Good Food Good Health - Tomatoes the Super Food

 

Hi

Just like me I’m sure this will benefit you.

I bet like myself until recently, you don’t realise just how powerful and beneficial some of the most common foods at our fingertips, either in our fridges or growing in our gardens are.

As always but even more as I get older the health of family, close friends and myself holds much more importance to me, and so a good healthy balanced diet is top priority as always - good food for good health.

This has sometimes been a hard task with our two children, but we persevered and over the years learnt many ways of camouflaging food - mainly vegetables.  

As you know I believe “you are what you eat” and “any food in moderation once in a while won’t hurt you” really is true.

But did you know that eating certain foods regularly really could help prevent cancer. And this is true of the humble tomato

Tomatoes have hit the headlines many times with health issues and the greatest being the prevention of certain cancers, especially prostrate.

The word cancer drives fear in many people, but to be able to help protect our selves by just eating the tomato is a step in the right direction.   

Tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene and this is the main reason they are linked with the prevention of cancer. This is found in tomatoes and tomato products equally.

Luckily, lycopene is more easily absorbed by the body when the tomato has been processed which is great news for me as neither of our children eat salad tomatoes, but pasta in tomato sauce is one of their favourites and pizza which usually has a tomato puree base. 

The amount of lycopene you get from raw tomatoes is about 3mg per 100g, although some varieties yield a higher figure such as the Santa plum cherry tomato, levels are also affected by ripeness so the deeper red they are generally the more lycopene.

Tomato puree has 10 times more lycopene than raw tomatoes; tomato ketchup gives about 16mg per 100g and tomato juice 10mg.

Lycopene is fat soluble and so to increase the bio availability - how easily it is absorbed by the body, cook the tomatoes in a little oil - extra virgin olive oil is what I use.

Studies have shown that lycopene may help reduce the risk of not only some cancers but also heart disease.

A study found that men who daily ate more than 10 servings of tomato-based foods have a lower risk of developing prostrate cancer by up to 45 per cent  - this includes tomato sauce and cooked tomatoes.

It was also found that the benefits of lycopene were even greater in men who had already had prostrate cancer 

The amazing benefits of tomatoes doesn’t stop there, being low in sodium and high in potassium can greatly help us to stay in control of our blood pressure. This is beneficial to everyone young or old.

For these reasons alone you can see why the Mediterranean diet is hailed as one of the healthiest and gives to the longevity of life.

In places such as Italy, the abundance of tomatoes is used in the preparation of breakfast, lunch and dinner, being either roasted, caramelised, pureed and so on and used on toasted ciabatta, eaten alone or with pasta and herbs etc.

Growing your own tomatoes is a great idea and really easy, you only need a few plants in medium size pots or generally 3 plants to a grow bag, a sunny windowsill or spot in the garden or on a  balcony. Tomatoes love being kept moist so I always add some swell gel - which helps retains the water.

Harvesting your own is great but if you can’t buy nice deep red ones, generally on the vine are best. The deeper the red the better the flavour and the greater yield of lycopene.

We eventually managed to get our children to eat raw tomatoes after barbecuing kebabs using cherry tomatoes brushed in olive oil, herbs and garlic on a regular basis, then we noticed that they would help themselves to the cherry tomatoes straight from the garden, that’s a high five to PPP -‘patient parent persuasiveness’.

When I asked how come they would pick and eat them in the summer but would never touch them when I made a salad, they both said the same thing - “they taste great when they are ‘warm’ and squidgy yet taste flavourless when straight from the fridge”.

They have a point! I now no longer refrigerate tomatoes, and I eat them just like any other piece of fruit, and use them daily in our diet in one form or another, which is not difficult as they are so versatile, especially ketchup and to think I used to tell my nephew off for wanting it all over his roast!

With summer now on its way tomatoes will be plentiful, so don’t forget to eat them regularly along with a variety of good food for good health.

The summer is a good time to introduce new foods to children, as you can have fun picnics in the garden or the beach where they are often more open to sampling new tastes and ‘see’ food in a different way. Let me know if you have a unique way of getting your children to try new flavours and textures?

Sandra and Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health – Diabetes and Vitamin D

Hi

Are you like me and finding it more and more confusing with the information we are given about vitamins. One-day vitamin supplements are the way to go - the next day we should drop them like a hot potato and stay clear.

The best way to get all the vitamins we need is by eating a good varied diet of nutritional food, as we always say ‘good food is good health’, this should be as fresh as possible as storage depletes the values as well as over cooking.

Sometimes, as when taking drugs or medication they do have a negative effect on some parts of the body such as the liver, but the consequence of not taking them could be of greater significance.

So when taking vitamins - even though you can pick them up readily at any grocery store and health food shop, it is always recommended to ask your Doctor or health adviser opinion before taking. 

Recently there has been speculation that Vitamin D could greatly cut the chance of Type 1 diabetes developing later in life if supplements are taken in early childhood.

The research showed that children who were given the additional Vitamin D were up to 80 per cent less likely to go on and develop the disease compared to those not given the supplement.

It was noticed that the higher the dose and the more regularly taken, the lower the chance of developing the condition. 

Another study found that those who took any amount of Vitamin D had a lower rate of diabetes than the group that took no supplement.

Vitamin D is believed to help by acting as an immuno-suppressant agent, as Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease, and may prevent an over-aggressive reaction from the immune system - when the immune system destroys it own cells. 

Type 1diabetes develops when insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas are destroyed.

