Recently I was diagnosed with high cholesterol, what can I do to help reduce it?
A low fat, low cholesterol and high fibre diet will help you to reduce your cholesterol and decrease the risks associated with high cholesterol.
Foods that are high in saturated fats or Trans fats should be limited; these include dairy products that are not low in fat, chocolate, fatty cuts of meat, biscuits, cakes and meat pies. Replace steaks, burgers, and fried foods with fish, chicken, and turkey that are baked or grilled.
Aim to consume foods containing heart-healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids such as nuts, avocados, seeds and oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines) as these foods may help to improve blood cholesterol levels. Remember to consume at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. Foods that may help to reduce levels of bad cholesterol include high fibre foods such as berries, oats and beans.
Keeping active plays a major factor in cholesterol control levels so get regular exercise. If you are overweight it is important that you lose weight.
Having high cholesterol can increase your chances of suffering from heart disease, it is really important to get regular check ups to monitor your levels and discuss any dietary or exercise changes you wish to make with your GP.
I don’t like vegetables, how can I include them in my diet?
Everyone realises that vegetables are nutritious and an important inclusion to any diet. They contain antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that are essential for health, however you will not eat a food simply because it is good for you. There needs to be an acceptable taste and texture also. Some of the most hated vegetables include turnips, peas and cabbage. Try grating some turnip or shredding some cabbage into minced meat dishes such as spaghetti bolognese or cottage pie, and add the peas into a casserole or soup.
The more you try a food, the more likely you are to learn to like it. Blend a handful of vegetables you dislike with a tomato-based sauce and spoon over a rice or pasta dish. Gradually process the vegetables less so you have bigger pieces each time until you can eat the ‘dreaded’ vegetable without having to disguise it.
I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and want to know how I can work out what I should be eating?
The causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are unknown. However, in most cases IBS is aggravated by certain foods. After consulting your doctor and on diagnosis you will need to spend some time identifying the foods that exacerbate the symptoms of your condition. Keep a food diary to record all the foods you are eating and you can then review this and identify the foods which trigger your condition.Once you have done this, you can start tailoring what you eat to avoid these foods in your diet. You may want to seek help from a dietician to help you to this. Further information on IBS is available on the www.ibsnetwork.org.uk website.
I have decided to become a vegetarian. How can I make sure I am getting enough iron?
You can maintain a healthy diet as a vegetarian, but you do need to be more aware of certain nutrient deficiencies you are at a greater risk of due to eliminating meat and fish products from your diet.
- Great sources of iron rich foods include:
- Wholemeal bread and wholegrain breakfast cereals
- Pulses such as lentils, kidney beans and chickpeas
- Green vegetables such as watercress and spinach
- Eggs
- Dried fruit such as prunes, apricots and figs
- Nuts such as peanuts, almonds and brazils
Eating foods containing vitamin C helps us to absorb iron from non-meat sources, so it's a good idea to have a glass of fruit juice with your meals, or a piece of vitamin C-rich fruit straight afterwards. Try to avoid drinking tea with meals and for half an hour afterwards because this can reduce the amount of iron you absorb.
Can I still drink alcohol when I am trying to lose weight?
Nobody is expected to completely abstain from alcohol when following a weight loss plan, but you should be wise about the decisions that you make. Keep in mind that when it comes to alcohol more is not better; it contains calories and will hinder weight loss efforts if too much is consumed.
There are some tips and guidelines you can follow to help keep your calorie intake from alcohol low.
- To start the night have a non-alcoholic drink. Often the first drink goes down the fastest!
- Every second drink should be a glass of water.
- Choose a small glass of champagne (89kcals) over a sweet wine (103 kcals). If you make it a dry white wine, you will save even more calories as it contains only 77 kcals
- A white wine spritzer contains as little as 40 kcals per glass as long as the spritzer is a diet drink or sparkling water.
- Use diet mixers with drinks rather than regular ones.
- Skip the salty snacks, chips, pizza and burgers that often come hand in hand with a night out, salt increases your thirst and will increase the tendency to over indulge in alcohol.
- Opt for lower calorie cocktails such as Vodka Martinis, Bloody Marys or Black Russians.
- Better still, aim to drink non-alcoholic beers or diet soft drinks!
For further information on alcohol click here.
What foods are best for preventing constipation?
High fibre foods, adequate water intake and regular exercise can help alleviate the symptoms of constipation. In the UK most people do not eat enough fibre-the average intake is 12g per day. Aim to increase your fibre intake to about 25 to 30 grams per day.
Eat more wholemeal bread or high fibre white bread. Start by using one slice of wholemeal and one slice of white bread (if you are not keen on wholemeal bread) or try high fibre white bread. Use thicker bread or rolls when making sandwiches
- Try to eat more brown and wholemeal pasta and rice.
- Choose more wholegrain cereals such as those containing wholewheat, oats or barley.
- Have at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Keep the skins on the fruit and vegetables as they have the most fibre.
- Eat prunes or figs.
- Eat more pulses such as peas, beans and lentils in your diet.
