weight loss

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Kimchee – What are the health benefits of kimchee!

Kimchee - what are the benefits to our health

Kimchee – what are the benefits to our health

Never heard of kimchee?  Then let me be the one to introduce you this really amazing (and healthy) food.

But before I start I should explain that my love of kimchee is about 25 years old now.  It started in a sadly long defunct restaurant in South Wimbledon, London whose name escapes me for the moment. (It was great and real shame it closed.)

The evening we went (a Saturday I think) my eating life changed.  For the first time I tried Kimchee – the spicy fermented cabbage which is the hallmark of Korean food.    Talking to the gentleman who ran the place I was told that there are around 100,000 different types of fermented and picked vegetable dishes on the peninsula.  It was then a decided (by my wife and I) that our next holiday had to be to Korea. When we went we find it was (and still was on subsequent visits) a paradise for those who love hot and tasty food, wonderful people, great scenery and some of the finest sights in Asia.  (Ad for Korea over but do go… you won’t regret it).

Back now to the discussion of kimchee and why it is good for you.

As you may have picked up fermented foods (such as sauerkraut) are the fashion of the moment.  Kimchee comes into this category of tasty things.

The first point is that kimchi (an alternative spelling) is low in calories and high in fibre which makes it a great part of a weight loss program!

Secondly it is very high in vitamins.  In particular vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin C.  I’m told that the vitamin C content is upped by the fermentation process.

Kimchee is also a great source of antioxidants.  You can read up about the benefits of anti-oxidants at our previous blog.

But most importantly it is probiotic.  According to the NHS “Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts promoted as having various health benefits. They’re usually added to yoghurts or taken as food supplements, and are often described as ‘good’ or ‘friendly’ bacteria.”  Again we have a whole blogful of data here on probiotics.

So what is Kimchi useful for health-wise?

  1. Diabetes comes to mind. Koreans, it seems, have a lower incidence than say the
    Kimchi - why it is great for you

    Kimchi – why it is great for you

    US and this has been attributed to the kimchi in the diet.  And it does help reduce blood sugar levels.

  2. Yes I was a bit surprised by this as well!  But again the great bacteria produced by eating kimchee do their job!
  3. Lowers cholesterol. Now kimchi has a high level of garlic which may well help reduce Cholesterol.
  4. Boost the immune system.
  5. General digestive health including bowel problems. Here both the fibre and the bacteria come into play.
  6. Aids weight loss and helps fight obesity!
  7. Anti-aging properties. Collagen produced by the bacteria helps keep you skin in tip top condition!

So where can I get kimchee?  Well these days a lot of supermarket chain sell it otherwise specialist Asian stores are your beast!

Otherwise you might even want to consider making your own.  Here is the recipe I use.

PS  I should mention that kimchi smells quite strong.  So both my wife and I have had complaints when we have taken it into work.

PPS It is not just vegetables which are fermented.  I once tried fermented fish guts.  You should too.

 

 

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The science of feeling full: How to lose weight and stay healthy

Volumetrics by Barbara Rolls

Volumetrics by Barbara Rolls

Celebrated as one of the top programmes for weight loss in the US News & World Report’s 2017 Best Diet rankings, the Volumetrics Weight Control Plan is proof that losing weight does not mean going hungry, according to its creator Professor Barbara Rolls.

The Volumetrics Plan is a long-term approach to weight loss and feeling full on far fewer calories. Unlike most fad diets that are all about mood destroying food deprivation, Volumetrics is a science-based strategy focused on the power of feeling full and managing your hunger using high volume and low calorie foods, such as soup and vegetables.

Rolls tests how different food properties, such as water content and calorie density, affect how much people eat. Rolls has researched and written over 200 academic papers, and her lab includes a large research kitchen and dining area. Her studies have led to a better understanding of the importance of allowing people to feel fuller both physically and psychologically using foods like soup – which have a high water content and low calorie density.

With almost a third of people failing to stick to a diet because they never felt full (30.8%) and persistent hunger pangs causing even those with the strongest willpower to break, the Volumetrics’ diet uses ‘satiety’ as a key ingredient in weight management.

Here to deliver her four quick tips for feeling full and losing weight is Barbara Rolls – and drinking extra water is not on her list!

