Be honest... how much do you eat?

On the 18th August 2014 the Institute of Economic Affairs in the United Kingdom published a report called The Fat Lie... you can download it here.  Basically I'm having a hard time digesting it.

The Summary of the report is as follows:

• The rise in obesity in recent decades is popularly believed to be the result of increased consumption of calories in general and sugar in particular.
• Campaigners have called for product reformulation, fat taxes and other anti-market policies to reduce calorie consumption at the population level.
• All the evidence indicates that per capita consumption of sugar, salt, fat and calories has been falling in Britain for decades.  Per capita sugar consumption has fallen by 16% since 1992 and per capita calorie consumption has fallen by 21% since 1974.
• Since 2002, the average body weight of English adults has increased by 2 kilograms.  This has coincided with a decline in calorie consumption of 4.1% and a decline in sugar consumption of 7.4%.
• The rise in obesity has been primarily caused by a decline in physical activity at home and in the workplace, not an increase in sugar, fat or calorie consumption.

Basically, the report published by the Institute of Economic Affairs is saying that the undeniable rise in obesity is NOT RELATED TO WHAT WE EAT, but to a lack of exercise.

I'm sorry but I really can't swallow this one.  Yes physical exercise is very important to health, but if you are eating junk food on a regular basis and your diet is high in carbohydrates (especially of the sugary kind), it doesn't matter if you are active, you will put on weight!

One of the arguments against the report is that the report is based on till receipts from supermarkets - so basically it tells us what people are taking home with them.  It doesn't take into consideration WHAT those people are doing with the food they take home, as in are the frying it or is it being made into cakes?  It is also based on members of the general public reporting what they have eaten over various days.

Well, Dr. Michael Mosely did a documentary on eating habits and different diets (I can't for the life of me remember the name of it, sorry!), in that documentary a woman was asked for one week to write down everything she ate and drank at the end of each day.  She was then asked the following week to write down everything she ate and drank at the time of eating or drinking it... not later on.  The difference in the amount of food she'd really eaten (second week) compared to what she had remembered eating (first week) was incredible.  We really do not remember eating things.  You can try this yourself, for one week write everything down at the end of each day.  The following week, write everything down as you eat or drink it, then compare the two.

So if you base a report on other people's memories it isn't going to be reliable.

There is no doubt that there is a serious obesity problem which is costing the public health services a fortune in new equipment for hospitals to cater for obese patients, in the treatment of diseases related to obesity such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, school uniforms are having to be made larger to cater for obese children yet according to The Fat Lie, it's not because of what we are eating just a lack of exercise.

For an adult to burn fat through exercise there has to be an absence of glucose in the body.  If there is glucose present, the body will burn that BEFORE burning fat.  This means roughly 40 minutes of high energy aerobic exercise - such as running BEFORE you even start burning fat.

I am convinced that our sedentary lifestyles are damaging our health to a huge degree and if you add junk food, fried food, carbs, sugary desserts, sugar filled drinks, etc to that sedentary lifestyle, then you have a recipe for disaster.

A plant based diet and a regular exercise program are, in my opinion, the only way to go.  So, my apologies to Christopher Snowdon, but I just can't stomach that report.

These two short videos on this topic are well worth a few minutes of your time.


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 

Dangerous noodle alert!... Don't laugh, this is serious!

You all know I am against processed foods.  Nothing good can come of them and it is much better for our health to eat natural, non processed foods - of which there are many.  However, in today's hectic world, there are many people who rely on junk food to keep them going.  The usual bad boys of junk food are the obvious McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino's, etc... but there are also ones that aren't quite so obvious.  Those handy Pot Noodles and other ready made noodles that take no time at all to cook - as in just add boiling water and wait for a few minutes.

Well it turns out that these ready made noodle dishes are seriously dangerous to your health.  And it doesn't really matter if it is a Pot Noodle or a more expensive noodle dish in a nice restaurant.  If the dish is made with ready made noodles and not HOME MADE then you are at risk of developing cardiometabolic syndrome which in turn raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

U.S. scientists have discovered that people who ate noodle dishes two to three times a week, including the Japanese noodle dish Ramen, had an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic syndrome.  Their findings have been published in The Journal of Nutrition and could shed new light on the risks of eating this type of "food".

Dr. Shin, the lead study author, on behalf of the Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital, Texas, USA, said that instant noodles and ramen appeared to be particularly damaging to women's health.  The research focused primarily on South Korea as ramen consumption is relatively high amongst Asian populations.  South Korea has the highest noodle consumption per person in the world.

In recent years, South Koreans have experienced a rapid increase in health problems, such as heart disease and an increasing number of overweight adults, so Dr. Shin decided to investigate the connection between poor health and noodle consumption.

