means only vegan food before 6pm and then you can eat what you like after that... um... well... that would probably make me binge too.

So, think rationally.  As humans we are omnivores.  Our bodies were built to eat fruit, vegetables, nuts and meat (all kinds).  Now, I do respect those who choose a meat free existence as long as they get everything their bodies need, but if you eat sensibly, lots of vegetables, fruit and moderate amount of meat/ fish, etc.., keeping refined foods to a minimum, you really can't go wrong.

So, what ever diet you decide you want to tackle after Christmas... please, make sure you read up on it, that you investigate it fully and that you completely understand what you are doing and that you are covering all your bases.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Shock yourself slim

There are many many activity trackers on the market; the Up Band, Withings, FitBit, etc.. But now there is one that will literally shock you into new habits!

The Pavlok wrist band uses a form of electric shock therapy to motivate you into the development of good habits.  It is branded as a "personal coach on your wrist" and can even be used to help stop mindless eating.

The band can be activated manually or automatically and the idea behind it is that the two milliampere shock will condition users to develop and stick to good habits by associating the bad habits with the uncomfortable yet effective shock.

Pavlok has been created by Maneesh Sethi who got his inspiration for the band from Pavlov's famous classical conditioning experiment where dogs were trained to expect food each time a bell rang.

"By adding a shock while you eat, you train your lizard brain to associate the act of eating (or the type of food) with the shock - and it can effectively limit the drive for mindless eating that you normally have," Sethi told The Dot.

EJ Dickinson, journalist for The Dot, tried out the wristband on Thanksgiving:

"It felt like someone was plucking out my arm hair with a pair of pincers," Dickinson wrote.

The device is meant to be painless, the shock just to give you a gentle reminder but Dickinson didn't agree.  However, he did say that, "It makes you ask yourself, wait, why am I hungry again?"  But he also admitted that the wristband was at least somewhat effective because "I was more than able to button each button on my pants."

According to the Pavlok website, the band helps to transform wearers and promotes change.  You can use it to change old habits or acquire new ones, it isn't just a way of stopping you eating.

"Choose your daily action, and Pavlok will hold you accountable, ensuring lasting success." the web states.

"It's not about the shock as much as it is about training your brain to do the things you say you're going to do," Sethi said, stating that negative reinforcement "really does make people pay attention."

On the web, information isn't very clear, but it says that the band also creates community and if you don't reach your goals you may even get shocked by a fellow user.  However, there is also a reward scheme for those who do reach their goals.

"Through our proprietary negative and positive reinforcement technique, Pavlok doesn't simply nudge someone to change their behavior - it pushes them to transform themselves and form the habit to maintain their transformation."

Maybe it is the key for people who are lacking enough willpower to reach their goals, it may seem a bit extreme but if it works... then why not?

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

The Coca-Cola Experiment

By now, you should all know the perils of drinking too many soft drinks... if any at all.  The amount of sugar contained in drinks such as Coca-Cola is astronomical, and the diet versions aren't much healthier because of the sweeteners in them.

To prove this point, George Prior, a 50 year old entrepreneur from Los Angeles decided to see what would happen if he drank 10 cans of Coke a day for a month.  Before starting on this experiment, George was fit and healthy and weighed 12 stone (76 kg).

After the 30 day trial his stats were way different:  His normally healthy physique turned into a protruding pot belly and his weight went from 12 stone (76 kg) to 14 stone (88.9 kg), that's a 2 stone gain in just 30 days!  But that wasn't all; his blood pressure soared from 129/77 to 145/96 - the ideal level for blood pressure is 120/80 above this level the risk of heart disease or stroke is greatly increased.

Yet again is wasn't just the physical transformation that worried him, he feared he was becoming addicted to Coke after he experienced intense cravings.  Mr. Prior tried to maintain his normal Paleo diet which is a low carbohydrate diet which promotes eating lean meats, vegetables and nuts and berries, but he experienced severe sugar cravings that he found difficult to ignore.

"The most dramatic change was in weight: 23lb (10.4 kg) of gain over 30 days," he said, "I also seemed to develop a craving for Cokes, or other sugars, during the time I was drinking Cokes.  I'm urging people to examine the amount of sugar in their diets.  People need to be aware of the real and powerful damaging effects of sugar on their health."

