Little Black Dress Launched!

Little Black Dress Diet 2009 Launched!

JOIN TV NUTRITIONIST AMANDA HAMILTON FOR AN ALPINE DETOX THIS NOVEMBER

TV’S AMANDA HAMILTON LAUNCHES “BABY TOO! BOOTCAMP”
Newly launched “BabyToo! Bootcamp” from expert TV Nutritionist Amanda Hamilton will help new mums “get their body back” and rejuvenate after childbirth – oh and they can bring their kids too!

TV nutritionist, writer, businesswoman and mother of two, Amanda Hamilton, has launched a “BabyToo! Bootcamp” programme to help new mothers get back in shape and rejuvenate following child birth.

The first five day Bootcamps take place at Scotland’s five star Cameron House & Spa on the shores of Loch Lomond in January 2010 and continue at selected locations in the UK and Europe throughout 2010.

Says Amanda: “BabyToo! Bootcamp” will be a fun, invigorating and results-focused five-day retreat where mums of babies aged from six weeks to three years can enjoy a body-shaping programme and mind rejuvenation retreat guilt free!

“Mums will have the guidance of a leading-team of experts, fat-burning exercises, cleansing therapies and delicious detox cuisine whilst their children are looked after with top quality childcare.

There will also be the opportunity for bonding with baby through daily “pramercise” sessions – outdoor workouts that both take advantage and embrace the stunning scenery at each location from the mesmerising shores of Loch Lomond to the panoramic views of The French Alps.

Treatments on offer during the week will also offer further opportunities for baby bonding with sessions of massage, yoga and play. Finally, mums will also enjoy some luxury spa time with three tailored body buffing treatments and therapies.

The first five day programme is hosted at Cameron House hotel and spa, Scotland’s premier five star family resort overlooking stunning Loch Lomond, yet only a half hour’s transfer from Glasgow airport.  Mums have the option of extending their stay over the weekend following the course (and perhaps inviting Dad for a romantic evening!) at a special rate.

“As a mother of a five year old girl and a new baby boy, I juggle a high profile TV career, a busy clinical practice and a health retreat company – I really wanted to find somewhere to get my body back and revitalise after birth – but couldn’t find a place to go,” explains Amanda.

“So, with my team of experts, we went about creating the ultimate “bootcamp” experience where for the first time in the UK, mums can bring their babies along with them!”

She continues, “Aside from the relaxation, rejuvenation and body-shaping focuses of the retreat, the retreats will also focus on helping Mum’s find a tailored nutrition programme that works for their particular mother and baby routine whether they be breast feeding baby or beyond!”

The programme includes:

• Dietary plan and workshops from Amanda Hamilton – personalized for each client according to lifestyle and goals.
• Specialist Pilates tuition, both one on one and in groups – focused on helping Mums find their trim tummy again!
• Three luxurious spa treatments in Scotland’s finest destination spa – body scrub, wrap & massage to get you looking buff!
• Fun and fat-burning “pramercise” classes – mothers and babies in the great outdoors at one of the UK’s most stunning venues.
• Baby massage and baby yoga workshops –expert led, educational and most of all – fun!
• Delicious, nutritious menus – designed for results but delicious too!
  Top quality childcare included: morning or afternoon crèche (1:3 staff ratio) PLUS optional evening babysitting (at extra cost) £12 per hr.
• Luxury 5 star accommodation
• Welcome organic skin care goodie pack for Mums and babies
• Cookery workshop with lots of practical tips for Mum to take home.

Prices start at £1,195 for single accommodation with baby/child for the five night/six day programme.

For media enquiries, images or to speak to Amanda Hamilton please contact Cleo Comerford on 0771 926 4449 or email cleo.comerford@gmx.com.  For enquiries relating to Cameron House, please contact Diana Massey at

About Amanda and her team

Amanda Hamilton, 34, is a health expert and nutritionist who regularly features on BBC television and radio, GMTV and UKTV. She is a well-respected writer and regularly contributes to national titles and is a member of the Guild of Health Writers. Best known by many in the health industry as the founder and director of a well-known and respected retreat company, her work has led to specialisations in the field of detoxification, fertility and weight loss.

