Food Doctor

With a background in front of house reception, Sally – our resident health guru – tailors her advice to help cope with the challenges and battles that receptionists face each day.

Twelve years ago, Sally Cronin weighed over 24 stone and suffered from many obesity related medical conditions. She decided to study nutrition to help her lose over 10 stone and then opened a diet advisory centre in Ireland. She now lives in Spain and is a writer and broadcaster on all aspects of health and diet.

“I have spent most of my career working with the public either in the hospitality industry, behind a reception desk or in retail. One of the lessons that I learnt very early on was that my lifestyle directly affected how I looked and felt.”

Sally takes clients from around the World, offering a full lifestyle analysis and personalised eating plan by email and she is also happy to answer any questions you might have at sally@moyhill.com

THE CRONIN NUTRITIONAL EATING PLAN FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND HEALTH

PART 1

This fourteen day menu is intended as an example only and needs to be adjusted to your needs.  You can have your main meal either at lunchtime or the evening but it is better for you to have your carbohydrates at lunchtime rather than later in the day as you are unlikely to use them up.  However, if you eat around the 6.00-7.00 p.m. time and then are active in some form afterwards you are fine.

Here is a reminder of my “superfoods” list and it would be a good idea to include at least four of these every day (follow the links for more information):

Oranges
Oats
Green Tea
Bananas
Walnuts
Spinach
Broccoli
Onions
Salmon
Turkey
Brown Rice
Avocado

You will find most of the fruit juices in the smaller size in packs of six which will keep them fresh over the two week period and the portion size is about right.

14 Breakfasts

• Cranberry juice, corn tortilla, one scrambled egg, orange and green tea
• Apple juice, porridge with semi-skimmed milk and honey, apple and green tea
• Orange juice, bowl of rice crispies, banana and green tea
• Grapefruit juice, weetabix, strawberries and green tea
• Cranberry juice, poached egg on one slice of toast, orange and green tea
• Apple juice, porridge with honey, banana and green tea.
• Fresh fruit salad with low fat yoghurt, piece of toast and marmalade with green tea.
• Grapefruit juice, weetabix, berries and green tea
• Cranberry juice, corn tortilla with two lean rashers of bacon, apple and green tea
• Apple juice, porridge with raisins, orange and green tea
• Orange juice, cornflakes with berries, green tea
• Grapefruit juice, rice crispies with banana and green tea
• Cranberry juice, beans on toast, apple and green tea
• Fresh fruit salad with low fat yoghurt, piece of toast and marmalade with green tea

MAIN MEALS

Some of the main meals can be prepared and then frozen.  I do this with the stuffed peppers and it makes it quick and easy to microwave them when you get home from work.

It is important to have as much variety as possible in your meals so that you get the widest spread of nutrients.  Try not to fall into the habit of having the same meal on the same day every week.  When you are working it is hard to feel motivated to prepare a dinner from scratch every night but things like brown rice, mashed potato and pasta can all be prepared and then frozen.  Vegetables too keep for at least four days in a sealed container in the refrigerator so make enough to store and then use as needed.  Personally I eat three portions of fruit and five portions of vegetables at least per day and I often eat carrots or other green vegetables most nights of the week.

I do have some recipes for some main meals and if you contact me I will send them on.  sally@moyhill.com