- Added fibre in foods - manufacturers can add fibre to products such as cereals and bread and these are known as functional foods.
- Try sprinkling linseed on your cereal and salads.
- Drink 1.5-2 litres water daily to help the fibre pass easily through your body, and keep your bowel healthy.
- If your constipation persists for more than 3 days you should visit your GP.
How important is it to have breakfast in the morning?
Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It sets you up nutritionally for the day. People who skip breakfast often find themselves feeling hungry or craving a snack in the late afternoon.
Eating a substantial breakfast helps to stabilise blood sugar levels after an overnight fast. Stable blood sugar levels will help to prevent cravings, regulate appetite and provide you with the energy to start your day.
Eat something that is healthy and satisfying in the morning. A good breakfast would be a glass of orange juice with some wholemeal toast and a small low fat yogurt or weetabix with skimmed milk and a piece of fruit.
How can I reduce the amount of sugar in my diet?
The current guidelines advise us to eat foods containing sugar sparingly. Sugar is naturally present in foods like fruit and milk so you don't need to avoid these. But you should try to cut back on foods with added sugars such as fizzy drinks, chocolates, biscuits and sweets. These foods often have very low nutrient density, that is, they provide lots of calories but very little else by way of nutrition. They are also often high Gi foods that can cause swings in blood sugar levels and can cause food cravings.
Sugars and starches are both sources of carbohydrate, they body's preferred energy source. So choose starchy carbs such as potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, cereals as your sources of carbohydrate as this will provide long-lasting energy as well as vital nutrients.
Here are a few ways to cut down on sugar:
- If you take sugar in hot drinks, gradually reduce the amount until you can cut it out completely.
- Instead of always spreading jam on your toast, try a low-fat spread, yeast extract, sliced banana or low-fat cream cheese.
- Swap sweet treats for more savoury options, for example, have a slice of malt loaf instead of cake
- Snack on fruit, vegetable sticks or dried fruit instead of sweets
- Read nutrition labels to find lower-sugar versions of foods such as cordials, sauces and breakfast cereals.
How can I reduce my salt intake?
A diet high in salt, or sodium chloride, is linked with high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, so it is best to limit your intake. Adults, regardless of their gender or size, should have no more than 6g of salt or 2.4g of sodium a day - our average intake is currently 9.5g a day.
Guidelines for reducing salt:
- Cut back on the amount of salt you add when cooking – if you do this gradually, you'll be surprised how little you miss the salt, because your palate will adapt to the new salt levels.
- Try cooking with herbs and spices instead of salt.
- Avoid takeaway foods
- Choose reduced salt versions of generic breakfast cereals and tinned products – check labels to compare.
- Taste your food at the table before adding extra salt.
- Look for low-salt varieties of convenience foods and meals.
- Check the nutrition panel on food labels for salt or sodium content. Foods containing more than 1.5 gram per 100 grams salt or 0.6 grams per 100 grams sodium are considered high salt foods.
Do you have any healthy lunchbox ideas for my 9 year old child?
Carbohydrates are important for energy and should make up about a third of lunch, but sandwiches can be boring. Try different types of bread, such as pitta, bagels, wraps and baguettes. Use brown, wholemeal or seeded bread where possible. Pack sandwiches with tasty fillings such as a chopped banana and peanut butter, chicken or lean ham with a mixed salad, or low-fat grated cheese with tomato and cucumber.
Lunches don’t need to be expensive. Why not use leftovers from last night’s dinner for example cold pasta salad sprinkled with low fat cheese or a slice of thin based veggie pizza.
Children love finger foods so give them raw vegetable fingers that they can eat with dips such as salsa, houmous or cottage cheese. Whole wheat crackers, oatcakes, rice cakes and breadsticks are always safe choices for the lunch box.
Replace the sugar laden treats with healthier snacks such as dried fruit and yogurt, or some plain popcorn, baked chips, string cheese. Wholemeal muffins or scones also make tasty desserts.
Keep lunch interesting by varying the fruit each day and getting them to try new things like kiwi fruit, grapes or chunks of melon.
Remember that a child also needs plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Include water, a diluted fruit juice drink (2 parts water to 1 part juice), 100% fruit juice or low fat plain or flavoured milk in their lunchbox.
Kids can take a while to get used to a healthy lunchbox, so praise them when they try new foods and give them the occasional treat (non food related) when they eat all of the healthy lunch.
What are the health benefits and health risks associated with eating oily fish?
It is recommended that we aim to eat at least 2 portions of fish and shellfish per week, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish such as sardines, herring, mackerel, trout and salmon are all rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help maintain a healthy heart and healthy joints. The omega-3 fatty acids are also important for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because they help a baby’s nervous system to develop.
Most people should be eating more oily fish because omega-3 fatty acids are very good for our health.
However, oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body.
For this reason there are recommendations for the maximum number of portions of oily fish we should be eating each week (a portion is about 140g):
- Girls and women who might have a baby one day - 2 portions per week
- Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding - 2 portions per week
- Other women - 4 portions per week
- Men and boys - 4 portions per week
