Healthy Advice - Healthy Soul

Tax sugary drinks?

August 1, 2015 by fivewrite Leave a Comment

sugar Recommendations to put an extra 20 per cent tax on sugary drink to prevent people becoming obese were put forward by the BMA (British Medical Association) recently. But will anything change? Recommendations come out all the time but do they get taken up. The BMA claims that poor diets cost 70,000 premature deaths a year.

The BMA suggests an extra tax of 20 per cent on unhealthy food and drinks. A 330ml fizzy drink is likely to contain up to nine teaspoonfuls of sugar. Apparently a sugar tax on drinks in Mexico has resulted in lower consumption. The overall aim is to reduce the number of people becoming obese and getting diabetes, which are both attributed to the increase in sugar consumption, which is highest in the 11 to 18 year old group. They take 15.6 per cent of their energy from sugar, when the limit for everyone should be 5 per cent.

There should be restrictions on promoting unhealthy foods to children through advertising and fun characters. Instead they suggest that there should be marketing campaigns to promote awareness and the importance of healthy foods. Other suggestions are for school meals to include a free fruit and vegetable scheme, and for the price of fruit and vegetables to be subsidised.

How many times have you visited a hospital and found the full range of fizzy drinks, crisps, sweets and chocolate on sale in the shop? The recommendations suggest banning these sales, and having a traffic light coding on food.
Other recommendations include:
• No trans fats in food allowed.
• Compulsory reduction of salt levels in food and drink products.
• Targets to reduce calories, fat, saturated fat and added sugar levels in a range of soft drinks, confectionery, biscuits, and many other processed foods.
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Needless to say this needs international co-operation.
Dire warnings from the British Medical Association include the spectre of 30 per cent of the UK population being obese by 2030.

Flu fighting tips

February 17, 2015 by Frances Ive Leave a Comment

The flu vaccine has only worked for three per cent of recipients, so what can you do when you’ve got flu?

David Penwarden, Naturopath, Osteopath and Acupuncturist, gives his tips as to how to fight flu.

If the ongoing media coverage given to flu concerns you, give some thought to the measures that you can take to ensure that you are in the optimum health to be able to fight off any infection effectively.

Viral infection affects those who are run down, whether by financial, domestic or business worries, loss of sleep, poor diet or over indulgence in rich food and drink. We are most vulnerable at times when the body is struggling to adapt to sudden changes in temperature, such as in autumn or spring when virus that have lain dormant in the winter months then become activated by warmth.

We each become susceptible to infection for different reasons and it’s worth thinking back to times when you have become unwell in the past to recognise your own particular vulnerabilities so that you can take action to reduce your susceptibility.

Increase Resistance

The following supplements can help to increase your resistance to influenza virus:

Echinacea – 200mg daily. Take for 3 weeks then stop for a week before starting again.

Vitamin C – 1g daily increasing up to 4g daily should any cold or flu symptoms appear.

If you suffer from an upset stomach from high levels of Vitamin C reduce to a level that your body tolerates well.

Zinc – 15 mg daily . Zinc may prevent the virus from entering cells which it needs to do in order to multiply.

Selenium – 75mcg daily, increasing to 200 mcg daily at the first sign of symptoms. Selenium is thought to inhibit the ability of the influenza virus to mutate and also to replicate.

Vitamin E enhances the effectiveness of selenium and can accelerate recovery from influenza.

Elderberry can also be effective in preventing influenza viruses from entering cells from where it can replicate by inhibiting the enzyme that the virus produces to puncture cell membranes.

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Flu symptoms

The influenza viruses are inhaled and attach to the lining of the nose and sinuses. The body tries to expel the virus by producing mucus, but if it is unable to wash out the virus it moves further on to the throat and tonsils and you will experience the symptoms of fever, sore throat, headache, fatigue, muscle ache and shivering.

A nasal douche made with a cup of luke warm water and ½ teaspoon of salt can help the body to wash out the virus at the early stage.

Fever is the body’s defensive reaction which slows down the activity of the virus. At 38C most viral activity cannot take place and the growth of the virus is retarded.

