| 52 Ways To Look And Feel Great By Making Small Changes To What You Eat |
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Start changing the way you look and feel TODAY by making one small change a week for the next year. These tips, developed by the nutritional therapy team at the National Nutrition Clinic, give you 52 ideas on small changes you can make which will have a BIG impact on your lifestyle. Tick each one off as you make the change and experience the difference as they start to take effect... 1. Drink plenty of water – 1.5 to 2 litres a day. Water is needed for the health of every cell in the body and can help improve skin quality, bowel movement and the flushing out of toxins and waste products. 2. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, minimum 5 portions a day. They contain valuable minerals, vitamins and antioxidants to help build up the immune system and fight the effects of ageing, as well as fibre and water to aid digestion and elimination. 3. Try and increase the range of coloured food – eat the colours of the rainbow every day (ie yellow pepper, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, blueberries etc) for free radical fighting antioxidant action. Eat as much variety as possible – the more different food sources, the more nutrients. Also it helps the body avoid ‘food frequency’ problems where the same food is eaten over and over until the enzymes literally get tired out and allergies and intolerances may occur. 4. Reduce your intake of saturated fats found in animal products (meat and dairy essentially) – these can have an inflammatory effect within the body. 5. Increase your intake of essential fats (omega 3 and omega 6 fats) found in oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines and fresh nuts and seeds. These fats are good for mood, brain capacity, hormone balance, skin, digestive health and much more …. 6. Ensure you eat enough protein – amino acids are our building blocks – this doesn’t mean upping meat intake – try introducing nuts and seeds and pulses and legumes such as lentils, beans and chickpeas for added fibre. 7. Protein can help slow down the release of sugar into the bloodstream thereby giving a more sustained release of energy and helping to avoid unwanted ‘peaks and troughs’. 8. Certain spices have been proven to have a positive effect on insulin function and so blood sugar control, these include cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, bay leaves. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily can have a significant impact on glucose metabolism. 9. Going for a walk after a meal helps improve blood glucose and insulin levels; improving your physical fitness is more effective still. But don’t over-exercise - this can actually increase insulin resistance! 10. Raw foods contain energy-giving enzymes and are packed with nutrients – cut up fresh vegetables and use in healthy dips such as houmous and guacamole. 11. Avocados are a rich source of vitamin E, a valuable antioxidant as well as essential fats and other nutrients such as iron. 12. Soft, fizzy drinks are high in phosphorous which creates an acidity in the body. Calcium is leached from the bones to help neutralise this acidity, bringing a risk for bone density. Substitute high juice concentrates or fresh fruit juices diluted with fizzy water. 13. Peppermint, fennel and liquorice teas can ease wind and bloating and aid digestion. 14. Camomile tea is calming and is a good way to wind down before going to bed. 15. Ginger and celery stimulate the digestive system. 16. Ginger is also excellent for good circulation, it has anti viral properties, it is good for nausea it is also calming and anti-inflammatory. 17. Quinoa is an ancient South American grain that is high in protein and calcium (in fact it contains more calcium than milk!) as well as containing essential fats. It cooks like rice and benefits from herbs and spices. 18. Vary your grains. Wheat can be irritating to the gut, particularly if eaten on a continual basis. Try barley, rye, oats, millet, corn, buckwheat, amaranth and quinoa. 19. Go wholegrain! White flour has been refined, has had the outer husk removed and with it a high proportion of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Unless stated it will also have been bleached – this means it has been treated with chlorine. As many of the minerals and vitamins have been removed, by law some must be replaced, however they will be in synthetic form and not necessarily easily absorbed. 20. Ditch the crisps! Instead of snacking on something that is high in saturated fat, trans fats, cholesterol and additives try a handful of raw nuts such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews. You will get a steady release of energy as well as plenty of essential fats and nutrients. 21. Look out for hydrogenated and/or trans fats. These are processed and ‘damaged’ fats which can cause many health problems. These fats are found in many processed foods from crisps and chips to biscuits and cakes, as well as in many margarine ‘spreads’. A little butter is better, olive oil better still. 22. Dairy can be mucous forming, as well as containing saturated fat so watch your intake – we can get calcium from many other food sources. Non dairy sources of calcium include sesame seeds (tahini), quinoa, almonds, green leafy vegetables (particularly kale), tinned fish with bones in (ie sardines). 23. Calcium and magnesium work synergistically so it is important to eat plenty of magnesium rich foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, nuts and wholegrains. 24. Live natural yoghurt may help to maintain healthy gut bacteria and it would be beneficial to eat this regularly. 