Many athletes may fuel their bodies with refined carbohydrates, consuming too many empty calories which lack essential nutrients. They consume some protein but the optimal amount they require is unclear and although they will cut back on saturated fat they may be missing the intake of essential fats.

The first areas which need to be addressed are to ensure that blood sugar levels are stable and every meal consists of healthy fat, fibre and lean protein.

Blood sugar fluctuates every three hours, for athletes it is important to never go hungry and thirsty, ensure that you have planned snacks and spread your meals throughout the day. Try having a smaller breakfast and have the remainder mid morning, do the same for lunch and dinner, you will consume the same calories but less energy deficit and enhanced performance. Large meals will cause more insulin to be released and could lead to a sharper fall in blood sugar and leave you tired with low energy.

It is also of vital importance that you listen to your body. Through keeping a food log every 7-10 days note why, when and what you are eating. Do this five times and you will become an instinctual eater rather than just eating for eating’s sake.

Exercise has two effects on nutrient requirements: it increases the rate of energy usage and increases sweating, if there is not enough energy consumption it will have a negative impact on the body and on performance. That is where restricting calories come into play when trying to loose body fat. Although you may be loosing weight on the scales, you will also be loosing lean muscle mass because the body is compensating and needs to get energy supplies from somewhere.

Weight loss of one to two pounds per week is safe and realistic and won’t have a negative impact on you training.

Eating real food may take time and preparation but will deliver results!

If you are not getting results from training program, a diet overhaul may just be the ticket to help you achieve the results you are working so hard for. Get in touch to find out if we could help.

Kate Cook helps people deal with their diet, digestion and stress.
Contact 0845 0502442 or kate@thenutritioncoach.co.uk http://thenutritioncoach.co.uk/contact-the-nutrition-coach.php”>

We all vary in the foods we like, how much we need to eat, and when we like to eat. It is also normal for us to experiment with different eating habits, for example trying a vegetarian diet or maybe cutting out wheat for a period to see the effect on our health and how it makes us feel. However, when food is used to help us cope with painful situations or feelings, then eating patterns can become damaging. For example, food may be used to help someone cope during a time of feeling depressed, lonely, ashamed or as a way to control their environment and manage external pressures and expectations. Whilst we can all relate to the idea of comfort eating and restrictive eating, for people with an eating disorder, thoughts of food, eating, weight and shape encompass every aspect of their life.

Having an eating disorder is a lonely existence and is associated with many health problems. There is no single cause as to why eating disorders develop, but they are associated with a combination of many factors, events, feelings and pressures which lead to the individual feeling unable to cope. Controlling food intake therefore becomes a coping strategy, but as the disorder develops it takes control of the individual’s life. The media often glamorises eating disorders with dramatic weight loss, size zero and speculation of ‘near anorexic’ celebrities making the front pages of glossy magazines. The reality, however, is that anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders are complex mental illnesses caused by psychological distress. A person does not choose to develop an eating disorder, just like someone does not choose depression.

1.6 million people in the UK are estimated to have an eating disorder, and anorexia has the highest mortality rate for any psychiatric condition. People with eating disorders, but who do not have enough of the features common in anorexia or bulimia, are termed as having an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (EDNOS), and EDNOS make up the largest group of eating disorder sufferers. Other eating disorders include binge eating disorder and compulsive overeating. You cannot tell if someone has an eating disorder by their shape and size alone, as many are of normal weight – the real pain of an eating disorder is on the inside.

Research shows that eating disorders are becoming more and more common. It is therefore particularly important that people are aware of the facts about eating disorders and what help is available to them and their loved ones. At The Nutrition Coach we work with those suffering with eating disorders to improve their relationship with food and to help them to find their way out of the cycles of disordered eating. Taking the first steps to get help can be extremely difficult, but seeking help is the first step to recovery. Food plays an important part in all our lives and we are here to help people develop a balanced, happy relationship with food, so that they can live life to the full.

BEAT (http://www.b-eat.co.uk/Home) is the UK leading charity on eating disorders and initiator or eating disorder awareness week.

Kate Cook helps people deal with their diet, digestion and stress.
Contact 0845 0502442 or kate@thenutritioncoach.co.uk

Dim Sum: Literally meaning ‘to touch your heart’ dim sum, the ’small eats’ are originally a Cantonese custom and are inextricably linked to the Chinese tradition of “yum cha” or drinking tea (and that’s not PG tips I’m talking but plenty of healthy antioxidant rich green tea). Teahouses sprung up to accommodate weary travellers journeying along the famous Silk Road. Rural farmers, exhausted after long hours working in the fields, would also head to the local teahouse for an afternoon of tea and relaxing conversation. And if you go for the steamed and not the deep fried version you can enjoy some tantalizing healthy ’small eats’ and you should know by now that I always encourage eating ’small’ and if you do it while sipping a cup of green tea to relax instead of coffee you might dream of being in China instead of stuck in front of your computer.

