The Diet Practice Horsham » Cholesterol

Top Ten Christmas Healthy Eating Tips

admin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:05:57 +0000

As we know Christmas can be a difficult time to manage the waistline but small changes in eating behaviour can substantially reduce the damage done.

One of the biggest problems is that Christmas celebrations start earlier and earlier each year with temptation around every corner, from early December.

My top 10 tips for damage limitation are as follows:

Never go shopping hungry- if you do you will eat the “tastings” in-store eg chocolate, mulled wine, mince pie, Baileys etc…
At cocktail pastries – avoid pastry and breaded “things”- head for the cocktail sticks, smoked salmon on blinis, or if you are female carry a clutch bag with one hand, drink in the other, therefore no hands free!
Aim to drink Spritzers or a single measure spirits with Slimline mixer – alternate glasses bubbly with fizzy mineral water if you prefer- no one will notice what you are drinking anyway.
If you are going out straight after work- have a banana before you leave- the potassium helps with hangovers, and is a slow-release food so stops hunger pangs
At ” set meals” you don’t have to finish your plate, and a healthy dessert is usually on offer
On Christmas Eve – cut back on calories as much as possible ie. compensate in advance as after the event your stomach will have expanded and you feel hungrier
Best breakfast on Christmas Day is a large bowl of porridge with added berries- this will line your stomach and keep you feeling full, ready to enjoy a late lunch
Have the full Christmas Lunch- and ENJOY !!!!
Later in the evening- if you are not hungry- don’t eat- empty the bowl of clementines instead
When hungry – have a turkey or ham sandwich- use cranberry sauce or chutney on bread instead of butter.

Avoid bread and pastries at parties!!!

Putting calorie information on takeaway and fast food menus

admin — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 10:47:38 +0000

The Government is working with fast food and restaurant chains on a voluntary scheme to put calories on menus as part of a strategy to tackle rising obesity. The aim is to display calorie information in fast food outlets including burger chains, sandwich chains as well as pubs and restaurants. According to recent articles in the media McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway have agreed to start from September.

I think this is excellent news as I think it will make parents, children and teenagers more aware of the number of calories in fast food and will help them to think about how to save calories and make healthier choices. It will also be useful in addressing portion sizes because it will enable people to compare things like the number of calories in a regular portion of McDonalds french fries (289 kcals) vs a large portion (460Kcals).

I just hope that small chain or independant fast food outlets will also be encouraged to display nutritional information on their menus as some areas such as Hackney in London (where obesity rates are high) and seaside towns are dominated by independant fast food outlets.

Diet, Diabetes & Cardiovascular disease

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:43:30 +0000

Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, including raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol and strokes

Our diet has a profound effect on diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At Bartholomew Clinic analysis of your dietary intake will identify areas of your diet which can be modified to help recovery and increase prevention of further physiological deterioration.

You have probably been prescribed a diet to follow such as to change the type of fat you are eating from predominantly saturated fat to monounsaturated and polyunsaturated oils and are wondering what these fats are and how you can incorporate these into your dietary regimen. At the clinic these confusions can be explained clearly to you, and together a dietary regimen can be planned to suit your requirements.

A diagnosis of diabetes in its various forms (raised blood sugar level, type 1 diabetes mellitus and type 2 diabetes mellitus) will mean that your dietary intake will play a vital role. Many sufferers of diabetes do not understand the importance of maintaining a healthy and stable blood sugar and blood-fat level. At the clinic time can be spent explaining how these systems work to cause bodily deterioration. Time can be spent to discuss how your diet can to be modified to current recommendations in a form achievable to you.

A diagnosis of raised blood pressure may be associated with you feeling fine and leaving you wondering why you should make dietary changes. Stroke is a major cause of disability in the UK, with raised blood pressure being a major contributor. It is imperative that alcohol consumption, salt and body weight be addressed – all of which can be discussed, with practical and achievable dietary aims and objectives negotiated.

Web links:

British Heart Foundation
www.bhf.org.uk

Familial Hyperlipidaemia Association
Family Heart Association
www.familyheart.org

Diabetes UK
www.diabetes.org.uk