A recent study has found that consuming berries, walnuts and grape juice can help to reduce brain aging, reducing the decline in cognitive function that often happens during the ageing process.

Including these foods in your diet is therefore of benefit for the aging population who is having difficulty with memory and recall, or for those with a family history of Alzheimer’s disease.

Joseph et al 2009, Journal of Nutrition, vol. 139, no. 9.

Romaine lettuce is a common variety of lettuce which is showing to have higher health benefits than other common lettuce varieties.

In this study, the authors found that romaine lettuce was high in vitamin C and phenolic compounds, both of which have potent antioxidant effects.

It was also found that these phenolic compounds protected neurons from oxidative damage. This means that a regular intake of romaine lettuce may help to prevent neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia, Alzheimers and memory loss.

Im et al 2010, Journal of Medicinal Food.

A recent study has found that flaxseeds (linseeds) and pepitas (pumpkin seeds) have the potential to decrease the risk of diabetes complications.

In the study, diabetic rats were fed a mixture of pepitas and flaxseeds had an increased antioxidant status and had less signs of diabetic nephropathy signs such as kidney damage.

An intake of pepitas and flaxseeds may be useful for people diagnosed with diabetes to prevent complications such as kidney dysfunction.

Makni et al 2010, Journal of Medicinal Food.

A recent study published by the Journal of the American College of Nutrition has found that pulses (chickpeas, beans, lentils) and wholegrains can help with fat reduction.

The study involving 113 people showed that although there were no large differences in body weight at the end of the 18 month trail, those who ate more pulses and wholegrain products had a 2.8cm waist reduction, whereas those who did not had no change.

Waist measurement is now the gold standard for determining the effects of weight on health, and is said to be more important than looking at weight alone.

Venn et al 2010, Journal of the American College of Clinical Nutrition, vol. 29, no. 4, pp 365-372.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look after your skin – try some of these simple recipes made from everyday ingredients to nourish and restore the skin.

Ingredients:

• Aloe Vera gel – the inner gel from the aloe vera leaf is cooling, soothing and healing to the skin
• Baking soda – A white powder that foams slightly in water, giving a highly cleansing effect
• Coconut oil – fat derived from the coconut is highly moisturising and heaven to dry skin
• Beeswax – softens the skin without clogging pores
• Glycerin – mineral based skin softener, it helps to draw moisture from the lower layers of the skin to the surface
• Honey – antibacterial and skin restorative properties
• Clays – help to draw impurities from the skin
• Infusion – mixture of herbs and water allowed to steep and then strained
• Yoghurt – softening to the skin as well as having a cleansing action due to the live bacteria
• Apple cider vinegar – softens and helps restore the natural acid balance of the skin (use diluted)
• Witch hazel – distilled witch hazel helps to tone the skin and close open pores
• Lemon juice – good for oily skin

Dried or fresh herbs:

• All skin types: Chamomile, comfrey, elderflower, linden flower, nettle
• Normal or dry skin: Ladie’s mantle, marshmallow
• Normal or oily skin: Fennel, lemon balm, rosemary, parsley
• Oily skin: Sage, mint yarrow

Herbal Witch Hazel Cleanser

A light, cleansing lotion, great for wiping away daily grime and make-up. Soak a cotton ball in the lotion and wipe gently over your face.

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp dried or 1tbsp fresh chosen herb
• 100ml boiling water
• 4 tbsp witch hazel
• 2 tbsp glycerine

Directions:

1. Place herb in a bowl, pour over boiling water, cover and leave to cool. Strain with a fine sieve or muslin cloth.
2. Pour 2 tbsp of the infusion into a sterilised bottle or jar. Add witch hazel and glycerine. cover tightly and shake well.
3. Store in the fridge and use within 10 days. Shake well before use.