14 Main Meals

• Roast lamb or cutlets, carrots with two dark green vegetables, jacket potato with drizzle of olive oil. Peppermint tea.
• Spinach salad with tomato and cucumber, turkey wrap with peppers and onions and peppermint or green tea.
• Stuffed peppers with brown rice tuna, onions and peppers. Raw vegetable salad and peppermint or green tea.
• Chicken breast fajitas with red peppers and onions, green salad with half an avocado and peppermint or green tea.
• Lean grilled steak with steamed mixed vegetables and new potatoes. Peppermint or green tea.
• Brown rice pilaf with baked salmon, green salad and peppermint or green tea.
• Roast pork fillet, Mediterranean roasted vegetables, mashed potato and peppermint or green tea.
• Chicken breast with onions and peppers in corn tortilla, mixed salad including half an avocado and peppermint or green tea.
• Wholegrain pasta with ratatouille (homemade is best onions, peppers, courgettes in tomato sauce). Sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Mixed Salad. Peppermint or green tea.
• Cod (any white fish) in white sauce (made with semi-skimmed milk), new potatoes, carrots and two green vegetables. Peppermint or green tea
• Roasted vegetable brochettes using onion, peppers, courgettes and aubergine.  Brown rice mixed with a little fried onion (use a little olive oil in the pan).  Broccoli.  Peppermint or green tea.
• Cottage pie with minced chicken, onions, mushrooms and mashed potato with cabbage and carrots. Peppermint tea or green tea.
• Roast Turkey, brown rice and onion, roast parsnips, courgettes and peas with gravy. Peppermint or green tea.
• Whole grain spaghetti with tomato and basil sauce (homemade with pureed tomatoes, olive oil, onions and fresh basil). Peppermint or green tea.

 

THE CRONIN NUTRITIONAL EATING PLAN FOR WEIGHT LOSS AND HEALTH

Part 2

LIGHT MEAL OPTIONS

These are intended for either lunchtime or evening depending on when you have your main meal.

Portion size is important and I use a large cereal bowl or soup bowl approximately 6 inches or 15cms in diameter and 4inches or 10cms in depth. You will be having three snacks per day in addition so you will soon adjust to having slightly less at this mealtime.

Most of these can be prepared and stored in the fridge saving you time.  Jacket potatoes can be wrapped in foil and rice and pasta salads keep well too.  I do suggest that you prepare your salads at the time as fresh fruit and vegetables do lose much of their goodness when cut.  The exception to this is the fresh fruit salad which is stored in unsweetened apple juice which can be stored for three or four days in an airtight container in the fridge.

• Raw vegetable salad with chopped jacket potato – drizzle of olive oil. Green tea.
• Brown rice salad with onions, mushrooms, peas with half a chopped chicken breast, green tea.
• Whole grain sandwich with chicken breast, drizzle of olive oil and seasoning, lettuce and tomato. Green or peppermint tea.
• Spanish omelette made with an egg, a little cold potato, chopped red peppers and onions. Can be made in the microwave without oil. Peppermint or green tea.
• Homemade vegetable soup (can be made and frozen). Use onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots and any green vegetable with a salt free vegetable stock cube.  Season to taste and you can make spicy. One wholegrain or olive bread roll with olive oil. Green tea
• Half an avocado with prawns in teaspoon of mayonnaise, green salad and piece of wholegrain bread. Green tea.
• Raw vegetable salad with tin of tuna in brine. Corn tortilla. Green tea
• Sugar-free baked beans on two slices of whole grain toast drizzled with olive oil. Green tea
• Homemade gazpacho with pureed tomato, cucumber and onion.  Small jacket potato with light cream cheese. Green tea
• Corn tortilla wrap with lettuce, tomato and two rashers of lean bacon.
• Small pizza base with 1 oz of grated cheddar, onion, tomato puree, asparagus tips and chopped chicken. Green tea.
• Cold pasta salad with chopped spring onions, broccoli, cucumber and tomato and fresh shrimp. Green tea.
• Whole grain French bread with fresh baked salmon, cucumber and scrape of mayonnaise and seasoning. Green tea.
• Two poached eggs and steamed asparagus on two slices of wholegrain toast.

It is the turn of the snacks now and these are important as we often turn to high fat sugary options during the day for convenience.  More than anything, substituting healthy alternatives into our diet can make a huge difference to both our weight and our well being.

SNACKS

It is important that you do not go more than two or three hours without eating something so that your body keeps working and using energy.  You do not want your blood sugar dropping and by eating regularly throughout the day you will find that you are less tired and more inclined to do the exercise that you need.

I suggest making up your fresh fruit salad and putting it into a large sealed container in the fridge and make a habit of having one bowl with low fat yoghurt every day.  This will give you at least two of your portions of fruit that you need.  Make sure that you leave at least two hours after your main meal before eating the fruit salad as it digests very quickly and can cause acidity if it interferes with the digestion of tougher and more fibrous foods.  I find that it is a very useful snack in the evening around an hour before I go to bed.

