Monday, August 1st, 2011
Are you finding yourself in front of a BBQ frequently? Whether it be you hosting it or being invited to one…too many BBQs may not be healthy…
Meat can form part of a healthy balanced diet if you make healthy options. It is a good source of protein in your diet, as well as vitamins and minerals. However, some meats are high in saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels and having high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease. Also, eating a lot of red meat (such as beef, lamb and pork) and processed meat has been linked to the likelihood of bowel cancer. Processed meat refers to meat that has been preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives. This includes sausages, bacon, ham, salami and pâtés. If you currently eat more than 90 grams (cooked weight) of red and processed meat a day, the Department of Health advises that you cut down to 70 grams.
Sausages and burgers are favourite choices at a BBQ. However too many of these meats may cause a favourable environment for “bad” bacteria (such as salmonella and E.coli) to multiply in your digestive system, causing gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, constipation, diarrhoea.
So be prepared by topping up on your “good” bacteria (that may help to reduce the chances of the tummy problems mentioned), which are found in probiotic products, during the busy BBQ season!
Tags: bacteria, bowel cancer, constipation, diarrhoea, digestive system, healthy diet, red meat, vitamins
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Monday, July 25th, 2011
The school year has finally finished, the sun should be shining brightly and many of us will have holiday plans on the horizon. Whilst all this sounds like ‘heavenly bliss’ getting to the point of relaxing on the beach can often prove to be quite stressful with packing, sorting out the currency, arrangements for family pets etc. Furthermore when we actually get to our exotic destination of choice we have other factors to consider such as coming into contact with different germs and bacteria. Therefore it is also important we plan ahead for the potential dreaded ‘Delhi belly’ to help prevent this and to ensure we get a well-deserved break.
Why not try the following steps to help your digestive health and you can enjoy your trip away in paradise:
- Top up on good bacteria before you go: This can be done by increasing your consumption of prebiotics such as fruit and vegetables and also probiotics.
- Don’t overindulge on the food: Visiting different countries means you will be exposed to many dishes you may not get at home. Whilst this is very exciting our digestive system may not be used to some of these combinations of food. You should aim to be sensible with your choices however don’t be discouraged from trying new things.
- Go easy on the alcohol: When we are abroad we may tend to consume more alcohol as we don’t need to be thinking about getting up early for work the following morning. Whilst it sounds exotic having cocktails by the pool or beach ensure you also keep drinking sufficient water so as not to become dehydrated. Did you know that we are dehydrated way before we are even thirsty?
- Work in some exercise: Exercise is always a healthy part of any schedule, even when you’re traveling. Exercise can help ward off constipation, not to mention burn off some of those extra calories you might be taking in. Why not try swimming a couple of lengths of the pool before the end of the day or take a nice long stroll along the promenade after dinner.
- Pack your medications: Whilst we can prepare our digestive health to ensure we do not become ill on our holiday, sometimes it is impossible to prevent. Therefore it is important that you bring the essential medication such as heartburn, constipation, or diarrhoea tablets.
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Monday, July 18th, 2011
There are more bacteria in your colon than there are humans in this planet! And just as on this planet, there’s competition for space to live. Just as local conditions affect peoples’ choice of where to live, the local conditions in the large intestine determine the types of bacteria that will grow. Like people, bacteria directly affect their environment, while some bacteria have minimal effect, “harmful” bacteria may damage their environment and increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, where as “good” bacteria help to keep the environment healthy and often improve digestion and produce certain vitamins. The key is to get a balance between the “good” and “bad” bacteria in the intestines.
The “good” bacteria can be consumed in foods called “probiotics” – the friendly bacteria; these are generally in the form of fermented milk drinks and yoghurts. A good quality probiotic is proven to survive the hostile stomach acids, so they reach the gut in sufficient numbers and able to set up home for a while in your gut flora. Probiotics taken on a daily basis can help to “top-up” levels of the beneficial bacteria in the intestines. They are not a quick fix and need to be seen as a long term investment, as the effects may not be very obvious or immediate.
So have you had your probiotic today?
Tags: bacteria, colon, digestive health, gut, probiotics, stomach acid, vitamins
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Monday, July 11th, 2011
Whilst the British summer often lets us down there will still be plenty of opportunities to have BBQ’s and watch the sunset with family and friends. Although we may not think it at times, the warmer temperatures are an ideal climate for bugs and bacteria to grow causing an increase in food poisoning in the summer months. BBQ’s and picnics can also contribute to this increase as often the storage of food (during the transportation to your picnic’s to your chosen destination) and the preparation and cooking of meat on the BBQ is often an ideal situation for bacteria to multiply putting us at more risk of having an upset stomach. If food is not stored, prepared or cooked properly then food bugs like campylobacter, salmonella and E. coli can cause severe illness.
Following the below steps will take no extra time just a little thought and will help prevent the bacteria getting the better of us and making us ill.
- Always wash your hands thoroughly before preparing food, after touching raw meat and before eating.
- Raw meat can contain harmful bacteria and should be separated from cooked and ready-to-eat food. Do not put raw meats near salad or burger buns.
- Use separate utensils for raw and cooked meat. Never put cooked food on a plate or surface that has been used for raw meat.
- Don’t add sauce or marinade to cooked food if it has already been used with raw meat.
- Barbecued food may look thoroughly cooked when it isn’t. To be sure that it is safe to eat; check that it’s piping hot all the way through, that none of the meat is pink and any juices run clear.
- If travelling with food ensure you take it out of the fridge at the last possible moment and pack with ice back to keep cool for longer.
Tags: bacteria, BBQ, picnic, upset stomach
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Monday, June 13th, 2011
This time of year can be quite stressful for those that are taking exams. With long revision sessions and the stress of taking exams, our body can become run down making us more susceptible the common cold and other ailments. Our eating habits are also not always the best when revising .We want to maximise study time and therefore want to be able to grab something quickly meaning the nutritional value will be less of a consideration. We also tend to opt for sugary and fatty foods such as crisps and chocolate as snacks. Whilst these will give us energy to keep us going they will only provide us with short sharp boosts of energy which will then be followed by a ‘slump’ making us feel tired, restless and your concentration levels will be poor, all spelling a recipe for disaster in helping us get the grades we want.
Why not try the advice below to help you on your way to achieving the grades you deserve.
- Got a sweet tooth? Why not opt for dried fruit such as apricots, dates or cranberries. These are packed full of vitamins and minerals including fibre which will help you maintain a healthy gut and keep you fuller for longer. This snack will satisfy your sweet tooth and provide you will energy to help maintain your concentration levels.
- Top up your five a day with carrot and celery sticks dipped in hummus. This is quick, cheap and easy to prepare. Hummus is a good source of insoluble fibre which will keep us fuller for longer and provides us with slow releasing energy.
- Short sharp bursts of revision are best. We tend to not take a much in if we are sitting reading for hours. Why not split your revision sessions up by going for a short walk. This will help keep your mind active.
- Vary your revision methods. Continuously reading text will become boring and monotonous. You could try making bullet point notes, recording yourself and replaying it back or perhaps make mind maps/flow diagrams.
Tags: exam stress, insoluble fibre, nutrition
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Are you finding yourself in front of a BBQ frequently? Whether it be you hosting it or being invited to one…too many BBQs may not be healthy…