Before (Left) and After (Right)

He also found that he felt full all the time and had to force himself to drink all 10 Cokes every day, he said he did the experiment in order to stir up debate and to get people talking about how much sugar they are actually consuming and how unhealthy it is.

"I would prefer not to do it again," he commented, "I don't like being this heavy."

After finishing his experiment Mr. Prior lost 5 lb (2.2 kg) in just four days.

A regular can of Coke contains 35g of sugar, the equivalent of 7 cubes of sugar.  In March, the World Health Organization (WHO) called for the recommended daily allowance of sugar to be reduced from 50g to 25 g, or from 10 to five cubes a day.  So just ONE can of Coke is more than the recommended daily allowance.

Experts warn that soft drinks contain sugar but have no nutritional value whatsoever, and Mr. Prior said that he found it hard to eat as much food because the Coke left him feeling full at lunch and dinner.  Experts also warn that soft drinks are fueling the obesity epidemic and, consequently, other serious diseases including cancer, heart disease and stroke.

New York assemblyman, Karim Camara has called for sugar-laden beverages to carry warning labels similar to those found on cigarette packets, he said that soft drinks "are the new smoking".

The general public often doesn't realize just how much sugar they consume as most of it is in a liquid form.  Soft drinks and fruit juices are basically just liquid sugar and should be consumed in moderation.  Children should not be allowed these types of drinks even though most parents deem juices to be "healthy", when really they are just flavored sugar.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Mindless Eaters

The truth is we eat too much.  Not only do we generally eat the wrong types of food as in too many carbs, too many refined and processed foods, and too much junk food... But we also eat too much quantity. 

I have spoken before about eating mindfully, but this actually goes beyond that. Brian Wansink, PhD And author of "Mindless Eating and why we eat more than we think", has spent years studying human behavior in relation to food.

It turns out we generally eat more than we need just because it is there.  Certain situations mean there is no end to what we can eat and most of us could not quantify what we have just eaten if asked.  A lot has to do with our surroundings, where we were at the time of eating, what we were doing whilst eating, and what our brains perceived about what we were eating. 

Here are several examples:

Cinema goers were given stale popcorn, some in medium sized containers and others in large sized containers. The popcorn was free for all those who went to a certain showing of a certain movie on a certain day and ate certain time, every attendee had their own popcorn, no-one had to share.  At the end of the movie the leftovers were collected and weighed.  Even though the popcorn was stale, the attendees still ate it, with those with the large containers eating the most... If it's there it will be eaten.

A restaurant was divided into two.  Diners  on the right hand side of the restaurant were given a complimentary bottle of California wine from a "new" winery. Those on the left were given the same wine but with a different label on the bottle stating it was from a new winery in North Dakota.  No one has ever heard of wine coming from North Dakota (no-one produces wine in North Dakota).  At the end of the meal more wine from the fictitious North Dakota winery was left over and when questioned diners said that they didn't like the wine that much.  Those on the right hand side of the restaurant, tool longer to finish their meal and lingered over their wine from California, enjoying their after dinner conversation.

Another trial was done to assess how much we eat if we can gauge the amount.  I'll explain; when we sit in a restaurant or at any table for that matter we cannot gauge how much we have eaten if we cannot see any left overs. For example, if you eat all your burger and fries there is nothing visibly left to prove you've eaten, however, if you eat chicken wings or something similar with bones that leave a trace... Then it is easier to gauge how much you have eaten.  Several college students were invited to watch a Super Bowl game at a bar and were offered free chicken wings and soft drinks while the game lasted.  The waitresses were told to only clear half the tables during the game.  On every table there was a bowl in the middle for the students to pile up their chicken bones.  The waitresses regularly cleared the bone bowl on half of the tables, but didn't change the bowls at all on the remaining half of the tables.  By the end of the game the students who didn't have clean tables had eaten 28% less chicken wings as than those with the clean tables.

You see, most days we aren't even aware of how much we have eaten.  But that isn't the only problem, because of this lack of awareness we also eat too much food.   This mindless eating, at the movies, at our desks, in front of the TV, means we just keep eating until our stomachs are full.  Is being full necessary or could we stop sooner?  The Japanese have a saying for this:  hara hachi bu—eating until you’re just 80 percent full. 

It takes 20 minutes for our brains to register we are full, so if you stop when you've had enough instead of when you can't eat anymore then you will be doing yourself a favor. It would be very easy for people to manage their weight if they thought about their food before actually eating it.  Am I hungry?  Do I really need to eat this?  Have I eaten enough?

