Nutritional Blog

With Caroline Masters, Nutritional Therapist, Whelehans Pharmacy

Every day we are faced with food choices and we have the responsibility to make the best ones for us.  Often time or cost can dictate our decisions but lack of thought and bad habits influence them also.  There are guidelines as to what we should eat and drink along with recommendations for exercise.  However, many of us put little thought into our choices and eat what we want, when we want which can lead to over eating;  another issue is that we do not move enough – we choose to ignore the recommendations!

We are meant to eat!

We must eat breakfast each morning to help boost our metabolism and get our day off to a good start.  I often hear people say that they do not have time but we must make the time and prioritising our meals with good food is crucial for good health.  Your choice of breakfast should be one that will keep you full till lunch time.  Porridge or Weetabix is a good choice as they are both low sugar, low fat, low calorie and full of slow releasing energy and relatively cheap.  Regular eating is very important and we should not have long periods of fasting as our bodies require food and water throughout the day. 

Plan your meals and get into a good routine.

Eat a lunch and dinner that contains good nutrition – make sure you have salad or vegetables, protein (i.e. meat, fish, eggs) and carbohydrates (i.e. potatoes, bread, rice) at each meal and limit saturated fat.  When you eat a variety of foods you give yourself the best chance of getting all that your body requires.  Snack on fruit and yoghurt, keep it simple and you will get your vitamins and minerals also.

Eating natural, unprocessed food is better for our bodies as they contain their own enzymes and are easier to digest and provides good nutrition.  If you are regularly eating convenience food and processed food you are not making the best choice available to you.  Eating this type of food once in a while should not cause problems but if you are not getting all that your body requires it will cause problems down the line.  Short term unhealthy fixes are not beneficial for our long term good health.  Food is so important for the efficient working of our bodies, our mood, well-being and keeping ourselves healthy and ‘balanced’.  If we eat foods  in excess we may be interfering with the absorption of many vitamins and minerals so moderation is key.

Maintaining a healthy weight is vital for ongoing good health

Excess weight can cause a host of problems and put stress on our bodies especially on our joints and vital organs.  Every pound weight loss is a step to better health.  In the nutrition clinic at Whelehans you will learn how simple changes to your daily routine will benefit you. You will be surprised how quickly you feel the benefits of positive change in your life. 

Call me, Caroline Masters, on 086 3994615 as the time for doing is now with motivation and education.    I can help you to lose weight steadily without feeling hungry with better food choices and increased exercise.    It is a relaxed, private space where we can work together for a healthier and happier you. 

You can also call Whelehans Pharmacy on 044 9334591 or email nutrition@whelehans.ie to make your  appointment.  The sooner you start the sooner you will reach your goals.

The nutrition clinic at Whelehans provides a friendly, affordable, flexible service suitable for men, women and children.

The type and amount of food you eat each day is reflected in your sugar levels and your weight. But how much is too much? And how often do you really need to eat? The key is to eat regular meals and never skip a meal. Skipping meals, for whatever reason, will upset your blood sugar levels and will not help you lose weight if that is your aim.

Irregular meals upset your metabolism (the rate that you burn up calories) and can actually lead to weight gain in the long-term. For most people with diabetes, timing of meals is important too, for example, breakfast at 8am, lunch at 1pm and dinner at 6pm. For those using insulin, the newer fast-acting insulin regimes means you can be more flexible with meal times.

No single food can supply all the nutrients we need. To help us understand how to have a balanced healthy diet the Food Pyramid is useful. It is better to eat more foods from the bottom of the pyramid and less from the top.

Carbohydrates

The bottom shelf is the bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf. These foods provide energy, fibre, B vitamins and iron and are a major source of starchy carbohydrate. Go for the high fibre varieties of these foods. A bowl of porridge or cereal (the non-sugar coated variety) is a great start to the day. Cereals are low in fat, high in starchy carbohydrate and most are fortified with vitamins and minerals. An example of a serving from this shelf is one bowl cereal, one slice bread, three dessert spoons cooked pasta/rice and one medium potato (boiled or baked). Six servings of carbohydrate are recommended daily for the average adult. Eat more if you are quite active or trying to gain weight.

Fruit and vegetables

These foods provide most of the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre we require. You should eat the “five a day”, which is 5 or more portions of fruit and veg per day. To increase your fruit and vegetable intake, tips include adding a banana to your cereal, drinking a small glass of fruit juice with one of your meal, adding cooked or raw vegetables to your meals; having fruit for dessert (raw or stewed). Remember, frozen vegetables are just as good as fresh. A single serving of fruit and vegetables is a glass of fruit juice, three dessert spoons cooked vegetables or salad, a bowl of homemade vegetable soup, one medium size piece of fresh fruit or three dessert spoons cooked or tinned fruit (in own juice).

Dairy products

Milk and milk products are rich sources of calcium, protein and vitamins. It is advisable for most diabetics to go for the low-fat varieties of these foods. Low-fat milk contains as much calcium as full-fat milk. Older people or pregnant women are advised to use fortified milks, which contain added vitamin D and calcium and are also low in fat. It is not recommended that low-fat products be used in children under two. A single serving is 200ml (1/3 pint) of milk, one pot diet yogurt and 25g (1oz) hard cheese. It is advised to have three servings from this group daily and choose low fat varieties.

