HEALTH BULLETIN .CO: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

So which cooking oil is the healthiest choice for frying?

Dietitian Dr Sarah Schenker offers some alternatives to olive oil

Rapeseed has lots more omega-3 fatty acids and is great with veg

Coconut oil makes great stir-fries and contains 'healthier' saturated fat

Poor olive harvests last year may mean a shortage of olive oil. Dietitian Dr Sarah Schenker offers some alternatives:

Poor olive harvests last year may mean a shortage of olive oil - so here are some alternatives

Best to roast veg: Rapeseed

Rapeseed oil has 6 per cent saturated fat compared with olive oil's 14.3 per cent. It also has ten times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids and 50 per cent more vitamin E.

EXPERT VERDICT: One of the healthiest oils, with a subtle, grassy taste. One concern with heating oil is how soon it starts to smoke. This is when the fatty acids in it oxidise, creating harmful free radicals. Rapeseed oil has a high smoke point, so use for frying or roasting.

Best in risotto: Rice bran

Taken from the bran (the vitamin-rich layer below the fibrous hull of rice) and germ (the oily, nutrient-rich part of a rice grain). High in protective antioxidants such as vitamin E.

EXPERT VERDICT: As well as heart healthy vitamin E, this contains ferulic acid, which has powerful anti-oxidant and anti- inflammatory effects, helping to protect the immune system and prevent disease.

Coconut oil makes great stir-fries

Best in stir-fries: Coconut

Extracted from the white flesh of coconuts, this is almost 50 per cent lauric acid, a 'healthier' saturated fatty acid. Solid at room temperature, so can't be used for salad dressings, but its high smoke point makes it ideal for cooking.

EXPERT VERDICT: Though it's 86.5 per cent saturated fat, research suggests the saturated fat in coconut may be used up more quickly by the body and is less likely to be stored as body fat. However, use in moderation.

Best on salad: Walnut

With useful amounts of fatty acids, walnut oil may help lower heart disease risk. A distinct walnut flavour and low smoke point, so best for dressings.

EXPERT VERDICT: Delicious, but not particularly versatile. Buy small bottles and keep in a cool, dark place as it goes rancid easily.

Best for baking: Hemp seed

Richer in the essential fatty acids omega-3, 6 and 9 than other culinary oils, and has half the saturated fat of olive oil. One tablespoon provides 94 per cent of your daily recommended intake of omega-3s.

EXPERT VERDICT: Versatile - can be used for stir-frying, dipping and salad dressing. One of the healthiest alternatives to olive oil, though the flavour may not be to everyone's taste. Disguise with dried fruit and spices.

Rapeseed oil (l), walnut oil (c) and hemp seed oil (r) are all good for different dishes

Buy blue bedding, change your computer password and wear a ribbon around your wrist: The 12 simple daily rituals that can create a calmer and more positive life

Calm book written by Michael Acton Smith OBE

Divided into eight sections for achieving calm, happiness and success

Includes eating chocolate, sighing and designing a dream desert island

Modern life can be hectic and relentless, so everyone is on the hunt for simple ways to make every day a little calmer.

The man behind a new book promises to show you how to take back a little bit of peace, space and all-important calm in just a few simple steps.

The book, which is rather fittingly called Calm, contains the simple tools, tricks and habits that he believes will change the rest your life.

A new book promises to show you how to take back a little bit of peace, space and all-important calm in just a few simple steps

Anxiety affects one in six people in the UK with am estimated 70 per cent of GP visits being due to stress-related issues.

According to author Michael Acton Smith, we can do little things every single day to combat this. His book combines extracts from neurological research with wisdom from history's great thinkers and the real-life experiences of individuals across the globe.

From how you decorate your house to changing your computer password, FEMAIL has selected the best bits from Calm to help you live a more successful life.

1. Change your password, change your life How many times a day do you re-enter your computer password? Having to change our passwords constantly is one of the exasperating necessities of office life. But what if you were to reappropriate your password, using it instead as a modern-day mantra to help you ensure you remain mindful of whatever it is you most want to achieve? This could be BU!LDNEWFRI3NDSHIPS or SAVE4SKIING. The joy of it is that you can alter it every month if you like. It's an opportunity to repeatedly hit your subconscious with a mindful reminder.