Oatmeal Scrub for Blackheads:

Yoghurt acts as a skin food and a cleanser, leaving your skin feeling smooth, while the oatmeal and lemon juice clean the pores. Olive oil softens the blackheads so that they can leave the skin easily. You can use this as a mask also, leaving it on for 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp fine oatmeal
• 4 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients together in a small bowl
2. Spread some paste over your face, rubbing in for 5 minutes
3. Rinse off mixture with tepid water
4. Splash your face with cold water or a herbal astringent and leave to dry naturally
5. Keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days

Grapefruit and Parsley Face Mask:

This mask will leave your skin feeling new and refreshed. Parsley is particularly good for oily skin.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp fine oatmeal
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• Juice of 1/2 large grapefruit

Directions:

1. Place oatmeal, parsley and enough grapefruit juice to make a spreadable paste
2. Let soften for 5 minutes
3. Spread mixture evenly over your face
4. Lie down and relax for 15 minutes
5. Rinse off with tepid water. Pat dry, tone and moisturise

Baking Soda Scru

This mix is particularly suited to oily skin, removing dead skin cells and leaving your skin fresh and clear. As it is dry it will keep well for quite a while in a sealed container.

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp baking soda
• 2tbsp ground rice (finely ground)
• 1tsp finely grated lemon peel

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a container or jar
2. Apply in small handfulls and rub gently all over the face excluding the delicate eye area
3. Rinse and pat dry gently, following with a toner and moisturiser

Easter, Christmas and holidays are all times when there is a lot of chocolate around. The good news is that chocolate doesn’t have to be bad for you, and if you eat the right type it can actually benefit your health! Although seemingly too good to be true, studies have shown that cacao beans are rich in antioxidants which have been found to be antiinflammatory and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

As well this, chocolate makes us feel good, in part because of its ability to increase levels of the mood enhancing neurotransmitter tryptophan in the brain. Chocolate also contains magnesium, a nutrient which has key roles in muscle relaxation and nervous system function, so reaching for chocolate in times of stress may be a sign that we need more magnesium!

So how can you reap some of these benefits? The best type of chocolate you can eat is the dark variety with high levels of cocoa (try for 60-70%), as these will contain the highest amounts of antioxidants with lower levels of sugar. An even healthier option is to source out some raw chocolate from your health food store, which is even higher in antioxidants as the cacao beans are not roasted, and they are sweetened without sugar.

Katherine believes that everyone should have a treat now and again, so why not try 70% cocoa Lindt, or some Loving Earth raw chocolate, for a guilt-free treat!

Wholefood is food in its natural state, unprocessed and still ‘whole’ in nature. A pear, a carrot, a wheat berry, an almond, an oyster; they are all whole foods.

Nature is very clever, as within whole foods are all the nutrients which are required to break them down so that they can be assimilated by the body. For example, a grain of wheat in its entirety has B vitamins, chromium and magnesium, all of which are needed to break down the carbohydrate in the grain. Similarly, potatoes, which are high in starch and carbohydrates, have high levels of lipoic acid in the skin which helps with carbohydrate metabolism.

Processed foods are the opposite of wholefoods, as they have been pulled apart, mostly for increased shelf life. By separating out the orignal components the nutritional value of the food is greatly diminished. These products can often be termed as ‘nutrient robbers’ as they use the bodys nutrient reserves to break them down, as is the case for refined wheat, which lacks its outer husks which contains B vitamins and chromium to break down the carbohydrate.

So how can we enjoy our current diet while basing it on whole foods? Here are some handy substitutions to get you started:

White, multigrain, wholemeal bread
White bread is devoid of any nutrition, multigrain is usually white with some kibbled grain added in and wholemeal is still processed as the meal is added to the white flour. Try breads made on wholegrain milled flour instead, as these use the whole grain.

Pasta
Conventional pasta is made of highly processed durum wheat. A better alternative is spelt, kamut or rye pasta, which is available from a health food shop.

Cakes, biscuits and baked goods
Conventionally bought baked goods are generally very refined, using white flour and margarine. A better option is to make your own using wholegrain flours, or to look for products with a basic ingredient list – if you don’t know what the ingredient is then don’t eat it!

Cereal
Conventional cereals are highly processed and often have added sugar! Try having a wholegrain cereal such as puffed brown rice, porridge or a wheat free natural muesli.

Sugar
Sugar is the processed juice of the sugar cane. Raw, unprocessed honey is a good alternative, it has a lower GI and is high in beneficial bacteria and B vitamins.

