With Christmas becoming a distant memory, the fridge is less and less full of leftovers you may feel that the worst of winter is over and spring is on it's way. Whilst that indeed may be the case, January to March can be some of the coldest months Britain endures, looking back at our track history of The Beast from the East, things aren't looking too promising.
Keeping warm and well fed in winter is incredibly important; the cold makes us tired and lethargic, less energised to get up and move about, let alone work away in the kitchen. This leads to malnourishment and other cold related ailments; a saddening number of people died due to avoidable causes
This is a large, mainly unspoken about topic; it is estimated that it affects 1 in 10 people over the age of 65 in the UK.
Malnutrition defines both under and over eating, however the majority of cases in older generations is the former. This is commonly due to being too tired, not being able to go and get shopping, or having no interested in food in general.
Summer's finally here and we’re dreaming of sparkling blue seas, olive groves and a table set with delicious Mediterranean food. Renowned as one of the healthiest diets in the world, there couldn’t be a better time to give it a try.
From juicy, sun ripened tomatoes and salad drizzled in olive oil to succulent seafood, traditional dishes enjoyed in southern France, Spain, Italy and Greece are full of the nutrients needed for healthy ageing. In fact, people who follow a Mediterranean diet tend to have a lower risk of developing age-related health problems including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s.
Chocolate is the ultimate comfort food, stress-reliever and aphrodisiac – here are 10 fabulous reasons why tucking into your favourite treat this Easter could be good for you after all.
It’s rich in minerals
Dark chocolate is high in beneficial minerals like potassium, zinc and selenium, and a 100g bar of dark chocolate (70 per cent or more) provides 67 per cent of an adult’s recommended daily intake of iron.
Cough relief
One study showed that chocolate helped to relieve coughs almost as well as codeine – and with none of the side effects.
The best way to keep your heart healthy is through your diet and we have explained some of the easiest changes you can make. Heart-healthy lifestyle habits will also benefit your general wellbeing whilst reducing your risks of heart disease and lowering your cholesterol levels.
Fruit and vegetables should make up a third of our diets so you should be having at least 5 portions a day. This can be hard so why not try adding frozen vegetables to dishes? We have some great choices like Broccoli and our Baby Carrots. Always aim for a colourful plate; variety is the spice of life and with a larger variety means more of the good things like fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Eating more fibre will also help lower your risk of heart disease, aiming for 30 grams a day from a variety of sources like Wholemeal Bread, Oats, Wholegrain Cereals, Potatoes with their skins and of course fruit and vegetables.
Cutting down on your saturated fat is always a great way to lower your cholesterol levels - using leaner cuts of meat and lower fat dairy varieties will help so try using skimmed rather than whole milk.
Winter is here, the nights are drawing in and the heaters are on! Although it is comforting to settle down in front of the TV with a blanket and a cup of warming cocoa it is still important to keep fit and well in the winter months. Eating healthy will keep you alert, energised and help protect
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.
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.
With temperatures set to soar this week, we’re picturing sparkling blue seas, olive groves and a table set with delicious Mediterranean food. Renowned as one of the healthiest diets in the world, there couldn’t be a better time to give it a try.
From juicy, sun ripened tomatoes and salad drizzled in olive oil to succulent seafood, traditional dishes enjoyed in southern France, Spain, Italy and Greece are full of the nutrients needed for healthy ageing. In fact, people who follow a Mediterranean diet tend to have a lower risk of developing age-related health problems including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and even Alzheimer’s.
We take a look at the common ingredients in Mediterranean meals and some simple ways to include them in your day-to-day diet.
As the weather gets warmer, we take a look at some refreshing, flavour-packed smoothies to help you keep cool.
If you find getting your 5 a day can sometimes be a chore, try drinking, rather than eating them. Digging out the blender and making a juice or smoothie is a simple, tasty way to pack loads of fruit (and even vegetables) into your daily diet. And because smoothies are thicker than other liquids, they’re also a great refreshment option for people with difficulties swallowing.