2. Nature meditation Sit in a quiet space. Imagine you are sat beneath a tree in the middle of a field or forest beneath a large, leafy tree with strong branches. Smell the rich soil and clean air. Listen to the wind rustling through the leaves and notice if you hear any birds or animals stirring within. Visualise the tree's leaves, branches and trunk, then picture yourself reaching out to touch it. Feel the texture of the bark. Imagine the tree drinking up the water through its complex root system. Visualise the lengthening, spreading branches, and the leaves opening towards the sun.

3. Create a sleep-friendly bedroom Keep your bedroom decor simple and calm. Avoid clutter, which can trigger your stress response, and make sure work papers are out of sight.

Changing your password to something useful or calming is an opportunity to repeatedly hit your subconscious with a mindful reminder

4. Invest in blue furnishings Opt for blue walls, or flashes of blue in soft furnishings: looking at this colour can lead to a drop in heart rate and blood pressure, and gentle blue hues are widely believed to have a sleep-inducing effect.

5. Keep a notepad or journal by your bed Then, instead of lying awake, worried you will forget something in the morning, you can write it down and allow the thought to pass.

Opt for blue walls, or flashes of blue in soft furnishings: looking at this colour can lead to a drop in heart rate and blood pressure

6. Imagine a nature scene If your'e struggling to get to sleep, try imagining a tranquil natural scene, whether it's a bucolic rural landscape or the gently lapping waves of the shore of a beautiful lake. Researchers from the University of Oxford found that when volunteers imagined such scenes, they fell asleep an average of twenty minutes earlier than those who didn't use the technique.

7. Design your dream island If you were to design a whole island for yourself, a place that had the specific purpose of helping you to feel as calm as possible, what would you put on it? Write about it and draw it. Revisit this place whenever you get stressed, embellishing the details and adding new, calming features over time.

8. Make a list of the ten people who make you happiest This list could be anyone from friends to inspiring writers or thinkers. Look at it regularly (why not take a snap on your phone to keep it to hand), and whenever you feel stress kick in, pick up your phone and call one, or open a book to absorb their wisdom.

9. Let out a sigh An emphatic 'aaah' or 'ommmm' will combat the restricted feeling that sometimes settles in your chest at the end of a stressful day, and the vibration and deep breath will energise you.

10. Three things that make you happy Every night before you go to bed, write a list of three things that made you happy that day. If you have a child, ask them to do it. It's a great way to reinforce a healthy self-image and a positive mindset, and ensure they go to sleep with happy thoughts in their heads. It has the added benefit that you get to hear a bit about their day and the things that genuinely bring them joy.

11. Eat a single square of chocolate mindfully Eat a square of chocolate so mindfully that you pay attention to everything, from the sounds of the wrapper to the smell of it and the feeling against your tongue. Focussing on taste in this way forces your sense to wake up.

12. Wear a blue ribbon A blue ribbon is a simple symbol of calm that can bring you back to what you've learned when you find yourself slipping (the book even comes with one you can cut out).

Speaking about his book and accompanying app, Michael Acton Smith OBE, who is CEO and founder of kids entertainment company Mind Candy, the creators of global kids phenomenon Moshi Monsters, said: 'Regular meditation is medically proven to be good for you - it increases focus and creativity, productivity and job satisfaction, mental and even physical health.

The book, right, and app, which was penned by Michael Acton Smith OBE, who is CEO and founder of kids entertainment company Mind Candy, the creators of global kids phenomenon Moshi Monsters, suggests simple tips like eating chocolate mindfully, left

'But in reality most of us don't have time to sit on a cushion with our eyes closed for half an hour every day. And many people associate meditation with hard work and huge lifestyle shifts: you might be imagining Buddhist monks locked in a mountain retreat and living off gruel...

'This is where Calm comes in. Calm is about simple, achievable habits that work with the demands of your busy life instead of pretending those demands don't exist. Calm does not require specialist training: it uses abilities that every single one of us is born with, like creativity, spontaneity and simply noticing the world around you.

