Christmas parties again

Is Christmas parties again and most people will indulge in drinking, eating too much and then pay the consequences later. I found now and I am a bit older than even a glass of alcohol or too much salt will affect me the next day, with very puffy eyes and looking much older than I am. Going to Italy for Christmas is great as the food is very tasty and rich. But I know for sure that if I am not careful or if do not take a liver support or extra anti-oxidants I will look like the wrinkled dogs with their skin hanging out for at least two weeks after I come back. And because I do like to eat great food I still do that but get prepared for it. Drinking plenty of water will help and nice long walks also if possible will help with eliminating some of the extra food. I think the good spirit of Christmas has to be there and being Italian I cannot refuse the invitation for dinners and lunches and the amazing tasting food and cakes that is presenting to me. In a nutshell, have fun, enjoy the Christmas but be prepared for the extra indulgence with probiotcs (to help the intestine heal quicker), liver support and extra antioxidants. Have a great Christmas and a Happy New year everyone......
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esposito_m@yahoo.co.uk

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) latest research

It seems that with Irritable bowel Syndrome (the research are more and more accepting that there are various cause of the disorder. Now they have also accepted that there is a wheat sensitivities which is different from being Coeliac (gluten intolerant). The two can cause some of the same symptoms, but while with Coeliac the consequences could lead to malnutrition and serious problems with wheat sensitivities the malnutrition part can go take longer and the inflammation part of the wheat reaction can lead to other long term disorders, among them Arthritis, painful joints, belly ache when eating wheat based food and or constant bloating and water retention. In the oldest research and from my experience I have also seen low energy and possible weight gain. In a review of Chinese study on IBS the reasons for the disorders are the same as the Western world, which are food intolerance, childhood trauma,  continuous stress and anxiety and dysbiosis (gut environmental imbalance). So finally some people have been heard and more studies have been done to either prove or disprove of their claim. All is good though as people are finally listening more to their body and finding out what they can do to look after their own health....

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Blackberries and stinging nettles

Blackberries and stinging nettles properties and health benefits

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Amounts per 100 grams

100 g of blackberries which is less that a cup full will have:

• 186 mg of polyunsaturated fatty acids the omega 6
• 94 mg of the omega 3 fatty acids
•  214 iu of vitamin A
• 21 mg of vitamin C
• 1.2 mg of vitamin E,
• 19.8 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin K,
• 25 mcg of folate (folic acid)
• 20 mg of magnesium
• 162 mg of potassium
• Traces of zinc and selenium
• 32 mg of calcium
• Plenty of the antioxidants compounds polyphenols, anthocyanins.

So pretty good for a fruit, which can be free if you know the parks where they grow on. I love the season of blackberries as I am lucky enough to go and get them near the park where I live. Otherwise they can be quite expensive to buy but worth the cost as you have seen from the nutritional value above. Being of a dark black colour as well means that they have antioxidants properties as well as the blueberries (which are blue but with even more antioxidant value than the blackberries). 

Ellaigic acid which is an antioxidant found in many super fruits is a powerful antioxidant  and together with other polyphenols and anthocyanins make blackberries and blueberries on top of the list of the superfoods to have everyday in your diet. Antioxidants are very important for the health and support of the blood vessels, keeping the vessels clean and healthy, as well as reducing the effect of inflammations in any part of the body. Blackberries and any berries are not for everybody and for some people it can irritate the intestinal tract and therefore the benefit is not really felt, but for rest of the people that do not suffer from intolerances to the berries are a great food to include in your diet.

I included the stinging nettle in this issue just because quite often if you go and pick up blackberries, there are plenty of stinging nettles around the plants, so be prepared with long pants and long sleeve as you might inevitably get stung by them. Stinging nettles also have amazing properties for being anti-inflammatory, and many people use it for its anti-inflammatory properties by boiling it and drinking the water and/or eat the nettle leaves (make sure that you pick them up with gloves and somewhere that no pesticides has been sprayed, as well as get more information on how to use it). Also some tales of the past mention  that if you have arthritis or pain somewhere, and you put the fresh leaves on another part of the body it will take the pain from the arthritis away. When, inevitable, I get stung picking the blackberries I tell myself that is good for me and the pain will go, I do not scratch and I just keep picking up the berries till I do not feel the sting anymore, but I do feel the numbness of the part of the body that the nettle touched for a long time after!!! Again it is worth the pain! I tell myself I am getting a therapeutic treatment at the same time, even though I do not have any arthritis, I am sure my body still benefit from it. So blackberries and stinging nettle do go together for an all around therapeutic effect, inside and outside!!!

