It’s Your Life
End the confusion from conflicting health advice
Professor Norman Ratcliffe
Swansea University, Wales, UK
Illustrated by Hannah Michael
Published by Zenessa Limited at Smashwords
My blog: http://www.its-your-life.info
Copyright 2010 Norman Ratcliffe
License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book is dedicated to my parents whose undying faith in my academic capabilities allowed me to pursue a scientific career. My gratitude also goes to my sister, Teri King, whose success as an author and constant encouragement and advice were such sources of inspiration. Thanks too to my many friends for tolerating so many mealtime discussions on health and diet as well as the unsolicited advice given to them!
Finally, I wish to thank Dr. Duncan McLaren of Swansea Metropolitan University for his outstanding enthusiasm and imagination during creation of sections of this book as well as Doreen Montgomery of Rupert Crew Ltd for her patient and helpful comments of the manuscript.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction - A simple health plan
Chapter 1 - Food, a basic diet
Benefits of breakfast and what to eat
Outline of a sensible diet
Warning about red meat and salt
The definition of a portion of fruit and vegetables
Definition of a balanced diet
Reasons for being overweight
Daily calorie requirements
Tap versus bottled water
Chapter 2 - More about food. Help! What am I eating?
Tables of calories, fat, salt, fibre and sugar
Contents of 300 common foods
Changes in diet with age
Summary for healthier diet and weight control
Chapter 3 - More facts about food, fat, fibre and fad diets
Good, bad and ugly fats explained
Facts about fibre
Fad diets-Atkins and the GI diets explained
Chapter 4 - Is our food safe? Are pesticide residues present in our in food?
UK organizations monitoring pesticide levels in food
Origin of pesticides in food
Types of pesticides in food
Introduction to the “cocktail effect”
Pesticide contamination rates in fruit
Pesticide contamination rates in vegetables/salad
Pesticide contamination rates in other types of food
Summary table of foods with highest and lowest Contamination rates
Which organic foods to buy
Chapter 5 - Is our food safe? Additives, preservatives and colorants in food
Types of additives described
Summary tables of types of additives and Safety concerns
Avoidance of toxic additives in diet
Chapter 6 - The cocktail effect - the total chemical load of the body
Studies on levels of chemical contamination of body
Origins of chemical contamination in body
Table of chemicals of concern
Reduction and avoidance of chemical contaminants
Particular concerns for pregnant women
Methods of detoxification
Chapter 7 - Vitamins and supplements I - take or not to take?
Confusion from conflicting media reports
Effect of food processing on vitamins and minerals
Need for vitamin and mineral supplements
Tables and functions of vitamins and minerals
Chapter 8 - Vitamins and Supplements 2 - the bottom line
Why the majority of the UK population needs supplements
Detailed recommendations for specific groups of people
Normal people, pregnant and menopausal women, babies, Children, drinkers, smokers, diabetics, vegetarians and obese people included
Chapter 9 - Exercise – basic introductions
Why bother?
Advantages of regular exercise
How walking can reduce death rates, cancer and heart disease
Chapter 10 - Exercise-for gym lovers
To gym or not to gym?
Choice of gym
Value of a gym buddy
Program for gym
Aerobics and weights
Pointers for gym people
Chapter 11 - Exercise-for gym haters
Alternative types of exercise
Table of calories used in exercises
Table of exercise times required to burn calories from snacks
Sensible way to begin exercise
Individual and team sports
Housework and sex
Exercise for lazy, stressed or hectic people
Exercise at different ages
Avoidance of muscle wasting/sarcopenia
Appendix
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
• FED UP WITH CONTRADICTORY HEALTH/DIET ADVICE? NOT MUCH TIME AND JUST WANT THE BASIC FACTS?
• THEN DON’T READ THIS BOOK COVER TO COVER.
• JUST IDENTIFY CHAPTERS OF INTEREST FROM THE CONTENTS PAGES.
• READ THE SUMMARIES AT THE END OF MANY CHAPTERS AND/OR THE SECTION MOST APPROPRIATE TO YOUR AGE AND LIFESTYLE.
• WANT MORE DETAILS THEN READ THE REST OF THE CHAPTER AS REQUIRED.
• REMEMBER, YOUR PARTICULAR CONCERNS CAN BE ADDRESSED HERE.
FOR EXAMPLE, YOU CAN FIND OUT AT A GLANCE : -
i. Which foods contain excess calories, saturated fats, sugar and salt (Chapter 2)
ii. Which organic foods are most important to buy (Chapter 4)
iii. How to avoid pesticide-contaminated food (Chapter 4)
iv. How to avoid the most dangerous food additives (Chapter 5)
v. Your “Body Burden” of chemicals and their avoidance/elimination (Chapter 6)
vi. Which vitamins are essential for your age group (Chapter 8)
vii. Which types of exercises are best for your age (Chapter 11)
THE AUTHOR
Professor Norman Ratcliffe is a founder member of a team that recently discovered a new antibiotic potentially capable of curing MRSA and Clostridium difficile. This work was presented to Prince Phillip at St. James’s Palace, London and was the subject of major media attention in the UK on ITV News and in many leading newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, around the World. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and has previously run a “Health Alert” blood-testing company. He has published over 200 books and research papers on immunology, cancer invasion, influenza, tropical diseases and MRSA. He played squash for Wales, ran the London Marathon at 50 yr old and works-out regularly in the gym.
Professor Ratcliffe retired recently after 25 yr as a University Research Professor. He decided to finally complete “Its Your Life” after 5 yr work in order to help the many people who are confused about health and fitness issues and who have constantly been asking his advice.
THE AIMS
The main aim of “IT’S YOUR LIFE” is to end the confusion resulting from the huge outpouring of conflicting health advice appearing in the media almost daily. For example: Should we drink tap or bottled water? Is it necessary to buy solely organic foods? Are we being poisoned by pesticides and food additives? Are vitamin supplements really necessary and which ones should we take? Do we have to exercise 5 times per week? All advice offered is based on the analysis of existing scientific evidence and does not result from any alliance to a Government Organization, an Alternative Health or Lifestyle Charity, or a Pharmaceutical Company. This book does not profess to tell you how to live to be a 100 years old but it does show you, SIMPLY, how to maintain health, fitness, strength, energy and a feeling of well-being throughout your life and into your later years.