On that basis that takes care of one snack per day and here are some examples of others that you can take to work with you or in your handbag if you are out shopping etc.  If you are out and do not have anything to hand then stop for a cup of tea and a piece of toast or toasted teacake.

Eat mid-morning, mid-afternoon and about an hour before bedtime. One snack per day to be a cereal bowl of fresh fruit salad with low fat yoghurt.Have a cup of green, peppermint or black tea with the morning and afternoon snack. I have given you sufficient examples for you to get the idea of what sort of snack we are looking at.  Get creative and find foods that you enjoy and can fit into your lifestyle that are healthy and energy giving.  Please avoid buying the so called healthy energy bars.  They are usually laden with sugar and are not as healthy as they are made out to be. You can however make your own cereal bars using oats, whole grain flour, dried fruits and honey so find a good recipe and adapt to keep healthy.  These can be stored in an airtight container in your desk or at home and the only proviso is that you don’t become so hooked that you cannot stop at one digestive sized cookie at a time!

• Bowl of fruit salad with low fat yoghurt every day.
• Homemade cereal cookie with a cup of green tea.
• Orange and apple
• Banana and 6 walnut halves.
• Half a melon with berries.
• Two rice cakes with scrape of butter and marmite.
• Two Ryvita with scrape of butter and jam.
• Two large plums and 6 walnut halves.
• Apple and Pear
• Piece of toast, drizzle of olive oil and sliced tomato.
• Banana or other fruit smoothies with 400ml of semi skimmed milk and teaspoon of honey.
• Sunflower seeds unsalted (small handful)
• Pumpkin seeds unsalted (small handful)
• Pot of low fat live yoghurt.
• Two Ryvita with light cream cheese and tomato.
• Pot of low fat rice pudding.  (you can make your own with cooked brown rice, semi skimmed milk and honey)
• Cold hard boiled egg and a banana.

You now have the basis of a healthy diet that includes most of the essential food groups and nutrients.  It can be adapted for any age group or lifestyle and if you can introduce your friends and family to this way of eating you may well be saving them many health problems in the future. In particular young children adapt to this type of eating very well with a little patience and you will find a difference in not only their general health and energy but also in their behaviour as they are weaned away from processed foods with their preservatives and colourants.

Over the last twelve years I have developed the original eating programme that I designed to help me get fit, into an easy to follow, healthy and effective way to lose weight.  But weight is not just the only issue when we talk about diets.  We as a living organism have a requirement for a specific combination of nutrients. Our bodies are very sophisticated and employ complex mechanisms to extract, utilise and combine nutrients to achieve optimum health. Like any good recipe we need to provide our bodies with the basic ingredients and the correct environment for this to happen. I believe that it is not the one huge change that you make to your lifestyle that creates improvements to your health and weight but the 101 small changes that make the biggest difference.  Even if you are currently following a reasonably healthy lifestyle, you do need to review your strategies on a regular basis as you age or your life changes pace. What you are able to eat at twenty years old or even thirty-five is different when you get into your 40’s and 50’s.

This plan can be adapted for your age, sex and activity level and by following the basic rules you will find over a period of weeks and months that you are leaner and healthier than you have ever been before.

At this stage it is more important to get into the good habits and discard your bad habits than it is to count calories. However it is as important to take in sufficient calories as it is to not take in too many.  If you lose weight too quickly you are in danger of losing muscle. Your body as we have already stated needs a complex cocktail of nutrients to function and to survive. If you do not feed your body with the raw ingredients it has to go somewhere to find them and that is your storage system in your muscles and your bones. Apart from eroding bone and lean muscle mass you will be reducing your body’s requirement for fuel and will therefore affect your metabolism. Muscle burns fuel more efficiently and if you lose that muscle your body will store any excess as fat. This is why we tend to put weight back on with extra pounds when we have been on a severely restricted diet. Starvation levels of dieting below a thousand calories have long term effects on your health and longevity. Osteoporosis is a very real danger to women and men who have persisted with low calorie and nutrient diets during their early years. My recommendation is that women do not reduce their calorie intake below 1500 calories and that men stay above 1800 calories per day when trying to lose weight. Of equal importance is that the food that you take in within that calorie range is nutrient packed and you will this is where the inclusion of nutrient rich superfoods in this programme is so essential.