Website:              www.amanda-hamilton.co.uk

Phone:                                 0871 890 1331

Cameron House

For hundreds of years Cameron House has been a baronial mansion, wildlife safari park, private residence of lords and ladies and is now Scotland’s finest luxury hotel. Stunning Cameron House has a fascinating history to discover. The knowledgeable doormen can tell guests about wild bears that are suspected to roam the estate, or the secret underground passages that are rumoured to have spirited away romantic gentlemen into the night for secret liaisons.

The house can boast stories of the famous Scottish rebel Rob Roy, rumoured to have hidden out nearby from the English army over 200 years ago and the islands dotted around Loch Lomond were perfect for smuggling illegal hard liquor.

Style, elegance and good old fashioned Scottish hospitality is what the new Cameron House is all about. The future of this special highland gem is dedicated to ensuring everyone has a truly fantastic stay and unique stories to remember and enjoy forever.

Fighting ageing – why it takes more than just sunscreen!

Fighting ageing – why it takes more than just sunscreen!

Are you using sunscreen this summer to help prevent ageing?  If so, you have joined in the fight against free-radical damage.  It is all well and good to stay (mostly) out of the sun but the inner battle can be far more damaging.  Here’s a low down on how to protect your inner world – your cells – from ageing, thus having the potential to add years to life and life to years.

Meet Glutathione

Glutathione is an antioxidant enzyme often referred to as the body’s “master antioxidant” due to its central role in protecting the body’s cells from free radical damage. Glutathione is composed of the amino acids cysteine, glutamine and glycine and is concentrated in the liver, although it carries out its work throughout the body. This important enzyme is involved in protecting cells from environmental toxins, drugs and alcohol as well as toxins produced by the body itself as a result of normal metabolism. So important to health is glutathione that it’s depletion leads to cell death. Glutathione also has a major role to play in immunity – like all cells, immune cells rely up on glutathione for defense against free radicals.

HOW TO GET MORE OF IT!

Glutathione is not a micro-nutrient, we make it ourselves inside our cells.   It is probably the most important anti-oxidant and detox aide we have. However, just because we make it ourselves doesn’t mean it can be ignored – on the contrary, the vast majority of us could do with more or at the very least, protecting what we have got!

If the liver is overwhelmed by toxins from the gut and from chemicals, not all toxins entering the liver are detoxified and instead gain access to the bloodstream to travel anywhere in the body. These toxins and the excess of free radicals (highly reactive forms of oxygen) caused by poor liver function can cause direct damage to tissues and also initiate allergic or auto-immune reactions. Un-neutralized toxins are also expelled into the bile and can further damage the intestinal lining, setting up a toxic vicious cycle. This ‘toxic’ triangle (which we treat on detox retreats) plays a vital role in the protection, or otherwise, of glutathione.

No magic pill

For those that understand naturopathic thinking you will already know that there is no ‘magic’ pill. The only way to boost levels is to take a wide-spectrum anti-oxidant supplement, support the liver and take some added protection from specific nutrients if needed.

On top of this, if the liver is overwhelmed by toxins, these nutrients can become depleted and the liver will function inefficiently resulting in numerous symptoms and problems throughout the body. So, not only is it vital to take the right kind of supplements and eat well but to give your liver a rest and time to recuperate every now and then (yes, back to our detox retreats then!!).

Here are my top liver loving and anti-oxidant boosting measures:

Detox formula

Familiar to all who have been on retreats.  A one-stop shop for liver support. Buy it in our shop.

Milk Thistle (Silymarin)

The milk thistle plant contains silymarin and related flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants so protect the liver from damaging toxins and free radicals. They also stimulate healing and the production of new liver cells and cause the liver to increase production of glutathione.

Specific Nutrients

N-Acetyl-Cysteine (NAC)

Cysteine is a sulphur containing amino acid and is a major component of glutathione (the others being glutamine and glycine). Supplementing cysteine boosts levels of this important ‘master antioxidant’. Cysteine is one of the best free radical destroyers and helps to detoxify harmful toxins in the body and also binds to potentially harmful heavy metals, removing them from the body. The best form to supplement is n-acetyl-cysteine as this has been shown to increase glutathione levels in the body more than cysteine and even glutathione itself. Typical doses are 500-1500mg per day in divided doses.