“IT’S YOUR LIFE” also aims to change our present concepts and prejudices that often compartmentalize people into certain categories at specific ages. Why is it that even well meaning advertisements often portray 40+ people as unattractive and generally 50+ people as old, toothless, inactive and one step from the nursing home? The problem is that people are exposed to so much of this stereotyping that they subconsciously believe the hype and begin to live their lives accordingly.
WHAT IS SAFE AND WHO DO YOU BELIEVE?
OF FATS, FIBRE, PESTICIDES, ADDITIVES, VITAMINS, EXERCISE, ETC
FIND OUT HERE!
“IT’S YOUR LIFE” IS A UNIQUE CONTRIBUTION SINCE:
• It is for people of all different ages, aiming to optimize health and fitness and maximize an active and independent lifestyle throughout life. It is not a part of the recent deluge of health and diet books or videos produced by B-class “celebrities” but has been written by a biomedical scientist of international repute.
• You will not find in most books high impact illustrations emphasizing important points in the text. For example, the cover illustrates the present-day frustration and confusion of the average consumer exposed to contradictory health and dietary advice.
• You will not find in most books on diet and exercise clear summaries of basic facts for adopting a new health plan. Thus, for the many people with busy lives who may hate reading health books Chapter 1 (“Food, The Basic Diet”), Chapter 9 (“Exercise, Basic Introduction”) and other Chapters are designed for rapid reference, often to specific age-groups of people.
• You will also not find in most other books descriptions of how many aspects of diet and exercise change at different times of life (Chapter 1) as well as reasons for weight gain as we age and advice as how to avoid this (Chapter 2, “Help! What Am I Eating?”).
• You will also not find in most other books extensive tables for rapid identification of foods containing high levels of calories, saturated fats, salt and sugar (Chapter 2). Thus, information on over 300 different food groups can be extracted at a glance without the necessity of reading minute and confusing Supermarket Food Labels.
• You will also not find in most books not only clearly tabulated facts about “The Good, The Bad And The Ugly Fats”, and “Fibre” but also appraisals of the Atkins and GI “Fad Diets” (Chapter 3).
• You will also not find in other books details of the rates of pesticide contamination of fruit, vegetables and other types of food using easily interpreted tables (Chapter 4). A summary table is also included, for attaching to the refrigerator door or notice board, to identify the least chemically polluted foods.
• You will also not find in other books a list of organic foods that are the most important to buy (Chapter 4) and an explanation why, in these financially challenged times, it is unnecessary to eat just organic foods.
• You will also not find in many other books details of the potential impact on food safety of Food Additives, Preservatives and Colorants (Chapter 5) together with consideration of the total chemical loading of the body from all sources (Chapter 6, “The Cocktail Effect”). Possible interactions of chemicals accumulated from pesticides and additives in food, and from cosmetics and household sources, are also discussed, and advice given on reducing the uptake of chemicals from the environment.
• You will also not find in other books an understanding of the “Vitamin Dilemma” as “To Take Or Not To Take, That Is The Question” (Chapters 7 and 8) facing most people following conflicting advice in the media. Clear scientific analysis of the latest research shows that people require different supplements at different stages in their lives. Supplement recommendations are made for each stage from pregnancy to old age.
• You will also not find in most other books an understanding of the “To Gym Or Not To Gym-That Is The Question” dilemma faced by many people beginning to exercise for the first time (Chapter 9). It introduces the basics and benefits of regular exercise and describes how to begin training in the gym and an outline exercise program (Chapter 10).
• You will also not find in most other books details of “Alternative Types Of Exercise For Gym –Haters” (Chapter 11), with different sports and activities described together with the calories used and a table of the time taken with different sports to burn off highly calorific snacks. Uniquely, the effects of each type of exercise are presented in terms of joint damage and cardiovascular function, and advice on exercising at different ages is also included.
In summary, “IT’S YOUR LIFE”, presents the best advice available for optimizing health and fitness in a manner designed to enlighten and engage the non-expert reader.
INTRODUCTION
A SIMPLE HEALTH PLAN
MIDDLE–AGE SPREAD, just look around it’s everywhere. Can we avoid the weight-gain, diseases, degeneration and general malaise that often seem to accompany the aging process? Have you noticed, in recent years, how more and more young people appear middle-aged? Why are some diseases such as cancer of the colon and diabetes of such prominence now? Can we avoid these changes and diseases? This book does not profess to tell you how to live to be a 100 years old but it does show you, SIMPLY, how to maintain health and fitness and a feeling of well-being into your later years.
Figure 1. Showing slim (left) and overweight (right) females for comparison. The tape measure never lies!
Figure 2. Showing slim (left) and over weight (right), middle-aged men for comparison
The author aged 65 yr
FED UP WITH THE CONSTANT BARRAGE OF HEALTH ADVICE AND DO’S AND DON’TS? This chapter outlines the basics of a simple lifestyle so that you need read no more and then try and follow the suggestions made. If, however, you want to know more about the various components then the remaining chapters of the book will explain the details and introduce new health topics.
THE AGING PROCESS
Who knows why we age? Scientists have many theories including: -
• Accumulation of damage to tissues by components of the oxygen that we breath. Yes, oxygen can be poisonous to cells!
• Loss in ability of cells to multiply and self-repair due to changes in the aging chromosomes.
THE BASIC HEALTH PLAN
You have heard it all before from the media:
• Eat less junk-food and include 5 portions of fruit and vegetables in your diet each day
• Avoid too much animal fat and red meat - eat more fish and chicken
• Take regular exercise
• Give up smoking
• Avoid excess alcohol
• Examine your breasts, testicles and moles regularly for lumps and changes
• Get married
EASY TO SAY but how do you successfully change your lifestyle and end up with this desirable health plan? The following chapters will guide you BUT REMEMBER: -
• If you hate reading health books then just concentrate on Chapters 1 (“Food, the basic diet”) and 9 (“Exercise– basic introduction”) as these are designed as an introduction to a new health plan.
• Chapters 2 and 3 (“More about food” and “More facts about food, fat, fibre and fad diets”) enlarge on Chapter 1 and tell you details about calories and important food components as well as changing your diet with age.
*Chapters 10 and 11 describe how to begin an exercise program
FOOD The Basic Diet (not dieting)
THERE IS NO NEED TO PILE ON THE POUNDS PAST 40 YEARS OLD
• It’s getting more and more difficult to walk up those stairs, carry the shopping bags any distance, kick the ball around or make love. It’s time to take control.