Rule1:- YOU MUST EAT BREAKFAST

Everyone is to have breakfast, even if you say you are not a breakfast person and you should eat within an hour of getting up in the morning. Even if it is a fruit juice and some fruit salad with a tea or coffee you must eat something to kick start your metabolism and get your blood sugar to a level that will sustain your energy throughout the day.

Rule 2:- YOU MUST EAT AT LEAST SIX TIMES A DAY

This is three moderate meals and 3 snacks. If you weigh more than 3 stone overweight you will have an additional snack a day and if you are over 5 stone overweight you will have an additional 2 snacks a day. Your body requires fuel on a continuous basis and will use and process these six meals without storing fat. Because the calories will be less than your body requires on a daily basis you will be using up more than you are taking in, resulting in weight loss.

Rule 3:- YOU MUST DRINK AT LEAST 2 LITRES OF PURE WATER PER DAY

Not all at once but throughout the day starting with a glass of water as soon as you wake up. You will be dehydrated after a nights sleep and you need to restore your mineral balance before you start the day.  We cannot survive much longer than six minutes without air, six days without water or six weeks without food. That makes hydration your second highest priority for survival. The food you eat does effect your hydration.  Salad foods particularly have a high water content and even dry foods contain some too. However, we lose fluid through breathing, our skin and going to the toilet and that needs to be replaced. Anyone who tells you that you do not need to drink water at all is seriously affecting your health.

MORE ABOUT THE “RULES”

The word rules sounds a little dogmatic but I find that unless I have some pretty strong commitment to doing a project, including losing weight the whole thing lacks structure and purpose.  Half the problem with losing weight or getting healthy involves getting your head around willpower.  Willpower is not something we are born with and as children we are not expected to exhibit much particularly when it comes to eating or not eating foods we love.  The important issue here is to focus on what you are going to gain rather than what you are going to have to give up.  To put things into perspective when looking at your current lifestyle you need to review exactly how you feel on a physical, mental and emotional level.  Are you fed up with feeling bloated, overweight, tired, emotional and guilty?  If you follow this healthy eating plan you in fact can eat wonderful food at least six times a day and throw in some exercise and in a few weeks all those negative feelings will have disappeared.  You at least owe it to yourself to follow the programme for at least six weeks and then compare how you feel then with the way you feel today.

It is important to have a start point when you are planning to lose weight so that you have a road map, with a destination that you can follow.  I often hear clients say ‘I would just love to lose 10kilos or 2 stone or 10lbs’. This is based not necessarily on the actual weight they need to lose but an acceptably achievable goal.  To be honest you need to be a little more specific than this.  You may only need to lose 7lbs or 5 kilos or you may need to lose more to reach a healthy weight for your age and activity level.  Most ideal weight profiles are derived from the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. Ideal Weight table.  This however was produced in 1959 when physically we were shorter and our diet following the war years was still restricted for many people.  I don’t believe that this table is appropriate today and if you take the ideal weights in that table and treat it as the minimum weight for your height then I believe that it is more realistic for this generation.  It is a guideline only and the important factors are the indicators of how healthy you are internally as well as externally.  Of greater importance to me, are your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.  Are you exercising regularly and have plenty of energy?  To simplify the table so that you can estimate your lowest weight I am including a ready reckoner that you might find useful.

For medium framed women as a base use 100lbs up to five foot and then 6lbs for every inch over that height. Modify by 5% either way if you have a light frame or heavy frame.

For medium framed men as a base use 106lbs up to five foot and then 7lbs for every inch over that height.  Modify either way if you have a light frame or heavy frame.