Vitamin D is only found in a few natural food sources such as eggs (the yolk), fish and shellfish. Salmon, tuna, herring, halibut, shrimps and oysters are excellent sources.

Often foods are already enriched or fortified with vitamin D - milk being a good example, some breakfast cereals, soy drinks and some varieties of margarine.

Obviously it is better if you can reach your daily requirement from your diet - the RDA is not the same in all countries so check with a pharmacist or your health centre who will be pleased to advise you.

There are many supplements of Vitamin D readily available; I know that I reach my required RDA as the cod liver oil supplement I take daily includes vitamins A, D and E, even though I make sure I eat fish at least twice a week and generally eat eggs on almost a daily basis.

So if Vitamin D can cut the chance of us developing diabetes in later life, it really is important that we do eat a wide variety of foods to attain it and all the other vitamins and minerals to stave off other illnesses and diseases.

Eating a healthy diet can only benefit us, and the earlier in life we start the better. Therefore we all need to look to our diets and see if we are lacking in any area or over indulging in others.

Us as parents need to instil early in life a good varied diet to our children - before they become ‘faddy and picky’ and only want to eat the latest ‘in’ food.

Granted this can be quite difficult with children, but perseverance usually works and by introducing a small amount of a new food regularly helps.

So remember ‘good food is good health’ and that ‘we are what we eat’.

Sandra & Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health - Liver Detox

Hi

We must all be guilty of taking our liver for granted, as unlike our heart it does not thump in our chest and palpitate on exercise or when under duress.

Generally we probably only consciously think about it either when we are diagnosed with an illness, contracted food poisoning or have over indulged on alcohol.

I must admit it is the latter that we read about regularly in the media, and some of the headlines have been very hard hitting at young people and women in particular.

I think many people are not aware of the ‘pressure’ they are putting their liver under by following an ‘unhealthy lifestyle’ i.e. excess alcohol and a high fatty diet, and with little or no exercise.

So we need to think about how we can change our lifestyle and adapt to a healthy diet, to include all the vitamins and nutrients needed to keep our liver in good condition - ‘good food for good health’ - as you know I believe ‘we are what we eat’ and with that I should include drink, and that we all have choices.

It has been quite a few years since I left school and learnt biology, but one of the facts I remember that stands out about the liver is the amazing way it can heal and re-grow itself, up to three quarters of your liver can be removed and within a few weeks will grow back.

Our bodies are amazing but they do need our help, and the easiest way to do this is with a sensible diet, not needing to have to omit any food type if it is eaten moderately and not on a regular basis.

A diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, poultry and eggs, meat, nuts, seeds and whole legumes is excellent and the best way for detoxing the liver, and do include lemon in your diet as protein digestion is enhanced by the diluted hydrochloric acid contained in lemons.

I can remember my grandmother saying the best way to start the day is with a glass of hot water with a couple of slices or squeeze of fresh lemon, just as her mum before her did, as this is supposed to be a good detox not just for the liver but the whole body.

Obviously the way your food is cooked is of great importance, steamed and grilled is the way to go, with much less roast and fried food.

The liver can work much more effectively if meals are light, small meals more frequent rather than skipping meals and eating a large meal late in the evening.

Avoid the foods that make the liver work harder - fatty foods, processed food, alcohol, margarine and caffeine.

Salt is another ingredient that should be cut down on and not only for the health of your liver, quite often the use of salt is just a habit - something you have always done - and you just need to re-educate your taste buds.

Essential fatty acids that are found in cold pressed oils such as extra virgin olive oil and sunflower are beneficial for your health with avocados being a very good source.

You need to ensure that you eat enough fibre, as this is vital in helping to eliminate fats and toxins through the bile in your liver out of your body, otherwise it is re-absorbed and stored.

Drinking plenty of fluid is important - two litres a day, a mixture of different drinks is the best way to make up your daily requirement -juices, water - tap and bottled, milk, tea and coffee.

Recently it has become popular to use a vegetable juice-drink diet for two weeks (and this is to be drunk cold) to detox the liver, but this really can be quite drastic and importantly before embarking on any type of diet like this you really should seek medical advice.

I believe cutting down or out on some foods - only for a couple of weeks - can benefit the liver and aid detoxification, such as hard cheese, full fat cream and milk, starchy foods including pasta, potatoes and rice, and caffeine.

If you actually feel better after the two weeks having cut out certain foods, why not eat less or less regularly when you re-introduce them.

Eliminate saturated fats, high sugary foods and alcohol, and coming into close contact with chemicals.

This is just as important as what we eat, as what we breathe and absorb through our skin such as household cleaning solvents, gardening pesticides and even air fresheners, are toxins that can damage the liver.

Some herbal supplements are said to help with detoxing , milk Thistle is renowned as a liver-promoting herb, along with dandelion and licorice.

Milk thistle has shown to help protect the cells of the liver from toxins and by eliminating harmful toxins that are already present .

Sillymarin is the active ingredient in milk thistle, found in the seeds of the herb that contain a bioflavanoid complex.

So remember ‘good food is good health’ and that we are what we eat.

Eat a varied diet including fresh fruit and vegetables daily, why not make a beeline for the fresh produce shelves when you go food shopping and try to miss out the aisles with the processed foods, this can only benefit the health of yourself and your family.

So by eating a varied diet of good food for good health you detox your liver naturally.

If you detox your liver, what method do you use and how regularly, I would be interested to know.