Enjoy the berries and picking them up, do prepared for a bit of sting and be safe, and enjoy the experience and the health benefit of it.

Please note: The above article is not meant to substitute any medications that has been recommended by the medical professional at any time.

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Emotions and physical health

My thought today is how much our emotions can makes us ill or well. As a child I used to have coughs all the time but no allergies or any physical cause was ever found. I kept having bronchitis up to when I moved to London. I had them twice e year and had to take penicillin to get rid of it. I was wandering why I had those. I stopped having bronchitis twice a year when I moved to London even though I felt the London air was much heavier than the countryside air and the sea air where I was living. So what changed! Well I moved away from the emotional issue that was causing that. My parents and a small town society! Just to say that I love my parents and they were wonderful in providing for us children. But pressure from their own upbringing way and small town society can be quite suppressing if your mind is full of different things that you want to do and achieve. You really need a strong will and mind to go against the tide and is not easy if you keep living in the same place. But a shock can bring that courage even though it does not seem like that when you are in there. I think everyone that has got a persistent cough or cold should look at what they are not saying to themselves and what situation their are in that they do not want to be in. Obviously if it does involve other people you need to know what it is for yourself first and then talk to the other people involved or talk to a friend or a professional help to solve the problem. You should never blame anybody else for your own problem as we all have problems and the only one that can help change ourselves and go where we want to go is us. Therapies such as Emotional Freedom Technique, cranio-sacral, counselling, psychology, drama therapy, art therapy, etc can all help us understand what the real problem is. This does not mean that you might not react to food or environmental chemical, you might still react to that, but if there is nothing that anybody can find, do not think that is all in your mind but look into the emotional side of it instead of giving up... 

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Healthy nuts snack are not fattening

Nuts seeds and weight loss

I often hear from my client that they worry about eating nuts and seeds when I suggest it as a healthy snack to stop their hunger way before their dinner. And the main worry is about the fat content of nuts. Well I was trying to see if there are any connection or studies to proof that the nuts are not a problem regarding fat and weight gain. From my experience not one person that had problems with weight was eating nuts regularly. On the contrary when put on a healthy nuts snack they were amazed that they lost weight.  From my research, I found that many studies have shown that people with weight problem did not gain any extra weight but lost weight when added between 26 to 67 g of healthy tree nuts a day. The 67g portion had the benefit of also reducing the bad cholesterol and improving vascular reactivity. This was especially found with the walnuts studies. Walnut contain a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acid (the good fat), phenolic acid (ellaic acid, which is an anti-oxidant), especially in the little skin of the walnut, also it contains L-arginine, an amino acid that is also an anti-inflammatory and good for man fertility, high fiber content like any other nuts which helps with any elimination problems, phytosterols which have shown to reduce bad cholesterol and finally walnuts, as well as the other healthy nuts, release the sugar level in the blood slowly therefore people are less luckily to feel hungry or low in energy.  Almonds are another good healthy snack, they are high in absorbable calcium and fibres and again very good for snacking when hungry (needs to be soaked for a better absorption of calcium or grounded). Pumpkins also are a very healthy snack and high in zinc, together with the Brazil nuts are very good for men as Brazil nuts contains selenium which is important for the fertility again. Pecan nuts also very beneficial similar to walnuts. In all in many of the research that I read and seen mostly were mentioning the benefits of eating healthy snacks, and not many connected eating nuts with increase in weight on the contrary few connected the eating healthy snacks with loosing weight.  I would recommend to have also a general healthy diet for the best benefit of eating nuts. But in all adding nuts and seeds into your breakfast or snacks can be very beneficial and maybe even lose weight (no guarantee unless connected to a healthy diet but good to try). Also nuts and seeds are not for everybody as some kids and adults can be intolerant or dangerously allergic to them therefore not be very beneficial. But if you are ok with them enjoy them unsalted and plain. (please remember to store them in a tight air container or in the fridge as nuts and seeds can go rancid or mouldy after they are out of the packet and therefore lose their benefit and cause problems as well).

Reference:

1.      Brufau, G.; Boatella, J.; Rafecas, M. Nuts, source of energy and macronutrients.          Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S24-S28.

2.      Blomhoff, R.; Carlsen, M.H.; Frost Andersen, L.; Jacobs, D.R. Jr. Health benefits of nuts,potential role of antioxidants. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S52-S60.