• You have abused your body with greasy breakfasts, hamburgers, chips, crisps, pasties, cakes, fizzy drinks and ready meals so that the pounds are piling on and you don’t bother much with vegetables and fruit so what can you do?
• The fact that you are reading this book is a good start and shows that you are concerned. The best start you can make is simply to understand that you are eating too many calories and as you get older the extra calories will turn into ugly fatty deposits and block your heart and blood vessels. REMEMBER, YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.
First, what about breakfast? Those fry-ups are delicious aren’t they? Can you slowly reduce the number that you have each week? Maybe down to just one on Saturday morning. If this is difficult then try having a few more beans or tomatoes instead of all that bacon, those two eggs, fried bread, chips and fat-filled mushrooms. USE THE TOMATO KETCHUP (do not worry about snooty waiters). Ketchup is particularly good for men.
There is evidence that the red pigment, lycopene, an antioxidant found in tomatoes, and to a lesser extent in apricots, pink grapefruits, papayas and guavas, can protect against cancer of the prostate in men. A number of so-called “epidemiological studies” which looked at dietary intake of lycopene from tomatoes and tomato products and incidence rates of prostate cancer, found a reduced risk of cancer. One such study involved nearly 48,000 men over 12 years and reported that 2+ servings of tomato or tomato products per week significantly reduced prostate cancers rates (see reference 1).
Needless to say, there are other scientific studies that disagree about the protective properties of lycopene. The US Food and Drug Administration reviewed all these studies and concluded that there is “limited evidence to support an association between tomato consumption and reduced risks of prostate, ovarian, gastric, and pancreatic cancers” (see reference 2).
TOMATO SAUCE HAS PARTICULARLY HIGH LEVELS OF LYCOPENE, which is highly concentrated during heating of the tomatoes to release this red pigment from the tissues. The oil base of the sauce assists lycopene absorption in the gut. Other food products containing high levels of lycopene include tomato juice, tomato paste, condensed tomato soup, pizza sauce, spaghetti and baked bean sauce and some barbecue sauces. Raw tomatoes are best cooked to release the lycopene.
Figure 1. Who says that a dog is man’s best friend? Tomatoes contain high levels of the red pigment, lycopene, which can significantly reduce rates of prostate cancer in men
NEVER MISS BREAKFAST COMPLETELY as it is, as the name implies, the breaking of the overnight fasting and your blood sugar levels will be low. Your sugar levels will continue to fall and, unless you eat something, you will be tempted to snack mid-morning. What can you eat instead of fried breakfasts or white toast with thick layers of butter or margarine or no breakfast at all? Some cereal (Weetabix, Shredded Wheat or unsweetened Muesli are much better than Sugar Puffs, Cornflakes, Rice Crispies or Coco Pops) with skimmed milk is good, maybe with a little toast (whole meal is best) and marmalade/Marmite. Try the toast just with marmalade/jam/Marmite and you will soon forget about the butter/margarine. Significantly, Marks and Spencer are removing products made with trans fats (=hydrogenated vegetable fats, causing heart problems, see Chapter 3 for details), including some MARGARINES, from the shelves. Try and avoid whole milk in latte or cappuccino. When ordering a coffee in a restaurant, it is worthwhile asking what sort of milk is being used and requesting skimmed or semi-skimmed if possible.
If you are really determined to start anew then OATMEAL PORRIDGE (which has low fat and salt, and reduces cholesterol and stress) with skimmed milk and a little honey is great, not only for the heart but also will suppress the desire to snack later in the day.
The importance of breakfast for children cannot be over-emphasized. A recent survey of 213 children between the ages of 4 and 11 commissioned by Kellogg’s entitled “The Effects of Cereal on Children” (detailed at www.kelloggs.co.uk/mediacentre/) showed that children who eat cereal for breakfast are mentally more alert for school than children who skip breakfast. The benefits of eating breakfast cereal included:
Benefits of children eating breakfast cereal before school
• 9 percent more alert
• 11 percent less emotionally distressed
• 13 percent less tired
• 17 percent less anxious
• 10 percent less likely to suffer memory and attention span problems
• 33 percent less likely to suffer from stomach complaints
Eating breakfast results in higher concentration and energy levels, as well as improving behavior and well-being in children.
Figure 2. Shows that eating breakfast results in higher concentration and better school work in children as well as increased energy levels and improved behavior and well-being.
No, don’t go on a NEW FAD OR TRENDY DIET that you read about in the newspaper or your favorite celebrity is promoting for money. First, just try replacing the fizzy drink with water or non-fizzy fruit juice (but not too many as juices contain calories too) and introduce an apple, orange, banana or a few grapes (any fruit!) into your diet each day. Once you succeed then look at the hamburger, cheeseburger, chips, meat pie, instant frozen meal or white roll, etc that you normally eat and consult the calorie chart (see, Chapter 2, Table 1). Do you really want all that processed high fat and salt-containing stodge or could you replace it with a few potatoes or rice (brown preferred) and a piece of cooked chicken or fish? Sounds boring but can be delicious with some pasta sauce on the chicken/fish cooked (not burnt) in a pan/oven with olive oil.
AVOID EATING RED MEAT EVERY DAY as it has been estimated that people who eat red meat twice instead of once per week have double the chance of developing bowel cancer. Recently, it has been shown that men who ate high amounts of red meat per week (about 6 oz or more = 160 grams red meat per day) were 22% more likely to die from cancer and 27% more from heart disease than those who ate low amounts of red meat (about 1 oz = 25 grams) per day. In women, the equivalent figures for those who eat high amounts of red meat were 20% more likely to die of cancer and 50% more likely to die of heart disease, compared with women who consumed the lowest levels. Processed meats such as hotdogs, sausages, and pepperoni were even worse than red meat (see reference 3).
By all means have a good steak or roast beef once a week. Red meat includes beef, lamb, bacon, gammon, and pork while white meats are chicken, turkey and fish. White meat should be eaten most days although the occasional omelet is fine.
FANTASTIC, YOU ARE WELL ON THE WAY.
Next try and include a few peas, beans, carrots (fresh cooked are delicious) or any vegetable you can stand with your meal. Yes, cooking is a chore so salad is fine or buy a steamer in which you can cook all the vegetables individually in the separate pans (retaining their vitamins) all at one time with minimal washing up (See Chapter 7, for hints on the best methods of cooking to retain vitamins).