Use cool packs – rather than cold – or flannels to reduce a high temperature to under 39 degrees C and keep the patient in a cool room. If in spite of these measures temperature rises to 40 degrees C, use homeopathic remedies, or if unavailable, paracetamol, to lower the temperature.

Massage neck and shoulders if this is comfortable, as it improves the blood flow to the temperature regulating centre in the brain.

Gently massage the throat area and any swollen lymph glands with 1 teaspoon of base oil mixed with 5 drops each of eucalyptus oil and camphor oil to relieve throat pain.

N.B. Homeopathic remedies do not work with eucalyptus, camphor or peppermint so don’t combine.

A cold compress to the throat increases the blood flow to the area promoting healing and reducing inflammation.

Rest as much as possible to allow the body to put all its resources into fighting the virus. Rest is also important in convalescence as the body needs energy to rectify the damage done by the disease. So return very slowly to normal activities even when the main symptoms are over to prevent any recurrence of symptoms.

David Penwarden can be contacted on 020 8642 6639

Growing old gracefully

February 1, 2015 by fivewrite Leave a Comment

Here are a few tips to help you age gracefully, naturally. From Erin McCann, Nutritional Consultant for Unbeelievable Health.

1) Increase Your Antioxidants

• Eat more fruits, like berries and citrus fruit, and vegetables, like leafy greens and squashes.
• Take a quality, natural supplement containing antioxidant rich plant extracts, like Bee Prepared Immune Support Daily Defence or Max Strength.

2) Maintain a balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty Acids

The balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 Fatty acids is important for reducing inflammation in the body, supporting cognitive function and for maintaining cellular health. Ideally the ratio should be between 1/5 to 1/2 (Omega 3/Omega 6). When consuming the typical ‘Western Diet’ this ratio can be 1/16. This balance can be maintained by:

• Reducing processed, refined foods and take-aways in your diet.
• Eating fresh oily fish like wild salmon, mackerel, haddock and sardines 3 or more times a week.
• Cooking with coconut oil as an alternative to butter, margarine and other oils.

Try Equazen EyeQ Mind.

3) Eat balanced meals and snacks regularly

Research has found that excess insulin can speed the ageing process and create inflammation in your body. You can balance insulin and blood sugar levels by:

• Eating meals with a combination of complex carbohydrates, quality vegetarian or lean animal proteins, and antioxidant rich vegetables.
• Having quality snacks between meals, such as hummus with vegetables or oatcakes, to maintain energy and balance insulin levels.
• Reduce stimulants like coffee which can increase insulin production.

4) Exercise regularly

Exercise not only aids in weight management but it supports your body with improving energy production, immune function and bone density. Increase your exercise throughout the day by:

• Taking a brisk 20 minute walk each day.
• Opting to use the stairs or walking to destinations when you can.
• Incorporating resistance training into your regime such as yoga, pilates or weights

5) Support immune function

As you age, your immune system may not work as efficiently. A well-functioning immune system will aid your body’s natural defences against infection and chronic illness. The best ways to support immunity are:

• Get adequate sleep and rest.
• Find ways to manage stress. Stress hormones have natural immunosuppressive actions.
• Eat immune supporting nutrient rich foods containing zinc, B vitamins, vitamin C and flavonoids.
• Get out in the sun for a dose of Vitamin D.
• Take natural, plant extract immune support supplements like Bee Prepared Immune Support, which will balance and support immune function without over stimulating it.

You can buy Bee Prepared Daily Defence Immune Support here….

Overdosing on paracetamol

November 30, 2014 by fivewrite Leave a Comment

Often viewed as harmless many cold and flu medicines contain paracetamol, and when taken with the tablets themselves can result in overdose. Some people don’t realise that many of the conventional products they take for colds and flu do contain paracetamol, and yet a combination of treatments can be fatal.

FACT: the maximum amount of paracetamol you should take over a 24 hour period is 4g or eight (standard) 500mg tablets.

The problem is when someone feels lousy they keep taking doses of pills or remedies, without thinking about whether or not they are taking too much. Always check the instructions on the packaging.

