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

How Vitamin D Deficient Is The UK?

A recent survey in the UK showed that more than half of the adult population in the UK has insufficient levels of vitamin D. In the winter and spring about 1 in 6 people has a severe deficiency. It is estimated that about 9 in 10 adults of South Asian origin may be vitamin D-deficient. Most affected people either don’t have any symptoms, or have vague aches and pains, and are unaware of the problem.

Why Do Your Vitamin D Levels Matter?

In addition to the well-known osteoporosis connection, deficiency of this fat-soluble vitamin can be linked to a wide range of health problems, from cancer and cardiovascular disease to cognitive impairment and problems with auto-immunity such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. Huge increased research interest in this field is constantly bringing to light new evidence which underscores the enormous importance of vitamin D to human health.

Sources of Vitamin D

What many people don’t realise is that very few foods naturally contain vitamin D. Fortified milk, egg yolks and oily fish are the best sources, but we can’t rely on food to provide with optimal amounts of vitamin D on a daily basis. In fact, the major source (80 – 100%) of vitamin D is actually sunshine. Ultraviolet B (UVB) sunlight rays convert cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D.

That’s right, although cholesterol is often a much maligned substance, our bodies literally could not survive without it! The sunlight has to fall directly on to bare skin (through a window is not enough). To add to the complexity of this issue, age, skin colour, geographic latitude, seasonal variations in sunlight availability and sunscreen use can impact on your body’s ability to produce all the vitamin D it needs. For example, darker skins need more sun to get the same amount of vitamin D as a fair-skinned person and because of geographic location, people in the United Kingdom cannot synthesise vitamin D from November to the end of March.

Why the Vitamin D Epidemic?

So why are we experiencing such epidemic proportions of vitamin D Deficiency? It’s because we are increasingly much less exposed to sunlight due to our indoor and sedentary lifestyles, and because of official advice to protect ourselves from skin cancer by covering up totally in the sun and slathering ourselves with sunscreen, which blocks UVB rays, and thus vitamin D synthesis.

What You Can Do

At least 2-3 exposures of sunlight per week between 10 AM and 3 PM are considered enough to achieve healthy vitamin D levels. Each episode should be 20-30 minutes to bare arms and face, legs, or back without sunscreen. This is not the same as sun tanning; the skin simply needs to be exposed to sunlight, but should not burn. Thus, the time of day, geographic latitude and seasonal variations in sunlight availability will determine the optimal length for direct, yet safe sun exposure.

Most experts now agree that supplementation is currently the safest and most effective method of achieving optimal vitamin D status. A blood test for vitamin D can be very useful; it can help establish your current vitamin D levels which can help you figure out how much vitamin D you need, or whether the sun exposure you get and/or the supplements you take are providing optimal levels.

If you’d like to know more about whether you might be vitamin D deficient or how you can optimise your vitamin D levels, please call us on 0845 0502 442 for an informal chat.

Wishing you the best of health

London Nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

by London nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

Have you tried every diet known to man, really watch what and how much you eat, exercise regularly and find that you STILL CAN’T LOSE THE WEIGHT???!! Well, here’s some good news. Research is pointing to the fact that an underactive thyroid might be the number one cause of weight problems, especially among women.

So what is the thyroid and how might it be affecting your weight? Well, the thyroid gland is a small butterfly shaped gland with two lobes found just in front of your neck below the Adams Apple. One of its main functions is to control metabolism- that is, the rate at which we burn calories to maintain vital functions. Our bodies need fuel just as a car needs fuel to power itself, so whether we are sleeping, shopping or exercising, we are constantly burning calories.

Now, your thyroid gland produces two main hormones. One is called thyroxine (T4) and the other is called triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid produces approximately 80% T4 and 20% T3. T4 is generally considered to be inactive and only becomes active when converted to T3, although some researchers believe that T4 does, in fact, have a function. T3 is an active hormone needed by all of the cells and tissues of the body and is the one which does all the work of regulating the body’s metabolism.

Thyroid problems often run in families and can happen at any age. Things can go wrong with the thyroid in two ways:

Hyperthyroidism, also called an overactive thyroid where the thyroid produces more thyroid hormone than it should which causes the metabolism to run too fast.

Hypothyroidism, also called an underactive thyroid where the thyroid doesn’t produce enough thyroid hormone which causes our metabolism to work too slowly.

What are the symptoms Of An Underactive Thyroid (Hypothyroidism)

• Fatigue is the most common. You feel tired and exhausted like you can’t enough sleep, or want to take daytime naps
• You’ve gained weight inappropriately or you are finding it difficult to lose weight despite proper diet and exercise
• You feel depressed or sad
• Impaired memory & concentration
• Sensitivity to cold
• Cold hands & Feet
• Constipation
• Difficult for a person to sweat and their perspiration may be decreased or even absent even during heavy exercise and hot weather
• Your skin can become dry, cold, rough and scaly
• You are losing hair, particularly from the outer part of your eyebrows
• Nails are breaking or splitting and are brittle

Does this sound like you? Then read on…

A Simple Test To Provisionally Evaluate Thyroid Function

If you’ve read this article and some of the symptoms ring true for you, but you are not sure if you have low thyroid, there is a simple test called the Broda Barnes Temperature Test which can give you an indication, but NOT A FIRM  DIAGNOSIS, as to whether or not your thyroid is functioning optimally.