Quite often I hear of people  who have lost weight by reducing the size of the plate they eat from.  A smaller plate filled with food is more satisfying than a large plate with a small amount of food on it.  The person believes he or she has eaten a large portion of food because the plate was full.  If you eat the same amount from a large plate you'll tell yourself you can't have had enough to eat because the amount was so small.

Other people are capable of losing weight without even realizing how they did it just because we don't contemplate a lot of our choices.  One woman lost weight after giving up caffeine and switching to herbal teas and lost 20lbs in 2 years... All she had seemingly done was to give up caffeine, so why the weight loss? When questioned about this she didn't know why either until she realized that in giving up caffeine she had also given up drinking sodas... Less sugar, less weight.

There is so much we can do for ourselves and our weight management just by being more mindful of what we are eating and drinking and the way we feel.  When you serve your food, try putting a little less on the plate or use a smaller plate.  Ask yourself if you are no longer hungry during a meal instead of waiting for the full feeling, or mindlessly finishing everything on your plate.  Be more considerate to yourself, your body will thank you for it.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

What size is normal?

Nearly all obese people are in denial about their size.  What we perceive as a normal weight is changing and much larger sized people don't think they are overweight.  A whopping 90% of obese people don't think they have a weight problem because bigger sizes are becoming the new "normal".

One of the first studies carried out to examine perceptions of obesity has found that fewer than 10% of clinically obese people accept they have a serious weight problem.  The survey carried out by Cancer Research in 2012 examined 2,000 adults and found that only 11% of obese women accurately acknowledged they were obese.

Most of the women interviewed described themselves as either "very overweight" or "just right", Cancer Research said.  Men did even worse with just 7% correctly judging their own weight, and accepting they were obese.  16% of men questioned classified themselves as "very overweight".

To define a person's weight as underweight, normal, over weight, obese or morbidly obese, we use what's called the Body Mass Index (BMI), this is a calculation of the persons weight divided by the square of their height.  This is not an entirely accurate calculation as it does not take into account muscle mass or bone size.  For example, muscle weighs more than fat, so a person with a lot of muscle could be classed as over weight or obese using this calculation.  Other people have bigger bones and therefore this adds to their body weight.  But the BMI is an INDICATOR of whether a person is overweight or obese or even underweight.  It is down to the specialist to take into account a person's physical appearance when deciding if indeed they are overweight or not.

On the BMI scale a result between 30 and 39.9 classes a person as obese.  Researchers discovered that only 10% of the people taking part in the survey knew the BMI threshold for obesity.  However, those who knew the BMI threshold for obesity were more likely to define themselves as obese.

The problem with not accepting there is a weight problem means that the Experts fear, as bigger sizes become the new "normal", people are less likely to recognize the health problems associated with their weight.

Professor Jane Wardle, co-author of the study and director of the Cancer Research UK centre at University College London (UCL), said:

"It's a real worry that people don't recognize that their weight places them in the obese category.  It means they aren't aware they are at increased risk of a number of health problems including cancer.  This is despite increased media coverage of obesity, and public health campaigns aimed at improving public awareness."

She also added that the use of the word "obese" is often considered derogatory, which may be why so many people reject it.

"Mass media often illustrate obesity in a way that people find offensive, with pictures of bulging beer bellies and huge behinds, so people shy away from these images.  But we also asked people whether they felt they were 'very overweight' and the majority of those who were obese did not accept this term either.  This is a real problem, as it means they are unlikely to identify with health messages on the subject of weight.  We need to establish better ways for health professionals to address this sensitive subject and communicate with people whose health would benefit from positive lifestyle changes."

Obesity and being overweight is a very serious health risk.  About 18,000 cases of cancer in the UK each year are linked to being overweight or obese.  Weight related cancers include; breast cancer in post menopausal women, bowel cancer, womb cancer, cancer of the oesophagus, pancreatic cancer, cancer of the kidneys and gallbladder.

Dr. Julie Sharp, Cancer Research UK's head of health information, said:

"This study provides an interesting insight into how people who are overweight view themselves.  Carrying those extra pounds can have serious health implications.  Fat cells are active, releasing hormones and other chemicals that affect many parts of the body, and increase the risk of cancer.  Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of them most important ways of reducing the risk of cancer, for both men and women."