Again, but especially men, always use the ketchup freely.
Whatever you do, try and watch the amount of salt that you are eating (see reference 4).
Figure 3. Shows that excess salt raises blood pressure and causes strokes and heart disease
The recommended daily amount is about 6 grams, which is just more than one level teaspoon. Most salt is eaten in processed meals, crisps, bread, sauces and soup (see Chapter 2, Table 1, for salt contents of many foods). Read the labels on foods and remember the “sodium” levels shown have to be multiplied by 2.5 in order to arrive at the true salt content. You will soon realize that a single instant meal often contains as much or even more than your 6 gram daily allowance! Thus, the limit on sodium intake is about 2.5 grams per day.
What about desserts? Have you tried fresh fruit salad (either bought from the supermarket or made by you) with some low fat yoghourt? You cannot stand yoghourt!? Ok, try the fruit salad alone or with a little custard or rice pudding (not made with full fat milk!). There is no fruit salad available? Ok, skip the rolly polly and chocolate puddings and buy some dried fruit and nuts instead.
Gradually, modify your diet, as above, until you will be surprised to find that you are eating at least “five portions of fruit or vegetables every day” recommended by all doctors and nutritionists. These fruits and vegetables will contain most of the vitamins and minerals needed and all of the fibre required for a healthy gut (see Chapter 3 for more details on fibre).
Figure 4. Shows the benefits of eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day
We are constantly told to eat 5 portions of fruit or vegetables per day for a number of reasons since they: -
• Contain high levels of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants (see Chapters 3 and 7, for details)
• Are low in fat and calories and therefore help weight control
• May reduce the risk of strokes, heart disease and cancer
• Look attractive and stimulate the desire to eat healthily
LESS THAN 50% OF PEOPLE are aware of the need to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day. This is despite the constant reminder to do so by the media and health advisors.
EVEN FEWER PEOPLE know what makes up a portion of fruit or vegetable
SO WHAT IS A PORTION? It is no good being told to eat “5 portions” unless we know exactly what makes up a portion. According to the Food Standards Agency (www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet and www.5aday.nhs.uk/whatcounts):
A PORTION OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES = 80 g or just less than 3 ounces
However, we cannot weigh (especially in restaurants) all the fruit and vegetables that we eat so try remembering that a portion (fresh, tinned or frozen) is:
• 1 small glass (150ml or about 1/3 pint) of fruit or vegetable juice or smoothie* but fruit juice only counts as one portion no matter how many glasses you drink
• 2 smaller fruits such as plums, tangerines, kiwi fruits, or 3 apricots
• 1 medium fruit such as apple, pear, orange, nectarine or banana
• For larger fruits, include a grapefruit or avocado or 1 slice of melon or pineapple or 2 slices of mango (all about 2-inches thick)
• A handful of grapes, berries or dried fruit
• 3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables, chopped fruit or pulses (beans, peas, and lentils). Again, pulses only count as one portion no matter how much you eat.
• A small dessert bowl of salad
*Smoothies are very fashionable and can be beneficial but take care to check their ingredients since they can have high sugar, fat and calorie contents. Also, most of the fibre has been removed and sometimes they are mixed with whole fat milk or yoghurt and not made with fresh fruit but fruit concentrate containing fewer vitamins and minerals. The famous American Peanut Butter Moo’d, marketed by Jumba Juice, contains chocolate and peanut butter and every 890 ml packet has 1170 calories and 169 grams of sugars!
Potatoes are starchy foods and do not count towards your 5 portions per day.
If possible, drink a glass of red wine with dinner, as it is good for the heart and circulation too.
DRINK PLENTY OF WATER throughout the day as it will help to detoxify the body, prevent dehydration, constipation and fatigue. Who counts how much they drink? However, about 6-8 average glasses of fluid per day is recommended and water, milk, teas, coffee, soup and fruit juices all count. Normal teas and coffees do tend to dehydrate the body and if your urine becomes dark yellow then drink some more water. The above 6-8 glasses of fluid per day apply whether you eat at home or in the canteen in work but do not count any alcohol.
THE TAP WATER VERSUS BOTTLED WATER DEBATE
See bellow in this chapter
Yes, the above looks like a diet but it is just sensible eating. The important thing is NOT TO CHANGE EVERYTHING AT ONCE but just pick those things that are easiest for you and introduce them slowly so that they become part of your normal daily routine. Following the advice above you should end up with a so-called “Balanced Diet”.
A balanced diet would include the following food groups: -
1. Bread, cereals, pasta, rice and potatoes which are high in carbohydrate and called “starchy” foods. Carbohydrate should make up 50-60% of calories in diet.
2. Fruit and vegetables since these contain healthy carbohydrate, protein (pulses), fibre and vitamins.
3. Meat as a source of protein to include red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and meat substitutes such as nuts and pulses (peas, beans and lentils). Avoid too much red meat (beef, pork, ham, lamb) and no more than 1-2 times per week. Protein to make up 15-25 % calories in diet.
4. Milk and dairy products to include milk, cheese and yoghurt (all low-fat or skimmed) provide some protein, calcium and B vitamins and fats. Fats to make up 10-15% calories in diet.
5. Soft drinks and foods such as sweets, jam, cakes, biscuits, puddings, crisps, ice cream and sauces all contain high added sugar and/or saturated fats and should be limited and reduced if possible.
Figure 5. Shows the main groups of foods described above. The size of each slice represents the proportion of the diet that should contain that food group. Hence the smallest slice contains sweets, biscuits, cakes, etc. Note that meat and dairy products have been combined into one slice
• A “balanced diet” would include a combination of foods from all of the main food groups (above) at each meal.
• Avoid foods high in saturated fat and trans fats as well as those with high levels of added sugar and salt (see, Chapters 2 and 3).
• Beware added salt with a limit of 6 grams per day (= about one teaspoon full) or no more than 2.5 grams of sodium. This is confusing since sodium and not salt is often shown on food labels instead of salt (why do supermarkets do this?).
• There is no need to go on a special diet. Just gradually introduce healthy options into your diet to replace high fat, salt and sugar containing foods.
