Night Mare Before Christmas?

Gluten Free Vegan Christmas ?



Are you having your very own nightmare before Christmas? Knee deep in Christmas decorations, underneath the Christmas tree, yet to find the perfect Christmas card and gift idea for your daughter in law, dreading the Christmas party and the inevitable Christmas games and Christmas songs. As the Christmas carols begin to play you discover it’s looking like a black Christmas and Christmas eve will indeed be a nightmare before Christmas as one of your guests has just confirmed and warned you they are not just vegan but gluten free too!!!

A vegan Christmas is bad enough but gluten free Christmas cake too – how’s that possible??

Here's Foods for Life Nutritionists, London to the rescue! Check out these life-saving Christmas Links and suggestions and avoid panic on Christmas morning

Zedz Foods
Gluten Free vegan Christmas Pudding – Gluten free Vegan Christmas Cake – Gluten free Vegan Mince Pies – Christmas goodies that everyone can enjoy.

Redwoods Foods
Not much Gluten free but a range of healthy and delicious pates, vegan fish alternatives including vegan smoked salmon pate, vegan turkey, sausages and all the trimmings. They also have a range of outstanding vegan dairy free cheeses including a cheddar and cranberry flavour - great for a Christmas cheeseboard

Plamil Foods
Go here for the vegan mayonnaise and the dairy free vegan chocolate including a sugar free hempseed chocolate. They also do a range of nuts and seeds with chocolate drops a healthier gluten free alternative to Crisps and Twiglets.

For The Vegan who has everything think about a Yaoh hemp raw milk maker, hemp oil, hemp seeds or perhaps the world’s only pure omega 3 algae based DHA and EPA from non fish sources.

Try also Lush cosmetics who are an alladin's cave of vegan cruelty free bathroom products and firmly against animal testing

More online Vegan Products at Goodness Direct including what's probably the healthiest ice cream in the world, the award winningbooja booja 's stuff in a tub. Only 4 ingredients - cashews, filtered water, cocao and agarve syrup. Absolutely amazing - a must this Christmas.

See also Gluten Free Christmas Cake

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Christmas - Time for a Heart attack

ABC News: 'Tis the Season for Heart Attacks, Docs Say: "December and January are the deadliest months for heart disease, and many of the things that make the season merry are culprits: Rich meals, more alcohol and all that extra stress. "

Book up now with a nutritionist from OptimumNutritionists.com to fully test your health status and get a strategy for coping with stress and optimised personal diet plan.

"As well as our essential amino acid, essential fats and hormone profiles atour London clinics we can also test all the top bio markers for deteriorating heart health" says London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston

Nutritionists London

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Join A Gym - Gym Membership

YouTube - Gym Membership

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Beer Diet

The Beer Drinkers Diet

OK - we've seen it all now. Yep! The Beer diet is here! Forget all you've been told about alcohol and beer bellies (No please don't!) Apparently beer is good for you andas used as part of a calorie controlled diet can allegedly help you lose weight.(oh really?)

According to the New York Times (in an advert?)"For anyone seeking a health program that really works, The Beer Drinker's "Diet" is a motivating and significant book.”
—NEW YORK TIMES, best-selling author Ellen Tanner Marsh

See the video Beer Diet Video

Perhaps a good Christmas present for big fat Beer Drinking Daddies - Not the best weight loss diet we'd recommend but perhaps anything is better than nothing - it's a start at least...........

For serious weight loss advice please visit www.optimumnutritionists.com (when you're ready dads!)

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Why would you BAN fruit and veg?

Croydon Council to Ban Commuter Fruit and Veg

Yvonne Bishop-Weston has spent over 17 years of her life trying to encourage people to eat more fruit and vegetables. She says "Many of the problems that people bring with them to our clinics are exacerbated by a diet with too few fruit and vegetables"

These days there is hardly a government or NGO concerned with health that don't advocate a greater consumption of fruit and vegetables.

The Food Standards Agency say "Fruit and veg should make up about a third of the food you eat each day. And it's also important to eat a variety. Five-a-day is a good, achievable target. If you count your portions each day it might help you to increase the amount you eat."

The World Health Organisation say "Fruit and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet, and their sufficient daily consumption could help prevent major diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. Overall, it is estimated that up to 2.7 million lives could potentially be saved each year if fruit and vegetable consumption were sufficiently increased."

The NHS say "Fruit and vegetables help set you up for a healthier lifestyle. To get the best health benefits, your 5 A DAY portions should include a combination of a variety of fruit and vegetables.
They're packed with vitamins and minerals.
They can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
They're an excellent source of fibre and antioxidants.
They help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
They taste delicious and there's so much variety to choose from.

So you can just imagine Yvonne Bishop-Weston's incredulousness when she discovered that Croydon Council, with an unfathomable display of lunacy, are set to banish a business targetting consumers and tempting them with fresh fruit and vegetables.

"Most council's would be delighted at a healthy eating project like this that is not only saving them money but paying them for the priveledge!" she says

Kurdish Jawher Ahmad Mohammed and Salam Hassan have worked hard over the years to start a fruit and veg stall at East Croydon Station after finding a businessman to lend them the thousands of pounds they needed to start up. Then they had to find more thousands to pay Croydon Council for planning permission, council tax, business rates, and street traders licences. Then there's solicitors fees.

"Croydon Council are obviously trying get themselves nominated for the Christmas Carol Ebineezer Scrooge Bah Humbug award for callousness. They plan to ruin Jawher Ahmad Mohammed and Salam Hassan's business making them unemployed 2 weeks before Christmas. Because they are self employed they probably won't even be entitled to benefit!" says a horrified Yvonne.

Save East Croydon Fruit and Vegetable Stall Campaign

More about → Why would you BAN fruit and veg?

Red meat and alcohol 'raise the risk of cancer'

Red meat and alcohol 'raise the risk of cancer' | UK News | The Observer

The findings from a panel of 21 experts in diet, nutrition and public health will reopen the controversy about the role that red meat such as beef, pork and lamb and alcoholic drinks play in causing cancer, and how much it is safe to consume. The livestock and drink industries are likely to object fiercely to the report. But the experts, who have spent five years producing the document, insist their recommendations are based on the most up-to-date, accurate and credible scientific and medical research evidence available worldwide.

'The bad guys in terms of increasing your chances of getting cancer are alcohol, meat consumption and being seriously overweight,' said one senior figure behind the report. 'There's plenty of evidence showing that clearly meat is linked to cancer. Huge numbers of studies have shown that. Alcohol also increases your risk of cancer. Any alcohol above zero increases your risk of developing breast cancer and other cancers.'

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Dieticians / Dietitians: Are They Keeping Up With TheTimes?

The trouble with the field of Dietetics and Nutrition is that the goal posts are constantly changing as more and more research is conducted in the field of Human Nutrition.

Vitamin D is the new Vitamin C we are told. Anti Biotics can trigger autism. Omega 3 essential fatty acids, DHA and EPA are available from Algae. Eat your greens they are good for you. Sugar is worse than salt. Sweeteners are a neurotoxin and worse still......who do we believe?

This is why the Government has introduced legislation to ensure that dietitians and nutritionists have continual professional development or CPD and that there is a legal minimum definition for the professions. See Health Professions Council HPC

So can you trust the system ? The British Dietetic Association (BDA)spokesperson made a bit of a gaff this week in the Observer.

Perhaps she was misquoted but The BDA spokeswoman said in the Observer that B12 was present in wheatgerm and avocados (both good sources of vitamin E but not B12)and in Soya milks (some soya milk is fortified with vitamin B12 but most isn't)

She also suggested that Quorn was a good source of protein for vegans which had the Observer offices deluged with complaints - Quorn does of course contain eggs. (not suitable for most Indian vegetarians or Vegans)

Ensure that your dietitian or nutritionist is registered with the relevant professional body and ask to see evidence of their latest CPD to establish that they are keeping up with the latest developments in the fields that are important to you.

For the record Chlorella is a reliable source of vitamin B12 (especially if you don't like Marmite) and people on a poor or restricted diet should also consider omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids and DHA and EPA from algae

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Jamie Olivers School Dinners - Schools Lack Commitment

Children find Jamie Oliver's school food hard to swallow, say inspectors | Health | SocietyGuardian.co.uk

It's become clear that (as was apparent all along) the psychology of healthy eating is as if not more important than the food itself. When food manufacturers are spending millions of pounds on carefully pitched advertising to convince kids that their products are 'cool' it's seems obvious it's going to take more than just Jamies face or a logo on a dish.

