Articles & stories

February is Heart Month, with the British Heart Foundation encouraging us all to think about what we can do to look after our tickers. An important part of this is keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level – and the great news is, even small changes can give your heart health a real boost. Your blood pressure is the amount of force your heart uses to pump blood around your body. If it’s too high, this puts more strain on your arteries and heart muscles, which increases your risk of developing health problems such as heart disease, strokes and kidney failure. Having high blood pressure doesn’t in itself cause any symptoms, so the only way to keep on top of yours is to have it checked regularly by your local GP or practice nurse.

We all appreciate how important good nutrition is for our overall health and wellbeing. But in later life, when our bodies go through a number of physical changes, this can affect how well we eat and how much nourishment we’re able to get from food. The senses of taste and smell become less sensitive as the years pass by, so sitting down to a meal might not give us the same pleasure that it used to. And the body isn’t able to absorb nutrients as efficiently. Older people also tend to eat less as their energy levels naturally dip due to being less active, and because the amount of lean muscle decreases in proportion to fat tissue.

Whilst you might be busily making plans for Christmas, at this time of year our bodies are also working hard to fend off the many bugs around during cold and flu season. And though there’s no cure for the common cold, there are some effective things you can do to boost your immune system and stave off winter illnesses. 1. Eat well One of the best ways to support your immune system is to eat a varied diet that’s packed full of vitamins and minerals.

With long, dark evenings and cold, wet weather ahead, the winter months can leave many of us feeling down in the dumps. But from eating a balanced diet to doing some gentle exercise, there are simple measures you can take that will help see you through to spring with a smile. Around 1 in 5 people in the UK suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during winter – more commonly known as the ‘winter blues’. Doctors think that a lack of sunlight can cause some people’s bodies to produce more of the sleep hormone, melatonin, making you feel tired and irritable throughout the day. Cold weather and short days can also make some people depressed, and cause them to want to shut themselves away indoors, and sometimes overeat.

  With recent newspaper stories citing processed meat as a cause of cancer, anyone might have thought twice about taking another bite of their bacon butty. But look behind the scary headlines, and you’ll see you can still enjoy eating meat as part of a balanced diet. October’s biggest health story was the news that a World Health Organisation study had labelled processed meat such as bacon, salami and sausages a Group 1 carcinogen – placing it alongside smoking as a definite cause of cancer. This has made lots of people worried, but it’s important to understand that enjoying sausage and mash or a full English breakfast every now and then is nowhere near as bad for you as smoking – and as well as providing protein and other essential nutrients, will actually do you little harm at all.

Diabetes is one of the most common health problems in the UK, affecting over 2.5 million people. And, as we age, the more likely we are to get it. But the good news is, by making some simple diet and lifestyle changes you can reduce your risk – without missing out on your favourite meals. Diabetes is caused when your body stops being able to produce insulin – a natural chemical that helps glucose move from your blood into your body cells, which then convert it into energy. There are two different types, with Type 2 being the most common, particularly among older people. Fortunately, unlike Type 1 diabetes, which cannot be prevented (and usually affects children or young adults), Type 2 diabetes is tied to conditions such as high blood pressure and obesity, which may be avoided by following a healthy lifestyle.

Suffering from depression and anxiety becomes even more common as we get older. It’s an illness often triggered by age-related risk factors such as having a debilitating medical condition, disability, loved ones dying, retirement and loneliness. And when things go wrong with your mental health, every aspect of your life is affected – with the usual symptoms being a lack of energy, low motivation, disrupted sleep and a poor appetite. Physical complaints such as arthritis pain or worsening headaches are also linked to depression.

Chocolate is one of the most popular foods in the world – in the UK alone, we eat an average of 11kg each per year. But as well as being a sweet treat, chocolate is claimed to have lots of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, relieving stress and fighting heart disease. Chocolate is made from cocoa beans – the seeds of the cocoa tree. It was the Mayans of Central America who first discovered the beans could be eaten; making drinks from cocoa powder mixed with water, flavoured with vanilla or chilli. The Spanish brought chocolate back to Europe in the 1500s, and by the middle of the 17th century, hot chocolate was being drunk in fashionable ‘chocolate houses’ across the continent. But it wasn’t until the 1800s when cocoa was used to make the chocolate bars we know and love today.

Tikka Masala or Jalfrezi? Korma or Balti? In the UK today, we’re eating more curry than ever before. But when did our love of these spiced, aromatic dishes begin? With National Curry Week in full swing, there’s no better time to find out. Many of us might think that curry only really became popular in the UK thanks to the growing number of people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh who settled in cities up and down the country from the 1950s to the 1970s. But curry actually first came to Britain centuries earlier. And since then, there has been a fusion of British and Asian ingredients and recipes that have lead to the creation of some of our best-loved dishes.

The humble egg has been a staple of our diet for thousands of years. And, as British Egg Week gets cracking this week, it’s the perfect time to indulge in this versatile and nutritious food. From sandwiches to soufflés, quiches to cakes, for breakfast, lunch and dinner – eggs are the essential ingredient in countless dishes. Although hens eggs are the staple, you'll also find quail eggs on the supermarket shelf (great for canapés) as well as large duck eggs with their rich tasting, deep orange yolk. For something really extraordinary – you might be lucky enough to come across an ostrich egg. It weighs a massive 2kg, is the equivalent of 24 hen eggs, and takes two hours to hard-boil!