Sandra & Ted

http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com

http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com

http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

 

Good Food Good Health - Calcium

Hi Everyone

As you know our motto is ‘good food for good health’ and this we can all achieve by eating a varied diet of nutritionally good food, and by following this we should be able to maintain the daily required amounts of vitamins we need, but sometimes in our lives the amount we need changes, especially for us women.

Calcium is great for bones and staying slim after 50. As you all probably know I am closer to fifty now than forty, even though I still feel as I did in my twenty’s, (some friends may add I still act like it sometimes).

Recently it has dawned on me that if I still want to feel this good for the next twenty years that I really should take steps now, so that I can maintain the good health that I am enjoying at the moment.

I have been looking in general at women’s health of my age and how to keep up good health through the next twenty years.

Middle-aged women, like myself I guess, have been told for years that they should take calcium and vitamin D tablets to protect their bones against osteoporosis that is why recently I have increased my intake of calcium.

I always eat a good balanced diet and as you know my theory is ‘good food for good health’, so when I checked on the amount of dairy products Ted and I consume to calculate our daily intake, I was a little surprised that it was myself not Ted that was not always getting the required amount.

Our two daughters easily reach their required amount from their normal diet, as one of the cereals they eat is fortified with vitamins and they also drink a couple of milk shakes a day.

Osteoporosis is a disease due to loss of bone density with a break down of bone structure. Diseased bones become brittle, porous and thin, resulting in bones becoming easier to break especially those in the legs, hips and arms.

Women are far more prone to osteoporosis, in fact 80 per cent of all sufferers are women. So making sure we maintain a healthy balanced diet rich in dairy products is essential, and to check that our levels of calcium and vitamin D intake is correct.

Although 99 per cent of calcium in the body is found in the teeth and bones, the other 1 per cent plays a major role in our health and is found in muscles, blood, soft tissue, organs and nerves.

Meeting your calcium need is quite easy if you like milk and dairy products. Generally 8 ounces of milk provides about 300mg of calcium and general daily requirements are: -

Children 1 - 8 years 500 - 800mg

9 - 18 years 1300 mg

19 - 50 years 1000mg

Women 51+ with HRT and men 51+ 1200mg

Women 51+ without HRT 1500mg

Breastfeeding and pregnant women 1200mg

The best sources of calcium and vitamin D are Milk, cheese and yoghurt, and also foods made with milk, such as custard, rice pudding, ice cream etc.

Fish and shellfish are an excellent source of Vitamin D - salmon, tuna, herring, halibut, shrimps and oysters as well as eggs, milk and cod liver oil.

Low fat foods also contain good amounts of calcium including low fat yoghurt, skimmed and low fat fluid milk and buttermilk. Cheese contains varying amounts of calcium and in general, the more firm the cheese the more calcium in contains. Soft cheese has a low amount present and cream cheese is not a good source at all.

Keeping good bone health is essential for all of us at any age, and therefore our intake of calcium is beneficial. Calcium moves in and out of the bones throughout our lives.

The need for good supplies of calcium throughout childhood and teen years is crucial, as bones grow in size and density through this period.

Calcium combines with phosphorous to form teeth and bones, making them hard and resistant to decay and breaks, it also: -

Is vital in blood to help it clot normally.

Helps muscles to contract normally. A deficiency can cause spasms and cramp.

Is essential in the nervous system for messages to be passed from the brain to other parts if the body and back again.

Helps to regulate blood pressure. A deficiency or low intake of calcium has been associated with high blood pressure.

Calcium may help with the prevention of colon cancer. This is thought to work in tow ways, one if that it binds with fat and bile acids in the large intestine to keep them from causing harm, the other that it prevents the excessive growth of cells in the intestines that could otherwise lead to cancer.

Also new research has found that another incentive for taking calcium is that

It can help you stay slim, and this interested me greatly. The study found that women who were over 50 and took regular calcium and Vitamin D supplements are less likely to gain weight than those who do not, and what was surprising the women who had previously been deficient in Vitamin D and calcium had the greatest benefits.

The slimming effect is thought to be down to the fact that there is an improved breakdown of fat cells and also an increase in the production of leptin, a chemical that curbs your appetite.

Also experts said that stimulation of the metabolism is likely to be increased with a better balance of nutrients in our diet, and so I cannot stress to much the importance of the ‘good food good health’ benefits, and equally if you can get the required amount of calcium from a balanced diet can only be a plus, helping your body fight many diseases and the ever ageing process.

I have mentioned vitamin D several times and this is very important as calcium is not readily absorbed and used without this fat-soluble vitamin.

Vitamin D is often referred to as the ’sunshine vitamin’, as the action of the suns ultra violet rays forms vitamin D in the skin.

Specialists say that we need 15 minutes of sunlight to produce enough vitamin D in fair skinned people which should last for a couple of days, darker skinned people however need up to 3 hours.

The use of sunscreen 8 SPF of higher will form a barrier and prevent the formulation of vitamin D, so just wait 15 minutes before applying, but so not do this through the hottest hours. Clouds and window glass also prevent penetration of ultra violet rays.

So for good bone health - which means having the most dense and strong bones possible at reaching adulthood, a regular good intake of calcium is needed and continuously required after this age to help eliminate the chance of osteoporosis in latter years.

If to little calcium has been stored before the age of thirty in the bones or calcium is drawn out to fast in later life, then osteoporosis is at a greater risk.

All our bodies after the age of forty lose calcium quicker in the bones than going back in, and because of this we all need to be made aware just how important calcium in the diet is.

Many people have been put off from consuming dairy products over the past twenty or so years, and because of this health specialists are concerned about the future female population and the risk of osteoporosis. Also the specialists are watching the worrying trend of teenagers and fad diets that will cause complications to well being in future generations.