Unfortunately doctors and trainee doctors don't do much better at assessing a person's weight visually.  In a separate study in Liverpool, UK, researchers asked the participants (including doctors) who were shown photographs of male models and asked to categorize whether they were a healthy weight, overweight or obese according to World Health Organization Guidelines.  They found that the majority of people surveyed were unable to correctly identify the model's weight, instead they underestimated weight, often believing overweight men to be healthy.

In a related study which surveyed healthcare professionals, researchers discovered that GPs and trainee GPs were unable to visually identify if a person was overweight or obese.  This has important implications, the researchers think that increased exposure to overweight and obese people affected a person's ability to estimate the weight of a person.  In the case of healthcare professionals, this is very important as it may mean that overweight or obese people will not be offered weight management support or advice from their doctor.

More than half of the adult population in the EU are overweight or obese.  Action needs to be taken, by the individual and by healthcare professionals.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Body Perception... What's perfect? What's real?

There has been a huge outcry over the past couple of weeks about Victoria's Secret?s new advertisement...  According to Victoria's Secret this is what the perfect female body should look like...

However, any normal person living in today's world knows that this maybe every woman's fantasy but reality is something completely different.  While these models are stunning, this kind of body shape is not common.  In  fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average adult woman, over 20 years of age has the following statistics:

Weight: 164.7 lbs or 74.7 kg,
Height:  63.8 inches or 162 cms
Waist circumference: 37 inches or 94 cms

Candice Swanepoel a Victoria's Secret Model has the following statistics:
Weight: 121 lbs or 55kg
Height: 70.8 inches or 175 cms
Waist circumference: 23 inches or 59 cms

There is a difference.

Now, ten courageous women in the UK have recreated the Victoria's Secret advertisement in their own "average" bodies with no airbrushing.

Here is what some of these women said of their bodies and the experience of doing the shoot:

Ali Williamson, 57, UK size 10 (US 8) is a fitness instructor from Surrey and is married and has 2 children and 3 step children.

"My body is a bit beaten up, but it's given birth to and nursed two children, so I'm grateful for that.

"I've also recovered from a horse-riding accident, when I broke several bones, and I've had a hip replacement.  So, as far as being 'perfect', I'm not.

"But the fact my body allows me to teach ten classes of yoga and bodypump weight-lifting classes every week means it's strong and fit...

"... I wish there were more older models.  When I look at ads they could be my granddaughters.

"However, negative images don't affect my body confidence.  Every day my husband tells me I am sexy or beautiful - if he says it often enough I might believe it!"

Emily Harvey, 31, UK size 14 (US 12), is a blogger and lives in South-West London, she lives with
her partner and has 2 small children.

"When I told my friends I was doing this photoshoot, they said: 'Gosh, you're brave!'  Most women over 20 - particularly those who've had children - don't feel confident enough to pose in their underwear.  I feel more womanly after having children.

"But my mum tum does bother me when I'm swimming and see women with flatter tummies.

"I was a size ten before I had my children and while I'd like to look slimmer, I'm a busy mother with not much time to go to the gym.

"I'm 5ft 8 inches, weigh 12 and a half stone and don't feel fat.  But like every woman, I'm insecure about my body and this advert doesn't help that.

"Taking part in the shoot has boosted my confidence hugely.  I'll feel much more confident in my underwear in the future."

Natalie Lee, 34, UK size 12 (US 10) is a full time mother of two.  She lives in East London with her husband.

"As a trained midwife, I've seen lots of women's bodies and I know we come in all shapes and sizes.

"So I was horrified there wasn't a single average-sized woman in the Victoria's Secret advert.  I don't want my children subjected to images like that.

"Why can't we see more women who look sporty and healthy rather then bony and skinny?  That would be inspirational...

"... I don't want to be super skinny - I think that looks unattractive and wouldn't want to lose my curves.  I like my hourglass figure and my husband loves my curves, but there are parts of me I don't like.  I've got a bit of a tummy and stretch marks, so I don't wear a bikini on the beach unless it's a fifties-style super high-waisted one.  The fashion industry needs to realize women come in every size - and we are all perfect."

I could go on with the testimonials but this post would be too long, you can read the full article here.