Foods for Life Yvonne Bishop-Weston Nutritionist London says "The average school child isn't bothered about healthy eating messages any more than most adults. We need to stop telling them what they won't get and woo them with the advantages of a healthy diet. I suspect the schools would have more luck with say a Victoria Beckham diet for healthy skin or weight loss or David Beckham talking about the importance of diet and performance on the playing field."

In 19 of the 27 schools inspected by Ofsted the number of pupils opting for school lunches had dropped significantly since the healthy menus were planned. Local reductions ranged from 9% to a 25% drop in the number of pupils eating school meals.



The Guardian Reports - Jamie's school dinners: what went wrong?

· Three of the primary schools visited reported that younger pupils could not manage a knife and fork

· Some schools misunderstood the "five-a-day" fruit and veg recommendations and included potatoes

· One teenager told inspectors that he had become far fitter as a result of regular walks to a nearby chip shop

· Pupils snacked on fizzy drinks and sweets on the way to schools

· At one secondary school counsellors were brought in to help a group of high-performing year 10 girls who smoked and were involved in substance abuse, and were skipping meals in an attempt to lose weight

· Pupils frequently said that the portions were small and left them still feeling hungry


John Dunford, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "Schools which have marketed their menus have done much better. You have to persuade children that the school food is cool to eat. Going straight to Jamie Oliver recipes without a thorough marketing strategy is bound to reduce numbers. Children are conservative and need convincing."

The chief inspector of schools, Christine Gilbert, said: "Schools that had the most impact in encouraging healthy choices were those which gave a priority to this as part of their day-to-day work. They encourage pupil involvement in designing school menus, for example, and worked hard to make their families understand the importance of healthy schools."

Children's minister Kevin Brennan said: "We are in this for the long-term. Cutting childhood obesity and unhealthy eating needs the backing of every local authority, school, teacher and parent in England. That's why I want them to consider Ofsted's report very seriously to further improve children's eating habits and increase school lunch take-up.

Links: - www.jamieoliver.com/schooldinners

More about → Jamie Olivers School Dinners - Schools Lack Commitment

Seaweed and Algae

Seaweed and Algae The word is that Paul O' Grady will feature Seaweed and Algae on his Show on Friday. He'll no doubt just mix pro greens with water and I can just imagine his face now.

Tips

1) Try mixing Pro Greens with the new Hazlenut Rice dream rice milk. It has a fudge-like flavour and it perfectly compliments the algae.If not your cup of tea try different fruit juices

2) If you really don't get on with that there's a new peppery type herb seaweed condiment that you can just sprinkle on your food - from Seagreens "Seagreens® Culinary Ingredient 75g £4.45" They say -"Seagreens® give you a wider daily variety of nutrients than any other natural wholefood, in Nature's most uniform balance. Like our bodies, the oceans
contain some 100 nutrients, needing constant replacement. We harvest the most nutritious wild seaweeds, cutting the plants every few years so they grow again to nutritional maturity. In a benign and ancient way, we recover the goodness which filters through rock and soil to feed the foundation of health and vitality. Telephone 0207 6378436 (Int +44 207 6378436) and quote Practitioner Code Foods for Life ZZYB001 "Seagreens® Culinary Ingredient 75g £4.45"

3)You could of course eat more sushi - the trouble is it usually comes free with hi carb sweetened white rice - miso soup is probably the best option.

See www.optimumnutritionists.com for more info

More about → Seaweed and Algae

Allergic Britain: 20 million will be affected

Allergic Britain: 20 million will be affected as conditions approach epidemic levels | Health | SocietyGuardian.co.uk



Nutritionists have solutions.

Britain is lagging far behind the rest of Europe in its efforts to tackle allergies, which are fast reaching epidemic proportions, according to a report from an influential House of Lords committee.

About a third of the UK population will develop an allergy of some sort during the course of their lives, says the report from the science and technology committee, as allergic diseases have trebled in the last 20 years to the point where the UK has one of the highest incidences in the world.

Allergic food reactions can kill, while hayfever, asthma and other debilitating conditions can hold children back at school and cause lifelong difficulties. Yet Britain, unlike other European countries, has failed to adopt treatments that can cure some allergy sufferers and the UK is short of specialists, says the committee.

Nutritionist London, Yvonne Bishop-Weston says that there are a number reasons why allergies and food intolerancss are on the increase. "Optimising the immune system is a key way to relieve suffering and avoiding further intolerances developing. Merely excluding the things you have developed an intolerance to won't necessarily solve the problem in the long run." says the nutritionist

Foods for Life optimum nutritionists have a number of blood tests they can run to investigate allergies and intolerance in addition to tests on the digestive system to get to the root cause of the problem. See www.optimumnutritionists.com for more info.

More about → Allergic Britain: 20 million will be affected

Protect & Survive - ESBL E Coli - Superbug

Tonight | Episodes | The poison on your plate - ITV News an expose of ESBL E Coli

No real surprise this one. Various health professionals have been warning about the perils of the abuse of anti biotics in animal based foods, meat, milk, eggs and fish production.

Enter one of the world's most dangerous superbugs - ESBL E Coli

What the factory farmers have done is effectively, very effectively, create the perfect breeding ground for superbugs such as ESBL E Coli to develop and mutate.

Meanwhile human over reliance on Anti Biotics instead of preventative medicine - nurturing of our immune systems has provided unprotected victims even amongst seemingly 'healthy' people . This ESBL E Coli bug isn't just killing the elderly, infirm and babies - it's killing seemingly fit young women too.

A Tonight with Trevor McDonald investigation revealed that a new antibiotic-resistant superbug is now causing infections in an estimated 30,000 people in England and Wales a year.

A Tonight source, a senior scientist, says that the ESBL superbug, mutant cousin to the E.coli bacteria that naturally resides in our guts, is fatal in 10% of cases suggesting that it could be killing up to 3,000 men, women and children. This 10% death rate is also backed by a research paper that was presented at a major conference in Chicago last week.

MRSA deaths number 2500 people a year. CJD, the human form of BSE, has claimed 161 lives.

Protect and Survive

Nutritionist London Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life says that "it's unlikely to be long before the ESBL E Coli superbug infects most of the meat producers and then people will start passing it around and we could soon see an epidemic."

Apart from avoiding cheap factory farmed animal products Yvonne advises "It's important to maximise the effectiveness of your immune system - eliminate the bad bacteria and ensure you have plenty of the key beneficial bacteria. If your digestive system is allowed and supported to work optimally you have a fighting chance against bugs like these"

Foods for Life offer various tests to analyse the levels of your good and bad gut bacteria, your digestive function and superbug busters and good superbugs to rebalance your gut flora.

Anti biotics, illness even long term stress can dramatically effect your digestive system and immune system. Re balancing by killing the bad stuff and repopulating and supporting the good stuff can help protect you.

See www.optimumnutritionists.com to find out more.

Tonight reporter Jonathan Maitland discovers, the superbug is now marching across Britain and affecting all age group.

More about → Protect & Survive - ESBL E Coli - Superbug

Seaweed - Sunday Times Style Magazine

Let’s eat seaweed - Times Online

Here we go again with the Seaweed and Algae shake thing - Sunday Times Style magazine recommend 2 options - make your own laverbread or buy a pro greens seaweed and algae shake from Foods for Life as recommended by Nutritionist London , Yvonne Bishop-Weston.

Peta Bee from The Sunday Times Style magazine says "It's green, slimy, and currently the food favoured by those on a mission to be slender. With Victoria Beckham reportedly encouraging her fellow Spice Girls to knock back a seaweed-based shake each morning, to help them get into shape for their forthcoming tour, and with “macrobiotic” dieters such as Madonna and Cindy Crawford consuming it by the bucketful, the sea vegetable has become inextricably linked with svelteness in celebrity circles. But even scientists agree that it could be more than the latest fad.

Japanese researchers recently identified seaweed as an unlikely weapon in the war against obesity. They found that rats given fucoxanthin – a pigment in brown kelp – lost up to 10% of their body weight, mainly from around their midriffs."

Fortunately for you (for those of you with no time to make laverbread or who think it tastes yucky) our selection of Seaweed and Algae shakes are not £50 a month they work out at £36 per month and they don't taste slimy.

You could also try seaweed condiments from a company called Seagreens - just sprinkle it on your food like salt and pepper about 35 per pack lasts ages.