White rice
White rice is generally highly polished which removes many of the vitamins and minerals. Brown rice is a great alternative, but remember you have to cook it for much longer than white rice, otherwise it will be chewy. Basmati is the next healthiest option, with a much lower GI than other white rice.

Processed meats – ham, devon etc.
Processed meats are turned to a liquid form, then have hardeners and flavourings added to make them more solid and meat like. A good alternative is some cooked chicken breast, canned salmon or sardines, cooked beef or lamb.

These muffins are free from, sugar, wheat and even dairy if you choose, but taste fantastic! They are a great source of calcium and fibre, so are great for kids lunchboxes or morning tea!

Makes 12

Ingredients:

• 250g pitted dates, roughly chopped
• 45g butter and 45g coconut oil (or 90g coconut oil for dairy free option)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1/2 tsp bicarb soda
• 1 cup white spelt flour
• 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 3 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 large bananas, mashed with a fork
• 2 eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius. Grease muffin pan and set aside.
2. Place dates, butter/oil and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Once boiling turn off, let cool slightly and add bicarb soda.
3. In a bowl, sift flour, baking soda and cinnamon, then stir in coconut. Make a well in the centre.
4. Add dates mixture, eggs and banana to the well and stir through until combined.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until you insert a skewer and it comes out clean.
6. Leave to rest for a few minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack, or eat!

I love making these muffins! They are high in fibre and iron, sugar free and can be made without wheat and dairy too!

Ingredients

• 280g pitted prunes, roughly chopped (preservative free)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• Grated rind of 1 orange
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 vanilla pod, scraped or 1tsp natural vanilla essence
• 40g butter and 40g coconut oil (or you can use rice bran or macadamia oil)
• 1/2tsp bicarbonate soda (aluminium free)
• 1/4 cup rice milk
• 1tbsp honey
• 2 large or 3 small eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups wholegrain flour (wheat or spelt)
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 3tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees celcius and grease a 12 hole muffin tin with oil and flour.
2. In a small saucepan, place the prunes, orange juice and rind, vanilla,water and butter/oils. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
3. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly, then add bicarbonate soda and stir through.
4. In a bowl, sift flour and baking soda. Add oat bran and make a well in the middle.
5. To the prune mix, add honey and rice milk. Stir through. Once the mix is cool enough to touch stir through egg yolks.
6. Add wet mix to dry ingredients in the bowl, and stir gently until well combined.
7. Spoon mix into muffin tray. Place in the oven and bake for20-30 minutes, or until you stick a skewer in and it comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven and let muffins sit in the tray for a few minutes, before removing and placing on a cooling rack.

TIP: If you are using rice bran or macadamia oil, add with the honey and rice milk, not at the start.

Diet can be a very confusing word sometimes. We are constantly getting bombarded with advertising campaigns plugging low fat, no fat, low carb, high protein and other fad diets. The true meaning of diet is actually “the usual food and drink of a person or animal”.

In clinical practice the best results for weight loss are achieved with the true meaning of diet in mind, by making the food and drink of a person healthy and wholesome for good. Fad diets can have a very high success rate in the short term, however they are often too extreme or high maintenance to do long term, which often leads to regaining the weight again.

A “Diet” should therefore be considered more of a lifestyle change rather than a tool for you to lose weight. The best way to do this is by slowly substituting foods which promote weight gain for healthier alternatives.

The main culprits for weight gain are unfortunately carbohydrates, especially sugar, soft drinks and white flour products. These energy sources are easily converted to fat by the body so can lead to weight gain quite quickly.

Whole foods require more energy for the body to breakdown so are therefore ideal for weight loss, as well as general well being. A diet based on fruit and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, organic meat and fish is therefore the basis for a healthy body and a healthy weight.

Remember that it is almost impossible to change your diet overnight and be able to stick to it. Choose one or two things to start off with and when you are comfortable try another couple. This is the best way to ensure you are making permanent changes for the better.

For a tailored dietary plan to suit your needs, call 07 33670337 and make an appointment with Katherine today!