Feeding your skin

The effect of food on our bodies is incredible, and we shouldn't forget about our biggest organ - our skin.

Foods that age our skin:

Sweets:  Abusing sugar can cause damage not only internally in our bodies, but to our skin too as it activates the process of glycation that destroys the collagen in the skin.

Alcoholic Beverages:  The liver is the organ that helps eliminate toxins but overloading on the alcohol accumulates toxins.  The accumulation of toxins affects the physical aspect of the skin making problems like rosacea worse and making the skin seem yellowish, more wrinkles and even acne.

Barbecues and burnt meat:  Do you like your meat well done?  Be very careful with the crunchy crust that forms on meat during cooking.  That burnt crust causes the formation of contaminating hydrocarbons that destroy the collagen in our skin.  Also red meat contains free radicals that act on our healthy skin cells inhibiting the generation of glycogen.  It would be wise to up your consumption of antioxidants.

Salty food:  Sodium is necessary for life but in the right amounts.  Too much salt is damaging to health; it can cause circulatory and vascular problems.  Also, salty foods with an excess of sodium can cause water retention and celulitis.

Energy Drinks:  Packed full of sugar and acids and simply not necessary.  They are only "considered ok" for professional athletes with a strict training routine.

Caffeine:  Present in coffee, tea, soft drinks, etc..  Caffeine is good in moderation but an excess can cause dehydration giving skin an aged look to it.

Trans Fats:  Margarine, etc..  Not only do they raise the risk of heart disease, but they are also damaging to the skin.  Trans fats cause inflammation and make the skin more vulnerable to the sun's rays.

We should always remember the three simple steps that are important for healthy skin:

CLEANSING                                    NUTRITION                                    HYDRATION

Cleansing:

Eliminate Toxins from our bodies is fundamental for all our organs and our skin is no different and we have to look after it.  Starting each day with a glass of warm (not boiling) water with lemon in it is perfect.  Lemon es a wonderful, natural cleanser, full of Vitamin C and antioxidants, it is a good stimulator of the gallbladder, improves liver function and is a great for motivating digestion.

Celery is a great diuretic, good for the intestines as it is very high in fiber, and it improves blood
circulation.  You already know that it is recommended to eat 5-9 portions of fruit and vegetables every day, but just 3 celery stalks substitutes 5 of those portions because of it's high content in fiber and properties such as Vitamin C.

Artichokes eliminate water retention and detoxify the liver.  They are rich in vitamins and minerals, fiber, relieve intestinal gases, improve digestion, relieve diarrhea and avoid constipation and are also great for people with IBS.  They are low in calories, stimulate bile flow and is one of the best vegetables for detoxing our organisms, what are you waiting for?

Other foods that are wonderful for detoxifying our bodies are: asparagus, grapes, parsley, tomatoes, pomegranates, onions and apples.  The problem is that if I go into detail for all of them, this post will be too long!

Nutrition:

The best foods for feeding your skin are:

Carrots:  they are a great source of betacarotene which is a precursor to Vitamin A which reduces flabbiness and wrinkles.  Other fruits and vegetables that have a red or orange color that provide these same benefits are: peppers, pumpkin, sweet potato, mango and peach.

Tomatoes:  just underneath the skin you can find high concentrations of licopene which protects against cell damage from free radicals.

Berries:  Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries; all of which are high in Vitamin C and flavonoids which means they are incredible antioxidants that stop cell damage and premature aging.

Green leafy vegetables, olive oil and nuts:  Swiss Chard, spinach, endives, etc., are very high in Vitamin E that protects cells against oxidative stress.  Walnuts, pistachios, almonds, hazelnuts, etc., reduce cellular oxidation because of their hight content of Vitamin E.  They are also rich in copper, which acts like a natural anti-inflammatory.

Bone Broth:  Homemade (if possible) bone broth, is a great source of collagen, one serving a day does wonders to strengthen collagen production.

Hydration:

Here the obvious option is water.  We need water to hydrate our bodies on the inside and the outside..  However you really don't need a full 3 liters of water as water is also found in fruit and vegetable, tea and coffee, etc..  But be conscious of how much you DO drink and assess if you think you need to drink more than you actually do.