Here’s what to do.  Starting on the 2^nd day of your period, take your body temperature for 14 mornings in a row. Shake down a glass thermometer and place it by your bed before you go to sleep. Upon waking, place the thermometer in your armpit for a full 10 minutes. It is important to move as little as possible during this time. Don’t get up for any reason. After ten minutes, record the temperature and date. This should be done for 14 consecutive mornings. Individuals with normal functioning thyroids have a basal body temperature between 36.6 ° C and 36.8°C. Basal body temperatures below this range may reflect hypothyroidism.

How Can Nutrition Help You Lose Weight?

In part 2 of this series, we’ll be looking at how you can support optimal thyroid functioning, and therefore optimal weight management, through nutrition.

But what about those of you who may have been to the doctor’s to check out your thyroid functioning and been told that it’s working fine, but you still feel there’s something not quite right? Well, in part 2 we’ll be looking at what and how to eat to support your thyroid, but also at the latest cutting edge technology which can help us determine whether you might be what is described as borderline hypothyroid. This means that your thyroid might not be under functioning so poorly that you are diagnosed as having an underactive thyroid, but it might be sluggish enough to be causing you weight management problems. And this is what I’ll be discussing next time.

Wishing you the best of health

London nutritionist Sylvia Hensher

Can’t wait till next time? Want to know NOW what you can do to shed the pounds and find out how well your thyroid is functioning?

Then get in touch with our London clinic either online or by phone on 0845 0502 442 for speedy and expert advice.

And what better way than drinking yourself warm with a fancy holiday latte, hot chocolate, or mug of mulled wine?

But be warned, it’s not just the mince pies that add up to a festive muffin top. Looking at the nutritional value of some of these festive drinks, you might be crossing the finish line of the eat-athon sooner than you expected.

Here are some numbers:

Calories in a mug *

Your normal, everyday skim latte has about 190 calories. Go for some caramel syrup on top and you can add about 50 calories. If you feel more festive, you may choose to drink a small meal worth of calories and have a gingerbread latte (320 calories) or a hot chocolate (370 calories – this includes whipped cream because you’re treating yourself). But if you want to top it off and drink ¼ of your daily recommended calories, go for an eggnog latte which has 470 calories.

That’s not a problem, you say. You’ll just skip your lunch or have a smaller dinner to make up for the calories – you’ll still fit into your LBD at the upcoming Christmas party. But then you find yourself going for a cheeky after work drink in Winter Wonderland, and soon you’re sipping on more calories in a mug, approximately 230 in your first mulled wine.

Here’s a thought to take on board: skipping meals will not help you lose weight, and neither will swapping your lunch for a fancy latte. It will only cause your blood sugar levels to drop rapidly or rise very quickly (due to the high sugar content in those winter warmers), which means you will quickly hit the keyboard wanting another of those yummy sweet warm drinks (or one of the mince pies you saw in the kitchen).

Now let’s have a look at the sugar content of some of those warming festive drinks.

Sugar in a mug

When looking at these numbers, remember what I wrote about previously: Your body can only ever deal with one to two teaspoons of sugar circulating in your system. One teaspoon equals about 4.2g of sugar. (I will leave some of the maths to you when converting the sugar content into teaspoons.)

Your normal skim latte has about 16g of sugar (because of the sugar in milk), but choose one of the festive lattes and you can easily double the sugar content and drink up to 39g of sugar in a medium sized cup. A hot chocolate might even have up to 43g of sugar which is about as much sugar as your daily recommended allowance. And if maths has never been your strengths, this equals about 10 teaspoons of sugar. Now imagine having your morning cup of tea adding 10 (in words, ten!) teaspoons of sugar. I would like to know if you will still be able to enjoy it.

The problem with all this sugar is that you will not only get an energy slump, but your body will also release more insulin to take the sugar out of your cells. And if you don’t end up using all this energy, your body will eventually store it, and your LBD won’t be looking as good anymore.

Why not choose an equally warming herbal tea that’s full of spices, such as yogi or chai tea? After all, you don’t want to be first to cross the finish line of the six week eat-athon. Because you most definitely won’t be wearing your LBD.

Think you might be addicted to sugar? Drop us a line and get in touch so we can help you getting back on track!

Enjoy the festive season,

Lisa

P.S. And if you’re still looking for a christmas present, why not give away a consultation with the Nutrition Coach in January!

One of the main problems of PCOS is a disordered insulin metabolism, which makes it easier to gain weight weight and more difficult to lose it.  Other issues include hirsutism (increased facial hair) and sometimes poor skin condition.  Because the Metabolic Balance programme helps balance the biochemistry behind your metabolism, it can be a great help for many of these not so pleasant side effects of having PCOS.  So not only will you find it much easier to control your weight, but you could also get support for the excess facial hair and get a better looking skin.

