Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
With the news agenda dominated by volcanic ash and election debates you may have missed the news about the need for five fruit and vegetables a day being a myth.
What? Has the government lied to us? (no sniggering). Are we being force fed incorrect health messages? Well according to an international research team which examined over 500,000 Europeans, only 2.5% of cancers could be averted by increased fruit and vegetable intake.
But as with many stories that crop up in the media, the headline may suggest a great deal but doesn’t really explain the whole situation. In fact the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has given a more detailed and accurate view. The study that generated so much media interest looked at overall cancer risk, rather than focusing on those cancers which have a good level of evidence for fruit and vegetables. But we should still consider that 2.5% still equates to 7,000 cases in the UK each year – that’s a lot of people.
Dr Rachel Thompson, Science Programme Manager for WCRF says; “If you look at specific types of cancer, including mouth, pharynx, stomach and oesophagus, the evidence shows that eating plenty of fruit and vegetables probably reduces risk.”
The general advice is to eat fruit and vegetables as it is beneficial and you are less likely to become overweight. Keeping them to as a cornerstone of any diet is a view shared by Yakult nutritionist Hannah Baker.
”Fruit and vegetables are packed full of nutrients and vitamins which are beneficial for your overall health and wellbeing, but importantly for digestive health, they contain lots of fibre which can help promote bowel movements.”
”There is very good evidence for increasing your consumption of fruit and vegetables; and reaching the five-a-day target doesn’t have to be difficult. Try incorporating one portion with each meal and snacking on fruit and veg twice a day and you’ll find it easier to stay on track.”
But eating fruit and vegetables is just one way of improving your digestive health. Click to our Get Gut Healthy section to get some more ideas.
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Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Many people don’t realise that having good digestive health isn’t just about making sure you’re eating the right foods. Of course ensuring your engine has the right fuel is vitally important, but if you don’t look after it correctly then you could find yourself still struggling with digestive problems.
For instance, having a healthy lunch is only so good if you bolt it down, eating on the go, rushing from one appointment to another. Taking time over a meal, eating slowly, sees chewing releasing enzymes which kick start digestion. Chewing of course helps break down food into more manageable chunks and of course when bolting down food you could fall foul of taking lots of air with every mouthful leading to uncomfortable wind.
So how can you get a better gut lifestyle – here are just five tips to get you started:
- Get to bed! Not only does your body feel sluggish when it doesn’t get enough sleep but your bowel function can be affected too. It can also affect your appetite and mental function. And if you struggle with insomnia avoid late night fatty foods, alcohol and caffeine.
- Eat regularly and moderately. Make time for breakfast every day as the first meal of the day wakes up the gut and stimulates a bowel movement.
- No smoking – smoking doesn’t just affect the lungs but also the gut. It can diminish the sense of taste and can increase the likelihood of Crohn’s Disease, heartburn, peptic ulcers and cancers of the mouth, oesophagus, stomach and pancreas.
- Relax. In the short term being stressed can cause indigestion but can also aggravate existing gut complaints such as IBS.
- Reduce antibiotic usage. Try to take antibiotics only when they are really necessary. They can disturb the balance of the gut flora and cause digestive disturbances so don’t nag your doctor for them.
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Tuesday, April 6th, 2010
Don’t let the chocolate take over!
For about the fifth year in a row I survived my Lent promise to give up chocolate and am pleased to say that a number of other people in the Love Your Gut team also did – well done all!
But of course you can’t get through Lent and all that lack of chocolate without over indulging can you? Can you? I have to say it’s already proving a little tricky and not helped by my husband telling me that I can’t let all my lovely Easter eggs run out of their best before because of my great delayed gratification!
But I guess the think to make sure I am not overindulging is all about balance. Making sure my diet is nicely balanced and that the chocolate is a treat for having achieved other things. Have I managed my five a day? Then perhaps a smidge of chocolate is allowed. Or have I actually exercised today? Then again, maybe I am allowed a treat.
Does it seem harsh? I’m all for balance and moderation but I also don’t want to ruin my appetite or my digestive health by tucking into those chocolate treats too soon. So I feel if I have it as a reward I’m allowed again now, then I will savour it all the more. And my waistline will also realise I’ve done something to earn it!
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