Professor Barbara Rolls, who advises how to be far more successful in shedding those extra pounds – using the science of feeling full. Professor Rolls – who has written over 200 academic papers on the psychological vs. physical effects of dieting – claims that eating foods like soup will help you to lose weight, in accordance with her Volumetrics diet plan.

Barbara Rolls has spent her career studying eating behaviour and weight management. As professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University, she carries out research funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Barbara’s lab includes a large research kitchen and dining area testing how different properties of foods affect how much people eat. Barbara’s studies have led to a better understanding of which foods can help curb hunger without adding extra calories focusing on foods, such as soup, which have a high water content and low calorie density which make people feel full – both physically and psychologically.

Barbara has a very long and eminent history in the study of human ingestive behaviour. She is the author of more than 250 research articles and six books and has had previous roles as president of both the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behaviour and the Obesity Society in the US.

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Behold wobbly dieters – Charlotte Crosby on staying fit

Charlotte Crosby dresses as an Angel and Devil as research by Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots finds that women have more willpower than men, with 3m men giving up New Year diets on 5th January, compared to women who are most likely to wobble on the 14th January. Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots contain just 10 calories each and are a great way to satisfy a sweet craving.

Charlotte Crosby dresses as an Angel and Devil as research by Hartley’s 10
Cal Jelly Pots finds that women have more willpower than men, with 3m men
giving up New Year diets on 5th January, compared to women who are most
likely to wobble on the 14th January. Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots contain
just 10 calories each and are a great way to satisfy a sweet craving.

3.26m Brits are set to ‘wobble’ from their diets on the 14th January; how can we prevent the apocalypse of the New Year health and fitness goals?

Whopping 26m Brits start a diet as a New Year’s resolution with 87% of them breaking the resolution

92% of Brits say they will break their New Year diet within one month

‘New year, new you’ is not always a happy ending with so many of us falling off the wagon within the first few days and months of starting a new diet as a New Year’s resolution.

Eight out of ten Brits are estimated to wobble from their New Year diet on the 14th January with 7-8pm marked as the time of the diet apocalypse. Cravings (52%) top the list of triggers making us fall behind our diet goals followed by boredom (37.5%) and stress (29.2%).

So what do most of the dieters crave for? 52 per cent crave for chocolate followed by crisps (34%), take-away (27%), cheese (26%) and alcoholic drinks (25%).

Research by Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots has revealed interesting gender, age and regional variances in how diets crumble to snacks and sweets’ galore. Between men and women, the former are most likely to wobble from their New Year diet on the 5th January in 2017 before the Christmas decorations have even come down. In comparison, women have more willpower with 14th January marked as the end of their new diets.

Regionally, 21 per cent of people living in Southampton and 19 per cent in Birmingham won’t break their diets in 2017 making them the most dedicated dieters in the UK. Those from Norwich, Glasgow and Cardiff are most likely to wobble. Young teens and 35+ people are considered to be fairly better than 25-to-34 year olds who are most likely to break their diet.

Joining us today is TV star Charlotte Crosby with her top tips for staying fit in 2017. Crosby has two best-selling fitness DVDs and pledges to prevent the nation from a diet wobble this January!

*Source: Censuswide of 2,010 respondents, conducted by Hartley’s 10 Cal Jelly Pots.

Top five UK regions that are most likely to give up on their diets this January:
 Norwich (95.7%)
 Glasgow (94.4%)
 Cardiff (93.1%)
 Belfast (93.1%)
 London (90.7%)

Top five UK regions that are most likely to stick to their diets this January:
 Southampton (21%)
 Birmingham (18.8%)
 Leeds (18.2%)
 Brighton (17.9%)
 Bristol, Plymouth and Sheffield (16.7%)

Leave a comment Posted on Weight Loss

12 tips to help you lose weight on the 12-week plan

12 tips for weight loss

12 tips for weight loss

Get off to the best possible start on the NHS Choices 12-week weight loss plan with these 12 diet and exercise tips.

1. Don’t skip breakfast

Skipping breakfast won’t help you lose weight. You could miss out on essential nutrients and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry. Check out five healthy breakfasts.

2. Eat regular meals

Eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar. Find out more about eating heathily.

3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg

Fruit and veg are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre – three essential ingredients for successful weight loss. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals. Read up on getting your 5 A DAY.

4. Get more active

Being active is key to losing weight and keeping it off. As well as providing numerous health benefits, exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can’t cut through diet alone. Find an activity you enjoy and are able to fit into your routine.