Cucumber: 96% of a cucumber is water and it is also very low in calories but does offer potassium, Vitamin C and fiber (among other things).

Coconut water:  this is an incredible hydrator and also combats the signs of aging, it is great for
digestion and for the skin, as it constructs the skin's membranes leaving it smooth and radiant.  BUT, just one serving a day!

Exercise:  Exercise is very important for the skin as it gets the blood pumping and improves circulation in all areas.  Sweating also helps to clean out the pores.  If you don't have time to exercise every day, then one easy habit to get is to just hang your head over the side of the bed for a few minutes when you go to bed at night.  This will get the blood moving and help with healing, and regeneration.

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

Going vegetarian for Athletes (and anyone)

Nowadays being a vegetarian or a vegan is pretty normal.  Lots of people are changing their diets to exclude meat and whether it is for health issues or ethical reasons it really doesn't matter - what does matter, is doing it properly so you will be healthy.

It is a decision that should not be taken lightly and needs careful consideration, especially if you are an athlete.  Good nutrition is vitally important to all humans, but if you are an athlete with a serious training schedule, nutrition is even more important.

So, first off ask yourself one basic but vitally important question:

Are you going vegan which means not eating ANY form of animal produce or vegetarian where milk, cheese, yogurt and eggs are still in your diet?

Lots of people who decide to give up animal produce believe that "going vegan or vegetarian" means just that... not eating animal products.  In part this is true, but making sure you have the right amounts and the right types of foods (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) is essential.  After all, Oreos are vegan - it doesn't mean they are good for you!

For athletes, carbohydrates are the quickest form of obtaining energy.  However, in most people carbs are the easiest way to put weight on.  Sports people need lots of energy for training so should consume carbs during and after exercise, and then for the rest of the day eat just protein, fruits and vegetables.

Optimal carb foods are; whole grain bread and whole grain pasta, wild rice, oats, quinoa, etc... NOT refined carbs such as white bread and white rice, white pasta, soft drinks, white flour, etc..

Protein is needed to carry out "repairs" in the body; small muscle tears that happen during intense exercise.  If you are still including eggs and dairy produce in your diet then these are high in protein, especially eggs which are considered the purest form of protein.

However, if you would prefer not to eat these then wonderful forms of vegetarian protein are:

Legumes: chick peas, lentils, mung beans, kidney beans, etc..
Soy products (tofu)
Quorn
Peanut Butter
Nuts and Seeds

So include these as much as possible in your diet to keep your body up to scratch.

Fat is the other form of energy for the body.  Healthy fats are vitally important to health so stock up on avocados, olives, olive oil, nuts and seeds - although high in protein these are also packed with healthy fats.  Avocados have had a lot of bad press as they were believed to be very fattening, this is simply not true, they are full of fiber and healthy fats and provide lots of energy.

Fruit and vegetables are the base to being vegetarian or vegan.  They are packed full of vitamins and minerals.  Eat as many vegetables as you like.  Fruit is packed with fiber and sugar (fructose), so consider these more carb based and always eat the whole fruit never as juice.  Juicing basically turns healthy fruits into sugar water.  The fiber has been stripped from the fruit when juiced, and it is this fiber that protects the body against the typical sugar spike which causes an energy drop shortly after.  The fiber slows the sugar release avoiding the spike.

Lots of vegetarians/vegans are deficient in the following vitamins and minerals:

Calcium
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Zinc
Iron
Vitamin D
Vitamin B12

B Vitamins as a group are essential so regularly eating legumes and whole grains is a must.  Low fat dairy and eggs are good sources of this vitamin but if you are vegan then it would be a good idea to take a Vitamin B12 supplement.

