Lower blood pressure
“Raised blood pressure can be a wake-up
call to make important diet and lifestyle changes” says naturopath and medical
herbalist Sarah Bowles-Flannery (sarahbowlesflannery.co.uk) “Regular exercise,
relaxation and plenty of sleep are vital. Hydration is really important – it’s
not just about drinking lots of water”
AVOID
“Salt!” says Sarah. “Excess sodium can lead to fluid build-up, which in turn
contributes to raised blood pressure. And caffeine – as it raises heart rate
and is a diuretic, which can lead to dehydration”
ENJOY
Wholefoods, salad with a drizzle of olive oil, and fruit and veg. Bananas as
their potassium helps balance excess sodium. Oats, which are calming, and
garlic, which has a slightly blood-thinning effect. Oily fish – also slightly
blood thinning.
TAKE Garlic
capsules, fish oils (1,000mg twice a day), vitamin D, best in a spray – recent
research shows a deficiency can lead to blood vessel walls stiffening. Herbs
are also fantastic, but seek the advice of a qualified medical herbalist.
Try Better You DLux 100 Vitamin D 15ml
Spray, $9, betteryou.uk.com; Solgar Garlic Oil Softgels, $7 for 100,
revital.co.uk. See sarahbowlesflannery.co.uk
Get a handle on moods
Whether it’s stress or the menopause that’s
creating your jangling emotions, try some calming tweaks to your everyday
eating. Sugar is the big bad mood culprit. “And that’s not just the regular
kind. Sugar in refined carbohydrates make blood sugar go up quickly, resulting
in mood peaks and troughs.” Says homeopath Margo Marrone.
AVOID Sugar,
white pasta, white bread, cakes and alcohol. “Giving up these will help your
waistline and your mood,” says Margo.
ENJOY “A
little low-fat protein in each meal – eggs, chicken, oily fish (the omega in
oily fish also helps brain function), beans, lentils, milk and cheese. Plus
plenty of vegetables. Surprisingly, raw, unprocessed chocolate is one of the
richest sources of serotonin – the happy molecule. Just don’t have it with
sugar – look for one with agave nectar – it makes a brilliant snack!”
TAKE A
supplement to keep a lid on moodiness. “Magnesium is key to mood function so I
always recommend a magnesium and calcium complex, plus essential fatty acids
and B vitamins are fundamental to maintain a healthy nervous system.”
Try Calcium & Magnesium Complex, $18
for 60 caps; EFAs and B Complex, $34 for 60 caps, both theorganicpharmacy.com.
Brain a bit fuzzy?
Try Patrick Holford’s new Brain Food
Formula – a unique blend of vitamins and nutrients to support healthy brain
function. $21 for 60 capsules at Holland & Barrett.
Calm problem skin
The biggest cause of angry, irritated skin
is created within.
“Inflammation not only causes skin
irritation, but is also a major contributor to the ageing process” says
wellbeing expert Amanda Hamilton. “Cutting out foods that increase inflammation
will benefit your skin now and in the future”.
AVOID
Trans-fats found in deep-fried foods, processed cakes, biscuits and processed
meats. Too much sugar is as ageing for your skin as too much sun – because
sugar links with collagen and elastin in the skin, reducing its elasticity.
ENJOY Oily
fish, walnuts and flax seeds; their omega-3 fats help to reduce inflammation
and calm irritated skin. Limit the damage caused to skin by free radicals by
eating more antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables. The jury is out, but there
is some evidence that dark chocolate may help reduce inflammation too!
TAKE
Omega-3, if you don’t eat a lot of oily fish. It has an anti-inflammatory
effect. Don’t want to take fish oil? Then try a flax-seed supplement instead.
Try Linseed Oil 1000, $11 for caps,
biocare.co.uk. Patrick Holford Essential Omegas, $24 for 60 caps. Find Amanda’s
new personalized weight-loss programme at amandahamilton.co.uk
Need a relaxing cuppa?
Try Dr Stuart’s Tranquility – good for
those with raised blood pressure, says expert Sarah Bowles-Flannery, but no
more than 3-4 cups a day. $3 for 15 bags at Holland & Barrett.
In the mood for chocolate?
Go for the Glamour Food Bar by The Organic
Pharmacy. The unprocessed cacao retains all its nutrients, and the antioxidant
goji, acai and blueberry plus agave nectar sweeten it – so no sugar highs and
lows! $5
Theorganicpharmacy.com
Soothe aching joints
Aches and pains in your joints are other
problems created by inflammation, but there is lots you can do to help ease
them. “the aim is to control that inflammation by reducing or eliminating those
foods or drinks that are going to worsen pain,” says Dr Marilyn Glenville,
author of The Natural Health Bible For Women.
LIMIT “Dairy
and red meat – their saturated fats can cause your body to produce more
inflammation,” says Marilyn. “Alcohol – as it stops your body converting good
fats into the anti- inflammatory lipids essential for maintaining supple
joints. Caffeine, which acts as a stimulant, causing the release of the stress
hormone cortisol, and more inflammation over time.”
ENJOY More
oily fish or take linseed oil if you are vegetarian as both of these are
absolutely crucial for controlling inflammation.
TAKE Vitamin
D, which controls inflammation. If you suffer from joint pains, get checked for
a deficiency. Omega-3 – nowadays we’re not getting enough from our diet.
Glucosamine, which forms an important part of connective tissue within joints,
and MSM, which keeps them flexible.
Try Life Extension Vitamin D3 1000 lu,
17.50 for 250 caplets; Lifetime Advanced Joint Support Formula, 35 for 90
tablets, both victoriahealth.com. NHP Omega 3 Support, 23.87 for 60 caplets.