25. Sprouted seeds, beans and nuts are packed with nutrients, the sprouting process enhances digestibility, enzyme content and protein content. Sprinkle them onto salads, into sandwiches and stir fries. 26. Eat bitter foods such as chicory, endives, raddichio, mustard greens, dandelion leaves to support bile flow which helps in fat digestion. Bitter foods can also stimulate the production of stomach acid which is important for proper digestion. 27. Begin the day with a cup of warm water into which you have squeezed the juice of half a lemon. This helps to cleanse the liver and boosts and cleanses the digestive system. 28. Garlic is a natural antibiotic and antifungal. It can help lower cholesterol and maintain a healthy heart. 29. Members of the allium family (garlic, onions, spring onions, leeks, chives, shallots) contain sulphur amino acids which can help liver detoxification. 30. Reduce your caffeine intake – this is found in coffee, tea, chocolate and many fizzy drinks such as Coca Cola and Red Bull. Caffeine is a stimulant and can affect mood, energy and sleep. Try different herbal teas. 31. Green and white teas do contain some caffeine although less than in regular tea. They also contain more health promoting antioxidants. 32. Nettle tea is detoxifying, increases urine flow and balances acid in the body. It can help arthritis, eczema and fluid retention. It also contains chlorophyll which is good for helping build up the blood. Drink 2-3 cups daily. 33. Good quality, high cocoa content dark chocolate contains potent antioxidants called flavanoids – these can help with cardiovascular health. In fact it is thought that it contains at least double the amount found in green tea and red wine. However, chocolate also contains caffeine, a small bar of dark chocolate contains more caffeine than a cup of instant coffee. 34. Pomegranates, traditionally associated with fertility, are packed with antioxidants, fibre (if you eat the seeds and don’t just drink the juice), vitamin C and niacin (vitamin B2). 35. Potassium is important for regulating blood pressure. It is found in fruit and vegetables, particularly bananas – another good reason for eating your greens! 36. Celery contains a compound that has been found to lower blood pressure – eat 4 sticks of celery daily. 37. Reduce your sugar intake as much as possible. Sugar is an ‘anti-nutrient’ and can actually depress the immune system. 38. Coconut is a rich source of vitamins, minerals and essential fats. It has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and is best used unheated. 39. Oats have a high fibre content that can stimulate digestion, can help lower cholesterol levels and are excellent for a slow release of energy through the day. They can also help sleep – get your oats at bedtime! 40. The old saying goes ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ …. Whoever said this was right! Apples can help with digestive problems, reducing cholesterol and removing toxins from the body. 41. Help ward off colds during winter: ginger and garlic are antiviral. Rosemary, sage and thyme are antibacterial and protect mucus membranes. Use in teas and food. 42. Black pepper contains piperine, this can help you absorb more nutrients from your food (in fact if you go heavy on the pepper you may as much as double nutrient absorption!) 43. Large fish such as tuna, swordfish and marlin contain high levels of mercury – reduce consumption and opt for wild or organic salmon, mackerel or sardines. 44. Cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, kale etc) contain compounds which are important for healthy liver function and have also found to be protective against certain cancers. A high consumption of these is associated with a reduced incidence of cancer of the lung, bowel and pancreas. 45. Take care with tea. Tannin binds to important minerals and prevents their absorption in the digestive tract. It is better not to drink tea with meals but to wait at least an hour before or after eating to have a cup of regular tea. 46. Sesame and sunflower seeds are rich in selenium, vitamin E, calcium and zinc. Eat a spoonful daily to optimize antioxidant function. 47. Aloe vera has immune boosting, anti-viral and antiseptic properties as well as being soothing and healing to the gut. A good all-round tonic as well as a boost during an infection. 48. Use olive oil in cooking instead of butter or sunflower oil. Olive oil has many healthy properties and is good for lowering cholesterol, skin health and can help the body fight infection as well as being good for the brain … in fact it really is a health food! 49. Avoid artificial sweeteners – aspartame has been linked to mood swings and depression as it alters the levels of the brain chemical serotonin. There are also concerns about the toxicity of aspartame. As a point of interest, regular users of artificial sweeteners tend to gain weight because these sweeteners increase the appetite. 50. Lentils, beans and chickpeas are excellent sources of vegetarian protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and can help keep cholesterol down. 51. Oriental mushrooms such as maitake, shiitake and rei-shi contain powerful immune-stimulating compounds. 52. Be aware of your alcohol intake. Although 2-3 glasses of red wine weekly is thought to be beneficial, high alcohol intake can contribute to cancers and cardiovascular disease. Congratulations! If you made it through all 52 changes you should be looking and feeling GREAT. Let us know how you get on. Either call us on 0845 130 7832 or email us on info@nationalnutritionclinic.com Graham Rowan Practice Director National Nutrition Clinic Because Nutrition Is Personal… 0845 130 7832 www.NationalNutritionClinic.com |
| Posted: 17/05/2006 17:07:46 |
Chick Lit > Fit Chicks :: 52 Ways To Look And Feel Great By Making Small Changes To What You Eat