Taurine

Taurine is a unique amino acid in that it is not incorporated into proteins and enzymes. Instead it is essential for the formation of bile in the liver and acts as a potent detoxifier and antioxidant throughout the body. Alcohol and aldehydes are known to decrease levels of taurine in the liver and it is thought that this is because taurine is used up in protecting liver cells from damage due to these and other toxins.

Alpha Lipoic Acid

Alpha Lipoic Acid is a sulphurous fatty acid that was originally classified as a vitamin until it was discovered that it could be synthesized in the human body. As well as being a particularly powerful antioxidant in its own right, directly neutralizing free radicals, alpha lipoic acid also plays a role in recycling other important antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and glutathione.

B Vitamins

The B vitamins are all essential for healthy liver function. They are required for the formation of a huge number of enzymes including the P450 Cytochrome enzymes which are the basis of the phase 1 liver detoxification pathways. These B vitamin containing enzymes initiate the first part of the detoxification process before glutathione and the other phase 2 enzymes deal with the products of this. When the toxic load on the liver is increased the P450 enzymes tend to become more active which means the requirement for B vitamins increases.

Anti-oxidant Vitamins (A, C, E) – take as Antioxidant formula for optimum effect

Vitamins A, C and E are all powerful anti-oxidants and are utilized by phase 1 liver detoxification pathways. Recent research shows that vitamins C and E act synergistically to neutralize free radicals with vitamin C scavenging for free radicals in bodily fluids and vitamin E protecting the cell membranes. All of these vitamins help protect the body from environmental toxins and the fat soluble vitamins, A and E , also help protect and repair the intestinal tract thus also protecting the liver indirectly by reducing the severity of leaky gut syndrome. Vitamin E also protects vitamin A from damage by free radicals.

Get Fresh! – My Weekly

At last – A Scot as the Face of Scotland! – Daily Mail

Men and…..fertility

Ok, so my mind is on this subject somewhat given I am currently 29 weeks pregnant but it seems that men are often left out of the fertility equation with little guidance or support. So guys (or partners and wives of one) this blog is for you.

A wonderful Acupucturist, Gordon Mullins, passed a good deal of this information on to me and he will be in attendance at the larger of our fertility retreats.

Here’s the list of what you need (and what you don’t) to boost male fertility.

To nourish the sperm, the seminal vesicles secrete substances including fructose (which feeds the sperm), fibrinogen (which holds or coagulates the fluid together), and prostaglandins (which help the sperm penetrate the cervix). The prostate adds an alkaline fluid to the ejaculate. Seminal fluid in normal, fertile men contains antioxidant factors. In many sub-fertile men the seminal fluid may not contain these protective elements, or the circulating free radicals may be so abundant that the seminal fluid is not capable of eliminating the damaged cells. Therefore, men with sub-optimum sperm counts should include dietary sources of antioxidants like wheat and barley grass, sprouts, and dark green vegetables.

Also, the plasma membrane of human sperm contains high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, making them extremely susceptible to damage by free radicals, which can lead to lower motility and morphology, so adding unsaturated fatty acids like those found in sesame, almond, flax seed, hazelnut, pecan, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, pine nut, walnut, olive, avocado, soybean, and quinoa, and omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil to the diet can help sperm integrity.

Many environmental and dietary factors are hostile to the production of healthy sperm. For example, estrogen is important in sperm formation, but consuming too much synthetic estrogen in the diet can be harmful. Unfortunately, most meat, dairy products, and even poultry and eggs contain substantial quantities of synthetic estrogens.

Some reports have shown the presence of synthetic estrogen in sources of drinking water as well. Therefore, eating only hormone-free meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products, and drinking only purified drinking water is suggested.

Many environmental toxins such as pesticides and other chemicals found in non-organically grown produce also can impair spermatogenesis, so you should consume only organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. To support cardiovascular and reproductive health, avoid saturated fats, hydrogenated oils, coconut, palm, and especially cottonseed oil (it contains gossypol, a chemical that inhibits sperm formation). Include polyunsaturated oils and essential fatty acids: both these contribute to the health of the sperm and seminal fluid.

So, let’s summarize a super-sperm diet!