For example a woman who is a heavy frame and 5’6” would have an optimal weight of 100lbs + 36lbs = 136lbs x 5% = 6.8lbs giving an optimum weight of 136.8lbs or 62.2Kilos

A light framed man of 5’6” would be 106lbs + 70lbs = 176lbs less 5% = 9lbs = 167lbs or 75.9Kilos.

This is not exact but it gives you an approximate idea of where you should be.  To be honest I have met people who are fantastically healthy, fit and full of energy who are a stone or even two stone heavier.  But there is no doubt that if we are talking about anti-ageing, being a healthy weight for your age and size is important.

PART THREE

Rule 4:- WHATEVER ALCOHOL YOU ARE CURRENTLY DRINKING YOU MUST AT LEAST HALVE IT

Alcohol is in our lives to a lesser or greater extent. We use it in celebration or when we are depressed, to reward ourselves, to put us in the mood or to fit in with our friends. Taken in moderation, alcohol still has a physical effect on our bodies. Certainly some has a mildly therapeutic effect but red grape juice has as many Bioflavonoids as red wine.

Our liver is the organ that takes the full brunt of any alcohol intake that we indulge in, and as the liver is such a vital organ in the elimination of toxins and waste, it is vital that it is protected throughout our lifetime. A healthy liver can determine much of our overall general health and longevity so respecting it makes very good sense.

The liver is not the only part of our body that is affected by drinking too much alcohol. Liver cirrhosis as a result of alcohol is one of the ten leading causes of death in the United States and I would assume on a similar level in parts of the UK. Excessive drinking can be responsible for altering brain activity affecting your concentration and reflexes. This is very evident in drink driving. Mild symptoms may be insomnia, heartburn and slightly raised blood pressure.

The more dangerous side effects however can be fatal. Alcohol can raise levels of triglycerides in the blood causing arterial and heart disease. It affects the levels of calcium in the body leading to osteoporosis. Obesity is very common with all of its complications and there are indications that there is a serious increase in the risks of many cancers including in the mouth, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver and breast.

I am not intending to blackmail you into giving up alcohol, but like any toxin that we choose to take into our body, we should do so fully informed and not with our head stuck in the sand.  We now are fully informed of the dangers of smoking and over the last few months there has been an emphasis on the dangers of excessive or binge drinking.  Hopefully this will save lives over the next few years.

I don’t expect anyone to give up alcohol altogether but you will notice an amazing difference in your energy levels and the way that you feel if you do. But at least by halving your intake you will see some benefit. Do think about this carefully however and if you can manage with just one glass of wine with your dinner each night that would be tremendous. Take a close look at how much you are actually consuming at present and multiply each glass of wine by 100 calories and see how these invisible calories are impacting not just your weight but your health. One half bottle of wine per night represents 36lbs or 17kilos in excess body fat a year. If you only need to lose 14lbs or 6 kilos you can do that by reducing your intake to half.

Rule 5: – HAVE A LITTLE PROTEIN WITH EACH MEAL

You don’t have to eat 100 grams. But one chicken breast – 5 oz of salmon – light cream cheese spread – semi skimmed milk – 1 oz of cheddar, etc. Give yourself a couple of meat free days per week and have a meal using half an avocado which is good source of vitamins and minerals but also of healthy fat. You will find the essential and non-essential amino acids that the body needs in a wide variety of plant based foods including lentils, peanuts, broad beans, kidney beans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts and vegetables.

We are made of protein and proteins are essential to the structure, function, and regulation of the body including the systems that produce hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. If you are considering becoming a vegetarian or you are already one then do make sure that you are taking in sufficient protein in your diet to satisfy your body’s needs.

Clients who have come to me with various health problems have accused me of being anti-vegetarianism in the past. This is not the case. I am firmly against starvation diets, which is a different matter altogether.  Most of the clients I have worked with who have chosen to give up animal products have done so without thought to the alternatives they needed to substitute to give them the essential nutrients required to be healthy. They have in some case simply reduced the amount of food and variety that they eat every day. It has been an emotional decision not a considered one. You can have a wonderfully healthy diet without animal protein and if you need help in designing that programme contact a nutritional therapist and get their assistance.