Meat, fish, poultry and alternatives

These are the protein and iron rich foods but can be high in saturated fat if you are not careful. Trim the fat from meat and remove the skin from poultry before eating to reduce the fat content. Oily fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines, salmon, fresh tuna, and pilchards are a good source of polyunsaturated fat known as Omega 3 fat. This type of fat can help protect against heart disease. It is recommended that we eat one to two portions of oily fish per week (this can include tinned varieties). Oily fish is also a good source of vitamins A and D.

Eggs can be scrambled, boiled or poached, or occasionally fried in a little oil. Eggs are a good source of vitamin D. If your cholesterol is high three to four eggs per week is still safe, and if your cholesterol is normal, “an egg a day is ok”. Aim to include beans, peas or lentils so you get protein from a variety of sources.  A serving from this group is 60g (2oz) lean meat, poultry or fish, two eggs, six table spoons peas/beans and 90g (3oz) nuts. Two servings daily from this group is recommended.

Sugars and fats

The “top of the pyramid” foods are high in calories, sugar and fat while containing no nutrients. Eat as little as possible from this shelf. Use small amounts of fats and oils daily. Go for mono- (olive or rapeseed oil) and poly- (sunflower oil) unsaturated, as these are healthier than saturated fats like lard and vegetable oils. Sweets, chocolate, toffees, cakes, biscuits and high fat snacks should be restricted to small amounts and only on special occasions. Alcohol is also high in calories and can increase your weight.

Exercise

Regular exercise not only helps us to maintain a healthy weight, but Improves blood-sugar control, improves blood cholesterol, improves mood and reduces stress, decreases risk of heart disease and keeps your muscles and bones strong and healthy. Aim to be active throughout the day, exercising for at least 20-30 minutes most days of the week.

Upcoming Diabetes Day with free checks and assessments with specialist nurse

Whelehans Pharmacy in association with MSD and Diabetes Ireland are delighted to run a Diabetes testing Awareness Day in Whelehans on Friday 28th October 2016. The day runs from 10am to 4pm. We aim to highlight undiagnosed Type 2 Diabetes and anyone is welcome to be tested for free. If you are already diagnosed as Diabetic you can assess your goals and progress on the day with specialist Diabetes Nurse Pauline Dunne. Call in to the pharmacy on the day.

With Caroline Masters, Nutritional Therapist at Whelehans Pharmacy

When it comes to food choices we are often swayed by others, laziness, affordability, advertising, habits or simply lack of thought.  It is so important to start making better choices to ensure we are getting the nutrition our bodies require so that we remain healthy.  If we make healthier choices and increase our exercise we will definitely benefit from this change.  It is amazing how our bodies reacts so positively when we eat natural foods, drink water regularly and watch our sugar and saturated fat intake. 

Our internal processes such as our digestive, nervous, circulatory, muscular and endocrine systems require an adequate amount of energy each day to work efficiently and we must provide this energy by way of our food intake.   The energy in our food is measured in kilocalories and by eating the amount our bodies require  (known as BMR basal metabolic rate) we will maintain our present weight.  The amount of calories required depends on factors such as age, gender and present weight.  If clothes are getting tighter and weight is creeping on we are overeating i.e eating more than our body requires and the excess calories are being stored as fat.  We need to reduce our energy intake and often it is the high sugar and fatty foods that have a high calorie content and little nutrition that can be reduced to make this positive change.

Take a minute to reflect on what you consumed yesterday.  If you are unable to recall your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks you may have lost track and need to get into a better routine.   I now ask you the following questions and see how many you can confidently say ‘yes’ to:

• Did you get nutrition from your food and are you happy with your choices?
• Did you eat a variety of food including at least 5 portions of fruit & vegetables?
• Did you get adequate protein, carbohydrates, fat and limit saturated fat?
• Did you snack healthily avoiding excess sugar in your diet?
• Did you drink at least one litre of water?
• Did you eat slowly and chew your food well?
• Did you exercise today?

How did you do?  Try to make changes starting today so that you can say yes to all of the questions asked as a start to a healthier you making more conscious food choices.

It is wise to eat everything in moderation and it is when we are excessive with one or more food groups that we can cause problems for ourselves and lead to weight gain.  At the nutrition clinic at Whelehans I will go through your daily routine and food choices during the initial consultation and see how you can make healthier options that will benefit your well-being, energy levels and ensure satiety.  At this time we will also go through your energy requirements for weight loss and weight maintenance so that you have a clear picture of what you need to do for success.  Every small change to your food choices and increase in exercise will lead to big results.

Talking about making changes will not get results and there are no quick fixes for weight loss and changes for long term health.  Contact me, Caroline Masters, on 086 3994615 to take your first step to a healthier you or you can email me at nutrition@whelehans.ie or call Whelehans Pharmacy on 044 9334591.

One to one private consultations.  Friendly, affordable, flexible service. Suitable for men, women and children.