FROM avoiding chocolate to drinking red wine, the list of food-related suggestions from so-called health experts is long and often contradictory.
Yet, as winter arrives and the annual calorie fest looms, there’s never been a better time to think about what we’re eating and how it’s affecting our health.
“In the run-up to Christmas, our bodies have a multitude of attacks to deal with,” says Lucy Jones, registered dietician and presenter of Channel 4’s new health show, The Food Hospital. “Besides the usual colds and flu, we’re also well known for abusing our bodies, with poor dietary changes and increased alcohol consumption.”
To shed some light on how food affects our bodies, Channel 4 has examined the science behind using food as medicine. It’s perfect timing for those worried about their immune systems ahead of the party season. “This is known as the age of the dietician.
Over the past 10 years, people have developed a real fascination with the way that diet can influence our health,” says Jones. From asthma to varicose veins, the series shows how, by eating and avoiding certain foods, you can ease the symptoms. Oily fish apparently helps asthmatics, while anyone with varicose veins should steer clear of white bread and other refined foods.
“We’re not trying to promote nutrition as an alternative to medicine — people should always still go to their GP. But we’re showing that there’s a lot you can do to help your condition,” adds Jones.
“Food impacts on the workings of every single cell in our body because it’s our fuel, so every bit of cell renewal, every bit of metabolism, will be affected by what you eat.” The presenting team, including Dr Gio Miletto, a GP, and gastrointestinal surgeon Dr Shaw Somers, also aims to debunk some of the myths about healthy eating, from overdosing on socalled “superfoods”, such as blueberries and goji berries, to relying heavily on supplements.
“You should be able to get everything you need from a healthy, balanced diet,” says Jones. Give your body a boost and prevent or cure some of the most common health complaints of the season with Lucy Jones’s top tips.
Bloating Cause: A lack of dietary fibre can lead to a build-up of gas in the stomach, as food sits and ferments rather than being digested. Bloating can also be caused by stress, owing to changes in the digestion of foods. Some people are also sensitive to “fermentable carbohydrates” — known for their gas-producing properties.
Advice: Aim to spread meals evenly throughout the day and eat slowly and calmly. Limit alcohol, keep well hydrated to avoid constipation, which encourages bloating, and consume lots of fibre to keep your bowels moving. Eat fruit, vegetables, pulses such as beans and lentils, oats and wholegrains, avoiding fatty foods. Some people may find certain healthy foods which easily ferment, such as apples and leeks, worsen their symptoms.
Indigestion/heartburn Cause:
Stomach acid refluxing back into the food pipe (oesophagus) can cause a burning feeling. Stress can increase the amount of acid produced and being overweight also makes people susceptible.
Advice: Big meals, fatty foods, smoking, fizzy drinks and alcohol cause the valve at the top of our stomach to relax, which accounts for the massive increase in heartburn at Christmas time. Avoid eating too much at any one time and don’t eat for the two hours before bed. Vegetables offer protective nutrients, which can help repair the damage caused to your oesophagus from heartburn.
Cold Sores Cause:
The herpes simplex virus, with attacks triggered by a range of factors including stress.
Advice:
Try to keep your immune system strong by eating a nutrient-rich diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, sleeping properly and taking regular exercise. Avoid the temptation to overindulge in sweets. Some people find increasing their intake of lysine — found in fish, chicken, eggs and potatoes — or taking lysine supplements helps to reduce the number of attacks. But these supplements could also raise cholesterol, so consult your GP before changing your diet.
Stress Cause:
Stress is a natural phenomenon that gives us our fight or flight response, but chronic stress is damaging to health and increases the risk of illness and chronic disease.
Advice: Stress hormones make you crave fatty and sugary foods — but these can distort your blood sugar levels, leading to spikes in energy levels and mood. Consuming a low glycaemic index (GI) diet can help to keep your blood sugars stable. Consider including more grains, nuts and seeds in your diet. Also, remember that a diet low in B vitamins and iron can leave you feeling exhausted and unable to cope, so beef up the wholegrains and green leafy vegetables. Also eat two brazil nuts a day for selenium, as low levels are linked to low mood.
Insomnia Cause:
Trouble falling or staying asleep is closely linked to stress and can be caused by various illnesses and medications.
Advice: Avoid having excess caffeine, from the afternoon onwards and alcohol, which causes broken sleep, and try having a high carbohydrate snack or hot milk shortly before bed as this can help stimulate insulin production. Eat plenty of magnesium-rich foods, such as almonds, cashews, bananas and dried apricots, as deficiency causes insomnia.
Colds and flu Cause:
The change in weather means spending more time indoors and this increases the risk of catching colds and flu from others.
Advice: Eat plenty of vitamin C (citrus, tomatoes, berries, kiwi and pineapple) and zinc (seafood, dairy, eggs, poultry and nuts) to keep your immune system strong. Garlic has anti-viral properties so is a great food for keeping colds and flu at bay.
Also, keep well hydrated as it is common to urinate more and sweat when you are unwell, so extra fluids are vital. Hot drinks can help to ease chest symptoms, so keep a steady flow going. And the old adage about chicken soup is true — its anti-inflammatory properties help to reduce the symptoms of respiratory infections.
Hangover Cause:
Excess drinking! Alcohol is a diuretic causing dehydration. It makes blood vessels constrict, inflames the stomach and triggers low blood sugar.
Advice: A sports drink containing sugar and salt (it’s very easy to make your own rehydration drink) can help ease some of the symptoms. A low-fat cooked breakfast with orange juice for vitamin C, wholegrain toast for stabilisation of blood sugars and eggs for cysteine is also ideal.
A study published by the Journal Of Inflammation Research found that cysteine, an amino acid found in eggs, breaks down the hangover. It’s best to have them boiled or poached rather than fried in fat
. ● The Food Hospital: Simple, Delicious Recipes For A Healthy Life, by Dr Gio Miletto, Lucy Jones and Dr Shaw Somers is published by Michael Joseph, priced £16.99 ● The Food Hospital is on Channel 4 on Tuesdays