Rule 6:- MAKE A FRESH FRUIT SALAD AND HAVE AT LEAST ONE BOWL EACH DAY

Fruit is a wonderful way to take in many of the vitamins and anti-oxidants that you need on a daily basis. In our supermarkets today there is an amazing array of European and tropical fruit that is fresh and tastes wonderful.  We will take a close look at oranges as part of the superfoods articles but any fruit that you eat is a ‘superfood’ in my book.  This is a very simple recipe but you can substitute any fruits that are your particular favourites.  For dinner parties splash out on the more exotic fruits such as mango and papaya and serve with home made ice cream.  Your guests will love it.

Use unsweetened apple juice and take 2 red apples, 2 large pears – half a melon – half a fresh pineapple – 2 large plums. Substitute your favourite fruit and alternate on a weekly basis so that you get plenty of variety.

Cut all the fruit up and store in a large airtight container in the fridge and this will last you at least three days – that is if you can keep the rest of the family out of it. However, just think how much good it will do them – especially if they eat this instead of a high sugar or fat snack.

If you don’t like plain you can serve with a live yoghurt.

Rules sound a little draconian but to be honest when it comes to your health you cannot afford to be half hearted. This applies to rule 7 of the plan and some of you might be quite shocked at my insistence that you either stop drinking or severely restrict your intake of canned soft drinks. I think that when you see the reasoning behind my concerns you will agree that it is unlikely that these drinks are actually doing you any good and in many cases maybe doing you harm.

Rule 7:- WHATEVER ELSE YOU DRINK, DO NOT TOUCH DIET DRINKS OR CANNED DRINKS AND IF YOU DO RESTRICT TO ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK

In a nutshell, drinking carbonated or even still soft drinks exposes you to additives and colourings that could be extremely harmful to your health.  There are some quite frightening statistics that show how our children and young adults are consuming gallons of these drinks and the long-term effects are staggering.

1. The American Soft Drink Association proudly announced that the average American consumes over 600, 12oz (large) servings per year.  They estimate that the average teenager is drinking 160 gallons of soft drinks per year until their late 20’s.

2. Researchers have determined that the average child and teenager during the critical growth and development phase is getting over 10% of their calorie requirement from processed soft drinks instead of milk.

3. Scientific studies have shown that drinking as little as one or two soft drinks a day can increase your risk of developing obesity, diabetes, tooth decay, osteoporosis, nutritional deficiencies, heart disease and neurological problems.

4. Most of the calories in soft drinks are in the form of refined sugars or artificial sugars that have absolutely no nutritional value.  In one study it was shown that teenagers who drank too many of these sodas are at risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver which we normally associate with chronic alcoholism.

5. The drinks increase acid levels throughout the body, which suppresses immune system, provides a thriving environment for bacteria and viruses and additionally affects most of the operational systems within the body. The worst offenders are Coke and Pepsi and it takes over 30 glasses of pure alkaline water to neutralise one glass of Coke.

6. Heavy consumption of these soft drinks can lead to stomach ulcers and the high levels of sugar, carbon dioxide and phosphoric acid remove nutritious minerals such as calcium from the bone making them weak and brittle. I have seen the x-rays of a 16-year-old with the bone density of an 80-year-old.

7. Caffeine in most soft drinks is a mild drug and can cause elevated blood pressure in adults. In children it acts as a stimulant leading to behavioural problems, insomnia, anxiety, irritability and irregular heart beats. Caffeine is addictive, which is why someone who drinks sodas can never stop at just one and is as addicted as a smoker.

8. There are additives and colourings in diet drinks that produce that lovely dark brown colour. Polyethylene glycol is an anti-freeze that could be carcinogenic.

Drinking fresh fruit juices diluted with water is fine as long as you clean your teeth twice a day at least to prevent fruit sugars from contributing to dental decay. This applies of course to your children. Milk is an important source of calcium for children and the sad fact is that more and more children are substituting soft drinks for this rich source of nutrients. Use fresh fruit to make them milk shakes and smoothies to encourage them to keep milk in their diet and limit their access to the fizzy drinks.