Always best to seek direct advice from a Nutritionist but in these credit crunch times, good information goes a long way. Try Pregnancy formula for all round support– you can order from the website,

Free radicals (which float around the body and damage other cells) are said to be responsible for 40 percent of sperm damage can be overcome with antioxidants found in blackberries, blueberries, garlic, kale, strawberries, brussels sprouts, plums, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, and red peppers.

Amino Acids - The building blocks of life. Necessary for egg and sperm production. Some healthcare practitioners will prescribe amino acids such as l-arginine to enhance fertility. Sources: protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, lentils, peas, beans, nuts, brown rice, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and quinoa.

Vitamin A - Essential for the production of male sex hormones. It has antioxidant qualities that protects cells against damage from free radicals in the body. It also is important for the upkeep of the seminiferous tubules. A deficiency is shown to reduce sperm volume and count, and increase abnormal sperm.

Sources: eggs, yellow fruits and vegetables, whole milk and milk products, dark green leafy veggies, and fish oils.
Take with foods that contain fat or oil.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - Together with zinc, B6 is essential for the formation of male sex hormones. A deficiency causes infertility in animals. Sources: molasses, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, nuts, brown rice, organ and other meats, egg yolks, fish, poultry, legumes, seeds, and green leafy veggies.
Note: Zinc is needed for its absorption.

Vitamin B12 - Folate and B12 are needed for the synthesis of DNA and RNA. These make up the blueprint for the genetic code of the entire body. Low levels can cause abnormal sperm production, reduced sperm counts, and reduced motility. Even if your count is only on the low side, supplement with B12.
Sources: lamb, sardines, salmon, fermented foods that contain bacteria. Calcium aids in its absorption.
Dosage: RNI from 1.5 mcg per day.

Folate (folic acid) - Needed for sperm production, count, motility, and low morphological abnormalities. Vitamin C aids in absorption.
Sources: dark green leafy veggies, broccoli, organ meats, brewer’s yeast, root vegetables, whole grains, oysters, salmon, milk, legumes, asparagus, oatmeal, dried figs, and avocados.

Vitamin C - An antioxidant that prevents damage from free radicals. It is needed for the healthy production of sperm. Low vitamin C levels have been linked with an increase in birth defects. It can increase count and motility of sperm. It is also shown to reduce clumping of sperm.
Sources: citrus fruits, rosehips, cherries, sprouted alfalfa seeds, cantaloupe, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes, sweet peppers, black currants, mangos, grapes, kiwi fruit, pineapples, asparagus, peas, potatoes, parsely, watercress, and spinach.

Vitamin E – Diets lacking in the antioxidant vitamin E do not support the reproductive function. Vitamin E may also help the sperm penetrate the egg. Deficiency leads to a degeneration of testicular tissues. Vitamin E also has anticoagulant properties.
Sources: cold pressed oils, wheat germ, organ meats, molasses, eggs, sweet potatoes, leafy veggies, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and avocados.

Selenium – Deficiency may cause infertility. It is needed to properly shape sperm and to maintain count. It may have a key role in the functioning of the epididymis. It is an antioxidant that protects the cells in the sperm that have a high fat content.
Sources: tuna, herring, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ and bran, whole grains, and sesame seeds.

Manganese – competes with iron for absorption. It is advisable to take manganese supplements with protein foods and vitamin C. Deficiency may cause testicular degeneration, congenital malformations, sterility, low sex drive, low sperm count, and an increase in the number of cells that degenerate in the epididymis. Deficiency may also inhibit the synthesis of sex hormones.
Sources: whole grains, green leafy veggies, carrots, broccoli, ginger, legumes, nuts, pineapples, eggs, oats, and rye.

Zinc – Deficiencies of Zinc are quite common. Zinc is important for the cell division and the production of healthy sperm. It is the most critical trace mineral for male sexual function. It is needed for testosterone metabolism, testicle growth, sperm production, motility, count, reducing excess estrogen in male reproductive tissue. Every time a man ejaculates he loses about 5 mg of zinc. Alcohol depletes zinc in the body. Folic acid, tea, coffee, high fiber intake, and iron may inhibit absorption. Vitamin B6 and C may aid absorption.
Sources: lean meat, fish, seafood, chicken, eggs, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, rye, oats, whole grains, legumes, ginger, parsley, mushrooms, brewer’s yeast, and wheat germ.