Calcium is needed for healthy bones and can be found in fortified soy or rice milk, calcium-set tofu, collards, broccoli, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and dried figs.  Many healthcare professionals will tell you that milk produce is a good source of calcium (milk, yogurts and cheese), however this is not strictly true for a physiological reason.  When you consume milk produce, our bodies become very acidic, however the human body prefers to be alkaline.  So, when faced with a high level of acidity, the body leaches calcium from the bones to reduce the acid level.  Therefore, obtaining calcium from milk produce is extremely difficult.

Zinc can be found in: dark chocolate, watermelon, pumpkin and sesame seeds, peanut butter, spinach, mushrooms and wheatgerm.

Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones and a healthy immune system.  In order to make vitamin D we need regular sun exposure but this isn't always enough.  Getting Vitamin D from a vegan diet is very difficult so a supplement would be a good idea.  You can have your Vitamin D levels checked and ask your doctor for a supplement that's right for you.

Iron - this mineral carries oxygen in the blood to the muscles - so vitally important.  Vegetarians need to choose plant foods high in iron such as; legumes, dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and chard.  However, you must combine these with other foods high in Vitamin C: tomatoes, citrus fruits, melon, kiwi, bell peppers, broccoli which all help the body to assimilate the iron in the other 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

Another New Year...

Who hasn't made New Year's resolutions every year that you hardly ever keep?  I know I do EVERY YEAR!  My one resolution I make every year is to give up sugar, but having cultivated a sweet tooth from a very early age, and even knowing how damaging sugar is for health, I find that, at best, I can reduce it.

You see, that's the thing about New Year resolutions - we tend to be too ambitious.

"This year I am going to go to the gym every day and eat only salad and grilled chicken!"

"I'm quitting all sweets FOREVER as of the 1st January!"

"I am going to run every day!"

To name but a few...  I even remember the time my husband went running with his best friend on the 1st of January as the first day of his get fit resolution.  That was 2012...

Making changes to our lives that will benefit our health are, in lots of cases, essential.  But, they need to be well thought out.  Here are some ideas that might help you on your way:

1.  It doesn't have to be New Year's to change your life for the better.

The only right time to make life changes is when you are convinced it is the right time.  There is no point in doing something just because your friend, sister, brother, mother, etc., has decided to do it.  You have to be in the right mindset and convinced of what you are doing and why for any major change in your life to work.

2.  What do you want to achieve?

Think carefully about what you want to achieve.  Do you want to lose weight?  Improve your fitness level?  Incorporate a sport into your life so that you can lose weight, get fit and/or meet other likeminded people?  Give up smoking?  Give up alcohol?

3.  How are you going to do it?  

Once you have decided what you want to achieve you will need to work out HOW to do it.  For example; you want to lose weight... what diet is right for you?  Let's face it, there are sooooo many to choose from!  Would a slimming club or the help of a nutritionist be right for you?  Or do you think you can go it alone?

4.  Be good to yourself.

Don't be too ambitious.  Lots of us take on new challenges with lots of energy and hope only to find that the new diet isn't giving the good results we'd hoped for, or the new exercise regime is too difficult to fit into our busy lives... and after a month at most, they give up.

Take it slow, ease into new regimes.  Find someone to do it with you, a "buddy" can often help when your willpower is lagging and you can help them too.

5.  How to change your diet for the better:

If you change your diet radically and restrict a lot of the types of foods you usually eat, you will probably find that your body goes into starvation mode and starts hitting back at you with unbearable cravings!

If you are changing your diet, don't limit yourself too much.

The worst foods for putting on weight are refined carbohydrates such as white bread, white rice, pasta, and all things sweet (except fruit) including soft drinks.  So, when you overhaul your diet swap these out for healthier options; wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, no dessert.

Eat the whole fruit.  Fruit has lots of sugar in the form of fructose, but fruit is also full of fibre which helps to keep the sugar spike at bay and prolongs its release.  Forget fancy juices, they really aren't necessary - eat their ingredients as whole foods and you'll do much better from the fibre, juices are just sugary water where the fibre has been stripped away or blended into oblivion.

Don't mix foods that fight.  Separate your carbs from your proteins, and depending on how much weight you NEED to lose, limit your carb intake to TWICE a week.

