Questions and answers about Nutrition

Hi Freya, thank you for your question. You are at an age where you're still going through quite a lot of growth and development so it's really important you are getting enough nutrients to support this. So the main thing is to make sure you are getting a good variety of food - lots of different coloured vegetables, dark green leafy vegetables are particularly good sources of nutrients such as calcium and magnesium; flaxseed, chia seeds and walnuts to ensure you are getting enough anti-inflammatory omega 3; plants proteins such as nuts and seeds, lentils, chickpeas and beans to make sure you have enough protein for such things as hormone balance and growth and repair. Nutrients such as iodine are also important and often missed in a vegan diet so try to have sea vegetables. If you're still currently having dairy then you will get iodine from this source. Also, B12 can be a common deficiency in vegetarians and vegans so I would try to eat nutritional yeast with added B12 and would also probably consider a good multivitamin and mineral supplement. Also try to experiment with different recipes to keep your diet interesting. Good luck, I hope this is helpful.

Hi Shannon, thanks for your question. I'm not sure why you may have loose skin, it tends to be something that is an issue as we age or if we've lost a considerable amount of weight. In order to keep skin as healthy as possible we should be eating nutrients which support collagen, which gives our skin its elasticity. So protein is very important e.g. fish, nuts, seeds and legumes. Vitamin C found in many different fruit and vegetables but particularly berries, broccoli, peppers and kiwis is also important, as is copper which you will find in foods such as dried apricots, lentils, sunflower seeds and almonds. In terms of stretch marks these can be a sign of a zinc deficiency so again having enough zinc in your diet is vital. Red meat, chicken, some seafood, particularly oysters, and pumpkin seeds are good sources. Vitamin E can also be good to get rid of stretch marks so using a vitamin E rich cream or lotion topically may be helpful. Good luck

Hi Jesus, the problem could be that you are not eating enough. If you eat less calories than your BMR plus activity levels then your metabolism can slow down. If you calculate how many calories you should be eating using a BMR calculator then you can see whether you are actually eating enough. Also, I would ask your doctor to check your thyroid hormone levels to ensure you do not have an underactive thyroid. It's a simple blood test and will be useful to rule this out. If you did have a thyroid issue then eating a very low carbohydrate diet could slow down your thyroid further so also bear this in mind. Finally, doing regular exercise will help to speed up your metabolism so I would try to do at least 30 minutes a day. A brisk walk would be enough. I hope you find this helpful.

Hi Alan
Thank you for your question. The portioning greatly depends on what you would like to achieve – e.g. weight loss, weight gain, improving your digestion etc.
The portioning of food groups (protein, fat, carbohydrates) often depends on your body’s ability to process these macronutrients properly hence I would recommend you seeing a nutritional therapist to assess your needs.
As a general rule, I would recommend having filling up the plate according to this: ½ plate vegetables (cooked + fresh), ¼ source of protein (meat, fish, eggs, pulses) and the rest carbohydrates (whole grain pasta, brown rice, whole grain bread etc.) with little bit of fat (about 1tbsp) like nuts, seeds and extra virgin olive oil.

Hope this helps.

Take care

Andrea

Hi Christina

Thank you for your question When you cut down calories, you will not bulk up – you only do so when you start doing intense heavy-weight lifting or vigorous exercise.
If you wish to get lean and toned, increasing your protein intake and decreasing your carbohydrate intake can help. Protein forms the structure of muscles, helps you feel full (= eating less calories) and can increase your fat-burning metabolism (=burning more calories at rest). Try to include protein sources like fish, eggs, meat, pulses, nuts; reduce fattening foods (like white pasta, bread, rice, sugar etc.) and do exercise that does not increase the size of your muscles but only add definition to it – e.g. high intensity exercise, running short distances, swimming, general exercise without weights etc.
Please note that everyone reacts differently to food and exercise hence I would recommend seeing a nutritional therapist that can provide tailored-made advice.

Good luck

Andrea

If you are struggling with cravings for sweet foods this may relate to blood sugar balance. All carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose. Eating lots of sugar is going to give you peaks and troughs in the amount of glucose in your blood. Sugar also diverts the supply of another nutrient, chromium. This mineral is vital for keeping your blood sugar level stable because insulin, which clears glucose from the blood, can’t work properly without it.
The best way to keep your blood sugar level balanced is to eat what is called a low Glycaemic Load (GL) diet and avoid, as much as you can, simpe sugars and refined foods (i.e. cakes, biscuits, sweets and chocolate).
My suggestions include: Eating small, frequent meals that contain slow releasing carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein, avoid missing meals or leaving long gaps between eating, and replace sugars and refined carbohydrates with whole grains.

