Nutritional therapy Nottingham, Southwell and Lincoln. Gillian Key, Dip ION Dip AET TFTDx mBANT BCMAreg ATFT BTFTA

Frequently Asked Questions

I eat a balance diet are supplements really necessary?

First of all you need to define ‘balanced diet’, your definition and mine are probably quite different!

However even if your diet is healthy, unless you are a full-time athlete you cannot possibly eat enough food to provide all the micro nutrients that your body needs. Government surveys carried out in America and Europe show that the vast majority of people don’t even get the RDAs of all the vitamins and minerals from their diet — and are therefore suffering from multiple micro-nutrient deficiencies.  

If you eat a lot of processed foods, and/or smoke, or are elderly or diabetic, you are likely to be even more malnourished.

I take a calcium supplement, will this protect me from osteoporosis?

No - Just taking calcium on its own will not protect your bones. To gain better protection, you need to combine calcium with magnesium and Vitamin D as well as a number of other micronutrients, including Vitamins K, C and B6; the minerals copper, zinc, manganese and omega 3 oils. There are also dietary changes that are recommended.

I'm confused – we are constantly told not to eat too much Chocolate and yet I read that its good for me what is true?

In order to get the benefits of the protective flavinoid or antioxidant compounds found in cocoa you need to eat Dark Chocolate. This has the benefit of having a lot less sugar and little or no dairy which will add on the calories. Dark chocolate is also richer and you therefore eat less (or should!) Milk chocolate contains less of these valuable molecules, and white chocolate has none I’m afraid!

Are Eggs bad for you?

New research shows that eggs actually benefit cardiovascular health by helping to prevent vasoconstriction, thereby improving blood flow and blood pressure. What about cholesterol? Apparently these concerns are unfounded and based on out-of-date information.  

My Advice – safe to eat 4-6 eggs a week preferably organic – available from www.redearthorganics.co.uk

I avoid dairy, where can I get calcium from?

Where do cows get theirs? – green grass of course! Green leafy vegetables also contain magnesium which is required for calcium absorption. Also tinned fish (mash the bones in), soya products, nuts and seeds.  

If I don’t like fish will I miss out on those omega oils?

Yes, although linseed oil is a good source of omega 3, conversion of this oil to EPA/ DHA in the body is very poor. I would therefore recommend a fish oil supplement to supplement your diet as well as including seeds particularly linseed, hemp, pumpkin and sunflower and to a lesser extent nuts - I always recommend having a handful of these daily.

Vegetarians can also supplement veggie DHA

I have been diagnosed with arthritis and feel really stiff when I get up in the morning is there anything I can do with my diet?

Yes, you need to eat an anti-inflammatory diet low in saturated fats and high in essential fats from fish, seeds and nuts. It is also worth checking if you have any food intolerances, there are also many supplements that can improve your situation.

There has been a lot of press lately about vitamin D, what are the recommendations?

First of all make sure you get some sun on your skin (when its out!) for about 15-20 minutes before you cover up or put sun screen on. In the winter you may need to take a supplement. Good food sources are: Fish liver oils, sardines, salmon, herrings, tuna, eggs, dairy products, rice, wheat, mushrooms and sunflower seeds.

My father suffered from heart problems and had a stroke, how can I help myself?

Make sure you get plenty of those omega oils from fish, nuts and seeds, you also need to have lots of antioxidants and fibre from fruits and vegetables to maintain healthy blood vessels. Get your Homocysteine level checked by a Nutritional Therapist.

I have been diagnosed with macular degeneration what do you recommend?

You need to eat foods high in a antioxidant called Luetin particularly spinach and kale and also berry fruits which are high in proanthocyanadins. These can also be supplemented.

Is it ok to eat canned fruit and vegetables?

Fresh and frozen are best as canned loose their vitamin C content, however tinned carrots or tomatoes are ok as betacarotene (vitamin A) is not lost.

 

To find out more about nutritional therapy, allergy testing and TFT, email me, or give me a call on 01636 816121."

Gillian