So for all of us the message is do not skimp on your dairy product intake, skimmed milk is just as rich in calcium, check you are consuming the correct amount in your diet. If you cannot get the required amounts in your daily diet then think about supplements. Always check with your doctor or medical practice before taking supplements as a sensible precaution, as it is with any medication.

Let us know how you achieve your intake of calcium and vitamin D, and whether this is through a natural diet or supplement.

Remember good food is good health.

Sandra & Ted

http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com

http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com

http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

 

 

 

GoodFoodGoodHealth - Healthy Liver Reduces Cellulite

Hi Everyone

Ladies did you know the greatest thing to help keep cellulite to a minimum is through a good healthy diet, as this keeps your liver working at its potential, reducing storage of HDL - bad cholesterol.

As I have mentioned many times before ‘we are what we eat’ so our motto ‘good food for good health’ should be everybody’s.

I believe as we get older we do take this ‘on board’, but we need to encourage the younger generation that they need to instill this as a way of life now, and not something they can just put right later on, as cellulite can start to form at puberty - although it is generally later.

French doctors coined the term ‘cellulite’ - the bain of all women, believing it is a certain form of fat that accumulates under the skin, leaving the affected area looking lumpy and dimpled, like orange peel.

As with any health problem, there is generally no such thing as a single cause, but different life situations combined with co-factors and causative agents that interact and promote an effect or symptom, and cellulite is no different.

Today most doctors do not believe cellulite to be a special form of fat, but believe it is simply ordinary fat that is pulled down by gravity.

I hold my hand up to the fact that over the years I have checked in the mirror for tell tale signs, and yes I do have some, I first noticed it when I was half way through my first pregnancy and nearly had a fit, only being 28.

Before this I had always thought cellulite was an ‘older’ thing that happened to us when we became a certain age, unlike nowadays when the paparazzi show pictures of stick insect models sporting it.

Cellulite can affect any woman of any size at any time.I really wish that when I was younger I knew what I know now about ‘good food for good health’, as this has a great bearing on what we are, and how this really does affect our health and its effect on our body.

Many studies have been carried out on cellulite and its causes, and weak functioning of the liver was found to be common in women prone to it.

So it cannot be stressed enough ladies that we really do need to eat a varied diet of good food, so that the liver can work effectively. When we eat a poor diet that is high in saturated fats, our liver becomes sluggish and clogged.

Fatty degeneration of the liver is caused by excessive fat build up and impairs the ability to function and handle fat properly, this allows fat to be stored around the body accumulating often around the waistline or being deposited as cellulite under the skin.

When the liver is impaired by fatty degeneration cholesterol levels are hampered allowing ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol to build up instead of manufacturing ‘good’ cholesterol - HDL.

Also it revealed that a poor lymphatic system, bad circulation and constipation were thought to help with the formation of cellulite. Hormonal in-balances could also be a determining factor.

Therefore poor dietary choices and nutritional deficiencies- where diets are rich in processed foods, fats, alcohol and toxins such as additives and colourings affect our biochemical processes and digestion, that hinders and prevents natural detoxification.

Because of the fast food lifestyle undertaken nowadays - obesity is alarmingly on the rise, and is an underlying cause of several illnesses, as the dietary factors with these types of foods are causing congestion of vessels and ducts of the circulation and eliminations systems including the bile ducts of the liver and the digestive tract.

Unfortunately for us females hormones and fat are very much related, and after reaching puberty we carry twice as much fat due to the body becoming ready for the event of pregnancy. This stored fat is very resistant to the effort of weight loss.

Fat or fat cells are formed from - fatty acids in food, lipoproteins in the liver, chylomicrons in the intestine and from insulin dependant triglycerides that come from amino acids and glucose.

The volume of fat cells in certain areas of the body is increased with higher levels of estrogen and progesterone, whereas testerone does the opposite.

So ladies we are all bound to have some cellulite, but by eating a healthy diet and eating slowly can help as this allows the enzymes that break down food to work efficiently enabling proper absorption of nutrients and digestion of the food.

As we get older- the pancreas that produces enzymes to metabolise food starts to diminish, so this can also lead to fat gain. Aging is not the only factor for of the pancreas producing fewer enzymes, our diet can be a cause when high in processed foods and trans fatty acids.

When your liver is healthy it produces bile that breaks down fat. If your body is lacking certain nutrients the bile cannot do its job properly, or if the liver is clogged with toxins, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

So drinking plenty of fluid and eating a varied diet of good food will give you many of the different nutrients, vitamins and anti oxidants needed to keep the liver working at full potential.

Fruit and vegetables are excellent, and you can always make them into a smoothie if you prefer to ‘drink’ them rather than eat them.

Beetroot juice is said to help the liver break down stored fats, you can make it fresh with an extractor or buy it from your local health food shop and drink a small glass daily.

Seaweed is rich in minerals, proteins, iodine and vitamins and is said to promote smooth skin and to gets fats moving in the body. Seaweed - Kelp tablets are available in most health stores, and there are many seaweed-based products that are great for the skin.

Skin brushing is claimed to remove toxic waste by stimulating the lymphatic system, directly through the skin. Brush your whole body once a day, I often do this in the shower, start off gently then gradually increase pressure to a firm stroke as you become used to it.