Hi Beverley, thanks for your question. I have worked with a number of people with type 1 diabetes and have always recommended very similar foods to those with type 2 diabetes. So reduce the amount of carbohydrates you're on to no more than 25% of your plate, have protein with every meal and also some beneficial fat such as avocado or olive oil. Both protein and fat are slowly absorbed so ordinarily would reduce the amount of insulin being produced by the pancreas, but in your case means that you're having to use less insulin. So for breakfast, try something like poached egg and avocado on rye toast or homemade granola using oats, nuts and seeds mixed together with coconut oil and apple juice, so you're avoiding sugar or honey. For lunches and dinners try a salad or roasted Mediterranean vegetables with chicken breast or salmon fillet. Or try a stew or curry with cauliflower rice rather than regular rice, as most rice is quite high GI so is quickly absorbed and requires more insulin. Try to avoid high carbohydrate meals and try to fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables so you're getting plenty of nutrients. I hope this helps.

Firstly, try to work out what causes you to be over weight. Look at your weaknesses and try to find more healthy substitutes. If snacking is a problem, before you reach for a snack, ask yourself if you are really hungry. Sometimes we eat because we are tired, thirsty or bored. Substitute snacks (i.e. confectionary, cakes, biscuits) for healthier options i.e. nuts, seeds, fruit, oat cakes with unsweetened nut butter, veg crudités with humus.
In general terms, eat a nutrient-dense whole-food diet. Eat foods containing lean/plant-based protein, complex carbs and “healthy” fats, plus fresh fruits and vegetables, and drink lots of water.
Foods high in protein take more work to digest, metabolise, and use, so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time, and this can aid weight loss. For example, a high protein snack - low-fat natural yogurt, cooked quinoa, and 2 tsp blackcurrants.

Hi Amber, thanks for your question. In order to reduce your fat mass I would recommend you reduce carbohydrates, as these are the most readily stored macronutrient and if not used for energy will be stored as fat. I'm not sure how much of your daily diet is carbohydrate but I would look to have about 15-20% carbohydrates in order to lose some weight. When you're doing exercise ensure you're having enough protein to keep your muscle mass stable and ensure you're having healthy fats in your diet such as avocado and oily fish, as these can be used for energy also. You may also find it helpful to work out how many calories you should be having so have a look at a BMR calculator online, input your weight and height etc. and this will tell you how many calories you need before exercise. Then there is an equation underneath the calculator that tells you how to work out how many more calories you need for exercise. If you would like to lose weight you can reduce this total slightly, usually by about 500 calories to lose 1-2 lbs a week. I hope you find this helpful.

Hi Shkurta
Thanks for your question. The best approach would be to see a nutritional therapist that could pinpoint the issues that have led to their weight gain.

In general, the most problematic food for children is food rich in sugar – sugary drinks (juices, cola, squash etc.), sugary snacks (biscuits, chocolate, candy etc.), added sugar to food and drinks, and sugar released from refined products like white potatoes, white bread, white pasta and white rice.

You could replace sugary drinks for water with squeezed fresh orange and/or just pure water, offer them as snacks nature’s candy – dry fruit + nuts and fruit (especially fruit lower in sugar like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries) and replace refined products for whole grain varieties.

Another problem which is common is the lack of vegetables in the diet. They are rich in fibre that keeps them full and provide them with slow-releasing energy and also supply nutrients that are needed for health as well as weight loss and maintenance. It would be a good idea to include vegetable soups or salads for dinner and provide them with snacks like vegetable sticks with hummus.

Try to replace unhealthy snacks like crisps and biscuits with nutritious snacks like apple with almond butter, oatcakes with hummus and dark chocolate with nuts. Also try to cook homemade meals to avoid added sugar and unhealthy refined fats.

Lack of exercise predisposes child to obesity especially if its coupled with a diet high in sugars. Make sure your kids get at least 2 hours exercise each day – it could be brisk walk, playing with their friends, cycling or going to fitness/dance classes.

Hope this general advice helps a little but I can only guess what the problems in their diet could be and these are the most common ones.
Good luck!

Andrea