Don't go fat free.  The majority of foods with a "fat free" label generally have had all the fat replaced with sugar and/or salt to compensate for the lack of flavor.  There is nothing wrong with a moderate fat intake.  So remember, it is better to be sugar free than fat free.

Think fresh.  Don't go for preprepared meals, junk food, etc...  Think fresh and cook from scratch.  If you eat at the office, make double the amount of dinner and take the leftovers into work for lunch the next day.

Make snacking healthy.  You can snack on fruit, or nuts - just one apple or a handful of nuts - you don't need to eat the whole bag!  If, like me, you can't stop once you've started, then don't take the whole bag with you!  Prepare a handful of nuts at home and take just that amount with you to work.

Don't eat unless you are hungry and sip water at regular intervals during the day, eat slowly and preferably in good company - not in front of your computer or watching TV.

STAND UP FOR HEALTH.  If you have a sedentary job, stand up for a couple of minutes every hour.  Go for a walk at lunch time, even if it is just a brisk walk round the block a couple of times.  Incorporate as much movement as you can into your day.

Good luck!

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

Happy Holidays to one and all!

Today is Christmas Eve.  It has been a wonderful year and I hope that you will all keep reading in the New Year.  I also hope that I will be able to keep helping people, in any possible way.

Take care and have a great time with your family and friends!

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

Should public health services help?

I read a lot... and I mean a lot.  I go running or cycling everyday and instead of listening to music, I listen to audio books about how we can improve our health through nutrition and healthy lifestyles.  I listen to books about clinical studies on nutrition - anything that will help me help my clients.

I also read lots of stories in the press about people who have been morbidly obese and have managed to turn their lives around and lose huge amounts of weight.  I find these stories inspiring and these people have my total and unconditional respect.  When ever I run past an overweight jogger, trying their upmost to haul themselves around the local park, I want to shout out,

"You're doing great!  Keep going!"

at the same time I fear for their knees and hip joints suffering from carrying the extra weight, but these people are trying their hardest to do something about their health, and that is amazing!

But is the system helping of failing these "fat warriors"?

We know... it's a fact that there is a severe obesity epidemic which is stressing our public health services to the limit.  Being over weight or obese is not just an "unsightly" problem in a world where stick thin models are shoved under our noses every single day.  A world where to be an actress you have to be a size 0.  A world where young girls aspiring to be models are told that they have to lose weight from their already size 0 frames.  Where eating disorders start as young as primary school.  A world where HEALTH is not considered.

Being overweight or obese drastically raises your risk of pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and some cancers, and young obese people are facing the prospect of dying young.  So it is not something to be taken lightly.  

As I said at the beginning, there are people who turn their lives around.  They diet, and exercise and lose vast amounts of weight.  Here I am not going to get into HOW they lose the weight.  As long as you lose it to improve your HEALTH, then that is all that is important.  However, lots of people (mostly those who don't have a weight problem) often criticize those who have gastric by-pass surgery, gastric balloons fitted, or stomach reductions done by the public health services.  There are also lots of people who don't, like the woman who installed a treadmill in her garage as she was too embarrassed to go out in public because of her weight, and once she lost some, she started going out at night so no one would see her.

The thing is that treating a person who has serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease or cancer, COSTS A LOT OF MONEY and it isn't just a one off.  Treatment of type 2 diabetes can go on for decades - the same for heart disease and cancer.  

The cost of gastric band surgery on the NHS in England is roughly 6,000 GBP per surgery.

Cost of diabetes treatment in the UK in 2012

Area of expenditure	Type 1 diabetes	Type 2  diabetes	Total cost	Percentage of costs
Source: Kanavos, van den Aardweg and Schurer: Diabetes expenditure, burden of disease and management in 5 EU countries, LSE (Jan 2012)
Diabetes drugs	£0.344 billion	£0.712 billion	£1.056 billion	7.8%
Non-diabetes drugs	£0.281 billion	£1.810 billion	£2.091 billion	15.2%
Inpatient	£1.007 billion	£8.038 billion	£9.045 billion	65.8%
Outpatient (excluding drugs)	£0.170 billion	£1.158 billion	£1,328 billion	9.7%
Other (including social service)	-	-	£0.230 billion	1.7%
Total	£1.802 billion	£11.718 billion	£13.750 billion	100%

So, to me, it is obvious that if you can reverse obesity at 6,000 GBP a pop then you will actually be saving money in the long run...