Also, Braden Kuo, a gastroenterologist from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, found that the body struggles to digest dried ramen noodles.  He used a tiny camera to look at the digestive activity of instant ramen noodles in comparison to the digestion of fresh noodles.  He said that many instant ramen noodles contain the chemical Tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), a food additive that is a bi-product of butane, used in the petroleum industry.

"The most striking thing about our experiment when you looked at a time interval, say in one or two hours, processed ramen noodles were less broken down than homemade ramen noodles." he said.

Dr. Shin's study found that women in particular were more likely to suffer health problems from eating noodles.  This could be due to biological differences such as sex hormones and metabolism, between men and women.  However, it may be simply because women are more likely to accurately report whey they ate each day.

Another potential factor in the gender differences is down to a chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) used in the packaging of noodles in styrofoam containers.  Studies have shown that BPA interferes with the way hormones send messages through the body, specifically estrogen (I wrote about this a long time ago, you can read it here).

 "This research is significant since many people are consuming instant noodles without knowing possible health risks," Dr. Shin added, "My hope is that this study can lay a foundation for future research about the health effects of instant noodle consumption."

So, as always, my message is stick to natural, non processed foods!

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 

Pesky Cravings... just might be good for you!

Many consider that irresistible urge for chocolate or bread with butter slathered on to be the bane of anyone trying to maintain a healthy eating regime.  However, those sudden cravings for certain foods that have nothing to do with hunger could be your body trying to tell you something!

When I meet a patient for the first appointment, I ask them a LOT of questions.  Many of those questions are about what they LIKE to eat and what they don't like.  Also if there are foods they simply "can't live without", I put that in inverted commas as even though it may seem impossible for you to live without say... chocolate, I assure you it IS possible.  The reasoning behind these questions is simple, many foods that people think they can't live without and crave on a regular basis and will even go out of their way to eat is their bodies' way of telling them that there is something in that particular food that their bodies need and must have.  Usually this is down to a deficiency in certain nutrients.

For example:  Do you crave chocolate? (I know I do).  Well this common craving could be down to a lack of magnesium in some people.  Chocolate is rich in magnesium which is a mineral that is vital for skin and hair.  Women also crave chocolate as their magnesium levels tend to drop during the second half of the menstrual cycle, which also suggests a possible link with many of the usual symptoms of PMS.  There are other reasons for a lack of magnesium in the body, for example, drinking too much tea, coffee and carbonated drinks can lower magnesium levels.

The solution?  Well if the only thing that will do it for you is chocolate then stick to the dark stuff and preferable a minimum of 75% cocoa as this will have a higher magnesium content and less sugar.  However, nuts, particularly Brazil nuts are a richer source, leafy greens, brown rice, wholemeal bread and pumpkin seeds are also good.

If you suffer from PMS try taking a Vitamin B complex supplement with a magnesium supplement every day.

Is Ice a necessity for you?  Yes, believe it or not there are people out there that crave ice.  It is not know exactly why, but craving ice could be due to lack of iron in the body.  If you do crave ice and suffer from lack of energy you should see your doctor as you may be anaemic.  The amount of iron in our diets has decreased due to people eating less healthily and relying on processed foods.

The solution?  Red meat is an optimal source of iron as it is readily absorbed by the body.  Other sources are wholemeal bread, figs, apricots, spinach, broccoli and lentils.  However, if you are trying to increase your intake of iron through plant based foods, then you should also eat Kiwis, oranges and tomatoes as the vitamin C in them helps the body to absorb the iron.  So if you eat a spinach salad, make sure it has tomato in it too - for example.

If you would prefer and your doctor recommends it, you can take iron supplements - Solgar Gentle Iron is one that I prefer as it is less likely to cause constipation, but remember to take it with a kiwi or an orange for better absorption.

Do you go out of your way for a hunk of meat?  Craving meat can also be a sign of iron deficiency but it can also mean you are low on zinc.  Zinc is important to immune function, among other things, so when your levels are depleted you will be more susceptible to colds and flu.

The solution?  Red meat is a great source as well as lentils, shellfish, spinach, pumpkin seeds, cheese and wholemeal bread.  I always keep some zinc tablets at home and when I feel the typical first symptoms of a cold coming on I take them for a few days and they chase the cold away.

It has to be sweets?  I'm not a sweet eater... for me it has to be chocolate, but I did have a patient who suffered from anxiety and she ate sweets constantly.  Craving sweets could be a sign of chromium deficiency.  Chromium works with insulin to aid the uptake of glucose from the blood into the cells.  Reaching for sweets when you feel low on sugar can actually make the problem worse as it causes the body to produce insulin which leads to a sugar crash, making the cravings even worse.

The solution?  Eat plenty of liver, chicken, beef, kidney, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, whole grains and eggs.

