food.

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How many portions of fruits and vegetables do you eat each day on average?

Apple TreeOver the course of the last 20 years or so that mantra “5 a day” has become the norm.

This refers to government and healthcare providers injunction that we should eat 5 plus portions of different fruits and vegetables each day.   In Australia it is 7 each day but who are we to quibble.  (Actually I do have a quibble – what, in fact, is a “portion”?

However what interests me here is how many of us actually consume 5 per day.  To find out we have decided to run a quick poll among our readers. The poll is below and it would be great if you could take part.

Feel free to use the comments box below to add anything of interest to other readers!



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Foods to get rid of the Blues – eating healthy food can improve your mood!

We all get down from time to time and there are loads of techniques to help us deal with it.Vegtables  Including time which, of course, is a great healer.

But in recent years it has been suggested that different foods can actually improve your mood.  Because food can affect your brain chemistry and metabolism it can have an impact on your energy and mood.

It is worth bearing in mind that it not just the food itself which counts.  Many dieticians have suggested that regular and substantial breakfasts are important.  So the old adage “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper” may not be a cliché.


In this blog we suggest a number of different food stuffs which may  make you happier.  You may consider the following:-

  • Salmon and other Omega 3 rich oily fish can boost your mood.
  • Kale and green leafy vegetables– a great source of folic acid.
  • Go for antioxidant foods, like beans and green tea, in a big way.  For more information check out our antioxidants blog at https://patienttalk.org/?p=252
  • Dark chocolate helps boost endorphins and thus a sense of well-being.  But don’t go overboard because it could end up on your waist.
  • Eggs which are a fab source of Vitamin D.  Please have a look at https://patienttalk.org/?p=300

Obviously there are loads of other foods which can help.  What have you tried and how did it work out?

Please add your suggestions and talk about your experiences in the comments box below.

Thanks very much in advance.

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What actually are antioxidants and what are their benefits for a healthy lifestyle?


For many of us medical jargon and buzzwords tend to confuse more than enlighten.  Often we are anti-oxidanttold that certain types of foods or supplements are good for us without actually really telling us why.

This is the first in a series of blogs on PatientTalk.Org which aims to make our readers better informed about different medical concepts and procedures.  For this blog we decided to look more closely at antioxidants.

So what is an antioxidant?

Well one of the features of getting older is something called oxidative stress.   This is a process whereby molecules in our bodies loose electrons to oxygen in our blood.  These oxygen molecules are referred to as free radicals and can cause damage to your cellular DNA.  Over time this can cause disease or illness.

Simply put an antioxidant is a molecule which helps prevent this oxidisation process.

While antioxidants are produced by our bodies many people include particular foods in their diet which contain high amounts of antioxidants.

There are a wide variety of conditions which can benefit from antioxidants.  These include certain cancers, heart conditions, Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive dysfunctions.

Foodstuffs which are rich in antioxidants include

1)      Green vegetables of which kale is a great source

2)      Citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges.

3)      Berries such as cherries, blueberries and strawberries.  As well as plums and mangos.

4)      Great news for curry fans is that lots of spices are high in antioxidants.  These include cloves, turmeric, mustard seeds, ginger and chillies.

5)      For those who love Mediterranean food lots of herbs are also stuffed with antioxidants.  Among others oregano, basil and parsley.

6)      Nuts such as peanuts, pecans and walnuts.

7)      Green and white teas.

Do you use antioxidants in your diet?  If so which ones and what impact has it had on your health?  Please use the comments box below to tell your story or share any links you think may be of interest!