3.      Dreher, M.L.; Maher, C.V.; Kearney, P. The traditional and emerging role of nuts in healthful diets. Nutr. Rev. 1996, 54, 241-245.

4.      Eaton, S.B.; Konner, M. Paleolithic nutrition. A consideration of its nature and current implications. N. Engl. J. Med. 1985, 312, 283-289.

5.      Feldman, E.B. The scientific evidence for a beneficial health relationship between walnuts andcoronary heart disease. J. Nutr. 2002, 132, 1062S-1101S.

6.      Griel, A.E.; Kris-Etherton, P.M. Tree nuts and the lipid profile, a review of clinical studies. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S68-S78.

7.      Li Z. et al. Pistachio nuts reduce triglycerides and body weight by comparison to refined carbohydrates snack in obese subjects on a 12 weeks loss programme. Journal of American College of Nutrition. 2010 - 29 (3) 198-203

8.      King, J.C.; Blumberg, J.; Ingwersen, L.; Jenab, M.; Tucker, K.L. Tree nuts and peanuts as components of a healthy diet. J. Nutr. 2008, 138, 1736S-1740S.

9.      Kelly, J.H. Jr; Sabaté, J. Nuts and coronary heart disease, an epidemiological perspective. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S61-S67.

10.  Mattes, R.D.; Kris-Etherton, P.M.; Foster, G.D. Impact of peanuts and tree nuts on body weight and healthy weight loss in adults. J. Nutr. 2008, 138, 1741S-1745S.

11.  Mukuddem-Petersen, J.; Oosthuizen, W.; Jerling, J. A systematic review of the effects of nuts on.blood lipid profiles in humans. J. Nutr. 2005, 135, 2082-2089.

12.  Nash, S.D.; Nash, D.T. Nuts as part of a healthy cardiovascular diet. Curr. Atheroscler. Rev.2008, 10, 529-535.

13.  Rajaram, S.; Sabaté, J. Nuts, body weight and insulin resistance. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S79-S86.

14.  Ros, E.; Mataix, J. Fatty acid composition of nuts. Implications for cardiovascular health. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S29-S35.

15.  Ros E. Health Benefits of Nut Consumption. Nutrients 2010, 2, 652-682; doi:10.3390/nu2070652

16.  Sabaté, J.; Fraser, G.E.; Burke, K.; Knutsen, S.F.; Bennett, H.; Lindsted, K.D. Effects of walnuts on serum lipid levels and blood pressure in normal men. N. Engl. J. Med. 1993, 328, 603-607.

17.  Sabaté, J. Nut consumption, vegetarian diets, ischemic heart disease risk, and all-cause mortality:evidence from epidemiologic studies. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1999, 70, 500S-503S.

18.  Sabaté, J.; Salas-Salvadó, J.; Ros, E. Nuts, nutrition and health outcomes. Br. J.           Nutr. 2006, 96, S1-S102.

19.  Sabaté, J.; Angt, Y. Nuts and health outcomes, new epidemiologic evidence. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2009, 89, 1643S-1648S.

20.  Salas-Salvadó, J.; Bulló, M.; Pérez-Heras, A.;  Ros, E. Dietary fibre, nuts and cardiovascular disease. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S45-S51.

21.  Segura, R.; Javierre, C.; Lizarraga, M.A.; Ros, E. Other relevant components of nuts, phytosterols, folate and minerals. Br. J. Nutr. 2006, 96, S36-S44.

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Holidays are over and back to health!

Well the holidays are over and who ever survived the eating and indulgence is ready for going back to health. I went back to my family and being Italian, they cannot deal with low salt or less wheat. Being an Italian myself, I love the food but I realised that eating a lot more salt and eating more wheat that I usually eat lead to my increase in my weight, and that without any alcohol. So now that I am back to my normal no salt and little wheat a day I already lost 1 kg. I loved the Italian foods but eating it every day is too much. But that is only traditional food, if you eat fresh salads from the garden and fresh vegetables without the salt and wheat is actually the healthiest diet! I suppose once a year even the healthiest person can let go of being strict and enjoy what everybody else eats. I was actually craving though for my own foods after a week I do not think I could bare much of the good tastier food or the rich food that I was eating, once a week or twice yes but everyday was too much!! Well my advice after the new year for everybody, is staying away from alcohol  for a month, reduce the salt and wheat products and eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils for the vegetarians and vegans and fish and white meat for the non vegetarian, grilled or oven baked or stir fryed. Enjoy long walks in the park or visit your nearest gym for some extra exercise!!!

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