Peach or pill?

This is from a supplement website.

I cannot understand why anyone would not simply eat the fruit and vegetables. It’s cheaper, more nutritious, more enjoyable and really not difficult to reach five portions a day, most days. Swap processed snacks for fruit, nuts, carrot sticks, celery sticks, peas and you will be well on the way to increasing your intake of natural unprocessed nutrients.

Also, this photograph from their website

I’d rather eat that peach than pop a pill.

Now, I understand fresh fruit is not at its best all week and few of us
are able to buy it every couple of days but there are ways of using over-ripe fruit.
Also, your five a day can be predominantly vegetables, which keep for far longer.

E. coli

In the light of the latest E. coli outbreak  which has been traced to rocket in UNWASHED mixed leaf salad, (this time it’s E. coli O157 which is found in the gut and faeces of many animals, particularly cattle, and can contaminate food and water…outbreaks of O157 are rare compared with other food-borne diseases) I thought this advice from Public Health England was worth posting.

Avoiding E. coli infection

• Wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet, before and after handling food, and after handling animals
• Remove any loose soil before storing vegetables and salads
• Wash all vegetables and fruits that will be eaten raw
• Store and prepare raw meat and unwashed vegetables away from ready-to-eat foods
• Do not prepare raw vegetables with utensils that have also been used for raw meat
• Cook all minced meat products, such as burgers and meatballs, thoroughly
• People who have been ill should not prepare food for others for at least 48 hours after they have recovered

 

 

“Low” Carb

There is much recent negativity in the media about “Low” carb diets and quite rightly so and quite wrongly so!

An initially ultra-low carb diet does indeed lead to weight loss but has to be managed very carefully and is not sustainable. Carbs need to be increased to bring the daily level back to a sensible amount and nine times out of ten this is lower, much lower than a person’s original starting point. Many people call themselves low-carbers when really, in these times of excess, they are sensible carbers.  It is the wording which is wrong, not the diet.

It’s true a long term ultra-low carb intake (below 25g a day) is damaging and it shocks me how many people simply drop the carbs and often, also increase the meat and cheese.  This is not the way to do it. A vegetarian client found he was eating more vegetables when he reduced his carbs…more vegetables is never a bad thing!

So yes, “Low Carb” can be damaging but those of you who adhere to “Sensible Carb” should not be discouraged.

Now, Carb Loading, that’s a whole different ball game.

By popular demand…

Many of you say you would like to know what I buy, what I have for dinner and just how many biscuits I sneak in during the day. Ask no more…I’ve added a “Meals, snacks and groceries” section to the menu tabs. I hope it helps :o)

 

Big and strong!

As adults we have to take control of the food we give our children, the quality and the quantity. Too much of a good thing can be damaging, not only by overloading with fibre or sugar (even natural sugar), for example, but by forming bad habits.

The Infant and Toddler Forum has a wonderfully clear guide on their website here

I know children are generally admonished for not eating but often children are praised for finishing a Daddy sized meal.
Being big and strong is a world away from laying down the foundation for being big and unhealthy.