Begin brushing with the soles of your feet, moving up your legs with firm sweeping strokes - I always linger a little longer on the thighs, then brush up the arms, across the shoulders and down your back to the buttocks - another area I linger on, then softly across your tummy and chest with light circular strokes to your neck

I believe massage is the best way of making cellulite look less obvious, it does not go away but the surface becomes less dimply with regular massaging.

There are many products today claiming to reduce cellulite, whether these are effective or not is a matter of opinion, but if they make you feel better about your cellulite then they are worth it.

Skin firming lotions are great for massaging all over your body and especially in areas where cellulite is prone.

Almost twenty years on since having seen my first signs of cellulite, I am really lucky as it has not increased much at all, and my friends and family have noticed this too.

I have never been a great exercise freak, but yoga and walking are my passion and my dog appreciates the walks! This combined with a healthy diet most of the time - like everyone eating a little of what you fancy does not hurt- but continually on a regular base can cause problems- is all I do.

I have not yet bought into buying expensive creams and lotions, but I do body brush a couple of times a week and massage an ordinary body lotion all over every day, I feel this keeps my skin in excellent condition and really helps with circulation by improving blood flow.

It may take a few minutes longer every day doing this, but it has the advantage that you really get to know your body and notice when there are little changes, which us women should all take care of, especially the breast area.

Let me know how you have improved your cellulite?

So remember good food is good health.

Sandra & Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health – Keep your liver healthy

Hi everyone

We all feel good when we have been out and eaten a good meal, the feel good factor really kicks in, our mood is enhanced making us less stressed helping to keep our body’s immune system ready for anything thrown at it.

Keeping our inner body - our organs healthy, and along with a healthy mind gives us all a greater wellness and sense of being, and leads to good health.

Eating good food for good health is essential for a healthy liver, and a varied nutritional diet is the true way to give all our body the vitamins and minerals that we need to keep us in tip top condition.

Often overlooked is the need to drink plenty of fluids, not only through the summer time but all year round.

We not only need to drink plenty of fluid to stop us becoming dehydrated - which itself causes many problems, but to help the liver flush toxins out of our system.

As we know the liver is the largest gland in the body and it performs more than 500 functions, we all really do need to look to our diet to enable it to look after our body for us.

The liver is a complex organ and works like a stream lined machine when it is healthy, comparable to a ‘computer’ in it’s many tasks, from storing carbohydrates and vitamins to excreting waste products from our bloodstream.

The production of bile is one of the main tasks; this aids digestion of food and is what makes faeces brown. It metabolises carbohydrates and proteins, and stores and metabolises fats - producing cholesterol.

The livers production of blood clotting chemicals and heparin - an anticoagulant is another major function along with regulating the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.

It synthesises Vitamin A and stores it together with vitamins B12, D and K. The liver also removes poisons, drugs and worn-out red blood cells from the bloodstream; these are also extremely important tasks.

Unfortunately being such a complex organ makes the liver susceptible to a vast number of disorders.

Recently, a topic that has hit the headlines many times is the rise in cases of cirrhosis of the liver, generally through alcohol abuse with today’s current trends of fashionable binge drinking.

Cirrhosis - where scar tissue replaces dead or injured liver cells - actually has many causes not just alcohol that most people are aware of; gallstones or other blockages that block the bile duct, hepatitis and immune system disorders also cause it.

Cirrhosis of the liver can also occur for no apparent or known reason - is chronic inflammation and can progress ultimately to organ failure.

Obviously cancer of the liver is extremely serious because of the organs many important functions.

Inflammation of the liver is called hepatitis. Hepatitis A - ‘infectious hepatitis’ is caused by a virus and is transmitted by food and drink. Hepatitis A is rarely serious.

Hepatitis B - ‘serum hepatitis’ is far more serious, also a viral infection and is spread through use of infected blood and blood products, sexual intercourse, syringes and needles.

I believe it is good for us all to take some time and think about our ‘organs’, how they work continuously and what they do, showing how intrinsically important they are to our good health.

Highlighting the knock on effect of continually abusing the liver whether through bad diet, alcohol or drugs, should I believe be made more aware to everyone, just as smoking has been with publicity and the effect it has on health and the lungs.

So help your liver by eating good food, it does not have to be expensive, fresh food that is seasonal has the best vitamin and mineral content. Use your local market or farm shop.

Fresh quick frozen food is another great way of getting excellent properties from all types of foods including fish.

Include fresh greens - all green vegetables are excellent, broccoli contains vitamins B and C and folic acid for detoxification.

Cabbage and broccoli, along with garlic and onions contain a high content of natural sulphur needed for detoxification.

Garlic and onions also contain selenium and glutathione that act as anti-oxidants.

All fruits are great for us including strawberries, raspberries, melons, oranges, blackcurrants, red grapes, guava etc - all with excellent vitamin and anti-oxidant properties.

Tomatoes - are high in lycopene an excellent source of anti-oxidant.

You can easily get your daily vitamin C from peppers instead of eating oranges each day.

Lean meat, eggs and fish are important too, and a good source of fibre from cereals, bread etc.

So remember our motto ‘good food is good health’ and make it a way of life as we are what we eat after all, and by consuming a wide variety of foods regularly enables us to attain the vast range of minerals and vitamins we need to keep all of our body in good condition.

Sandra & Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com 

 

 

Good Food Good Health - Healthy Liver

 

 Hi everyone

Detoxing is big business nowadays through diets, scrubs and fasting. Salons are popping up everywhere with the latest ’star’ of the moment and their ‘new’ detoxing programme promising wonders.

Keeping your liver in a healthy state should be a priority and by eating a healthy varied nutritional diet of good food for good health keeps our own personal detoxifier - our liver, working to rid our body of toxins and to go about its endless tasks.