See www.optimumnutritionists.com for more info and to buy online (and 10% discount)

More about → Seaweed - Sunday Times Style Magazine

Health, Diet ,Nutrition Award to World's Healthiest Ice Cream

Press Release - Health, Diet and Nutrition Award goes to Booja Booja Ice Cream

Foods for Life Nutritionists London dish out an annual award to the company they feel has made the most impact and delight in the world of healthy eating. This year the Foods for Life Health, Diet and Nutrition Award for Health Food Innovation goes to what is probably the world's healthiest ice cream. Booja Booja Stuff in a Tub

The 2007 Foods for Life Award for Food Innovation has been awarded to Booja Booja for their healthier, sugar free, hydrogenated and animal fat free, diabetic and vegan friendly , dairy free delicious organic ice cream called 'stuff in a tub'. The Booja Booja ice cream is made with fresh cashew nuts, low GI agave (cactus) syrup to sweeten it and is made with predominantly raw and organic ingredients.

"The Booja Booja stuff in a tub is truly nutritionally scrumptious" says Yvonne.

More about → Health, Diet ,Nutrition Award to World's Healthiest Ice Cream

Dangerous Food Additives, Colourings, Preservatives

Food alert as every additive comes under new suspicion - Times Online

A cocktail of artificial colours and the commonly-used preservative sodium benzoate are linked to hyperactivity in children, according to a ground-breaking study, commissioned by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), published by The Lancet.

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston registered with the Food and Mood project welcomes the FSA study and says it finally confirms what parents and teachers already knew. “It’s a disgrace that warnings in studies and research from over 3 decades ago of the dangers of food additives has taken this long to be scientifically confirmed” Yvonne says.

Campaign groups such as The Food Commission and Food and Behaviour (FAB) suggest that the strength of the food manufacturing industry and it’s strong well funded lobbying of government are to blame.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston goes on to warn that shouldn’t be complacent and just blame food additives for our decline in health. “There are many nutritional factors that effect the mood and health of our children. Eliminating dangerous food additives are an important first step in optimising diet and health but what you put in is as important as what you take out of the diet. Essential fats, especially Omega 3 long chain fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA from algae can have a profound effect on children’s development. Key amino acids can have an effect too. Stress is a very important factor in health and although other therapies may be better suited to dealing with stress, nutrition therapy can help the body better cope with stress and protect it from the detrimental effects stress causes.”

FSA study on Food additives, colourings and additives

The implications are far-reaching, say the investigators, who suggest that by vetting their child's diet, parents have a simple tool to help them tackle hyperactive behaviour.Researchers at Southampton University recruited 153 local three-year-olds and 144 children aged eight or nine and assigned them to either of two groups.

A professor of psychology at the university confirmed what many teachers and parents know already. Professor Jim Stevenson, who led the Food Standards Agency (FSA)-commissioned study, said: "We now have clear evidence that mixtures of certain food colours and benzoate preservative can adversely influence the behaviour of children.

"There is some previous evidence that some children with behavioural disorders could benefit from the removal of certain food colours from their diet.We have now shown that for a large group of children in the general population, consumption of certain mixtures of artificial food colours and benzoate preservative can influence their hyperactive behaviour."

Additives surveyed in the FSA study were: sunset yellow (E110); tartrazine (E102); carmoisine (E122); ponceau 4R (E124); quinoline yellow (E104); allura red (E129) and the preservative sodium benzoate (E211).

Previous studies on Food additives.

In the 1970s the US paediatrician Ben Feingold suggested that ADHD symptoms in many children could be reduced by eliminating from the diet various artificial food colourings, naturally occurring salicylates (substances found naturally in many fruits and vegetables) and some preservatives. A number of controlled trials – mainly published in the 1970s and 1980s - appeared to support this hypothesis, but the evidence from these was mixed.

Review of research on Additives and E numbers – Food and Behaviour Research -

http://www.foodcomm.org.uk - The Food Commission Reveal

Food additives were tested on 277 three-year-olds from the Isle of Wight. Many parents reported significant changes in behaviour. The additives tested were the artificial food colourings Tartrazine (E102), Sunset Yellow (E110), Carmoisine (E122), and Ponceau 4R (E124), and the preservative Sodium Benzoate (E211), given in a single drink. The test dose of colourings administered in the trial was well below levels permitted in children's foods and drinks. For the preservative, the test dose was equal to the permitted level. Children are likely to consumer higher doses if they eat several products that contain these additives.

Typical soft drinks and squashes which contain the additives surveyed in this study include: Irn-Bru (E110, E124, E211); Lucozade Energy (E110, E211), Diet Coke (E211); Fanta Orange (E211); Sprite (E211); Dr Pepper (E211); Vimto squash and Vimto Fizzy (E211); Ribena squash (E211).

The Food Standards Agency said there was insufficient evidence to act.

Bateman et al 2004

Results showed clear detrimental effects of the food additives (versus placebo) on children's behaviour, according to parents' ratings. These effects were not specific to any of the subgroups, but applied to the whole sample of 3-year-olds. The simple clinical tests revealed no effects of the additives.

Ian Tokelove, a spokesperson for The Food Commission, commented, "These artifical colourings may brighten up processed foods and drinks but it appears they have the potential to play havoc with some children’s behaviour. Manufacturers should clean up their act and remove these additives, which are neither needed or wanted in our food”.

In March 2007 The Food Commission revealed that all the additives tested in the latest FSA survey are banned from food and drink made specifically for the under threes, but are routinely used in medicines aimed at the same age group. Many fizzy drinks, squashes, desserts and sweets also contain these additives but carry no warning that they should not be consumed by the under threes.

See http://www.foodcomm.org.uk/press_07_medicines.htm

Resources

NetMums give a handy shopping list detailing E Numbers, Food additives, preservatives and colourings to avoid for children.

http://www.netmums.com/h/n/FOOD/HOME/ALL/576//#avoid

Net Mums Shopping list

Food and Behaviour Research list a handy selection of studies and research of the effects of food additives, preservatives and colourings on mood and links with ADHD. Also a roundup of news stories about food additives in the media. http://www.fabresearch.org

The Food Commission campaign to have additives removed from food and expose anomalies such as food additives banned from baby food but unnecessarily allowed in medicines for infants. http://www.foodcomm.org.uk

Food additives banned or restricted in other countries

Tartrazine E102, Quinoline yellow E104, Sunshine yellow E110, Carmoisine E122, Ponceau 4R E124, (also known as Cochineal Red) , Allura red A4 E129, Indigo Carmine or Indigotine E132, E155 Brown HT, Sodium Benzoate E211, Benzoic acid E210 , Sulphur dioxide and other sulphite compounds E220 - E228 , Monosodium glutamate E621, Aspartame E951, Saccharine E954, Acesulfame K (potassium) E950

More about → Dangerous Food Additives, Colourings, Preservatives

Victoria Beckham Miracle 48 Hour Diet

Victoria Beckham Miracle 48 hour Diet



Look magazine report that Victoria Beckham has lost an amazing 4lbs in only 48 hours after a cleansing detox and then another 4lbs on her "new" healthy diet. Same diet she was reported to be on a few months ago - (lots of fruit, berries and vegetables such as brocolli and protein from foods such as edamame soy beans)

London Nutritionist from Foods for Life Harley Street clinic says "There's no miracle here - basically these type of detox diets tend to purge your body of water so you can appear to have rapid weight loss. Obviously if you are not eating anything the lack of calories will have an effect as well."

The Nutritionist warns that you have to be very careful with these kinds of diets. The first reason is if you have slow moving digestive system or suffer from constipation (nutritionists expect action 2-3 times a day not 2-3 times a week) then there is a risk you will just recycle any toxins released by a detox diet.

The second reason is that you could induce your body's motabolism to change to cope with a situation of starvation and famine with a sudden change in calories without support . If this happens you could end up putting on more weight more easily than ever before.

As always the London Nutritionist suggests that the best way to sustainable weight loss is to get a personalised weight loss programme from a qualified nutritionist that is tailored to your individual body and it's needs rather than the latest fad, miracle diet or diet pill

More about → Victoria Beckham Miracle 48 Hour Diet

Dark Fruit and Veg Cure Cancer

from The Daily Telegraph




More evidence that fruit and vegetables can protect you from and even perhaps cure cancer. This study reveals evidence of anti-oxidents killing up to 20% of cancer cells. Their response - goody we can make a new drug by extracting the purple out of these foods.

*sigh* what about the vitamin C ?, the minerals such as selenium? the fibre? the essential fats in the seeds? - if they just got people to eat more fruit and vegetables in the first place we wouldn't be in this mess! There are over 600 different anthocyanins found in nature. It's simple - no need for expensive cancer fighting drugs JUST EAT MORE FRUIT AND VEGETABLES!