However, the problem doesn't stop there.  There is a HUGE psychological problem involved in obesity and weight loss.  Lots of obese and overweight people say that they have had social problems because of their weight, or have been passed over for a promotion or are unable to get work because of their weight.  They are considered lazy and greedy by others who think that they should just stop eating so much and move more.

One thing that happens repeatedly is that when an overweight or obese person does finally turn
his/her life around, in too many cases he/she is left with the most horrendous excess skin that sags and hangs from his/her leaner frames.  

Put yourself in that position.  For whatever reason you are obese... maybe it is because you have eaten too much for too long, or depression has caused you to comfort eat, or you have an illness or medication that causes weight gain... and you finally decide to improve your life and lose weight.  You have spent at least a year if not more changing your diet, resisting temptation, forcing yourself to exercise and stay motivated watching that needle on the scale slowly going down.

But in the end you are left with literally kilos of sagging excess skin.  Every time you look in the mirror you see this, it makes you feel unattractive, depressed and makes you wonder why you even bothered.

Many people in this situation have commented that they were happier BEFORE the weight loss.  That now their lives are blighted by this unsightly excess skin that they have to try and hide.

Skin removal surgery done privately can cost anywhere between 1,500 to 6,000 GBP.  Lots of stories I read say how people have been denied excess skin removal surgery because of the cost.  So a person does their best to lose weight and improve their health and not cost the public health services vast amounts of money in treatments for serious illnesses, only to be abandoned by the public health services - excess skin obviously isn't important enough.  One woman was even told she couldn't have her excess skin removed because she HADN'T had a gastric band operation!

A person in this predicament has SAVED the public health services large amounts of money, and in my opinion should be helped to go that final step to making their turn around complete and having a happy and healthy person integrated into society.

How would you feel, if this was your story?

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

It's the party season!

Ok, so Christmas is just around the corner, that means parties to go to, and lots and lots of food.  So how does Christmas affect our waistlines?

New research has been published from an unlikely source - Tilda Basmati Rice, that surveyed 1,000 adults in the UK about their Christmas eating habits.

The survey found that the first Friday of December is when Britons tuck into their first festive food of the season - and as early as 9.58 am on the first Friday.  This starts off the beginning of what will end up being an extra 30.000 calories consumed between now and Christmas.

Let's face it, it's very easy to overeat at this time of year with all the delicious treats on offer every time you go anywhere near a food department.

According to the survey, the biggest over eaters are young adults between 16-24 years of age.  Probably due to the number of parties they'll be attending, or students back from university.  But all age groups will be joining in the overeating and less healthy foods; men are less likely to treat themselves than women, just 28% of men stated they never indulge in festive treats versus 23% of women who claimed the same.

Lots admitted to comfort eating (28%) and others that the cold weather led them to stay at home and indulge (24%) and others said that the Christmas over indulgence was a "reward" for all the hard work during the year (21%).

However, there is a way to have your cake and eat it too!

My advice is to plan ahead.  If you know you have a party to go to on a Saturday, then be really strict with yourself all week prior to the party.  Don't mix your carbs and your proteins and stay as active as possible.  Reduce your carb intake to just twice a week.  If the party you are going to is a cocktail type with only "finger foods" available, I suggest you eat something healthy before going.  Nibbles are usually all carb based with lots of mayonnaise and protein mixed in.  A sure way of piling on the pounds!  If you eat beforehand you won't be so hungry and it will be easy to avoid the fattening foods.

If you have a dinner or a lunch to go to then do the same, be strict with yourself during the days leading up to the event and then enjoy.

In both cases, be strict again from the next day onwards, to counteract the "damage" that may have been done.