Figure 6. Shows junk food on the right-hand scale gradually being replaced by healthy fruit and vegetables on the left-hand scale to eventually arrive at a balanced diet
Do not beat yourself up mentally if you lapse with your diet as your new exercise regime (see, Chapters 9 and 11) will more than compensate for the odd uncontrollable urge. Also, it has been shown that junk food rich in fat and sugar can be addictive just like tobacco or other drugs so MAKE GRADUAL CHANGES.
I CAN HEAR SOME OF YOU SAYING:
“But my diet is healthy and I am still overweight”
Or
“I saw that television program on people inheriting a “fat gene”* and I think that am one of those people”
Or even
“I have a slow metabolic rate and I just look at food and the pounds go on”.
GENERALLY, NONE OF THESE ARE WHOLLY TRUE AND WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT YOUR DAILY ACTIVITY IS NOT USING UP ENOUGH OF THE CALORIES TAKEN IN WITH YOUR FOOD.
This imbalance can change rapidly at different times in your life such as following marriage, during pregnancy, as you age and stop participating in sport, or even as the children grow up or even following the death of the dog. Similar inertia can result from depression and the breakup of a marriage, retirement, illness, bereavement and the change of job.
This decreased physical activity, for whatever reason, will result in a loss in muscle mass. Then, since the muscles are the most metabolically active (i.e. calorie-burning) tissue in the body, their loss will result in increased weight unless your food/calorie intake is reduced.
*See, for example, reference 5 for details of the so-called “fat gene”.
Figure 7. Shows some of the reasons for declines in physical activity
Why not sit down and tick off any of the above appropriate to you or other REASONS THAT YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY HAS DECLINED? This may help you understand your weight gain in recent years. Of course, we lose muscle mass, due to hormonal changes as we age, but again this can be compensated for by adjustments in diet or exercise regimes (see Chapters 2, 9 and 11).
Finally, since we are trying to BE REALISTIC here, I can hear you saying that the simple healthy food options described above “will take too much time to prepare”. It’s much easier to run down to MacDonald’s or the chip shop and stoke up with junk food before getting on with the more important things in life. There is no easy answer to this except to say that FEW THINGS ARE MORE IMPORTANT IN LIFE THAN GOOD HEALTH. Ignore this fact at your peril as father time catches up with us all but much sooner than later if you neglect your body.
If you simply cannot change your diet, then try eating the same things but in smaller portions. This will result in considerable weight loss and encourage you to modify your diet and eat healthier. Remember, you may not be particularly overweight but still be eating junk and have elevated levels of unhealthy fats such as dangerous types of cholesterol. These in turn will block your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease.
DAILY CALORIE REQUIREMENTS OF MEN AND WOMEN*. To generalize, the number of calories needed by women to maintain body weight is 2000 while for men it is higher at 2500. These are very broad generalizations and will vary significantly according to your sex, age, height, weight and daily activity levels. People with lean muscular bodies who exercise regularly will need more calories than fatter people who are less active. Men also tend to need more calories than women. There are numerous tables for calculating your daily calorie requirements and your result will vary according to the table used (for example, see www.realage.com/NutritionCenter/calorieCount.aspx which is very useful since the calculation includes not only your height, weight, sex and level of activity but also your age). A quick calculation sometimes given is to:
For men: multiply your weight in lbs by 14
For women: multiply your weight in lbs by 12
Examples: 187 lbs (85 kilo) elderly male = 187 x 14 = 2618 calories
132 lbs (60 kilo) elderly female = 132 x 12 = 1584 calories
These results are extremely general since the calorie requirements shown are very low and only accurate for elderly people who are not very active. Increase the activity and decrease the age and much higher calorie requirements will be obtained (see also Chapter 2).
A recent report by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), a committee of independent experts that advises the Food Standards Agency and Department of Health, has found that present calculations of calorie requirements are underestimated by approximately 16% (see reference 6). Thus, the 2000 calories recommended for women would be 2320.
This does not mean that we can all go and eat an extra cheeseburger per day. This revised calculation resulted from an underestimate of the average physical activity of people in the UK, particularly for routine activities of daily living on energy expenditure. The report is only in draft form, will cause confusion and has yet to be approved.
ALWAYS REMEMBER WEIGHT GAIN OCCURS WHEN “CALORIES EATEN EXCEED CALORIES USED BY BODY”
For example, every day eat 500 less calories + take more exercise = weight loss
TO LOSE WEIGHT all you will have to do is reduce food intake by 500 calories per day (3500 per week) or exercise more. Why not combine the two and cut out a mince pie, a packet of crisps or reduce food portion size (each about 250 calories less) and cycle or walk briskly for 30 min per day or for a longer time 2-3 times per week. Any combinations will reduce/burn more calories.
BEWARE - Do not reduce food intake too quickly at the same time as you are increasing exercise or you will greatly stimulate your appetite.
BODY MASS INDEX (BMI)
Body Mass Index is a useful way of determining if you are overweight and calculating the ideal weight for your height. BMI can be calculated as follows: -
BMI = your weight in kilograms divided by your height in meters squared
Example 1: woman weighing 60 kg (132 lb = 9 stone 4.3 lb) and 1.7 m (5ft 7in) tall
BMI = 60 / (1.7 x 1.7) = 60 / 2.89 = 20.76
Example 2: man weighing 85 kilos (187 lb = 13 stone 3.4 lb) and 1.88 m (6ft 2in) tall
BMI = 85 / (1.88x 1.88) = 85 / 3.53 = 24
BMI Categories
Less than 18.5 = underweight
18.5 to 25 = normal weight
25 to 30 = overweight
30 to 40 = obese
Over 40 = very obese
NB: Sometimes BMI can be misleading so that men with well developed muscles, such as rugby players or athletes, may have high BMIs and be classified as overweight or even obese which, of course, they are not.
TAP WATER OR BOTTLED WATER?
According to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI, http://www.dwi.gov.uk) in 2003, 2.9 million tests of tap water were undertaken and 99.88 % passed. This does mean that 3,480 failed. Also, outbreaks of the diarrhoea parasite, Cryptosporidium, in 2006 are still fresh in the minds of many people in Wales. In 1988, the population of the Cornish town of Camel ford also drank water contaminated with excessively high levels of aluminum sulphate accidentally added to the tap water. Subsequently, on the basis of the post-mortem of just one person dying, the suggestion has been made that this incident was linked to the development of an Alzheimer’s-like disease in this patient. The DWI also monitors tap water for bacteria, pesticides, nitrates from fertilizers, and metals such as lead. All of these substances have been reported, in a small number of tap water samples, to exceed safety levels (see details in “Water Quality in Your Region” at www.dwi.gov.uk).