You either love it or hate it but exercise is extremely important for the body. It not only tones our muscles, burns fat and builds healthy bone but it makes us feel great. Even if you drag yourself out of bed in the morning and groan at the thought of that cold and wet morning out there, you will feel invigorated at the end of your 30 minute brisk walk.

One of the areas that we don’t concentrate enough on is our breathing. We need oxygen to survive but most of us do not breathe deeply enough to obtain the amount we need nor do we then get rid of all the waste from our bodies which is expelled every time we breathe out.

Rule 8: – WHATEVER YOUR CURRENT EXERCISE LEVEL PUT MORE ENERGY INTO IT

Walking every day briskly for 30 to 45 minutes will not only help you lose weight and tone your muscles but is also weight bearing. This improves both your bone density and the flexibility of your muscles, tendons and joints. Your heart will benefit as the oxygen rich blood is pushed through the arteries clearing blockages and taking the nutrients around the body. Your brain will benefit and you will feel very good about yourself. If you have not been exercising recently then start with a 20 minute walk at some stage during the day and the gradually build this up to 45 minutes. You can incorporate breathing exercises in the beginning that will help improve your internal health as well as build up your stamina.

Dancing, tennis, light weight training, golf and swimming can be integrated into your exercise programme and you need to put energy and commitment into the process to get the maximum benefit.

Do give yourself one or two days off though once a week, rest is also important to allow your body to recover and recharge itself. You need to be following the Healthy Eating Plan to ensure that you are getting the right level of calories and nutrients to enable you to exercise without using up all your reserves. Do not be tempted to starve yourself and work out too hard, as you will weaken both your immune system and cause long-term damage to your bones and organs.

Rule 9: – CHANGING HABITUAL EATING PATTERNS

A normal chocolate bar a day for a year is 55lbs or 25kilos in body fat – a Danish pastry every morning with your coffee is 67lbs per year or 31 kilos. Two digestive biscuits with your coffee each morning equates to 20lbs per year. Just think about that before you reach for them. Do you need them every day? If you cut down to twice or three times a week you will be losing between 10lbs and 34lbs per year automatically. Take a look at your diet and you may find that there are one or two regular food items that you could reduce and lose weight easily and healthily.

Rule 10: SALT

Excess salt can cause raised blood pressure. When blood is over salty it retains fluids, which increases the volume in the arteries. This causes a rise in the pressure.  The recommended amount of salt is 5gm for women and 7gm for men.  However, a useful measure is one level teaspoon per day. Put a level teaspoon times the amount of people you are cooking for in a coffee cup or something similar and add pinches to your cooking and to taste on your meals. If you run out before the evening, then I am afraid that is it. If you must put salt on your food put on the side of the plate and only use when absolutely necessary. Read food labels on processed foods, and do not forget to check your mineral water. Multiply the sodium levels by 2.5 and see just how much salt you are drinking let alone eating.

You now have the basic rules of the eating plan and if you work with these you will find it both easy to stick to the programme in the long term and also ensure a successful outcome.

Rather than give you a detailed calorie by calorie eating plan, I would rather you began to build your own from scratch using both the rules from the last couple of issues and the following list of ‘superfoods’ – there are 12 that I feel should be included in everyone’s diet.

If I was off to a desert island and told that I could bring 12 food items – I would take these – and Ray Mears! For those of you who do not know about Ray, I suggest you Google him and you will see for yourself why he is essential for every castaway.

I have twelve foods on my list although do remember that most fresh and raw fruit and vegetables are superfoods in though own right and have many of the nutrients of this selected few. Next time you are in the supermarket please add them to your basket.  We will worry about quantities later, the important aspect right now is to include them in your diet and gain the benefit of the nutrients that they offer.

Oranges
Oats
Green tea
Bananas
Walnuts
Spinach
Broccoli
Onions
Salmon
Turkey
Brown Rice
Avocado.