The point here is that the general public - of all ages, is being bombarded by unrealistic images of women, most of which have been photoshopped.  This is damaging especially to young teenagers who believe that to be beautiful you have to be a size 0.  Eating disorders are on the rise and as I said in a previous post, it's better to be healthy than skinny.  Health is what matters, you can't be too thin or too fat if your health is at risk.  Each body has an ideal, natural weight, which is different for each person.

The famous Dove campaign that used "real" women instead of models was extremely well accepted, and others should think again before publishing the "perfect female body".

We should be aspiring to achieve health not a dress size, and this should be what we teach our children too.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Whose fault is it that people are obese?

The amount of times I have heard that people who are over weight or obese only have themselves to blame.  But let's face it... is that true?  Obviously there is a certain responsibility we all have as to exactly what we put in our mouths, but maybe we can also blame others.

Nowadays, most people are spending eight hours a day stuck in an office where they are expected to stay at their desks at all times and get as much work done as possible.  Stress is high, and many eat lunch at their desks.  Then you have to get home - many stuck in traffic jams, others fighting through crowds to get on the next bus, metro, or train... or a combination of all three.  By the time you get home the last thing you want to have to deal with getting creative in the kitchen.  Take out, frozen pizza or a ready meal may seem far more appealing than actually having to check exactly what fresh ingredients you have in the fridge and kitchen cupboards and how can you turn what you have into a healthy nutritious meal for you and your family.

Also the high numbers of unemployed doesn't help either.  Lots of people are living on tight budgets and in countries like the USA where a McDonald's meal is cheaper and more filling than buying fresh ingredients at the supermarket don't make things any easier.  Also the amount of temptation we are faced with on a daily basis... delicious looking muffins, doughnuts, cakes and chocolate bars seem to be on every counter in every shop - not to mention the office vending machine.  Giving in to temptation seems to be all too easy.  I should know.  I have an incredible sweet tooth and even though my career means I have to practice what I preach, I find it hard to resist temptation and do give in every now and again.

So what if people are fat!  Well, I have to say there is a huge SO WHAT.  Obesity and being overweight leads to serious illness.  Very serious illnesses such as some forms of cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and joint problems - all of which are costing the public health services huge amounts of money.

In the UK, thousands of people are being paid sickness benefits because they are too fat to work.  This is costing the taxpayer 54million GBP.  Almost 12,000 people received Disability Living Allowance last year because they have metabolic disease - this is the medical term for the combination of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure - all caused by... obesity.

There is so much that each individual can do to either combat obesity or not put on weight to start with.  If we look after ourselves - eat healthily and take regular exercise, then our risk of developing a serious illness drops dramatically.  I agree with Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum:

"Successive governments have made life too easy for too many obese people.  If the obese have a legitimate cause for their fatness - and there may be medical or genetic reasons - benefits should not be denied to them.  But getting long-term benefits simply for overeating is an insult to society."

Official figures for the UK state that nearly one in five British secondary school pupils and a quarter of adults are obese.  Also health experts are predicting that by 2050 the annual bill for obesity-related illnesses will have risen to 50 BILLION GBP a year, with almost two thirds of the population obese.

This means that public health services such as the NHS in the UK will go bust.  There simply won't be enough money to help these people with their illnesses and this also means that people who are not overweight and have other serious illnesses such as cancer will not be able to get treatment either.  In most cases, being overweight or obese is a lifestyle choice, it is caused by the individual.  Yes, there is too much temptation and the governments aren't doing enough to make sure that the food industry helps by cutting calories in food and drink and to help people make healthier choices.

But as individuals we can take control of our own diets and make the right decisions as to what we eat - that way the food industry will have to make changes or it will start losing huge amounts of money.  We have the power - the power to make changes, it is time for the individual to take control and force the food industry into serving us and our needs - not us filling their bank accounts.

Remember:  YOU HAVE THE POWER!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Can the sun keep you slim?

Scientists believe that going out in the sunshine could help keep our weight down.  They have found that moderate exposure to UV rays helps release a key protein, nitric oxide, which slows the development of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

It turns out that the skin releases nitric oxide after exposure to sunlight and that this protein plays a key role in the metabolism.

The experiments were carried out at Edinburgh and Southampton Universities.  Dr. Richard Weller, senior lecturer in dermatology at Edinburgh University, said:

"Studies such as this are helping us to understand how the sun can be good for us."