Apparently some people do not realise that many of the conventional products they take for colds and flu contain paracetamol. So a combination of treatments can be fatal. Recent research at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary looked at 663 patients who had liver damage caused by paracetamol. And 161 of them who had been taking it over a period of time, using both the drug itself and remedies that contain paracetamol for other ailments including colds and flu, had unintentionally overdosed.

And the result is often tragic with as many as two out of five of paracetamol overdose patients dying from the overdoses.

There are plenty of natural alternatives when you’ve got colds or flu. For instance, Echinacea has been found to be effective in treating colds and flu. A natural herb, Echinacea doesn’t contain paracetamol. Although it is necessary to consult with a doctor if you are taking medication of any kind, to be sure that it is safe to take a herbal remedy.

Supporting your immune system tips:

• Eat healthily, and include your five a day of fruit and veg, or more.
• Reduce or cut out sugar which competes with vitamin C.
• Reduce the amount of fatty food you consume.
• Avoid alcohol and give up smoking.
• Get a good night’s sleep every night.
• Relax, smile and laugh out loud at least 3 times a day.

You can buy Echinacea from our shop: go to Healthy Soul Shop/Herbal Remedies, or you can get the new Echinacea Hot Drink to take when you start to feel the beginning of a cold.

Cholesterol – are statins the only answer?

September 1, 2014 by fivewrite Leave a Comment

Recent guidelines suggested that 4.5 million more people should be offered statins, in addition to the 13 million people who are already eligible. They stipulate that people who have a 10 per cent risk of a heart attack in the next 10 years should be offered statins, as opposed to current guidelines of a 20 per cent risk.

But there was recent furore when a group of eminent doctors complained that eight out of the panel of 12 at NICE (the National Institute for Clinical Excellence) who decides these matters, had links to the pharmaceutical industry.

So a recent debate, Bringing down cholesterol: are statins the only answer? run by the Guild of Health Writers and involving five medical professionals should prove interesting and enlightening. People are often confused about statins – some believe they’re a good thing and that everyone over 50 should take them. Others won’t take them for fear of side-effects and because they don’t believe that mass medication should be used as prevention. So if the public are confused what about the professionals?

Professor Darrel Francis, Professor of Cardiology at the Faculty of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Imperial College, has claimed that for a 35 year old man taking a statin is more effective than wearing a seat belt. He didn’t claim to be an expert on cholesterol, however, but quoted the statistics that taking statins can extend your life. When asked if he advised patients to change to a healthy diet, he said he did not tend to give that kind of advice.

Dr Aseem Malhotra’s, Consultant Cardiologist and Consultant Clinical, Associate to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, claim to fame is that he said that junk food in hospitals should be banned – a fairly reasonable concept. He explained that 60 per cent of UK adults were either overweight or obese, and that the figure would be 90 per cent by 2050. He said that poor diet caused more deaths than smoking and inactivity combined.
He urges people to take up the Mediterranean diet, which means eating fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, beans, pulses and nuts, using olive oil instead of butter, lots of herbs and spices, not adding salt. Red meat should be only eaten once a week and fish and poultry should be at least twice a week, but you can drink red wine in moderation!

Dr Malhotra was one of the doctors who wrote an open letter to the Chairman of NICE and the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt , about the new guidelines for statins. These doctors claimed that eight out of the 12 people on the NICE panel ‘had links to the pharmaceutical industry’.

The side-effects of statins quoted by Dr Malhotra were:

• Muscle symptoms
• Liver inflammation
• Increased risk of diabetes
• Inflammation of the nasal passage
• Allergic reactions
• Nausea, constipation, wind, indigestion, diarrhoea.

On the same theme, Dr Malcolm Kendrick, Scottish GP and the author of The Great Cholesterol Con (see below) claims that it’s a myth that high cholesterol causes heart disease. He said that the Japanese eat saturated fat to reduce cholesterol, and he also claimed that high levels of cholesterol were protective against dementia.

Needless to say the eminent medical professionals did not agree with each other, and maybe this is why there is so much difference of opinion among the general public.