If you suffer from PCOS and would like to improve your hormonal health, perhaps to conceive, or to feel better and lose weight, do get in touch with us and book in for a free initial consultation.

Since that time, a number of double-blind trials have shown that those with anorexia are at a high risk of zinc deficiency and that zinc supplementation may be beneficial in treatment.  Zinc supplementation has been shown to help decrease depression and anxiety and trials by Dr Carl Birmingham have demonstrated that the rate of increase in body mass of anorexics supplementing with zinc is greater than that of anorexics supplementing with a placebo.

These studies show the important role that nutrition plays in the treatment of eating disorders, and the importance of assessing the intake of micro-nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as the macro-nutrients (fats, proteins and carbohydrates) in restoring health.

If you suffer from an eating disorder, or disordered eating patterns, feel free to contact us to discuss your personal situation, or book a nutrition appointment to see us in one of our London clinics.

Julia

One can develop a sub-optimal level of serotonin for a number of reasons.  For example, there may be a lack of the raw materials in the diet for serotonin to be made (including protein, zinc and vitamin B6); inherited deficiencies; seasonal variation; lack of exercise; or altered tryptophan metabolism. 

In order for tryptophan to cross the blood brain barrier to make serotonin, secretion of insulin is needed.  The quickest way to raise insulin is to eat simple carbohydrates, such as dried fruit or unfavourable refined carbohydrates such as chocolate.  This may go towards explaining why those suffering with an eating disorder, particularly during a binge, frequently eat simple carbohydrates.  The simple carbohydrates provide sugar which triggers insulin secretion and this in turn increase tryptophan and serotonin levels in the brain, which elevates mood, reduces cravings and satisfied appetite. 

A key step with nutritional therapy is therefore to look at correcting a serotonin imbalance and to elevate mood using nutrient rich foods and sometimes supplements.  For example, supplementing with 5-HTP, plus zinc and B6, may be useful, together with changes to the diet.  Ideally the diet should include easily assimilated foods containing good quality protein such as quinoa, fish, eggs, ground seeds and sprouted legumes. 

If you suffer from an eating disorder, or disordered eating patterns, feel free to contact us to discuss your personal situation, or book a nutrition appointment to see us in one of our London clinics.

Julia

So how can we protect ourselves? Read on for our top immune boosting tips.

1. Get your five a day. Fruit and vegetables contain antioxidants such as vitamin C and beta-carotene. These nutrients are vital for helping us fight off infections. Simple ways to boost your fruit and veg intake are to add fruit to your morning cereal or to Greek yoghurt for a healthy dessert. Have a bowl of soup and a salad at lunchtime, and roast, stir-fry or steam a wide range of vegetables and serve with your evening meal, or add lots of vegetables to warming winter dishes such as casseroles.
2. Add onions and garlic to your cooking. Both have natural antiviral and antibiotic properties which make them great for warding off germs. If your social life allows, have onions and garlic raw whenever you can.
3. Eat curry. Turmeric and coriander, both key spices used in curries, contain antioxidants. Ginger and cinnamon are wonderful warming herbs and have traditionally been used to help relieve colds, plus cinnamon has the added benefit of containing anti-bacterial properties. But before you reach for the takeaway menu, have a go at making your own curry – many takeaway curries are full of saturated fat and salt. Also consider other spiced dishes such as Moroccan, Turkish and Lebanese food.
4. Reduce sugar and excess alcohol and caffeine as they deplete the body of nutrients and can depress the immune system.
5. Drink green tea. Although green tea contains some caffeine, drunk in moderation it may help boost immunity as it is high in a group of potent antioxidants called flavonoids.
6. Ditch white foods (e.g. white bread, pasta and rice), which have little nutritional value. Instead eat dense fibrous foods such as rye bread, brown rice and oats. These foods are packed full of nutrients including B vitamins and zinc which are vital for our immunity.

De-stress. Excess stress can lower our body’s immunity so take time out to relax and get away from it all. Curl up and read a good book, watch a funny film, or wrap up warm and get outside for a long calming walk in the countryside or by the coast.

Book in for a DIET MOT to see if you can make improvements in your diet and your health!

To avoid exposure to xenoestrogens try to:

1. Eat organic food wherever possible to avoid consuming pesticides

2. Avoid heating food in plastic containers

3. Avoid storing food wrapped in plastic, especially fatty food such as cheese, meat or oily fish

4. Use natural organic skincare products

5. Use natural cleaning products

It’s also important to make sure have enough fibre in your diet and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage to help eliminate xenoestrogens.

Find out more about how a detox diet can help balance hormones, or contact us to make an appointment at one of our London nutrition clinics.

Julia

However, one substance that is definitely worth avoiding if trying to conceive is alcohol.  It is toxic to the reproductive system and can induce nutrient deficiencies, and research published last week confirmed that couples consuming alcohol whilst undergoing IVF also reduced their chances of conceiving.

Find out more about what to eat to maximise your fertility and contact us to make an appointment for a consultation at one of our London nutrition clinics.

Julia Alderman