His team worked with scientists at the Telethon Kids Institute in Perth, Western Australia.  They found that overfed mice exposed to UV light slowed their weight gain.  The mice showed fewer of the warning signs linked to type 2 diabetes, such as abnormal glucose levels and resistance to insulin.

Nitric Oxide plays a role in the way we digest and process food and sugar, potentially preventing harmful metabolic conditions like diabetes.

However, the scientists have warned that as the findings are in mice, they might not precisely translate into humans and insist that more studies are needed to confirm whether sunshine exposure has the same effect on weight gain and diabetes in humans, especially considering that mice are nocturnal creatures covered in fur and not usually exposed to high levels of sunlight.

The good news is that previous studies in humans have shown that nitric oxide can lower blood pressure, and these new findings add to already acquired evidence that supports the health benefits of moderate exposure to the sun.

Professor David Ray, Manchester University, said:

"This is an important study which shows that lifestyle factors beyond diet can help prevent weight gain and diabetes.

"These findings support the idea that a healthy lifestyle should include time outside in the sunshine, not only for exercise, but also to benefit from sunlight on the skin."

Dr. Colin Michie of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, added:

"This paper raises critical questions for us humans - are the effects the same in our children and ourselves, and, if so, can they be applied to prevent obestiy, treat metabolic syndrome and save vast amounts of pharmacological treatment?"

We can only hope so at this stage and hope that they will be able to carry out trials in humans.

Although the sun gets a lot of bad press because of high numbers of skin cancer, if you are careful and don't spend too much time baking in strong sunlight, there are a lot of health benefits associated with moderate exposure to sunlight.  It is also needed for the production of vitamin D - essential for healthy bones and general health.

The easiest way for children to have strong bones is to play outside in the fresh air and sunshine.  Impact sports such as brisk walking, running, skipping, jumping, and even dancing keep bones healthy and strong at all ages - especially when done outside.

So, get up and go outside - your body will thank you for it!


I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Be careful with that Halloween candy!

It seems lately that unhealthy foods are being closely related to brain function - and not in a good way.  I recently wrote about how junk food can make you stupid.  Well, with Halloween this week - sugar takes another blow.

I have spoken before about HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup) which is basically a chemical form of sugar, but on a much cheaper, unhealthy level.  HFCS has now been associated not just with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, etc., but also with memory disfunction and brain inflammation which leads to dementia and more.

These findings come from a recent study lead by Scott Kanoski and published in Hippocampus.  The study involved 76 adolescent rats that were allowed to consume large quantities of liquid solutions containing sugar or HFCS in concentrations comparable to popular sugar-sweetened drinks, those rats experienced memory problems and brain inflammation, and became pre-diabetic.  Adult rats who were fed the same sugary drinks did not develop the same problems, neither did adolescent rats who did not consume sugar.

This means that adolescents are at a greater risk of problems associated with the consumption of HFCS than adults.

"The brain is especially vulnerable to dietary influences during critical periods of development, like adolescence," said Scott Kanoski, corresponding author of the study and assistant professor at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

Sugar in large quantities is toxic for the human body, especially inflammatory sugars like HFCS.  The average American teenager gets a huge 17% of their calories from added sugars alone.  That adds up to almost 1/5 of their diet from refined inflammatory sugars.

HFCS is also responsible for provoking leptin resistance.  Leptin is the hormone which helps us to know when we are full.  This leads to overeating, spiked blood sugar levels, and leads to obesity and diabetes.

Obviously there is a huge marketing plan in place to try and make HFCS seem inoffensive - a huge section of the market is at stake here and it is understandable that the manufacturers of HFCS are trying to protect their income and make their product seem healthy or at least - not so dangerous.

One of their messages is that it is the same as normal sugar.  However, it isn't.  Dr. Mark Hyman
explains this:

