How to keep healthy this Winter

Nutritional tips for January

Date: January 2009
Author: Sam Silvester

January is a time of resolutions, detox and for many people weight loss. If you have over-indulged over Christmas and put on a few pounds, then ditching the chocolates and alcohol, cutting back on saturated fat and sugar and increasing exercise is all that is needed. However, if weight gain is an on-going issue, then a lifestyle change may be needed. Weight gain or failure to lose weight is usually due to one of the following reasons:

• Eating more calories than you need for the lifestyle you have; Solution - reduce the portions and only eat when hungry.
• An underactive thyroid. This can be measured and tested via your temperature and blood tests; Solution - thyroid boosting diet or thyroid hormones.
• Your metabolism is slow as the body is in starvation mode because you have been over-dieting; Solution - eat healthy smaller amounts regularly and increase your exercise.
• You are intolerant to a food or group of foods; Solution - make an appointment with me to help identify your intolerances.
• Water retention due to an excess of salt or kidney problems; Solution - cut out processed food, reduce caffeine, salt and alcohol and drink more water.
• Your body has become insulin resistant due to a high sugar / high carbohydrate diet. This leads to glucose being stored as fat rather than being used for energy for the body and brain; Solution - Keep your blood sugar levels stable by reducing sugar and eating whole grains and protein with each snack or meal.

Simple Detox (to last between 2 & 7 days **)

1. Hot water and lemon first thing
2. Fresh fruit (or frozen berries which have been defrosted), 2 tbs natural live yoghurt and 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds for breakfast
3. Homemade vegetable soup with lentils; or chicken / tuna / cottage cheese salad plus a couple of oatcakes. (Make the night before if you need to take to work)
4. Grilled fish or chicken (the size of a pack of cards) with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and herbs, plus 2/3 vegetables and salad and half a baked sweet potato or half a cup of brown rice
5. Poached pears in red wine, grilled pineapple or a bowl of berries(at least an hour after your main meal)

Eat fresh fruit or crudités and humous when blood sugar is low if needed in between meals.

Your body will benefit more if you gradually reduce and cut out tea, coffee and alcohol, processed and junk food in readiness for the detox, and drink more water, fruit and herb teas.

** The elderly, infirm or those recovering from a serious illness should check with their Doctor first if radically changing their diet.