'Calm is not a set of rules that you need to worry about following or breaking. It is inspirational, practical and non-prescriptive. Onerous, time-consuming meditation might seem out of reach but everyone can achieve calm - including you.'

Pesticide in fruit and veg could harm man's fertility: Men who eat high levels have half the sperm count of those who ate the least

Men eating fruit and veg with high pesticide residue have low sperm counts

Those with most residue have half as much semen as others, says study

Total amount of fruit and vegetables eaten was not linked to sperm quality

Pesticides in fruit and vegetables may lead to lower sperm counts of poorer quality, warn researchers.

Men who ate the most fruit and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue had half the sperm count of men consuming the least.

A new US study also shows a drop of one-third in normally-formed sperm among men consuming most pesticide residue.

But the total amount of fruit and vegetables eaten was not linked to changes in measurements of semen quality in the group overall.

Pesticides in fruit and vegetables may lead to lower sperm counts of poorer quality, warn researchers (file picture)

Jorge Chavarro, assistant professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, said ‘These findings should not discourage the consumption of fruit and vegetables in general.

‘In fact, we found that total intake of fruit and vegetables was completely unrelated to semen quality.

‘This suggests that implementing strategies specifically targeted at avoiding pesticide residues, such as consuming organically-grown produce or avoiding produce known to have large amounts of residues, may be the way to go.’

Previous studies have shown occupational exposure to pesticides might affect semen quality.

Estimates suggest around 30 per cent of men in couples seeking IVF treatment are subfertile, and two per cent are ‘totally’ infertile, while some studies show dramatic falls in average sperm counts.

Under NHS guidelines, GPs are supposed to warn men diagnosed with infertility of the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and recreational drugs.

Infertile men are also urged to avoid being overweight and not to wear tight underwear to improve sperm quality.

In the latest study researchers analysed 338 semen samples from 155 men attending a fertility centre between 2007-2012.

Men who ate the most fruit and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue had half the sperm count of men consuming the least (pesticide spraying pictured)

The men’s diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, and they were asked how often they consumed how many portions of fruit and vegetables.

The fruit and vegetables were classified as high, moderate or low in pesticide residues based on data from the annual United States Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program.

Fruit or vegetables low in pesticide residues included peas, beans, grapefruit and onions. Those with high residues included peppers, spinach, strawberries, apples and pears.

The researchers divided the men into four groups, ranging from those who ate the greatest amount of fruit and vegetables high in pesticides residues (1.5 servings or more a day) to those who ate the least amount (less than half a serving).

Men with the highest intake of pesticide-heavy fruit and vegetables had an average total sperm count of 86million sperm compared to men eating least, who had an average of 171million sperm – a 49 per cent reduction.

The amount of normally formed sperm was an average of 7.5 per cent in men with the lowest intake and 5.1 per cent in the men with the highest intake – a drop of 32 per cent.

Strawberries were among the fruit and vegetables found to have with high residues of pesticides, as well as peppers, spinach, apples and pears

The study is published online today in the Human Reproduction journal.

The researchers write: ‘To our knowledge, this is the first report on the consumption of fruits and vegetables with high levels of pesticide residue in relation to semen quality.

‘These findings suggest that exposure to pesticides used in agricultural production through diet may be sufficient to affect spermatogenesis in humans.’

Professor Allan Pacey, Professor of Andrology at the University of Sheffield, said ‘This is a very interesting paper that raises the possibility that pesticide residues in our food may be a contributory factor in male infertility, at least in some men.

‘The idea has been raised before, but to my knowledge this is the first paper that has investigated this question in a systematic way.’

However, he said the study had limitations and shouldn’t discourage men from eating their daily quota of fresh fruit and vegetables.

‘There is also no evidence at present that switching to organic fruit and vegetables will improve semen quality, although it will obviously do no harm.

‘But I hope that this paper will encourage other studies to take place in this area, so that we might be able to answer the question once and for all,’ he added.

Total consumption of fruit and vegetables was not linked to semen quality.

The link was with the greatest intake of the type of fruit and vegetables ranked as having ‘high’ residues of pesticides applied during the growing season to stave off insects and fungal attacks.