Just can't get enough cheese?    Craving cheese can be a real tell tale sign of a lack of tryptophan.
 Tryptophan is one of the 20 essential amino acids that our bodies need but can not produce themselves.  We need to get these amino acids from our food.  Tryptophan is needed to help the body synthesize serotonin  or the happy hormone.  A lack of tryptophan can lead to low mood, anxiety and sleep problems.

The solution?  The best foods for their tryptophan content are eggs and cheese, so if you're feeling low a cheese omelette might be just the thing for you.  Other good sources of tryptophan are turkey, cashews, walnuts, and bananas.


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 

Just how sick does the Pharmaceutical Industry want you to be?

I worked for 11 years in the pharmaceutical industry and I spent 11 years bribing doctors to prescribe the company's medicines... yes I actually bribed them.  It wasn't blatant bribing as I worked in marketing, but the reps would call me and ask if my product's budget could pay for a "new computer for Dr. So and So" or "A new set of shelves for such and such a department in such and such hospital".  I never did buy any shelves, but that's what went on the invoice, computers I bought many.

In fact, in most of my 11 years at one of the top pharmaceutical companies I was stunned at what the company was willing to do in order to sell drugs.  In the end, I left.

However, it still shocks me to see how accepting the public is of taking medicine.  Most people are looking for a quick fix to stop them feeling ill and in many cases I admit, the medicine is necessary. And please don't get me wrong, doctors and modern medicine are great when needed, but a lot is in your hands to avoid that necessity.

However, a conversation with my father last weekend made me realize just how hooked on medicines people really are.

Take my father for instance.  He's 73 years old, obese with type 2 diabetes, beginning of heart problems, diverticulitis, and a whole host of other problems related to the diabetes.  For example he just had cataract surgery.  Not long ago, I put him on the F.I.T Method and he lost a staggering 6.5k in 2 months and his blood sugar level returned to normal and his cholesterol reduced.  In just 2 months!

However, having had his diabetes specialist jumping for joy, and feeling well pleased with himself, he did what most people do in that situation... fall "off the wagon", he stopped doing the F.I.T. Method and went back to his old habits.  What happened?  Well he turned up here for a visit last week looking fatter than I have ever seen him and unable to walk up a flight of stairs without being out of breath, not to mention the problems he had doing simple tasks such as putting his shoes on.

Pharmaceutical companies don't make cures
they make customers

When I asked him about the weight gain he got defensive, this is understandable but his defense was that his blood sugar level was stable and so was his cholesterol thanks to the medication he was taking.  And here is my point... the pharmaceutical industry WANTS YOU TO STAY AS SICK AS POSSIBLE FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE... THAT'S HOW THEY MAKE MONEY!

I said this to my father and he looked at me in horror, he'd never thought of it like that.  What's more the majority of doctors prescribe medicines BECAUSE IT IS THE EASY THING TO DO... not to mention that they are visited by every rep of every pharmaceutical company and told endlessly about the benefits of this or that drug.  It is much easier to put a bandaid on something than to educate and prevent it happening.

However, from all this came something positive.  My brother, who used to be obese but has now lost loads of weight sat at the dinner table and said to our father, "It's a LIFESTYLE change Dad!  You have to make the change and incorporate it into your way of living!"  I was delighted, there was one disciple who'd learned the lesson!!!!!  Yes!!!!!  I'm sure you'll understand that my family gets pretty fed up with me preaching about healthy diets and healthy living, the importance of exercise, etc... They are more difficult to convince than my patients!

Yale School of Medicine has just released a study on a nuclear receptor called PPARgamma which when switched off could prevent obesity and diabetes... of course, it's by way of a magic pill.  The majority of weight problems are lifestyle related.  I often hear how someone has put on lots of weight during a pregnancy only to continue piling on the pounds afterwards, or people literally not realizing (or not wanting to realize) just how big they were getting.  It usually means that something happens in their lives that is a trigger to make them lose weight; not being able to do their seat belt up on a plane, or not being able to fit into the roller coaster car at the theme park, or an unflattering photo at a wedding... there are many triggers.  However, if your lifestyle got you fat... then you can change your lifestyle and reverse the effect - it really is that simple!

However, nowadays, most people look for the minimum effort quick fix... gastric band surgery, bariatric surgery, diet pills, liposuction, expensive treatments, fad diets... and so the list goes on.  Very few actually try the healthy eating and exercise route, people want instant results and instant gratification.  All of these "quick fixes" have dangerous side effects that are not worth the risk.  For me

the answer is clear; a healthy diet and regular exercise routine will not only help you find your perfect weight, but you will maintain it and prevent illness.

So, the choice is yours... do you overhaul your diet and lifestyle and live better for longer, or do you trust in magic pills that will keep you just alive so you can make lots of profits for the pharmaceutical industry?  The choice is yours, for you and your family.

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