Coenzyme Q10 - Important for energy production. Fertilization rates may rise when taking this supplement. It also improves blood flow. It is present in large amounts in the seminal fluid. It protects them against free radical damage, gives sperm energy (along with fructose), and increases their motility.

Essential Fatty Acids – are very important when trying to conceive. EFA’s act as hormone regulators. Omega-3 DHA and Omega-6 arachidonic acid are important structural elements of cell membranes, body tissue, and brain development in the fetus. Sperm contain high concentrations of omega-3’s, in particular DHA (found in oily fish). DHA is in the sperm tail (motility).
Sources: Omega-3; flaxseed, oily fish (mackerel, herring, salmon, sardines), walnuts, green leafy veggies, and tuna (not more than 150g/week).
Sources: Omega-6; seeds and their oils.
These should be taken with antioxidants vitamins A, C, E, selenium, and grapeseed extract.

A wide variety of natural supplements can be used to promote fertility in men. For instance, soy products contain isoflavones or phytoestrogens that have a very weak estrogenic effect that actually inhibits the production of excess estrogen in the body. Soy, other legumes, nuts, and seeds also contain phytosterols that promote testosterone production.

Oxidative damage is present in almost half of the diagnosed cases of insufficient sperm count. The seminal fluid contains high levels of antioxidants, but when the development of healthy sperm becomes impaired because of environmental toxins, stress, or pharmaceutical agents, the seminal fluid will be found to have elevated levels of oxidants. To halt this process and prevent further free radical damage to developing sperm, it is recommended that nutritional support via supplements is sought.

Finally, since elevated temperatures in the testes can lower testosterone and compromise sperm production, keep scrotal temperatures between 94 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit – in other words, ditch the sauna and steam room, wear baggy pants this summer and if you spend a lot of time in front of an oven, consider taking a break!

Weight Loss and Body Types

I have just launched my new weight loss programme and it is lovely to get back into working with groups of people face to face rather than solely over a TV screen! I’ve incorporated all of the spa findings, research and ‘real life’ learnings – it has been a lot of fun! I will try to blog lots of tips from these courses for those of you not coming along so here’s the first!

One of the most popular, and often profound, workshops we have on a Spa retreats helps people to discover their body ‘type’ or ‘constitution.’ The reasoning behind this is two fold. Firstly the more you know about yourself, the better placed you are to make choices that are congruent to you and your lifestyle. Secondly, it helps people to get out of the rut of wishing they were something altogether different from their fundamental design.

I use body typing to help people find a more enjoyable way to set your goals than simply using numbers on a scale or dress size. If you look at the people around you’ll start to see that there are different types of body.

Most medical systems, both ancient and modern, use body typing as a way to help to classify individual predispositions to weight gain, certain illnesses and even personality traits.

To help us identify our clients’ body types, we draw on the body typing systems of Ayurveda, the ‘science of life’ from India, as well as the Western medical ectomorph (naturally slender), mesmomorph (medium build, athletic) and endomorph (larger build, curvy or heavier) classifications.

It is important to recognise that any of the body types can gain weight, but that each gain – and lose – weight in slightly different ways. If you’re interested in life-changing weight loss you need to understand what your natural, healthy body type is – and you need to aim for a return to your own body type, not someone else’s!

To keep things simple (Ayurveda is a complex subject) I have summarised the findings in easy to understand ways – so, read on and discover whose body you are most like!

The Kate Moss/Mick Jagger type.

If this is your natural body state then you are slim, and often have long legs and arms. You’re likely to have highly visible veins on your arms and hands – not just on the palm-up side where everyone can see their veins, but on the palm-down side. You are probably also prone to wind, constipation, and dry skin and hair. In mental and emotional terms, this body type is generally creative and changeable. Any weight gain you experience is likely to be around your middle, but you tend to be able to lose weight easily. However, you need to introduce routine and structure to support your new way of life, as practicalities can often be left to the last minute, which is usually when things go wrong!