SHOULD WE THEREFORE ONLY DRINK BOTTLED WATER?
IT IS NOT THAT SIMPLE SINCE:
There are different forms of bottled water:
i. Mineral Water, which is natural, untreated and from a named source identified on the label. The addition of minerals is not allowed. Babies and young children should not drink mineral water due to high salt or sulphur content.
ii. Spring Water is again from a named source shown on the label but it may have minerals added or be artificially carbonated.
iii. Bottled Water in which the source is not identified and could be from the tap as with PepsiCo’s Aquafina. Many bottled waters are just filtered tap water with the chlorine removed. Crystal Spring, for example, was produced from tap water in the basement of a London restaurant! Flavored Waters should be avoided due to their content of artificial sweeteners, including aspartame and acesulphame, as well as preservatives like benzoic acid (see, Chapter 5, ”Additives, Preservatives and Colorants”, for more details).
UNFORTUNATELY, it has been shown that bottled water of all types can be contaminated with bacteria, fungi, synthetic organic chemicals, arsenic, etc (see: http://www.nrdc.org/water/drinking/nbw.asp, for details). The latest example was in July 2007, when the Foods Standard Agency (http://www.food.gov.uk/news/pressreleases/2007/jul/bottledwater) alerted consumers to the risk of bacterial contamination in Hadham Naturally Pure English Spring Water which was then removed from sale.
IN ADDITION, there are reports that toxic chemicals can be absorbed from the plastic containers into the bottled water. One such toxic substance is antimony, which was shown to leach very rapidly from the plastic into the water when stored for just 3 months. The sell by dates of many bottled waters, of all 3 types, is often 1-2 years! Antimony could potentially be very dangerous as are other chemicals that can leach out of the plastic container. These include phalates which are released from the plastic if the bottle is filled with acidic fruit juice and are cancer forming and hormone disruptors (see, Chapter 6 “The Cocktail Effect”).
CONCLUSIONS, from the above, it is obvious why people are confused. The author’s opinion is that it is simply not worthwhile buying bottled water of any description because: -
1. There is little evidence that bottled is purer than tap water in the UK
2. Due to 1-2 year storage before drinking, dangerous chemicals could potentially leach into the water from the plastic and the environment
3. It costs too much
4. The plastic bottles are either thrown everywhere or incinerated to liberatedioxins and are an environmental disaster
5. It is simply insane to generate high levels of carbon in the manufacturing of plastic bottles and their transportation from country to country
6. Due to high levels of minerals in some bottled water, it should not be given to babies and young children and should not be used to make up baby feeds
7. Do not be afraid to ask for tap water in restaurants but remember they are entitled (would you believe) to charge you for the ice and service.
THE BEST COMPROMISE IS PROBABLY TO BUY A WATER FILTRATION SYSTEM with the cheapest with a filter (Brita, Wilkinson, etc) that slots into a plastic (!) reservoir. Water can be rapidly filtered and then decanted into a glass bottle and stored in the refrigerator. The filter should be changed regularly (every month) to avoid growth of bacteria trapped by the filter. Such simple filters will significantly reduce metal contaminants including lead from plumbing and aluminum from water treatment plants but are less effective against copper or fluoride. They also remove chlorine but not some of the harmful by-products of chlorine but these evaporate off the filtered water after storage for several hours. The best option is to install a proper water filtration system above the sink. This, however, can be expensive, but if you are concerned, about possible toxic effects of fluoride added to the tap water then a portable reverse osmosis filter can be bought for about £150 and is easily fitted (www.eastmidlandswater.co.uk). There is a very active ongoing debate about the advantages/disadvantages of water fluoridation but even bottled water may have significant levels of fluoride. Water fluoridation is now banned in the majority of countries in Europe but still carried out in areas of the UK (see: http://www.dwi.gov.uk/consumer/fluoridemaps.pdf for details in your area). The author has no connection with any water filtration company.
SUMMARY FOR A HEALTHIER DIET AND WEIGHT CONTROL
• BE DETERMINED TO CHANGE
• AVOID FAD DIETS
• EAT BREAKFAST
• STOP SNACKING
• SELECT HEALTHY FOODS WITH LOWER FAT AND SALT
• GET RID OF PROCESSED FOOD FROM THE DIET
• GET ENOUGH FIBRE
• EAT AT LEAST 5 PORTIONS OF VEGETABLES OR FRUIT EACH DAY
• DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
• MAKE CHANGES GRADUALLY
• LIST REASONS FOR DECLINE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
REMEMBER to change your lifestyle slowly so that your new diet and exercise regimens become a natural part of every day living.
CHAPTER 2
MORE ABOUT FOOD
HELP! WHAT AM I EATING?
Table 1 lists the calorie, fat, salt and sugar content of different types of food and will help in planning a healthier diet. It will assist in identifying those foods and snacks that are a danger to your health and really should be eliminated or reduced in the diet. Table 1 also gives the fibre content of foods as a further assistance in selecting a healthy diet (see, Chapter 3 for “Facts About Fibre”).
HOW TO USE TABLE 1
The color-coding in Table 1 is based upon the Food Standards Agency’s TRAFFIC LIGHT COLORS (see reference 7) and may appear with different shades of grey on black and white screens.
indicates those foods that have an
excess of harmful calories, fat, salt or sugar and which should be
reduced in your diet
indicates those foods that do not
contain an excess of harmful calories, fat, salt or sugar but should
occasionally be replaced by healthier green options
indicates those foods that are low
or very low in harmful nutrients or high in beneficial fibre. The
more green foods you have the healthier your diet.
A SIMPLE EXAMPLE OF HOW TO USE TABLE 1 BELOW
• Patients who have suffered heart attacks or strokes often have high blood pressure (hypertension) and are advised to reduce their daily intake of salt as well as to adopt a low-fat diet.
• It has, however, been calculated that processed foods (rather than the salt pot) may account for 75% of the daily consumption of salt.
• It is therefore vitally important to be able to identify those foods with high salt levels and to eliminate them from the diet.