Looking after your organ is vital, as everything we ingest, inhale or absorb through our skin has to be detoxified and refined.

Damage can be caused to the liver through a poor diet made up of high fatty foods, high alcohol intake, chemicals - in the air we breathe or apply to the skin, and through drugs. 

Obviously we all need to take prescribed drugs at some time in our lives so whilst taking the medication make sure you are eating a diet of good high nutritional food to help the liver detox. Drugs taken regularly for recreational use have been shown to cause serious problems. 

Fatty degeneration of the liver is caused by excessive fat build up and impairs the ability to function and handle fat properly, this allows fat to be stored around the body accumulating often around the waistline or being deposited as cellulite under the skin.

50 per cent of people aged 50 and over now suffer with fatty degeneration; this is a much higher rate than at any time before.

Common symptoms of this are having ‘a spare tyre’ or potbelly and being unable to lose weight. The size of our nations waistlines has hit the headlines many times recently due to poor diets and lack of exercise, even though today we have access to so many good foods all year round.

If your liver is damaged through fatty degeneration the proper regulation of cholesterol levels is hampered -therefore failing to manufacture enough ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and allowing bad LDL cholesterol to build up in the arteries. This has been associated with increased risk of having a stroke or heart attack.

You can help yourself to help your liver detox itself by eating the right kind of fat and types of food necessary to repair itself and start working properly.

Helpful detoxifying foods for the liver are easy to add to your diet and if you are already eating a healthy diet of good food including plenty of fruit and vegetables - best lightly cooked - you are all ready giving yourself a head start to good health.

By adding the other foods listed below regularly into your diet will help to keep your liver working at it’s potential.

Mushrooms contain glutamic acid that is needed to produce glutathione and aid liver detoxification.

Avocado and papaya helps the body produce glutathione.

Onions and garlic - the sulphur compounds and methionine in these are important for detoxification, also contain glutathione a powerful anti-oxidant. Cabbage, broccoli and eggs also a good source of methionine.

Asparagus and watermelon are also rich in glutathione.

Beets and tomatoes contain anti-oxidants such as beta-carotene, caratenoids and flavanoids that help limit damage by free radicals, helping to cleanse and heal the liver, also a good source of folic acid.

Brazil nuts are high in selenium a good anti-oxidant needed for detoxification.

Protein is helpful for the liver so include fish and chicken etc.

Another excellent food for general liver health is soy-beans as these contain lecithin - this helps to break down fats and help to reduce high cholesterol levels, also helps maintain healthy membranes around liver cells.

Walnuts contain arginine that helps detoxify ammonia and are rich in glutathione.

It is best to limit the amount of foods that makes the liver work harder to sensible amounts, saturated fats as in sausages, hot dogs, salami and bacon and also high fat dairy products - cheese, butter and ice cream.

Saturated fat is also found in many snack foods including fast foods, doughnuts, crisps and french fries. Processed food should also be limited.

Caffeine from tea and coffee should be limited to 2 or 3 cups a day. Caffeine is broken down by the liver but can make it more difficult to cleanse itself, so why not try a ‘half caf’ variety and then you can still enjoy your cuppa, this is what I always buy and cannot taste the difference. You could use ‘decaf’, but some caffeine is useful to give us a perk.

We all know alcohol stresses the liver and its detoxification process, and that when consumed regularly in large amounts can cause actual damage and immune suppression.

Not only heavy drinking, binge drinking can cause the same effect. It is far better to drink ‘little and often’ than bingeing.

Alcohol in moderation is the best course to take with regular periods of no alcohol at all. If you feel better after abstaining from drinking then it is a good indication that your liver was not coping with the amount of alcohol that you were consuming before.

Refined sugar such as sucrose, dextrose, glucose, maltose and other syrups that end in ‘ose’ are hard on the liver. Natural fructose that is still in food such as ‘fruit con fructose’ etc is perfectly ok.

We never say that you cannot eat and enjoy any type of foods, it is just the amount and the frequency that they are eaten that can do damage, so keep these ‘bad’ types of foods as treats - there is nothing better than walking along the sea front on a cold blustery day eating a hot freshly cooked doughnut.

Try hard not to use these foods for comfort eating as this is generally when we can go astray on our diets and use them as a crutch, as with alcohol and then find it difficult to amend our ways.

Chemicals that get into our body through food should also be cut down, food colourings are a good example, but what are often overlooked are pesticides. Pesticides are sprayed several times through the growing life of our fruit and vegetables, so make sure that you thoroughly wash them before consuming.

So remember ‘good food good health’ is the best way to keep your body working like clockwork, and a diet made up of a variety of good nutritional food will give you all the vitamins and minerals you should need.

Happy eating for a healthy liver

Sandra and Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health - Liver

 

 Hi Everyone

We are all guilty of taking our body for granted and especially our vital organs including the liver our largest internal organ. We all seem far too engrossed in our ‘looks’ nowadays and spend far too much precious time and money on this through creams, pills and fad diets, but by keeping good health of the whole body and organs helps to keep the ravages of time at bay.

As you know our motto is ‘good food good health’ and we believe that maintaining your well being through a varied nutritional diet should be everybody’s goal- you are what you eat after all.

How well you eat can also affect how well your liver performs, therefore it is important to eat good food to support it, as good nutrition helps form new liver cells and can help rebuild some damaged cells enabling good health.