Ginger and Garlic: These two ingredients are integral to Asian cooking. The unique tang of fresh ginger is used in everything from stews to stir-fried dishes, while the pungent flavour of garlic is featured in meals throughout China. If you are not using these two ingredients in your kitchen yet, it is time to start experimenting and some more flavour to your foods and dish up a nice ginger chicken or Chinese stir fry. Adding these to your diet will also mean you are adding some health promoting properties, as both of these two foods are thought to have medicinal properties and garlic provides you with anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

Tea: Brits are tea drinkers but unfortunately that’s mostly stimulating black tea and not relaxing herbal tea. I think it’s time to swap the black tea for some of the health promoting tea and tea drinking customs derived from the Chinese culture e.g. consuming tea as a sign of respect, to apologise or to connect large families on wedding days (I wonder how this would go down with the in-laws).

Kate Cook helps people deal with their diet, digestion and stress
Contact us
kate@thenutritioncoach.co.uk

Sometimes, the diet can be contrubing to the symptoms.  One of my bete noirs is our horrible British bread.  I am on a mission to change our bread eating habits.  Our bread is generally packaged bread and full of other ingredients than you would expect to find in a loaf of bread.  This squishy, yeasty, substance often does not help people with already a lot of fermentation going on in their guts.

Often the cause can be down to parasitic/bacterial/or yeast infection (for which we conduct lab tests).  The medical profession do not recognise this more functional idea of health.  Doctors are only diagnosing pathology (ie when there is something seriously wrong with the bowel)

Stress can contribute to the lowering of gut function and inflammation in the bowel (due to the nature of stress hormones on “gut immunity”) – so often solving IBS is more down to a holistic approach, where a bunch of contributing factors are considered.

IBS should be looked at in context of  each and every person – not just assuming that everyone’s symptoms are the same or come from the same cause.  Look at the person, do the necessary tests, and then make recommendations on the basis of that person’s unique case-history.

Contact us IBS clinic

• Water:  Spring water is best!
• Select foods that are free of additives and pollutants
• Whenever possible, use organically grown fruits and vegetables
• Plan meals around freshly cooked and, if tolerated, raw foods
• Minimize your use of packaged, boxed and canned products

Water: Is water bottled in plastic the best?  Probably not as oestrogens from the plastic can leach into the water especially if the bottles have been left in the sunlight.  Reverse osmosis systems are expensive but best (fitted on to your mains)

Vegetables – this is the staple of any diet.  Raw vegetables if watery but steam vegetables like broccoli and peas.  Bake or steam the more starchy vegetables like parsnips, yams etc. Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts) are great “anti-cancer” promoters.  Sea vegetables should not be forgotten as they are a great source of minerals (dulse, hijiki, wakame and mori)

Concerns:  If you have have an inflammatory bowel condition, sometimes it is difficult to tolerate raw vegetables – therefore puree.

Whole Grains

Grains are a source of starch, fibre and minerals and vitamins.  Use whole grains only and flours made from whole grains.  Brown rice, cracked wheat, barley, and oats are just a few of the main grains available

Concerns:  Whole grains are usually an excellent staple but some people with digestive disorders can’t  tolerate gluten.  Others cant tolerate starches or sweeteners (refined carbohydrates) – This is especially true of those who have GI infections.

Legumes

Another great staple – Beans and peas are an excellent source of protein, complex carbohydrate and fibre.  Beans are also good chelators, substances that help clear out toxins.

Lean Meats

Lean meats can supplement protein in the diet.  The best are fish and fowl – don’t forget the more obscure fowl, like pheasant as chicken is over used.

Concerns: Meat is best obtained from organic suppliers – Grass fed animals are a better source of nutrients including good fats.

Eggs: Should be organic but are also a great source of protein.

Concerns:  some people with gut disorders can be more sensitive to eggs – make sure you cook eggs well to avoid any potential problem with salmonella

Fruits – Of course fruit is a wonderful source of vitamins and minerals – best eaten alone to avoid fermentation in the gut in some.

Concerns: Dried fruit should be consumed in moderation as it is a highly concentrated form of sugar – despite the useful fibre, best to eat the fresh fruit.

Nuts and seeds

Great source of protein and good fats.

Concerns – make sure the nuts are not rancid.  Nuts and seeds are very susceptible to oxidation, which makes them rancid.