The Telegraph reports......In studies on human colon cancer cells grown in laboratory dishes, the researchers tested the anti-cancer effects of anthocyanin-rich extracts from fruits and vegetables with deep colours.

Anthocyanin pigments from radishes and black carrots slowed the growth of cancer cells from 50 to 80 per cent.

Pigments from purple corn and chokeberries (almost black berries from shurbs native to North America) not only stopped the growth of cancer cells, but also killed roughly 20 per cent of the cancer cells while having little effect on healthy cells.

Dr Giusti, who presented her findings added: "There are more than 600 different anthocyanins found in nature.

"While we know that the concentration of anthocyanins in the gastro-intestinal tract is ultimately affected by their chemical structures, we're just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding how the body absorbs and uses these different structures."


Also reported in The Guardian, The Daily Mail, Scotsman, BBC

Low UK Cancer Survival Rates

Survival rates for people diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000-02 were 77.8% in England, 77.3% in Scotland and 78.4% in Wales. In Iceland women in the same period had a 93.4% survival rate and in Sweden 86.3%. The Lancet Oncology says: "Overall, survival for all cancers combined in the UK as a whole is not only below the European average, it is also noticeably similar to some eastern European countries that spend less than one third of the UK's per capita healthcare budget."

More about → Dark Fruit and Veg Cure Cancer

Caterers Law Unto Themselves

Natural Products Magazine

Cheese with everything

We spied this rant from the heavily legislated health food industry and it struck a real cord with me. I'm sick to death of food in restaurants baring no resemblance at all to pictures and discriptions on menus. The poor Trading Standards officers just don't have the manpower to police it so the catering trade do (potentially) get away with murder by failing to declare key allergens in food.

I recently ordered a roast vegetable and butternut squash filo tart sprinkled with Rosemary and got served a cheddar cheese and spinach tart sprinkled with walnuts. Why is it that chefs feel the dish isn't complete until they drown it in lashings of saturated animal fat?

Natural Products Magazine reported

Whilst the FSA tightens the regulations on food labelling and Ofcom clamps down on advertisers promoting junk food to kids, one area of the food industry — the restaurant trade — still remains a nutritional law unto itself. That’s the finding of a new report from the Food Commission.

In the latest issue of Food Magazine the campaign group says that consumers often have no real idea about the nutritional content of meals they eat out, as the catering trade is “largely exempt from food labeling requirements”. Other than including information on a few factors, such as irradiation, GMOs and the presence of nuts, restaurants and caterers are free to keep their customers in the dark about sugar, salt, fat levels and calorific values.

Talking to Food Magazine Claire Wilman, senior officer at Surrey Trading Standards, said: “The customers have no idea what they are actually eating apart from descriptions on the menu. What may be perceived as a healthier option, may in fact be seasoned in salt and full of hidden fats”.

More about → Caterers Law Unto Themselves

Meat, dairy nutrient may raise cancer risk, says study

Meat, dairy nutrient may raise cancer risk, says study

At last we seem to be getting closer to finding out why eating animal products such as meat, dairy and eggs is linked to cancer and a reason why vegans are so much healthier than the average despite typically having little concern for their health. (typically driven by ethical issues not motivated by better health, diet and nutrition)

Choline, a nutrient found in meat, eggs and dairy products, has been linked to a possible increase in the risk of colorectal cancer in women, reveals a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

See also Cancer - discussion on BBC 1 The One show with London Nutritionist

More about → Meat, dairy nutrient may raise cancer risk, says study

UK Cancer Rates Increase

Scotsman.com News - Cancer rates soar as people fail to heed warnings

More reasons to see a nutritionist and optimise your immune system!

Sounds like the medical profession are finally getting it!....The Scotsman Reports Doctors now believe around half of all cancers could be prevented by lifestyle changes.


DRINK AND TOBACCO TAKE TOLL
ALMOST 4,700 cases of mouth cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year, with 630 people diagnosed in Scotland.

The disease causes more than 1,700 deaths every year, including 220 in Scotland.

The most important factors linked to mouth cancer are tobacco use and excessive consumption of alcohol.

In developed countries like the UK, the risk of oral cancer linked to smoking and alcohol is estimated to be more than 80 per cent.

A lack of key vitamins in the diet, such as vitamin C, is also linked to the disease.

KIDNEY TUMOUR SMOKING LINK
ALMOST 6,700 people are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year in the UK, including more than 600 cases in Scotland.

Around 3,600 deaths are linked to the disease including 360 in Scotland.

The major risk factors for kidney cancer include obesity and smoking.

About 25 per cent of cases in men and 24 per cent in women in Europe are linked to being overweight.

Smoking can increase the risk of kidney cancer by up to three-fold.

Approximately 24 per cent of cases in men and 9 per cent in women can be attributed to smoking.

WEIGHT AFFECTS WOMB DISEASE
MORE than 6,400 cases of cancer of the uterus, or womb, are diagnosed in the UK each year, including 500 in Scotland.

The disease causes around 1,650 deaths in the UK each year - more than 130 of them in Scotland.

Evidence suggests that the risk of womb cancer is two to three times higher in the overweight and obese.

It is estimated that around 36 per cent of cases of the cancer in the UK are caused by excess bodyweight.

It is thought a diet rich in foods such as soya, dried fruit and whole grains could reduce womb cancer risks.

SCOURGE FROM THE SUN
RATES of melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, have jumped by 40 per cent in a decade.

Sun exposure is the main and most preventable risk. The sun gives off UV (ultraviolet) rays which can cause skin damage which can eventually lead to skin cancer. Research suggests people who have had sunburn or intense sun exposure in childhood are at an increased risk of developing melanoma. Dermatologists say it is important to protect children's skin from the sun.

Melanoma accounts for almost 3 per cent of all newly diagnosed cancers.

Only weeks ago, a report claimed women who stayed out of the sun increased their risk of developing breast cancer because they lacked vitamin D, which comes from sunlight. Critics said the study was misleading and that the risks of sunbathing outweighed the benefits.

It's not rocket science - the human body is one of the most complex on the planet and has an amazing capacity to survive most things that are thrown at it. But you have to give it the right fuel.

This is harder than ever before as much of the food we eat has far less nutrients (essential fats, minerals and vitamins) in it than even 40 years ago.

The sun once the perfect source of Vitamin D to protect our immune system now provides a cocktail of dangerous rays due to massive holes in the protective filter of the ozone layer.

However, it's suspected by many experts that the rise in skin cancer is as much to do with the dubious chemicals in many brands of sun cream as it is to do with holes in the ozone layer and lack of antioxidents in the diet.

The Nutritionists advice?

Use Organic Sunscreen - Eat more Essential Fats - see a Nutritionist - test your immune system and levels of essential nutrients.

More about → UK Cancer Rates Increase

Daily Mail Trials Vegan Diet

Could lentils save your life? Meet the man who became vegan for a month the Daily Mail - More coverage that eating less meat and dairy can have positive health benefits.

Weight loss, improvements in digestion, and cholesterol levels down by almost a quarter!

After a month on a vegan diet Daily Mail journalist EDWARD BATHA had this to say;

At the end of the month I went back to BUPA. Despite the huge quantities I'd been eating and my failure to exercise, I'd lost two kilos, which was welcome.

More surprising was a reduction in blood pressure, from good to excellent.

But most unexpected for the doctor was the superb 23 per cent drop in my cholesterol levels to 4.9.
This was much greater than had been anticipated and had I done some exercise, it could have been still lower.

Still, my risk of a heart attack in the next ten years has dropped significantly.

By the end of the month I was also sleeping better than as a carnivore.

It's not so bad, this vegan thing. And I seem to have lost that desperate urge for dairy produce, which surprises me.

For guidance on a healthy vegan diet see Yvonne Bishop-Weston, Gareth Zeal or Penny Crowther at Foods for Life London Nutritionists clinics.

More about → Daily Mail Trials Vegan Diet

Victoria Beckham's Posh Spice Girl Diet

Victoria Beckham's Posh Spice Girl Diet

Victoria Beckham is now allegedly trying to get the other Spice Girls to join her on her posh diet of algae, seaweed, soy beans and strawberries. A source told New magazine: "Victoria has told the girls her secret to staying trim is 200 sit-ups a day and a diet of edamame beans, strawberries and lettuce."

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston looks at Victoria Beckham's Posh Spice Girl weight loss diet program and weighs it up against expert weight loss know how. Are seaweed shakes for wackos or weightwatchers?