"HFCS and cane sugar are NOT biochemically identical or processed the same way by the body. High fructose corn syrup is an industrial food product and far from “natural” or a naturally occurring substance. It is extracted from corn stalks through a process so secret that Archer Daniels Midland and Carghill would not allow the investigative journalist Michael Pollan to observe it for his book The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The sugars are extracted through a chemical enzymatic process resulting in a chemically and biologically novel compound called HFCS. Some basic biochemistry will help you understand this. Regular cane sugar (sucrose) is made of two-sugar molecules bound tightly together– glucose and fructose in equal amounts.The enzymes in your digestive tract must break down the sucrose into glucose and fructose, which are then absorbed into the body. HFCS also consists of glucose and fructose, not in a 50-50 ratio, but a 55-45 fructose to glucose ratio in an unbound form. Fructose is sweeter than glucose. And HFCS is cheaper than sugar because of the government farm bill corn subsidies. Products with HFCS are sweeter and cheaper than products made with cane sugar. This allowed for the average soda size to balloon from 8 ounces to 20 ounces with

little financial costs to manufacturers but great human costs of increased obesity, diabetes, and chronic disease.Now back to biochemistry. Since there is there is no chemical bond between them, no digestion is required so they are more rapidly absorbed into your blood stream. Fructose goes right to the liver and triggers lipogenesis (the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol) this is why it is the major cause of liver damage in this country and causes a condition called “fatty liver” which affects 70 million people."

So, if you are handing out sweets this Halloween, try buying healthier sweets that don't contain HFCS.  They may not realize it, but you will be doing those children a favor.

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

The science behind fasting

It should be a well known fact that our bodies were designed for famine and not for abundance.  As you well know from reading this blog, our digestive systems have not changed in over 10,000 years.

10,000 years ago life was a lot different than it is now.  Humans were known as hunter-gatherers, in other words, they lived off what foods they could gather - fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds.  Every now and again they might be lucky enough to catch an animal.  Catching an animal also meant "feasting" as they would have had to eat it as quickly as possible as there was no way of preserving it.

However, nowadays we live - in the Western World at least, in a time of abundance.  Food is constantly available to us 24/7, and most of it isn't healthy.  Anything labeled a "convenience" food or anything that has been processed isn't just feasting... it's DANGEROUS.

Unfortunately, we know very little about our ancestors' health problems - if they had any at all.  They were most probably eaten by wild animals or died from being hit by a rock then to actually experience disease.  However, we do know a lot more nowadays about aging and disease and how to make ourselves healthier to avoid disease.

We know that being obese or overweight increases the risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and heart disease.

There is also a huge food industry that is consistently bombarding us with advertisements
encouraging us to pour vast amounts of sugar and salt into our bodies and that GMO produce is "good" for us.

There is also a huge "diet" industry - most of which belongs to the aforementioned food industry, that tells us that low fat is good for us, that high carb diets are also good for us, and what the latest diet fad is.

If we focus on the fact that natural foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and animal protein are good for us, and combine that with the vast amount of knowledge we have acquired over the past couple of decades - then surely we can come up with a diet that can be very "user friendly" and not just promote weight loss but also promote better health.

Dr. Michael Mosley has done just that.  The Fast Diet, also known as the 5:2 diet is, in my opinion, a masterpiece of combining anti-aging information with food.

Dr. Mosley has spoken with a number of scientists who are analyzing the way our bodies react to aging and to other environmental factors, and how changing those environmental factors can also improve how we age.

Having read his book, "The Fast Diet" and seen the documentary he produced for the BBC, I was fascinated.  However, there was one piece of information that really got me hooked.  Michael Mosley traveled to the USA and spoke to Dr. Valter Longo, director of the University of Southern California's Longevity Institute.  Dr. Longo is passionate about the science of fasting.  The reason why he feels the way he does is that his research, and that of many others also, has shown the amazing range of measurable health benefits acquired from fasting.  Going without food for even quite short periods of time switches on a number of repair genes which, as Dr. Longo explained, can provide some longterm benefits:

"There is a lot of initial evidence to suggest that temporary periodic fasting can induce changes that can be beneficial against aging and disease.  You take a person, you fast them, after 24 hours everything is revolutionized.  And even if you took a cocktail of drugs, very potent drugs, you will never even get close to what fasting does.  The beauty of fasting is that it's all coordinated," Dr. Longo says.

It all comes down to the levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).  IGF-1 is what makes your body's cells multiply continuously.  However, Valter has discovered that during fasting the body reduces the production of IGF-1 and instead of multiplying cells like crazy, the body begins to repair damaged areas.  When you are young and growing, you need adequate levels of IGF-1 and other growth factors, however, high levels in later life appear to lead to accelerated aging and cancer.

There is a vast history of fasting in many cultures - this is not something new.  There are cultures that fast for long periods of time.  However, for many of us in our abundance orientated world are horrified at the prospect of skipping a single meal.