5. Drink plenty of water

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need.

6. Eat high-fibre foods

Foods containing lots of fibre can help keep you to feel full, which is perfect for losing weight. Fibre is only found in food from plants, such as fruit and veg, oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, and beans, peas and lentils.

7. Read food labels

Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options. Use the calorie information to work out how a particular food fits into your daily calorie allowance on the weight loss plan. Find out more about reading food labels.

8. Use a smaller plate

Using smaller plates can help you eat smaller portions. By using smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it’s full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.

9. Don’t ban foods

Don’t ban any foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. There’s no reason you can’t enjoy the occasional treat as long as you stay within your daily calorie allowance.

10. Don’t stock junk food

To avoid temptation, try to not stock junk food – such as chocolate, biscuits, crisps and sweet fizzy drinks – at home. Instead, opt for healthy snacks, such as fruit, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, unsalted or unsweetened popcorn, and fruit juice.

11. Cut down on alcohol

A standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate. Over time, drinking too much can easily contribute to weight gain. Find out more about the calories in alcohol.

12. Plan your meals

Try to plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week, making sure you stick to your calorie allowance. You may find it helpful to make a weekly shopping list.

Leave a comment Posted on Fatigue

Self-help tips to fight fatigue

Self-help tips to fight fatiguee

Self-help tips to fight fatigue

Many cases of unexplained tiredness are due to stress, not enough sleep, poor diet and other lifestyle factors. Use these self-help tips to restore your energy levels.

Eat often to beat tiredness

A good way to keep up your energy through the day is to eat regular meals and healthy snacks every three to four hours, rather than a large meal less often.

Read more about healthy eating.

Perk up with exercise

You might feel too tired to exercise, but regular exercise will make you feel less tired in the long run, and you’ll have more energy. Even a single 15-minute walk can give you an energy boost, and the benefits increase with more frequent physical activity.

Start with a small amount of exercise. Build up your physical activity gradually over weeks and months until you reach the recommended goal of two-and-a-half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as cycling or fast walking, every week.

Read more about starting exercise.

Find out the physical activity guidelines for adults.

Lose weight to gain energy

If your body is carrying excess weight, it can be exhausting. It also puts extra strain on your heart, which can make you tired. Lose weight and you’ll feel much more energetic. Apart from eating healthily, the best way to lose weight is to be more active and do more exercise.

Read more about how to lose weight.

Sleep well

It sounds obvious, but two-thirds of us suffer from sleep problems, and many people don’t get the sleep they need to stay alert through the day. The Royal College of Psychiatrists advises going to bed and getting up in the morning at the same time every day; avoid naps through the day, and have a hot bath before bed (as hot as you can bear without scalding you) for at least 20 minutes.

Read more about how to get a good night’s sleep.

Try these NHS-approved sleep apps to help you sleep well.

Reduce stress to boost energy

Stress uses up a lot of energy. Try to introduce relaxing activities into your day. This could be working out at the gym, or a gentler option, such as listening to music, reading or spending time with friends. Whatever relaxes you will improve your energy.

Read more about how to relieve stress.

Talking therapy beats fatigue

There’s some evidence that talking therapies such as counselling or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) might help to fight fatigue. See your GP for a referral for talking treatment on the NHS or for advice on seeing a private therapist.

Read more about counselling.

Cut out caffeine

The Royal College of Psychiatrists recommends that anyone feeling tired should cut out caffeine. It says the best way to do this is to gradually stop having all caffeine drinks (this includes coffee, tea and cola drinks) over a three-week period. Try to stay off caffeine completely for a month to see if you feel less tired without it.

You may find that not consuming caffeine gives you headaches. If this happens, cut down more slowly on the amount of caffeine that you drink.

Drink less alcohol

Although a few glasses of wine in the evening helps you fall asleep, you sleep less deeply after drinking alcohol. The next day you’ll be tired, even if you sleep a full eight hours.

Cut down on alcohol before bedtime. You’ll get a better night’s rest and have more energy. The NHS recommends that men and women should not regularly drink more than 14 units a week, which is equivalent to six pints of average strength beer or 10 small glasses of low strength wine.

Read more about how to cut down on alcohol.

Drink more water for better energy

Sometimes you feel tired simply because you’re mildly dehydrated. A glass of water will do the trick, especially after exercise.

Read about healthy drinks.