The liver is the great detoxifier of the body. Our bodies are subjected to toxic substances everywhere, not only from food and drink that we consume but also from the air that we breathe and from chemicals that we use daily around our houses and come into contact with at work.

When toxins build up and accumulate overloading the detoxification system, we can become progressively more sensitive and suffer illness.

The liver consists of four unequal lobes is sited under your diaphragm slightly to the right side of your body and generally weighs about 1.36 kg

The main function of the liver is to get rid of toxins and produce bile but it completes a whole host more - converting glucose to glycogen, producing substances that break down fats, making certain amino acids that are the building blocks of proteins, producing urea the main substance in urine, filtering harmful substances from the blood, storing minerals and vitamins, maintaining the level of glucose in the blood and producing about 80% of your cholesterol.

As you can see the liver, a very important organ is essential for life and death generally occurs within 24 hours if it stopped working, so by adopting a healthy lifestyle and eating good food for good health helps maintain an efficient function.

60% of you liver is made up of hepatic cells - the basic metabolic cells - and these specialised cells carry out more chemical processes than any other in your body, changing the nutrients from food you eat into forms your body’s cells can readily use.

The Kupffer cells are the second most important group of liver cells and remove damaged blood cells and destroy microbes and cell debris.

Blood is carried to the liver by two vessels - the hepatic artery carries oxygen rich blood from the aorta and the portal vein carries blood containing digested food from the small intestine. These blood vessels repeatedly subdivide in the liver and end up being small capillaries, each leading to a lobule. Thousands of lobules make up the liver tissue and each lobule is made up of hepatic cells.

To support your liver and enable proper detoxification we all need to eat a healthy diet of good food including fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds and a healthy intake of protein.

Liver complaints are higher now than ever before due to the lifestyle many have adopted. Fast foods that are high in saturated fats are too readily available, and eaten on a regular basis can cause problems.

Alcohol consumed in large amounts can lead to damage and suppress immunity through stressing the process of detoxification. Bingeing and heavy alcohol consumption can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, today cases are continuing to rise and it is especially worrying in the female population, with numbers spiralling up over the past five years

Consuming too much iron in your diet - mostly through high intake of supplements - this has been shown to be prominent in body builders, is stored in the liver making it much harder to work and increases risk of iron toxicity.

So remember we have to look after the whole body and feed it nutritionally, all our organs are essential for a healthy working body, and the healthier we are on the inside shows on the outside.

Glossy hair and great skin comes from eating a balanced varied diet of good food for good health and keeps our immune system and all our body working at its potential. When we look great we feel great.

So next time you go grocery shopping why not try adding a few different healthy foods you would not normally buy, to keep meal times tasty and exciting especially for children.

Look after yourself so you can look after others

Sandra & Ted 
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health- Iron

Hi everybody

Lacking iron - an essential nutrient, can leave you feeling exhausted and stressed and even unable to concentrate, and added to the stress and strains our bodies are subjected to daily from our busy lives can take a toll.

As you know, we always say you are what you eat and that good food is good health and should be the basis for everybody for a healthy outlook on life.

I know we all feel tired and listless at times but checking on whether you are getting enough iron regularly in your diet could help.

A wide varied balanced diet of good food will give you a complete range of all the nutrients including iron, essential for good health and well being.

The amount of iron we need varies, but generally 14.8mg of iron a day for women of childbearing age and 8.7mg a day for men. Women need more iron in their diet due to the fact that 0.5mg of iron is contained in 1ml of blood and lost during periods. Pregnant women are advised to increase to 27mg a day.

Different countries have different recommended daily amounts, but your local health centre will be able to help on guidelines for correct amounts.

Most of the iron in the body is found in the myoglobin of muscle cells and in the haemoglobin of red blood cells, where it is required for oxygen.

So by not getting the required amount of iron can amount to not getting enough oxygen, resulting in us feeling tired and fatigued, some people suffer from muscle ache and in more severe cases anaemia.

Heme-iron, the protein in red blood cells that is derived from haemoglobin and delivers oxygen to the cells is found in red meat.

Heme iron is generally absorbed better than non-heme that is contained in vegetables, nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

Absorption of non-heme iron is assisted when consumed at the same time as heme-iron, showing that a varied diet is best for aiding intake.

Vegetarians and vegans need to eat more iron rich plant based foods to be sure to get the required sufficient supply for good health.

Ingestion of too much iron, above 45mg per day can cause gastrointestinal problems including nausea, stomachache, vomiting, constipation or diarrhoea, but this is highly unlikely from a well balanced diet of good food.

Supplements are readily available but it is always advisable to check with your health advisor or G.P before taking. Iron is toxic, so eating too much can cause hemochromatosis, extremely high doses of 60mg and over could damage the liver, pancreas and cause heart failure. 

Boosting iron in your daily diet is easy enough and can start with a good healthy breakfast - 2 large eggs scrambled supply 2.5mg, 2 Weetabix also contain 2.5mg and this can easily be increased by 1.2mg by adding 4 dried or fresh apricots. Also nowadays many cereals are enriched with the mineral.

For lunch or dinner a grilled rump steak weighing 100g provides about 3.5mg of iron, 95g of spinach 1.5mg and 120g of broad beans 2mg.

By adding extra iron into your diet at breakfast time can be beneficial as most people drink orange juice with breakfast and Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron into the system.

Why not eat an orange with lunch or try a sliced fresh red pepper as they are rich in Vitamin C too, or any of the other good foods with a high content such as strawberries, tomatoes and grapefruit.