Buy algae & seaweed shake - Advice about weight loss - Nutritionists - Health Food

More about → Victoria Beckham's Posh Spice Girl Diet

New Attack on Vitamin C

BBC say Vitamin C 'does not stop colds'

"A review of 30 studies, involving 11,350 people, also found doses of at least 200mg per day did little to reduce the length or severity of colds. " report the BBC.

One has to begin to wonder what and who is behind headlines like these. Reading on we see that Vitamin C does have an enormous effect on the immune system and it's ability to fight colds - between 8% (14% for children) and up to 50% for people who are stressed (well with modern lifestyles taken into account that's about most of us then)

Those are much better odds than many prescription drugs. No wonder they want try to discourage the use of vitamins. After all you don't need to take vitamins, you could get them from food ( if only the food were nutritious enough and your digestive system was working optimally.

The best thing about vitamin C, apart from high doses potential to infamously rapidly cure constipation , no toxic effect has ever been reported.

Dr. Linus Pauling, a Nobel Prize laureate who won the top prize both in chemistry and in peace, using high doses of vitamin C to prevent diseases including colds recommended 1 gram / 1000mg per day.

Nutrition experts say you need at least 1000mg per day of high quality digestible buffered vitamin C for therapeutic use - they claim 200mg is purposefully low in an attempt to disprove the potency of vitamin C as an immune system booster.

Vitamin D

New research however shows that vitamin D is also important for the immune system and may be even more effective than vitamin C in preventing colds.

Advice on good vitamins and health foods at www.Optimum Nutritionists.com

More about → New Attack on Vitamin C

Croydon Nutritionist Wins TV Fertility Baby Race

Optimum Nutritionists Winning Natural Fertility Program

The GMTV LK Today show on ITV Television (wednesday 18th July) followed a TV competition between three couple's and their therapists in a race to get pregnant. One couple were being helped by an accupuncturist, one couple followed an IVF program a third couple embarked on a natural fertility nutrition program - it was the couple with the improved diet that won.

Croydon Nutrition therapist and fertility expert Yvonne Bishop-Weston from Foods for Life provided the couple who were using natural nutrition with the winning fertility program.

Yvonne reveals that nutrition therapy is by far the most effective in most cases of infertility with claims as high as an 80% success rate.

She says "The best thing about natural fertility nutrition therapy is that their are no negative side effects. Some of the drugs and hormones used in assisted conception techniques can make patients feel quite ill and stressed. Not only are the odds of pregnancy much higher with nutrition therapy but the potential side effects are all positive things such as balanced weight, more energy, better skin, better mood, and a healthier baby."

See Nutrition & Fertility TV Challenge

London Clinic * Croydon Fertility Clinic * Foods for Life * Optimimum Nutritionists * Foresight

Croydon Guardian -

More about → Croydon Nutritionist Wins TV Fertility Baby Race

Nutrition fertility Therapy Beats other Infertility Treatments

Costly fertility treatment may reduce births - sex - 04 July 2007 - New Scientist

Science seems to be going backwards on fertility treatments.

Harley Street Fertility and Nutrition Expert onGMTV's, baby race Yvonne Bishop-Weston says that a new fertility treatment that costs thousands of pounds extra to the many thousands of pounds it already costs for IVF may actually reduce women's chances of having a healthy baby.

Pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) involves removing one or two cells from the embryo three days after fertilisation.

Sebastiaan Mastenbroek, at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and colleagues compared 408 women aged 35 to 41 who were undergoing IVF. Of these, 206 were given PGS.

Twelve weeks after the treatment, 25% of the women in the PGS group were pregnant, compared with 37% of the women whose embryos were selected by the standard method – a visual inspection. The difference in outcomes was the similar when live births were considered.

"The goal of PGS is to increase pregnancy rates, but we found that it actually decreases it," says Mastenbroek, who presented the results at a meeting of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology in Lyon, France.

Bishop-Weston says that Doctors are often "over complicating matters". She believes that a woman's body often needs to be sure it has sufficient stores of nutrients to sustain nine months of pregnancy and have a good chance of a healthy baby at the end of it to make the whole thing worth the gamble and effort. Frequently it's the bad diet of the men that are thwarting a couples' chances of conception. Men's sperm have to go through a decathlon of olympic proportions to increase the odds that only the fittest, strongest and best looking sperm have a chance at making a baby. Modern diets and lifestyles often result in men's sperm being mutated, unfit, and in short supply.

Modern medical methods risk side-stepping the safeguards that nature puts in place to produce an optimally healthy baby - the quality of health of the baby is often overlooked in the obcession to merely create life at any cost as private fertility clinics play God.

Bishop-Weston says "It's frequently hard to get the men to take responsibility for the health of their contribution to making babies - especially when they are told that things such as their coffee and alcohol consumption could be having a profound effect on their potential fatherhood and the health of any children"

Research shows that Nutrition therapy can be many times more effective than expensive IVF fertility treatments and assisted conception methods.Foresight The Preconceptual Charity claim 78.4% of 'Infertile' couples have healthy babies compared with 22.6% with IVF.

A challenge on ITV breakfast TV seems to have confirmed these statistics.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston, and the couple she provided nutritional advice for, recently won the GMTV Baby Race on LK Today (despite being told by their doctor they were infertile). The man involved lost 2 stone and saw a vast improvement in the quality of his sperm. His wife saw her hormone levels stabilise and found a new lease of life, as well as getting pregnant and despite the very poor NHS odds of success. They beat the other 2 couples, one who were using acupuncture and the other using IVF.

For difficult cases Foods for Life have a team of 2 herbalists, an acupuncturist and even a hypnotist to complement the nutritionists' skills in optimising bodies, making them fertile enough to make a healthy baby.

Two studies one measuring the 'Effectiveness of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Improving Infertility (Wing & Sedlmeier)', showed that Chinese herbal medicine, when prescribed correctly, actually increases fertility - 56% of the sample group were pregnant within six months of starting their final treatment. Another, The German Study on Acupuncture and ART (Paulus, Zhang, Strehler, El-Danasouri and Sterzik), demonstrated that acupuncture improved pregnancy rates during IVF - with 42% of the acupuncture group pregnant within six weeks, compared to 21% of the control group.

Nutrition - Natural, Effective Infertility Treatment

http://www.optimumnutritionists.com/pages/health-issues/natural-fertility-program.php

More about → Nutrition fertility Therapy Beats other Infertility Treatments

£119 million spent on Children's Healthy Eating - Fails

Hey kids! How about some healthy free fruit? No thanks, we'll stick with crisps | Health | SocietyGuardian.co.uk

Over £100 million spent on trying to get children to eat more fruit and vegetables has been blasted as a failure by a new report. Supporters claim that whilst it failed to change attitudes children did eat more fruit and vegetables during the trials.

Howver it seems the authorities will have to be as clever as the advertisers of sweets and salty snacks if they ever want to change the culture of children to make healthy food cool. In 2006 (year ending May), the UK snack foods market, was worth £2.08bn at retail selling prices (rsp), a rise of 0.4% on the same period in 2005. Walkers have over 60% of the market and an annual advertising spend to fight for their number one position.

The company that owns Walkers Pepsico frequently spends in the region of £5 billion pounds a year on advertising it's products to children.

The fruit and veg snack scheme was launched at an initial cost of £42m and has since been given a further £77m by the Department of Health. Every child aged four to six was to receive a piece of fruit or vegetable every day at school. It was, says the evaluation study published today in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, "the largest scale intervention in English children's diet since the introduction of free school milk in 1946".

The scale of the initiative was immense; 44m pieces of fruit or veg served up every year to 2 million children in 18,000 schools across the country. The point of the plan was laudable; to make children healthier, and give them a real appetite for fresh food.
But there is one great problem with the scheme that was launched with such fanfare three years ago; children just won't eat their greens.

That, at least, is one conclusion to be drawn from a study published today which shows that the government's intervention has made no difference to children's nutrition. One critic, who advised the Department of Health that it was unlikely to work, said that making fruit and veg available at school breaktime was no use in a culture in which healthy food was thought to be uncool.

More about → £119 million spent on Children's Healthy Eating - Fails

Europe Bans Vegan Superfoods

Food and Drink Industry News from the Food & Drink Innovation Network.

In what sounds like another Phamaceutical Industry sponsored attack on common sense, big pharma's lap dog, the European Parliament has now banned superfoods.

Blueberries, hemp seeds and spinach, which have all been described as 'superfoods' in the past, will not be able to advertise their health benefits unless these can be proven.

Even if we can prove that certain foods have nutrients proven to have beneficial effects it appears greengrocers and farmers will have to prove that their particular vegetable or seed can positively impact on an a particular ailment or disease.