Oils

Oils are an important part of the diet.  The body needs about 2 tablespoons a day of a good quality oil, rich in essential fatty acids.  Olive oil (monounsaturated oil) is also good and has several health benefits.

Concerns:  Purchase natural oils in their freshly pressed and unfiltered state – many oils are processed and therefore have little real benefit.

Fermented Foods

Good sources are:  yoghurt, miso paste, and health food shop sauerkraut

Concerns:  Those with an over growth of candida (yeast) in the bowel can find fermented foods a problem to tolerate.

Sweeteners

Raw honey, real maple syrup nd stevia are probably the best –although all sweeteners should be used sparingly.

Concerns:  Anyone with a gut problem, should watch the sugar in any form as it encourages bad bugs.

Salt

Salt is needed if the diet is super healthy but if you are consuming junk food – watch your salt  intake

Use only very good sea salt.

Spices

There are almost countless herbs and spices that can be used to add flavour and have medicinal effects on our health.  Choose organic  herbs where possible – very spicy foods can irritate some guts.

Although an “IBS” diet might help – as there are so many causes for an unhealthy bowel – come as see us

contact us to find out how we can help!

We are so passionate about Guts – and don’t believe that is is just bad luck!  Bloating, gas and wind should not be something you live with – watch this space for more IBS news and views

With my patient yesterday I was able to tell what was wrong from the results of the test – she had very low digestive enzymes, the immunity in her gut was very low (SIgA) – but she also has a parasite (B. Hominis) and H.Pylori (Bacterial infection) – with a bit of luck, now we know what is actually going on we are able to address the root causes of this.  Patience is the watch word – but we will make very good progress!

Any of the above could be a result of changes in your body caused by long-term stress. Many vital nutrients, such as magnesium, get reduced by stress hormones. As magnesium is a vital part of energy production in the body, restoring your nutrient balance can make a really big difference to how you feel.

Stress maybe a fact of life, but feeling drained and not having enough energy to spend quality time with your friends and family shouldn’t be. If you think you could benefit from a nutritional assessment to help your body better deal with the effects of stress, contact us for a free no obligation chat to find out how nutritional therapy can help manage the effects of stress.

Buckwheat can be bought in health food shops, and comes in a variety of forms including flour, groats, flakes and noodles, making it a versatile grain for a gluten-free diet.

Try this delicious recipe to experiment with buckwheat noodles as a great alternative to wheat pasta.

Serves 4

200g dried soba noodles

1 tsp cold-pressed pumpkinseed oil

150g mangetout, trimmed, halved diagonally

200g pre-marinated tofu, thinly sliced

½ cucumber, halved and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons pickled ginger, thinly sliced

100g baby spinach leaves

½ cup coriander leaves

1 avocado, diced and lemon squeezed over

3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced diagonally

45g cashew nuts, roughly chopped

Dressing

3 tablespoons cold-pressed pumpkinseed oil

 2 tablespoons tamari

1 dessertspoon honey

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
2. Boil the soba noodles gently for 7-9minutes until al dente, then rinse under cold water.  Add 1 tsp of pumpkin seed oil and set aside.
3. Steam or briefly boil the mangetout until just tender.
4. Place the cooked noodles, mangetout, tofu, cucumber, ginger, spinach and coriander in a bowl.  Add the dressing and toss well.  Divide the salad among the plates and top with avocado, spring onions and cashews before serving.
5. Enjoy!

Julia

I recently had a client who suffered with constant bloating and it couldn’t be pinpointed by anything specific in her diet. I did suspect dysbiosis due to the fact that she had food poisoning in Zanzibar and that is when the bloating started. A stool analysis confirmed that she had no parasites or other nasties, but that she had no growth of the essential lactobacillus bacteria species.

Long term use of antibiotics (which destroys not only bad but also good bacteria) the pill, alcohol and drug abuse, stress and even a trip to an exotic country can affect the delicate balance of friendly bacteria in the gut.

Certain types of vegetables act as a fermentable source of food which helps to promote the growth of healthy probiotic bacteria.

The extracts inulin and oligofructose from these foods are called pre-biotics because they travel through the digestive system intact and when they enter the large intestine they are converted to probiotics where they start doing their work.

They also act as a food source for friendly bacteria which already exists in your bowel therefore extending their life and activity.

Which foods act as pre-biotics? Onions, leeks, garlic, artichoke and chicory do, and eating sauerkraut and live probiotic yoghurt is a sure way of obtaining good sources of good bacteria in the gut.

Remember to include fibre, water and plenty of these prebiotic forming vegetables into your daily diet for optimal bowel health, and most importantly…..chew, chew, chew!