"I've been so busy today I didn't even have time for lunch!" we frequently hear.

What we need to do is to change our way of thinking.  The Fast Diet makes fasting easy; 5 days a week you eat normally and the other 2 days you severely restrict your calories to 600Kcal/day for men and 500Kcal/day for women.  Michael Mosley found this idea much easier to work with than say fasting for 4 days every 2-3 months or even alternate day fasting.

The 2 fasting days do not have to be consecutive, they can be whichever days you choose.  You can work them into your diary so it works for you.  You can have all your calories in one meal or you can have two smaller meals (breakfast and dinner).  But the idea is to go for as long as possible between meals.  The Fast Diet has proved to be a good weight loss plan, BUT also has the added benefits of improved health and reduced aging.

For more information you can visit the website: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/

So what are you waiting for?

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com

Sex or cake?

Yes, you heard me right!  Apparently one in six women would give up sex forever in exchange for a slice of their favorite cake.  A surprising "study" or survey has come to light in the United Kingdom, people are actually willing to give up essential things in favor of eating... cake.  Some of the things they are willing to give up are: their car, mobile phone, the internet, and wine.

The survey also found that cake is used as a tool to get what they want.  One in eight have brought cakes into their office to get their way with their boss, while 11% of men have tried to win a woman's heart with a cake - compared to 7% of women.

It was also revealed that 9% of men are willing to give up sex for cake, compared to 16% of women, and a quarter would be willing to delete their Twitter and Facebook accounts and never watch their favorite TV show again... just for a slice of cake.

So which is really better for you?  Cake or sex?

Well, cake contains (depending on the recipe): butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, milk, chocolate and flour...  If you read this blog on a regular basis you will know I am not a fan of milk or sugar.  Cow's milk is downright dangerous to health  and sugar... well we all know the dangers of too much sugar in our diets.  Eating sugar has exactly the same reaction in the brain to cocaine.  Refined white flour has no nutritional value what so ever - neither does sugar.  Anything that has been refined has been stripped of it's goodness first so it doesn't "give" you anything.  Also refined carbs make you fat.  Yes, it has been proven on many occasion that it isn't saturated fat that is making us fat but refined carbohydrates.  Also eating too many carbs can cause insulin resistance and the onset of type II diabetes.  Margarine is full of trans fats which are far more dangerous than natural fats.  The butter and eggs are the least dangerous but when mixed with the refined flour and sugar, cause havoc on the digestive system.  Dark natural chocolate isn't too bad either as long as it is organic.

Now, the benefits of sex (here are just 7, but there are many more):

1. Helps keep your immune system working.  People who have sex have higher levels of what defends your body against germs, viruses, and other intruders.  Researchers at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that college students who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of a certain antibody compared to students who had sex less often.  Also, "Sexually active people take fewer sick days," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, PhD - a sexual health expert.
2. Lowers your blood pressure.  Research suggests a link between sex and lower blood pressure, says Joseph J. Pinzone, MD, CEO and medical director of Amai Wellness.  "There have been many studies," he says. "One landmark study found that sexual intercourse specifically lowered systolic blood pressure."
3. Sex is exercise.  Sex uses about five calories per minute, four more calories than watching TV.  It bumps up your heart rate and uses various muscles.  Now this doesn't mean you don't need to do traditional exercise, but it definitely has added benefits.
4. Lowers heart attack risk.  A good sex life is good for your heart.  Besides being a great way to raise your heart rate, sex helps keep your estrogen and testosterone levels in balance.  In one study it was found that men who had sex at least twice a week were half as likely to die of heart disease as men who had sex rarely.
5. Sex lessens pain.  Try swapping painkillers for an orgasm!  Stimulation without orgasm can also do the trick but "Orgasm can block pain," says Barry R. Komisaruk, PhD.
6. Improves sleep.  Most find it very easy to fall asleep after having sex.  "After orgasm, the hormone prolactin is released, which is responsible for the feelings of relaxation and sleepiness after sex," says Sheenie Ambardar, MD, a psychiatrist in West Hollywood, California.
7. Eases Stress.  Being close to your partner can soothe stress and anxiety.  Sex and intimacy can boost your self-esteem and happiness too, it's not only a prescription for a healthy life, but a happy one too!

So, cake or sex?  I know which one I choose!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com