This would cost farmers millions of pounds to do this so in effect , just like the ridiculous practical application of legislation on vitamins and minerals in effect all it will do is stifle debate and education about preventable medicine and natural cures.

Once again we have thrown to the mercy of the pharmaceutical giants who have no interest in a healthy population because there is no profit in it.

We don't need protection from the side effects of fruit and vegetables!! The side effect of a vegetarian / vegan diet is better health (see Oxford EPIC study).

What we need is protection against the side effects of drugs tested on animals rather than humans (read the packet!!) Quite often the side effects are the very symptoms you are trying to avoid.

Stop lining the animal torturing people poisoning drug companies shareholders' pockets - EAT SUPERFOODS ! be as healthy as you can be, avoid illness, break free of this opression.

Top Superfoods include Algae - Hemp - Seaweed - Chlorella - Berries - Quinoa - Watercress - Curly Kale

Buy Seaweed & Algae Shake

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Echinacea cuts colds by 58%

Natural Products Magazine

Echinacea can cut risk of colds by 58% - June 29, 2007

New research from American scientists has shown that taking echinacea can reduce the risk of catching a cold by up to 58%.

The scientists, from the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, recently reviewed 14 earlier clinical trials to find out how effective echinacea is at preventing and combating cold symptoms. They found that as well as halving the risk of developing a cold, taking echinacea reduced the length of an established cold by 1.4 days on average.

More about → Echinacea cuts colds by 58%

Omega-3 again linked to Alzheimers protection

Omega-3 again linked to Alzheimers protection

Another study showing Omega 3 DHA and EPA fatty acids could help protect against dementia and Altzhiemer's disease.

A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, with 174 patients with Alzheimers is yet another positive result for the fatty acids in relation to cognitive function. Last year the same researchers reported omega- may slow mental decline in people with very mild Alzheimer's disease (Archives of Neurology, Vol. 63, pp. 1402-1408).

The new study, led by Yvonne Freund-Levi from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet, divided the participants to receive omega-3 supplements (docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) 1.7 g and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 0.6 g) or placebo for six months. After this initial six month period, all participants received the omega-3 supplements for six further months.

The genotype of the participants was also measured to identify their apolipoprotein genes.

Cognitive performance declines naturally with age, but genetics does play a part in the complex progression of Alzheimers. Indeed, in 1993 scientists reported that people with a gene that codes for the blood lipoprotein, apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease at an earlier age than people with apoE2 or apoE3.

See more information on Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids

More about → Omega-3 again linked to Alzheimers protection

Victoria Beckham - Posh New Weight Loss Diet

Victoria Beckham Posh New Weight Loss Diet - vegan algae and seaweed shakes


Victoria Beckham is in the news again for apparently embarking on an unusual weight loss diet. Victoria Beckham’s new diet is a posh mix of seaweed and algae.

Look magazine’s cover featured the headline proclaimed Posh’s Bizarre New Diet Regime! And promised the juicy shocking details!

Yvonne Bishop Weston Harley Street Nutritionist and founder of Foods for Life was asked to comment on Victoria Beckham’s new seaweed and algae diet. She explained that the diet is not as crazy as it sounds.

“Algae and seaweed are super-foods with many of the vital nutrients your body needs. Seaweeds and algae such as Chlorella aid detoxification help reduce water retention and break down fat deposits. As well as a useful weight management tool seaweeds and algae can be an excellent skin treatment too even helping with problems such as acne.” Yvonne told Look magazine.

Yvonne admits she often uses similar seaweed and algae shakes for clients at her Harley street nutrition clinics. “Particularly if people are aiming for weight loss but have hectic lifestyles and are struggling to fit 3 nutritious meals and 2 healthy snacks into their day” Yvonne reveals.

However Yvonne warns there is no magic weight loss diet pill. “Victoria is using algae and seaweed shakes as part of a personalised nutrition strategy. We are all different and there is no perfect one size fits all weight loss diet program. That is why so many weight watchers struggle with weight loss diets and why nutritionists and personalised nutrition based weight loss diet plans are becoming so popular.”

People struggling on weight loss diets are often referred for blood tests by nutritionists to check for food intolerance and nutrient imbalances which can hinder weight loss and cause other health risks.

Fortunately you don’t have to have Victoria Beckham’s posh bank balance to afford help from nutritionists such as Yvonne Bishop-Weston. Nutritionists typically charge around £95 per weight loss consultation (includes personalised strategy and diet plan) and a good algae and seaweed shake mix is only around £35 per pot per month supply.

For more info or to buy algae and seaweed shakes with chlorella algae and dulse seaweed please see - Seaweed and Algae Shake - Buy now or save 10% with special Foods for Life discount code.

See more about Yvonne Bishop-Weston’s Harley street and Croydon clinics here

http://www.optimumnutritionists.com/

weight Loss Diets - Harley Street Nutrition - Nutrition and Diet - Seaweed and Algae

More about → Victoria Beckham - Posh New Weight Loss Diet

Milk Not Suitable for Kids

BBC NEWS | Health | Advertising ban on milk: " FSA's profiling model on all other supermarket milk and none of it would, by the FSA's definition, have been able to be advertised to kids.' " said a spokesman for Asda

London nutritionist Yvonne Bishop Weston says "Cows milk is not suitable for babies, and even if an older child is undernourished there are better foods they can eat that are still calorie dense but offer a better balance of the essential nutrients that humans need"

More about → Milk Not Suitable for Kids

ITV - Tonight- Secrets of Diet and Fertility

ITV News - About Tonight



How long have we been telling couples with Infertility problems they need to first look at diets for fertility ?? ("Improve diets with nutrition not IVF" Say Foods for Life June 2005)

ITV's Tonight programme with Sir Trevor McDonald tonight revealed that simple changes to diet can make a dramtic difference to fertility.

The ITV Tonight program took 11 men from the Lotus 11 Portsmouth Sunday Pub League and put the men and their sperm under the microscope with the help of London nutritionists.

The fast food burger, pizza and chip eating, vodka and lager swilling footballers admitted they lived for today and any fertility problems would be typically viewed as the women's problems.

Statistics expose the men's misconceptions, it's just as likely to be the men as the women with infertility problems. Of the 1 in 6 couples with fertility issues it's the man in need of help in 50% of cases. 3 million UK men are estimated to be infertile to some degree.

ITV Tonight programme tested the footballer's semen for; 1)Quantity of sperm, 2) The Motility (sperms' ability to swim) and 3) the Morphology (quality of sperm head and shape of the sperm). Tonight then put them on a special diet with an increased percentage of Vegan foods for 100 days (the shortest agreed time before benefits begin to be noticeable)

The footballers reported various improvements "feel really good", "awake", "I lost a stone" were some of the comments.

Of the 11 footballers, after 3 months many of them had seen dramatic improvements to their sperm despite many of them continuing to drink alcohol against the London Nutritionist's advice.

8 of them had an average increase in sperm motility of 32%, 5 of the men had an average improvement in morphology of 72% and 5 had increased their number of sperm by an average of 43% (one by 53%)

Although not conclusive evidence this should be more than enough motivation for infertility couples trying changes to diet rtaher than shooting straight into IVF treatment at an expensive London Clinic with all the side effects, inconvenience and cost that IVF brings.

For more information about natural alternative health alternatives to IVF ( or as a complementary treatment to enhance assisted conception and IVF Fertility Treatments please see Food for Life Nutritionists at London clinics at www.optimumnutritionists.com

Founder of Foods for Life Yvonne Bishop-Weston is the GMTV nutritionist assisting with Lorraine Kelly's The Baby Race on LK Today. She is registered with Foresight the preconceptual and fertility charity.

More about → ITV - Tonight- Secrets of Diet and Fertility

Mothers who switched from breast milk to bottle 'were misled'

Mothers who switched babies from breast milk to bottle Cows milk formula 'were misled'-Life & Style-Health-TimesOnline

Another damning report exposing the pressures on mothers to use cows milk formula rather than optimum nutrition for babies from breast milk.. (reportd in The Times)

Thousands of women are inadvertently overfeeding their babies because ministers and health advisers have delayed the introduction of new WHO child growth charts according to Tam Fry, of the Child Growth Foundation.

“Introducing these charts will shift a quarter of the babies from below the average weight at one year to above the average weight,” Mr Fry said. “It means that many fewer babies will be referred for ‘failure to thrive’ and lots of women will go on breast-feed-ing longer, because they won’t be discouraged.”