The Steffi Graff/Andre Agassi type

If this is your natural body state then you are of medium height and build, with good muscle tone – the classic athlete. Given your natural physicality, you were probably quite competitive and sporty in your youth. On the mental and emotional side, this body type is often ambitious and driven, sometimes to the detriment of their health, and can be irritable when out of balance.

Unless there is an underlying medical issue, you tend to gain weight gradually and it will be distributed evenly over your body. Your weight loss is usually steady and is best supported by a focused exercise programme, but you shouldn’t get too hung up on what it says on the scales, since this body type has a propensity to build muscle and muscle is about 18% denser and heavier than fat.

The Marilyn Monroe/Russell Crowe type.

If this is your natural body state then you are of heavier build and more prone to weight gain. Women are likely to have plenty of natural curves – the classic pear shape – and men are likely to be stockier, no matter what their height.

Both men and women of this type can be prone to sluggishness, although when active or working out their endurance is very good. Mentally and emotionally this type is the classic follower and friend, loyal and more cautious than the other two.

If this is your body type you’ll need to take consistent care in order to prevent significant weight gain, although remember that you’ll always be naturally more rounded, so celebrate those curves! If you are this body type then try to introduce regular exercise as a must.

It is worth noting that most people are a combination of two body types – and that these summaries are merely for a bit of fun! However, if you can celebrate your curves or muscular physique all the better!

Food intolerances – fad or fact?

Food intolerances and allergies have made the headlines this week with news that small dose exposure to peanuts helped a test group of children overcome a serious peanut allergy.
This came as no surprise to those in the field of Natural Medicine and homeopathy but was confusing to many. At the other extreme, ‘food intolerances’ have become a subject of celebrity jest so I thought I’d clear the entire issue up on this week’s blog!

Food allergy is often mistaken for food intolerance.

Food intolerance can be defined as a condition where particular adverse effects occur after eating a particular food or food ingredient. A genuine food allergy is when a specific immune reaction occurs in the body in response to consuming a particular food. The antigen combines with an antibody and produces an immune response, which results in cell damage and the release of histamine.

In other words, if you have an allergy then there will be no doubt in your mind that you are allergic to the substance! Allergies often run in families, and people who are allergic to some foods may also be allergic to other environmental factors, such as house dust, animal fur and pollen.

Food intolerances are much more common than true allergies and are not a figment of an over-active imagination!

As it is sometimes quite difficult to distinguish between a genuine food allergy and a food intolerance, treatment is often similar. The first step is to diagnose the food intolerance. I am a fan of home-test kits – we have them on our web shop – since they help to establish exactly what is going on. The next step is to do something about it!

Common Causes of Food Intolerance

The most common food intolerances, in order of frequency are milk, eggs, nuts, fish/shellfish, wheat/flour, chocolate, artificial colours, pork/bacon, chicken, tomato, soft fruit, cheese and yeast.

Whilst not all food intolerances are related to meat and dairy products, it can be seen from the above list that vegetarians, and particularly vegans, will suffer less from food intolerance because they already eliminate some of the most common causes of intolerance.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms include asthma, gastro-intestinal symptoms (nausea, vomiting, and diarhhoea), eczema, urticaria (hives), rhinorrhea (heavy discharge from the nose), and angio-oedema (swelling of the blood vessels). Other more long-term symptoms include can depression, anxiety, fatigue, migraine, sleeplessness and hyperactivity in children.

Sometimes the cause of a particular food intolerance is obvious, by the immediate effect that occurs on eating a particular food and there is no need to undertake testing.

In this case the treatment is simply to avoid that particular food and work on improving digestion. In most cases the suspected food is more difficult to track down although a diary kept of foods eaten and symptoms experienced can sometimes help detect the offending food or foods.

However, within food intolerances there are a myriad of reasons behind your possible reaction.

Non-allergic histamine release

The signs are very similar to an allergy and include headache, swelling, urticaria, vomiting and diarrhoea. A substance called histamine is released (it is also released in true allergic reactions) in response to foods such as shellfish or strawberries.

Metabolic defects

A lack or deficiency of enzymes responsible for the digestion of food can cause many types of food intolerance. For example, a deficiency in lactase, the enzyme responsible for digesting milk, causes intolerance to milk. Coeliac disease is gut intolerance to a protein found in wheat, called gluten, so is not considered an allergy.