• Using Table 1, it is easy and very rapid to identify the high salt-containing foods just by looking down the column labeled “Salt Grams”.
• All
foods with high salt
contents will be identified with
For some foods, the results are not surprising as with high salt in
ready meals and burgers but salt
is also present but hidden in other foods,
such as some breads, sandwiches and breakfast cereals.
• Do take into account the amount of a particular food eaten i.e. the number of slices of bread or ounces or grams when estimating your salt intake. The weights of each food from which levels of calories, fat, etc have been calculated are given in the far left column, alongside the name of the food.
• Table 1 does not include the over 50,000 different foods found in supermarkets but includes the main groups of food so that reasonable estimates can be made. (For additional foods not in Table 1, see references 8-10).
• The same simple exercise of looking down the appropriate column and reading off the name of the food can be done for checking on calories, fat, saturated fat, fibre and sugar.
CASE STUDY -THE AUTHOR
Even the author does not completely eliminate dark grey colored foods shown in Table 1 and he has a particular weakness for dark chocolate and chocolate biscuits. After all, life has to be worth living, especially when writing a book over a number of years. It is a question of controlling these urges, being aware of which foods contain harmful levels of fats, salt and sugar and only eating these occasionally.
The following is a guideline to the number of calories* required daily and limits on the daily consumption of fat, saturated fat, salt and sugar.
*Although each kilocalorie = 1000 calories, the terms “kilocalorie” and “calorie” are usually used to mean the same thing in most articles on nutrition
**The number of calories, fats and sugar required will, of course, vary according to how much the person weighs, as well as their age and the amount of exercise taken daily (see also Chapter 1).
***Note, the recent recalculations of calorie requirements discussed in Chapter 1.
Table 1. SHOWING CALORIE, FAT, SALT, FIBRE AND SUGAR CONTENTS OF SOME COMMON FOODS.
Remember
indicate very high levels of calories, fat, salt or sugar. Often,
calories, fat, etc are given per 100 g of food item but servings
actually eaten, as with cheese, are much less than this.
1. Unless otherwise indicated, the data for many food items were taken from Tesco supermarkets.
2. Whenever possible, not only fat but also saturated fat levels are given in brackets.
Saturated fats raise bad cholesterol in the blood and can lead to heart disease and other health problems (see, Chapter 3, “Fats – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly”).
3. Eggs are packed with protein, vitamins and minerals and have been called a superfood. The yolk, however, does have high cholesterol levels but one egg a day is unlikely to affect cholesterol level in the blood and increase heart disease (see, reference 11).
4. Many fruits such as apples, bananas, mangoes, and pears, have a high sugar content but these natural sugars (called fructose) in fruit and vegetables are beneficial and different to sugar (sucrose) added to our food. Fructose is broken down slowly by the body and does not cause a sudden increase in blood sugar. In contrast, sucrose added to food causes a sudden rapid increase in blood sugar (sucrose is rapidly broken down to glucose = blood sugar) and overworks the pancreas to release insulin. Too many sudden increases in blood glucose from sucrose can stress the pancreas and may potentially lead to diabetes as well as to the conversion of the excess glucose to fat.
5. Avocados and nuts contain high levels of fat but most of this fat is mono saturated which is “good” fat and this will help reduce cholesterol.
6. See “Top tips for a healthier lunchbox” at: www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2004/sep/lunchbox
7. These foods may contain saccharin, colorings, preservatives, stabilizers, monosodium glutamate, and/or flavorings, etc. Generally, the crisps just with salt added are free of these additives. 7L = lower fat or “light” crisps are now available in many flavors.
8. Items with no added sugar but with artificial sweeteners (aspartame), flavorings, colorings, citric and phosphoric acids, etc.
9. These have no added sugar and contain only natural sugar from the fruit-see 4 above.
10. Contains hydrogenated vegetable oils.
CHANGES IN DIET WITH AGE
A FACT OF LIFE! As you age, your metabolism slows down, you have less energy and so you need fewer calories. Unless you eat fewer calories or become more active, you will slowly gain weight and gradually fat will accumulate to eventually form a bulging stomach, backside, legs, arms and face which will result in overweight and eventually possibly obesity too. These changes are particularly marked by an increase in waist measurement and in the size of clothes worn-the so-called “middle age spread”. These changes are not inevitable as explained in detail in reference 12.
REALIZE THAT FAT AND WEIGHT WILL ACCUMULATE WHEN: -
“CALORIES EATEN EXCEED CALORIES USED BY BODY”
There are TWO OPTIONS to avoid weight gain with age:
1. Reduce calorie intake by gradually changing your diet such as switching to skimmed milk and avoiding high fat snacks (see Chapter 11, Table 2).
2. Increase calories burnt by slowly increasing the amount or frequency of exercise. This will not only burn the excess calories but also increase your muscular mass and metabolic rate. MOST IMPORTANT TOO is that age-related muscle wasting (Sarcopenia) will also be avoided and the ability to live independently will be retained longer (see Chapter 11).
The reduced metabolism with age results from the loss of muscle mass and an increase in fat deposits. Muscles burn calories more actively than fat so any exercise to strengthen the muscles will also raise the metabolic rate. Unfortunately, since women have less muscular mass than men then the reduction in the metabolic rate with age in women is more rapid than in men. Women are therefore more prone than men to gain weight with age.
Therefore, the calorific excesses some women inflict on their bodies, in particular, by drinking pints of lager, will probably be reflected by more rapid weight gain in women than in men.
Other dietary modifications with age. All the advice given above in this chapter about healthy eating should continue to be followed i.e.:
Table 2. Summary of Dietary Advice
1. Eat breakfast
2. Avoid processed food and unhealthy snacks
3. Eat less saturated fats and trans fats
4. Avoid foods with too much salt added
5. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
6. Have an enough fibre and water each day
7. Read and understand food labels
IN ADDITION, other changes gradually occur as we age that will affect our nutrition: -
• Retirement may restrict money available for food budget
• Death of or separation from partner may result in depression and poorly prepared food
• Senses such as sight, taste and smell of food will diminish and reduce interest in food
• Our ability to absorb certain key nutrients may be reduced sometimes as a result of medicines taken
• Constipation may be common due a reduction in saliva production and slower movements of food through the gut
• Neglect of the teeth and oral hygiene may result in inclusion of softer and more processed rather than fresh food in the diet
*IT ALL SOUNDS VERY DEPRESSING but remember the 7 points listed about diet (above, Table 2) as well as the following advice in the Figure 1 and Table 3 (below) and sensible nutrition can then be maintained.