Health experts and nutritionists welcomed the charts, which are based on a study of 8,500 breast-fed babies in Brazil, Gha-na, India, Norway, Oman and the US between 1997 and 2003.

The difference between these and the existing charts, which were based on Britain’s experience before 1990 and were weighted towards bottle-fed babies, is striking. Breast-fed babies have a growth spurt in the early weeks and are ahead of the growth chart at 12 weeks. But then they start to put on weight more slowly so that at 52 weeks the average breast-fed baby is about half a kilogram – more than 1lb – lighter than the chart indicates.

More about → Mothers who switched from breast milk to bottle 'were misled'

Brocolli- Over Boiling Kills Anti Cancer Properties

Nutrition Horizon: Nutrition, Ingredients and Foods Online - Newsmaker

Steam don't Boil! 30 minutes boiling reduces anti cancer agent glucosinolate by 77% !!!

The researchers, Prof Paul Thornalley from Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick and Dr Lijiang Song from the University of Warwick’s Department of Chemistry bought Brassica vegetables, (broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and green cabbage) from a local store and transported them to the laboratory within 30 minutes of purchasing. The effect of cooking on the glucosinolate content of vegetables was then studied by investigating the effects of cooking by boiling, steaming, microwave cooking and stir-fry.

Boiling appeared to have a serious impact on the retention of those important glucosinolate within the vegetables. The loss of total glucosinolate content after boiling for 30 minutes was: broccoli 77%, Brussel sprouts 58%, cauliflower 75% and green cabbage 65%.

The effects of other cooking methods were investigated: steaming for 0–20 min, microwave cooking for 0–3 min and stir-fry cooking for 0–5 min. All three methods gave no significant loss of total glucosinolate analyte contents over these cooking periods.

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NHS Zero Safe Limit in Pregnancy for Alcohol

GMTV - Pregnancy and alcohol

The NHS has revised it's guidelines to now advise that the safe level of alcohol consumption during conception and pregnancy should be zero.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Fiona Adshead said: "We have strengthened our advice to women to help ensure that no-one underestimates the risk to the developing foetus of drinking above the recommended safe levels. Our advice is simple: avoid alcohol if pregnant or trying to conceive."

The National Organisation on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome estimates more than 6,000 UK children are born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder each year.

Dr Sheila Shribman, the National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Maternity Services said: "Alcohol and pregnancy advice is now consistent across the UK. It is vital that we alert pregnant women and women hoping to conceive about the potential dangers of excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy."


Researchers from
Wayne State University in Detroit report part of the increase in the number of preterm births can be blamed on alcohol consumption. They studied 3,130 pregnant women before and after delivery.

In the study, 66 of the newborns were born extremely prematurely, which is defined as 32 or fewer weeks of gestation. Researchers report alcohol, and cocaine to some extent, increased the risk of prematurity. The more alcohol a woman reported consuming, the more likely she was to be one of the women who delivered extremely premature. Study authors write they do not have a full explanation for why alcohol and cocaine use affected women older than 30 more than younger mothers. Mothers who did not drink or use drugs while pregnant had a 41 percent decreased chance of delivering extremely premature. Cigarette smoking was not linked to extreme prematurity.

Research was conducted primarily on black women so more studies needed to verify findings are relevant to populations as a whole.

More about → NHS Zero Safe Limit in Pregnancy for Alcohol

Sodium Benzoate - Causes Cancer ? Destroys DNA ?

E211 Revealed: Evidence highlights new fear over drinks additive - Independent Online Edition > Health

More research has emerged after the Independent on Sunday first broke the story. It appears that when mixed with vitamin C some common E numbers become carciogenic. In addition when some E numbers found in drinks are mixed with E numbers found in crisps the potency then becomes seven times that of the E number chemicals found singly.

More research is urgently needed to find out the full effects of cocktails of E numbers on our bodies.

The Independent on Sunday reveals...

According to Professor Piper, sodium benzoate has a destructive effect on living cells, destroying the DNA in the mitochondria. In essence, his laboratory tests on yeast cells suggest that such preservatives generate free radicals which, in turn, damage cells. This oxidative damage, he says, is the kind of done by ageing and by alcoholic binges. Professor Piper is disappointed at what he sees as a "complacency" among the soft-drinks industry over the potential dangers of additives.

Coca Cola running scared after lawsuit - Coke Lawsuit

See also BBC , Observer - 1500 drinks a risk

More about → Sodium Benzoate - Causes Cancer ? Destroys DNA ?

Against Animal Tasting? - Stop Supporting Animal Testing

The Lush Ma Bar Will Always Be Vegetarian!! by Lush Cosmetics Cruelty Free Vegetarian Organic Bathroom Products

Lush say if you against Animal Tasting you should watch out for animal products and animal testing in your cruelty free bathroom products and organic skincare cosmetics too.

Tallow (hard animal fat) is commonly used in soaps, but Lush prefer to use a vegetable base. And not only this, there are many other animal ingredients lurking in your bathroom products to look out for … The Vegan Society list shellac (crushed insects) which may be used in nail varnish; civet (from anal pouch of civet cat); musk (from male musk deer); chitin (from insects and crustacea) and keratin (protein from hair, horn, hoof and feathers) may be used in shampoos, conditioners and skin care products; gelatine (from animal bones, skin and hide) and elastin (from meat) are also from animals.

More about → Against Animal Tasting? - Stop Supporting Animal Testing

60% Cancer Drop From Vitamin D Supplements

Vitamin D - the new Vitamin C?

60% Cancer Drop From Vitamin D Supplements

A four-year clinical trial involving 1,200 women found those taking the vitamin had about a 60-per-cent reduction in cancer incidence, compared with those who didn't take it, a drop so large — twice the impact on cancer attributed to smoking — it almost looks like a typographical error.

One of the researchers who made the discovery, professor of medicine Robert Heaney of Creighton University in Nebraska, says vitamin D deficiency is showing up in so many illnesses besides cancer that nearly all disease figures in Canada and the U.S. will need to be re-evaluated. "We don't really know what the status of chronic disease is in the North American population," he said, "until we normalize vitamin D status."

'By Easter, 90 per cent of the population are seriously depleted in the amount of vitamin D they have in their bodies,' says author of the study Dr Elina Hypponnen, of the Institute of Child Health in London.

As we get older and our skin ages it becomes less efficient at using light to catalyze the synthesis of vitamin D. So part of the rise in incidence of vitamin D with age is probably caused by worsening vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D might do what Linus Pauling claimed vitamin C could do: reduce the incidence of infections.

The malign consequences have been revealed by in a study from the United States which shows that boosting vitamin D may be the most effective way of warding off infections that cause winter colds.

The authors, from Winthrop University Hospital, Mineola, New York, who publish their findings in the journal Epidemiology and Infection, say vitamin D stimulates "innate immunity" by activating peptides in the body that attack bacteria, fungi and viruses.

"Vitamin D supplementation, particularly with higher doses, may protect against the typical winter cold and flu ... Since there is an epidemic of vitamin D insufficiency in the US, the public health impact of this observation could be great," they write.

Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to a higher incidence of auto-immune diseases. For example, multiple sclerosis occurs at higher rates in the more northern regions of North America where people get less sun in the winter due to both cold and shorter days.

The current max recommended limit of 2000 IU per day might be too low.

A recent review of the science reported that the tolerable upper intake level for oral vitamin D3 should be increased five-fold, from the current tolerable upper intake level (UL) in Europe and the US of 2000 International Units (IU), equivalent to 50 micrograms per day, to 10,000 IU (250 micrograms per day).

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Real Kitchen Nightmares - London Nutritionists Challenge British Chefs and Restaurants for National Vegetarian Week

Real Kitchen Nightmares - London Nutritionists Challenge British Chefs and Restaurants for National Vegetarian Week 2007

Yvonne Bishop-Weston, Foods for Life, Nutritionist, London advises "Eating intensively produced meat and dairy is a recognised factor in degenerative disease. Eating a colourful selection of fruit and vegetables coupled with seeds, whole-grains and pulses offers one of the best value alternative health insurance policies available, to help you live well, not just longer."

Bristol Vegan Fayre Sponsor Lush offer prize for the new best menu .

More about → Real Kitchen Nightmares - London Nutritionists Challenge British Chefs and Restaurants for National Vegetarian Week

Rising Malnutrition in UK

from Natural Products Magazine

Six million Britons are malnourished say experts - May 10, 2007
Up to 3.6 million people in Britain are suffering from malnutrition with growing numbers being treated for deficiency diseases, reports The Independent.