Pharmacological effects

Some food substances can act like drugs, particularly if taken in large quantities. The most familiar of these substances is caffeine, found in tea, coffee, chocolate and cola drinks. A large intake of caffeine can cause tremor, migraine and palpitations.

Other pharmacologically active substances found in food include histamine, tyramine, tryptamine and serotonin, which may be consumed in foods such as red wine, cheese, yeast extract, avocados and bananas. In susceptible people, these foods can trigger urticaria, facial flushing and headaches.

Food intolerance of unknown origin

Reactions can be provoked by many foods and food products, for example, food additives, particularly tartrazine and sodium benzoate, can provoke urticaria, rhinitis and asthma. Yeasts can provoke a number of reactions in some people, particularly skin disorders.

Whether or not the reason behind your food intolerance or allergy is know, any treatment approach should always involve trying to improve digestion.

We have seen over the years how the detox has ‘miraculously’ taken away long-standing intolerances because the process improves how the body can handle digestion and boosts immunity.

In other words, don’t suffer needlessly or listen to folks that tell you your intolerances are a celebrity-driven fad! If you can’t come and detox drop us a line anyway and we can point you in the direction of Nutritional therapists local to you who may be able to help.

Exercise nutrition tips

I was watching all the gym-bunnies tonight whilst playing ’sharks’ in the pool with the kids (equally exhausting!) and I thought it was about time I wrote something about nutrition specific to working out. After all, this is the peak time of year for gym memberships so chances are many of you are hard at it..

Carb loading is counter-productive for atheletic perforamce, weight management, energy and long term health.

When you eat an excess of carbohydrates such as pasta, bread, bagels, cakes, biscuits or any refined flour-based foods, too much sugar enters your bloodstream all at once. This triggers a release of insulin that stores that sugar away into cells since excess sugar damages drain and body cells. Guess what? Now there is not enough sugar in your bloodstream so your brain assumes you are in a time of famine and sends an alert to your adrenals to release adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline releases energy from sugar stored in your liver and muscles and, crucially, cortisol breaks down your own muscle mass to turn it into sugar. In short, because you have supplied your body with a very poor energy source, i.e. refined carbohydrate, it is forced to undertake a series of biochemical steps to ‘protect’ itself. Putting the body under this strain promotes weight gain (even if your body type is naturally thin these eating habits will eventually cause weight gain around the middle, often in the 20’s) poor performance and lowered immunity.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT A DIET OF REFINED CARBOHYDRATES IS NOT NATURAL IN ANY WAY TO THE HUMAN BODY.

If you are in the habit of ‘carb loading’ for your workout or snacking on refined carbohydrates then your adrenals will be continually called upon –which can in the long term lead to adrenal fatigue, exhaustion and eventually burn out. Long term results of adrenal fatigue include decreased muscle mass and increased fat around the middle, lowered metabolism and accelerated ageing.

OPTIMUM DIET FOR WORKING OUT

A regular diet of WHOLE FOODS (if you can’t pronounce what’s on the label, you shouldn’t be eating it!) with a combination of protein (good quality meat, fish, eggs and pulses – can supplement with whey powders); good fats from oily fish and flax / linseed oil blends plus moderate amounts of naturally rich foods such as nuts and nut butters, seeds and if liked, avocados; lots of green vegetables – the most nutritious foods for athletes and non-athletes alike and moderate amounts, 3 servings of complex carbohydrates a day (1 serving = 2 slices of wholemeal / rye bread, large cup of brown rice, bowl of muesli, whole-wheat pasta (small bowl), starchy foods such as sweet potatoes are also fine.

ACTIONS

CUT DOWN ON 80-100% of refined carbs – keep as ‘treats’ only for after meals
EAT NATURALLY – think about the difference between an apple and ‘apple flavoured sweets.’
CUT OUT ADDED SUGAR
DO NOT DRINK FRUIT JUICE OR IF YOU DO, DILUTE 3 TIMES TO WATER (fruit juice is very high in sugar with no fibre)

Amanda’s £2/day diet!

Amanda was recently part of a government roundtable looking at food-labelling; here was a Daily Mirror feature that resulted!

Feed your family for £2 each day

Feed your family for £2 each day