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Want to know the best way to stave off grey hairs, clear dandruff and get rid of split ends? Eat walnuts, quinoa and peppers!

We will all do everything we can to avoid a bad hair day

The average woman will spend £28,520 on hair products in her lifetime

But is there a much easier (and cheaper) way to solve these problems?

As women, we’ll do anything to avoid a bad hair day. It’s predicted the average woman will spend £28,520 on hair products in her lifetime. But is it money down the drain?

‘No amount of pricey shampoos can compensate for an unbalanced diet,’ says Harley Street trichologist Sara Allison. ‘Many of my clients with thinning hair or problem scalps are deficient in key vitamins and minerals. The first thing I do is ask about their eating habits and take blood samples.’

Dr Jan Wadstein, one of the experts behind the National Hair Aware Campaign, says: ‘Hair requires a regular supply of protein, glucose, vitamins and minerals for health and growth. It’s usually the first place to suffer if there’s a deficiency.’ In other words, thinning, split ends, dullness and dandruff could all be signs your diet is lacking in key nutrients. Rather than stockpile conditioner, pile your plate with these follicle-friendly superfoods …

WALNUTS TO DELAY GREY

Walnuts contain many of the ingredients needed to product melanin, the pigment that creates hair colour

Walnuts are rich in body-boosting biotin, nourishing vitamin E and naturally moisturising omega oils. ‘They also contain trace amounts of copper,’ says hair expert Madeleine Preston. ‘This mineral plays a role in the production of melanin, the pigment that gives hair colour.’

A lack of copper is a common cause of hair going grey prematurely, so topping up your levels with a handful of walnuts could delay trips to the colourist.

QUINOA TO BOOST BODY

Quinoa provides all of the amino acids that the body requires, including lysine which is a key ingredient in hair loss shampoos

Limp, lifeless locks can be a sign you’re not eating enough protein. ‘Hair is made up of around 90 per cent protein,’ says Allison.

Skipping breakfast can mean we struggle to get enough of this nutrient, while vegetarians can fall short. One solution? Quinoa.

‘This seed supplies all the amino acids the body needs, including lysine, a key ingredient in hair loss shampoos.’

LENTILS FOR EXTRA INCHES

Lack of iron is a significant factor in thinning and hair loss but lentils are a good source of iron

Lack of iron is the most common cause of thinning and hair loss, according to Preston.

‘If levels are low, the hair becomes starved, the growth phase stops and shedding occurs.’ Lean red meat is the best source of iron; lentils are also good.

EGGS FOR MORE BOUNCE

Sara Allison says eggs contain hair-boosting nutrients including protein, vitamin D and B vitamins. Biotin supports keratin production to increase hair’s elasticity and strength,

Think of eggs as edible hair masks, says Allison.

‘They contain hair-boosting nutrients including protein, vitamin D and B vitamins. Biotin supports keratin production to increase hair’s elasticity and strength.’

So if your locks are prone to breakage, tuck into an omelette.

OYSTERS CLEAR DANDRUFF

Oysters, crab and lobster are the richest sources of zinc which is a key factor in the development of dry scalps and pumpkin seeds can also help

If you suffer with a dry scalp then a lack of zinc could be to blame. ‘What many women mistakenly believe is dandruff is a mineral deficiency,’ says Allison.

‘Zinc helps maintain the function of the oil-secreting glands that surround hair follicles, so low levels can lead to dryness.’

Oysters, crab and lobster are the richest sources, but pumpkin seeds also work.

PORRIDGE FOR YOUTH

Oats are a great source of silica which can help out with brittle and dull hair as we get older

Hair becomes more brittle and dull as we get older, and one of the reasons for this is falling silica levels. This mineral is important for helping to maintain hormonal balance.

Oats are a wonderful source of silica, so why not eat a bowl of porridge each morning?

PEPPERS FOR SPLIT ENDS

Peppers are a rich source of Vitamin C which protects hair from radical damage

Vitamin C protects hair from free radical damage. ‘It’s important for sebum and collagen production,’ says Allison. ‘Dry hair and split ends are signs you’re not getting enough vitamin C.’

Red peppers are a rich source; oranges, strawberries, tomatoes and broccoli contain it, too.

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