Research carried out by the British Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) has revealed that malnutrition currently costs the NHS more than £7.3 billion a year. This is double the estimated cost of treating obesity related disease in Britain.

BAPEN says that up to 6% of the population could be suffering from malnutrition and serious vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by poor diet. They say that the problem is being fuelled by a growing reliance on pre-prepared foods and falling levels of micronutrients in fresh fruit and vegetables. Vitamin levels were also being compromised by binge drinking, excess sugar consumption and drug use.

The latest figures available (2002) showed that 2,729 people in English hospitals were diagnosed with malnutrition. Worrying numbers were suffering conditions usually found in the poorest parts of Africa.

Dr Mike Stroud, senior lecturer at the Institute of Human Nutrition, University of Southampton, told The Independent: “The modern diet is not providing enough vitamins. Malnourishment is going to make you more vulnerable to illnesses and less able to cope with them. The medical profession is only just beginning to take on board the implications.”

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Sales Of Quorn and Linda McCartney Slowing Down

Sales Of Vegetarian Foods Are Predicted To Grow At A Declining Rate Over The Next 5 Years To 2010

Market analysts are predicting that the growth of sales of market leaders in the Vegetarian foods market is slowing down.

Foods for Life London Nutritionists suggest that the market leaders are not in touch with the core market and that the sales for vegan foods are increasing much faster.

Things may surprise the analysts as Marlow Foods Quorn and Cauldron have been bought by Premier Brands and Linda McCartney and Haldane ( Real Eat, Granose, Direct Foods) have been bought by Hain Europe.

Previously these brands showed a lack of understanding about the healthy eating market. Many products have eggs in them which are not considered vegetarian by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs or even by strict vegetarians and vegans.

Lack of protein is an issue too - many of the Quorn products have less protein than a bar of sugar free chocolate ( see Plamil sugar free hemp chocolate )

Companies such as Redwoods, already leaders in innovation, are set to become market leaders by understanding all the maket drivers and preferances of this rapidly expanding market.

Companies such as Redwoods, Plamil, Alpro and Doves Farm embrace the environmental and fair trade aspects of ethical consumers as well as ensuring their products are vegan so thus suitable for everyone.

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Bacon Causes Lung Diseases ?

Study - Bacon and Cured Meat Consumption a factor in Lung Function and diseases.

Cured Meat Consumption, Lung Function, and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease among United States Adults -- Jiang et al. 175 (8): 798 -- American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine: "Rationale: Cured meats are high in nitrites. Nitrites generate reactive nitrogen species that may cause nitrative and nitrosative damage to the lung resulting in emphysema.
Objective: To test the hypothesis that frequent consumption of cured meats is associated with lower lung function and increased odds of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Methods: Cross-sectional study of 7,352 participants in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 45 years of age or more, who had adequate measures of cured meat, fish, fruit, and vegetable intake, and spirometry.

Results: After adjustment for age, smoking, and multiple other potential confounders, frequency of cured meat consumption was inversely associated with lung health

Frequent cured meat consumption was associated independently with an obstructive pattern of lung function and increased odds of COPD. Additional studies are required to determine if cured meat consumption is a causal risk factor for COPD.

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Bill Clinton Promotes Nutrition for Children

CalorieLab Calorie Counter News » Archives » Nibbles: Clinton says schools should make nutrition a priority

Perhaps an example of a little nibble of knowledge is a dangerous thing??? Bill Clinton is apparently (thankfully?) jumping on the obesity bandwagon. The trouble is he's doing it with a can of coke in his hand - very dangerous we think.

Should we put the health of our children in the hands of someone who can't tell a neurotoxin from a calorie?

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Chocolate Offsetting

Chocolate Offsetting

Addicted to chocolate??? Check this out - great fruity ideas for offsetting your chocolate consumption.

See also Sugar free chocolate

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World's First Vegetarian Fish

World's First Vegetarian Fish

April 1st - The world's first headless, vegan, fish - Scomberomorus Maculates Scervellato



Swiss Biochimeric engineering scientists have managed to breed the world's first headless, brainless, fishless, fish by adding in proteins and fatty acids from EPA DHA rich micro algae. Macrobiotic Chimeric Engineering has reached new heights with the breeding of a new species that is closer to algae and seaweed than a fish.

Dr Oeildoiseau from the Lake Geneva Institute in Switzerland said “Zis is an amazing breakthrough that was achieved without genetic engineering and has incredible repercussions for the health of the world’s poor and landlocked communities. Ze technique used was a little like skin grafting and is made possible by ze very special properties of omega 3 rich Fish oil alternative from the essential fatty acids in micro algae"

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New Fish Free Omega 3 DHA EPA

Vegetarian Omega 3 DHA & EPA

To read more about Omega 3 and essential fats see www.vegetarian-dha-epa.co.uk


As the demand for Omega 3 increases, there is are more and more problems with the sustainability and contamination of fish oil.

A brand new process has been developed in Switzerland, which extracts high levels of EPA and DHA from algae into a low cost, readily available supplement called V Pure.


Omega 3 Brain Food

The brain is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. DHA makes up about 25% of the fatty acids in grey matter cell membranes, and ensures that the messages between the brain cells are sent quickly and clearly. A lack of DHA can cause a slower message transmission which can affect brain development in babies and mental agility and memory in adults.

Pregnancy and infancy

Studies have found that DHA requirements of pregnant women and the developing foetus are high, especially during the last three months of pregnancy (Al et al 2000, Hornstra 2000). The baby in the womb depends on the mother for DHA intake, necessary for healthy visual and brain development.

The quantity of EPA and DHA contained in breast milk has declined by up to 50% over the last fifteen years, with UK breast milk now containing less than half that of breast milk in Japan, where the diet is predominantly fish based. There is clinical evidence to show that brain development in the womb, in early and adult life is affected by low levels of Epa and DHA.

Government RDA

The Government recommendation is 0.2g per day of the two long chain Omega-3 essential fatty acids DHA , Docosahexaenoic Acid and EPA , Eicosapentaenoic acid, combined. Average UK intakes are 0.1g per day. COMA report 46. Published in 1994 by HMSO. Source: Food Standards Agency.


Click Here to buy V Pure Omega 3

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World Water Day | WaterAid

World Water Day | WaterAid When is World Water Day?? 22nd March 2007!!



Contaminated water affects more people than you'd think. London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston says that patients often come to her complaining of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and it turns out they have picked up a parasite or bug from contaminated water.

Here are some of the most commons nasty things found in water.

Giardia normally produces a mild bowel infection, with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, malaise, and poor appetite, its effects can be much worse in developing countries. Where people have nutrient-poor diets it can become chronic, suppressing adequate calorie intake and leading to weight loss, and in some cases death.

Rotavirus causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting and is estimated to kill around 600,000 children under five every year in developing countries. It is highly infectious and spreads when children are exposed to contaminated water, food or faecal matter.

Bilharzia Around 200 million people worldwide are affected with bilharzia. This parasitic worm penetrates the skin and travels to the blood vessels of the liver, intestine and bladder where they mature. Fever, malaise, nausea and diarrhoea follow with liver failure, neurological problems and even death in the advanced stages if left untreated.

Guinea worm eggs are ingested in polluted water. The worm then grows internally until it eventually ruptures the skin. If the worm is simply pulled out severe skin infections can occur, which can lead to gangrene and even death. Instead the worm has to be gently coaxed out by being wound around a small stick - a process that can take weeks.

More often though in the UK the most common water related illnesses and symptoms are purely from not drinking enough water. Concentration, energy, digestion, skin all relay on correct water balance. Yvonne says "Many of the people suffering from constipation simply need to drink more water and eat more fruit and vegetables rather than expensive drugs"

To help people remember to drink enough water Water Aid have divised this handy desktop programme that reminds you to drink water every few hours. "This is a great idea! Every office computer in London should have it installed immediately!"

Download here - Drink More Water

For more info and laboratory tests please see Optimum Nutritionists London or Water Aid

More about → World Water Day | WaterAid

More Drugs for Cows

Free Internet Press: "The government is on track to approve a new antibiotic to treat a pneumonia-like disease in cattle, despite warnings from health groups and a majority of the agency's own expert advisers that the decision will be dangerous for people.
The drug, called cefquinome, belongs to a class of highly potent antibiotics that are among medicine's last defenses against several serious human infections. No drug from that class has been approved in the United States for use in animals.
The American Medical Association and about a dozen other health groups warned the Food and Drug Administration that giving cefquinome to animals would probably speed the emergence of microbes resistant to that important class of antibiotics, as has happened with other drugs. Those super-microbes could then spread to people."

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