Drink lots of water before and after drinking heavily.  Think before you eat, ask yourself if you are really hungry first or if you are going to regret eating that afterwards.  If you do decided to indulge then ENJOY it!  Don't feel guilty about doing it.

After all, Christmas is for having fun 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

It's all in the mind...

A huge problem in today's society is weight gain.  More people are obese than ever before and that includes children.

Obesity is bankrupting our health services due to obesity related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  There is a huge weight loss industry generating millions of dollars which tells you to stop eating fat, stop eating carbs, stop eating.... exercise more...

But just as many criticize the medical profession for becoming too specialized; you see a cardiologist for heart disease, an oncologist for cancer, and endocrinologist for diabetes, and not treating people as a whole, the same can be said for the weight loss industry.

People aren't fat just because they eat too much.  There are many reasons why a person puts on weight... eating too much is just one of them.  There are medical reasons and also psychological reasons.  Stress, anxiety, and even emotional attachment to food all play a part in weight and if these are not taken into consideration and treated along with a weight loss program then in most cases, weight loss will not be sustained.

Orlando Health researchers have revealed that only 1 in 10 Americans recognize the importance of psychological well-being in weight loss.  People tend to attribute more importance to other components such as exercise when it comes to losing weight.

31% of Americans think exercise is the biggest barrier to sustaining weight loss, while 26% think that eating less is important and 17% blame the cost of a healthy lifestyle as the biggest problem to losing weight and keeping it off.  12% cited a lack of time to dedicate to changing their lifestyle to be healthier.

Dr. Diane Robinson, a neuropsychologist and the program director of integrative medicine at Orlando Health said:

"Most people focus almost entirely on the physical aspects of weight loss, like diet and exercise.  But there is an emotional component to food that the vast majority of people simply overlook and it can quickly sabotage their efforts."

Food has become the center of the social aspect of our lives.  When you meet up with friends it is
usually over lunch or dinner or drinks, special occasions are celebrated with food like cakes, or Thanksgiving or Christmas are centered around huge spreads of food, Valentine's Day chocolates, Halloween candy and we even reward or pacify our children with sweets.  

Many people turn to food in moments of emotional stress and anxiety, comfort food doesn't tend to be a salad with grilled fish.  Comfort food is high fat, high carb indulgence that leads to extra weight that we then can't shift.  Even when on a diet people tend to reward themselves with "treats" when they have reached a certain goal.  A too restrictive diet and cause feelings of deprivation and then a treat of a piece of chocolate means you end up eating the whole bar.

Finding out WHY you eat the way you do is of vital importance when losing weight.  You can't just treat the fat around your middle, you have to treat the psychological aspect of why you are eating in a way that has lead you to put on weight to start with.

Becoming aware of your habits is very important and isn't as difficult as it may seem.  Ask yourself simple questions when you are considering reaching for the cookie jar;

Am I hungry?  Or am I just bored or upset?  Keep a diary and write down what you have eaten and how you felt prior to eating and afterwards as well.  If you ask yourself the right questions you may discover that boredom is a large part of why you eat between meals.  So, what can you do instead?  If you are bored go out for a walk, or read a book.  I find doing housework keeps me occupied and makes me feel more positive because there is a positive end result.  Find what works for you to keep boredom at bay.

If you eat when you are upset, what is upsetting you?  What can you do about it?

If you eat when you are stressed, then you may need to find something that helps with stress relief.  Depending on what you like, stress relief could be a physical activity such as running or cycling.  For other people meditation works wonders - although here I believe that meditation works wonders for everyone.

We humans have a strong emotional attachment to food which is learned from a very young age.  So if your go-to reward is food, think about other rewards you'd enjoy which aren't food based.  Treat your self to a pampering session or a movie, a new item of clothing, indulge yourself in a non food based way.  Think about how you can reward your children without giving them food, maybe a small toy or movie night at home, a play date with a best friend.  There is so much we can do to reward ourselves without reaching for food.

The minute you identify your psychological triggers you will automatically begin to change your habits and the weight will drop off and stay off and you will be all the more happier for it.  You will also feel more in control of your life and more able to cope.

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