Drinking too much tea or red wine can make it harder for the body to absorb iron as the tannin in the drinks binds with the mineral. Also tea is said to reduce the amount of iron from vegetable sources by one third.

Calcium competes with iron in the body for absorption and 165mg of calcium can reduce the amount absorbed by up to half.

Regular use of paracetamol, antacids and laxatives can also interfere with absorption of iron.

Steaming, boiling or stir frying are the best ways of cooking iron rich vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, peppers, cabbage etc for easiest absorption.

Cashew nuts are a good source along with peanuts either raw, roasted or dry roast.

Other foods rich in heme-iron are turkey, mussels, shrimps, and chicken, pork or beef liver. Liver is not recommended for pregnant women.

None-heme-iron is found in cooked beans and lentils, tinned beans and asparagus, fruits such as apricots, raisins, peaches and prunes, and baked potatoes with skin are a good source too.

So remember that eating a well balanced diet of good food gives you the best opportunity to receive all the vitamins and minerals needed to provide and continue good health.

Sandra & Ted
http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com
http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com

Good Food Good Health- Anxiety and Stress

Hi Everyone

Anxiety is no stranger to any of us and in fact everyone needs to feel anxious sometimes, through this natural emotion the body enables a reaction which pumps adrenaline - the hormone stimulant into our systems.

Adrenaline is enormously important for spurring us on to do challenging and uncongenial tasks, helping us to cope with difficult situations.

Today, our lives seem to be ruled by constantly running from one emotional problem to the next, and unfortunately this is considered to be ‘normal’ life.

This is another excellent reason why ‘good food good health’ has to be part of everybody’s everyday regime, helping our immune system tackle the stress and strains put on our bodies.

Normal anxiety has almost always a cause of which we are aware - such as an exam coming up or an important interview etc, and causes different amount of pressure depending on the individual.

Anxiety becomes problematic when apprehension or worry is experienced for no apparent reason or when situations are deemed far worse than warranted.

A great deal of how we deal with anxiety depends on each individual and their outlook on life and character.

Even though anxiety is an emotional state, physical symptoms can be induced by it. Previously, it was believed that these symptoms were ‘all in the mind’, but it has been proven that some people really do feel pain and become ill from the effects.

The most common affect is of course the need to urinate frequently, of which I am sure we have all experienced, this is definitely myself before flying anywhere.

The most reported symptom of enduring anxiety is pain in the back, head, chest and abdomen. Some sufferers become nauseas and actually vomit. Diarrhoea, dizziness and muscular tension are also common problems.

In the worst cases panic attacks can sometimes occur which generally involve sweating profusely, palpitations and abnormally deep breathing. 

For some chronic sufferers it is a vicious repeating cycle, as they can become anxious about being anxious, recurrent attacks that can happen over a period of years - this is known as chronic anxiety. In these cases medical attention should be sought.

Insomnia is another well-known side effect, and this again only adds to the anxiety felt by the sufferer by laying mulling over the problem that is causing concern, making the smallest of problem often seem a giant hurdle in life.

The best self-help to allow your body cope and keep good health under duress is to make sure you are eating good food. A diet rich in vegetables, raw fruit, salads and plenty of proteins will give you a good balance and help to keep your immune system on top.

Carrots, and especially carrot juice is believed to have a calming effect on the nervous system. Camomile tea is another favourite.

Many vitamins are said to help, Vitamins B and C are attributed to help in coping with anxiety and stress, functioning of the central nervous system is said to be improved with Vitamin E, and also calcium, magnesium and zinc minerals.

So by eating a varied nutritional diet these vitamins and minerals should be easy accessed for good food good health to be obtained, otherwise dietary supplements can be taken, but always check with your physician.

The other easy self-help method to try and overcome anxiety is breathing exercises. Controlled breathing exercises calm and relax you. If you have read my previous article on Visualisation Therapy, which I use for relaxation, you will see how easy it is to use and how it can have amazing effects on yourself and your outlook on life.

Many people who suffer from anxiety often tend to dwell on fears and problems making them ill, instead of being positive and this really needs to be addressed. Try to adopt a positive attitude and be kind to yourself, although make sure you are not too indulgent.

Chocolate really does have that good feel factor and a little of what you fancy can be helpful, as so can a glass of wine lift your spirits, but using this as a crutch or using too much obviously has its own side effects.

Aromatherapy is another good mood enhancing remedy, as we all know nice smells lift our spirit and essential oils are a good way of achieving this.

A combination of lavender, sandalwood, clary sage and basil help with panic and anxiety, but if you suffer headache with your anxiety or even muscle tension add camomile and marjoram essential oils.

Why not try using these oils in a pot burner while having a relaxing bath to rid yourself of your daily anxieties.

Listening to music is another great method that helps us to relax, why not try listening to some on a personal stereo or MP3 whilst waiting for that appointment or whatever it is that has you feeling anxious.

Music that appeals to us generally lifts our mood, and sometimes by listening to ‘natural sound’ such as water, whales etc can have a beneficial effect.

Uncovering the root of your anxiety is necessary to help alleviate this problem and talking things through with a good friend can really help or in more severe cases a psychiatrist can be of assistance.

I feel that our outward look on life really does help or aggravate our fight with anxiety throughout our lives, and that by eating good food for good health and keeping a positive attitude can only help to fight the symptoms, maintaining a healthy immune system to keep our bodies in tip top condition.

Remember visualisation is positive food for the brain.

Sandra & Ted

http://www.goodfoodgoodhealth.com

http://www.thetalkingbooksite.com
http://www.quantum-mind-power.com