Figure 1. Summary points for maintaining healthy nutrition with aginga
Table 3. More Details of Points in Figure 1. (Above)
1. Maintain regular daily exercise to reduce depression and stimulate the appetite, to meet friends, and to maintain muscular tone and healthy bones.
2. Eat three regular meals per day
3. Vary choice of food. Ensure that protein levels are high by eating sufficient lean meat, fish, low fat dairy products, beans and peas, whole meal bread and, if possible, a whey protein drink.
4. To maintain healthy bones, make sure that sufficient sources of calcium are included in the diet. Natural calcium sources are low fat dairy products, sardines, salmon, green vegetables, etc.
5. Older people with poor diets or with illnesses may require vitamin and mineral supplements. Be aware that “Recommended Daily Allowances” have been calculated for younger people. Consult your doctor as supplements may interact with medicines.
6. Reduce likelihood of constipation by increasing amount of natural high fibre foods and drinking about 8 glasses of water, juice or soup daily.
7. Regularly check with doctor that medicines taken are both necessary and at the correct dose. Also, check on possible interactions of medication with absorption of essential nutrients.
8. Visit dentist regularly to maintain healthy teeth and gums
See, also, Chapters 7 and 8 “Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements Dilemma”
SUMMARY
Follow the above advice together with regular exercise and you will be re-vitalized and always remember to:
• BE DETERMINED TO CHANGE
• AVOID FAD DIETS
• EAT BREAKFAST
• STOP SNACKING
• SELECT HEALTHY FOODS WITH LOWER FAT AND SALT
• GET RID OF PROCESSED FOOD FROM THE DIET
• GET ENOUGH FIBRE
• EAT AT LEAST 5 PORTIONS OF VEGETABLES OR FRUIT EACH DAY
• DRINK PLENTY OF WATER
• MAKE CHANGES GRADUALLY
• LIST REASONS FOR DECLINE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
Change your lifestyle slowly so that your new diet and exercise regimens become a natural part of every day living
CHAPTER 3
More Facts About Food, Fat, Fibre And Fad Diets
FATS – THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
“Fats are bad for you”. We have all heard this so many times. Fats are reported to cause cancer, obesity and heart disease.
Fats, however, are essential because they:
i. make up the walls of cells and tissues
ii. are an energy source
iii. form precursors of some hormones
iv. are involved in absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Confused? No wonder! The reason for the poor understanding about fats has arisen due to the fact that there are several different types of fat in our food, namely:
i. monounsaturated fats
ii. polyunsaturated fats
iii. saturated fats
iv. trans fatty acids (=hydrogenated vegetable oils)
These 4 names for the different types of fats are the ones found on food labels.
It is therefore important to understand that some fats are good for us while others are bad and associated with heart disease, cancer, etc.
Good fats are the unsaturated monounsaturates and polyunsaturates. These are found mainly in vegetable oils and margarines made from these, as well as in oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines and pilchards (see, Table 1, below).
Bad fats are the saturated and the trans fatty acids. Saturated fats are present in full-fat dairy products, fatty meats, sausages, burgers, pies, biscuits, etc. Trans fats are found in food naturally in small amounts. Most trans fats originate in the diet through “processing” by heating vegetable oils together with hydrogen. This process turns the vegetable oils semi-solid and these trans or “hydrogenated” vegetable oils are then marketed as margarines and used in biscuits, cakes, fried foods and take-way meals (see Table 1, below).
Why are some fats good and others bad? This is because the type of fat in the diet can influence the levels of cholesterol in the blood. High cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease or even strokes and found at high levels in bad fats.
You should remember 2 facts: -
1. The bad fats, i.e. the saturated and trans fatty acids raise the levels of cholesterol in the blood and hence increase the risk of heart disease.
2. The good fats, i.e. the monounsaturates and polyunsaturates, reduce the levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood and hence decrease the risk of heart disease.
Foods containing these different types of fats are summarized in Table: -
Table 1. Showing the Distribution of Common Fats in the Diet
a. Check the label of soft margarine and confirm that it is free of trans fats (often labeled “hydrogenated vegetable oils” to confuse everyone) and is non-hydrogenated.
b. Skimmed milk and lower fat ice cream or some frozen yoghurts are much better.
c. It is clearly impossible to cut out all of these completely from the diet. Depending on your weight, and with moderation and exercise, some of these can still be eaten occasionally but not to excess. Just be aware and beware of excesses and check for dangerous trans fats.
d. These especially and c. (above) are the key foods to check in your diet as they may contain high levels of artery clogging trans fats. Marks and Spencer has actually banned trans fats while Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Co-op, Asda, and Iceland are removing from their shelves their own brand foods containing trans fats which are hydrogenated vegetable oils (oils exposed to hydrogen to harden them at room temperature). Also, good news is that Mars, Jammie Dodgers, Wagon Wheels and McVitie’s biscuits no longer contain hydrogenated oils. Beware since some of Lidl’s foods still contain these.
e. Recently, it was reported (see reference 13) that in the UK because food companies have removed trans fats from their foods that these heart-blocking substances are well below levels causing health hazards. Huge progress has therefore been made BUT action is still needed with food from cafes, fish bars, canteens, hospitals, etc that are still using hydrogenated vegetable oils (trans fats) in food preparation.
FINAL CONCLUSION ABOUT FATS. The bad saturated and trans fats should be reduced in the diet, as this will significantly lower your risk of heart disease. Table 1 (above) is simply a guide showing which foods contain the different types of fats so that you can reduce/eliminate them from the diet. Again modify your diet a little at a time and you will see your cholesterol levels fall as well as your excess weight. Adopt a healthier diet as outlined above and try some regular exercise as in Chapters 9 and 11.
FACTS ABOUT FIBRE
• Dietary fibre is only found in plant and not animal products. Fibre occurs in two forms, namely, insoluble and soluble fibre.
• Insoluble fibre forms the structural support of plants, may pass straight through the gut with only minimal digestion, and helps to increase the activity of the intestine in getting rid of waste products from digestion.
• Soluble fibre, originates from the contents of the plant cells, can be partially broken down in the gut and absorbs water and increases the volume of faeces for ease of expulsion.