Is lack of sleep sabotaging your health?

Sleep matters big time. Without enough sleep, you create an uphill battle in so many different ways. Sleep – how much you have and the quality of it – matters even more than you probably realise, and not getting enough is sabotaging your health and any health goals you might have. Today I’d like to share exactly why it matters so much and what to do about it.

 

SLEEP AND WEIGHT

Sleep and weight are intimately related. If you are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis, you are setting yourself up to be hungrier, eat more, weigh more, and have a harder time losing weight. It’s not all in your head.

Busy mums and working women alike, many of you are likely sleep deprived. Scientists now know that, if you are consistently surviving on too little sleep (that’s less than seven and a half hours of good sleep per night), you’re not going to be functioning at your best, focusing properly or thinking creatively. The cherry on top is that you are also sabotaging any attempts to take control of healthy eating and your weight.

Sleep deprivation causes hormone imbalance, and I’m not talking about PMT, but the hormones that directly affect your feelings of hunger. Ghrelin (the hunger hormone that makes you feel hungrier) and leptin (the satiety hormone that tells you when you’ve had enough to eat) are majorly disrupted when you are not sleeping enough. So, after a night of lousy sleep, if you feel like you need to eat a banquet, it’s not all in your head but rather in your hormones. The feast you desire is going to be filled with high-carb, starchy foods and not the lovely healthy ones you might otherwise choose. 

STRESS AND YOUR HORMONES

Lack of sleep also messes with stress hormones, and stress messes with your sleep. It’s a vicious circle and one particularly good reason why it is so important to take the time to unwind before hitting the sack. 

Cortisol is one of the main stress hormones. It should follow a specific pattern throughout the day, starting off low (after all, you will have just got up from a ‘restful sleep’), rising to a peak in the morning to get you out of bed and gradually tailing off towards evening time. Prolonged periods of stress can create an imbalance in this daily rhythm that may lead to cortisol levels being high come night-time. Typically, this would leave you feeling tired but wired – absolutely exhausted, but your head is buzzing when you hit the pillow. Not exactly the recipe for success. 

The stress placed on the body by lack of sleep also upsets your body’s sensitivity to insulin (the fat-storage hormone), which contributes to weight gain and this, in turn, exacerbates hormonal symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats.

During the perimenopause (the transition to the menopause), those night sweats caused by falling levels of oestrogen are enough to keep anyone from restful slumber. But did you know that oestrogen also allows your body to better use the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin, which is the precursor to the ‘sleep hormone’ melatonin? And, during menopause, when oestrogen levels fall steadily, progesterone falls off a cliff. This is a problem for women because progesterone helps you fall asleep faster and experience fewer disruptions to your sleep. (A similar scenario plays out during menstruation).

BALANCED BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS = BETTER SLEEP

The more starchy carbs you eat, the more glucose is in your blood and the higher the amount of insulin that your body needs to restore blood sugar balance. If your diet is high in starchy carbs like bread, rice, pasta and sugars, you make more insulin, which creates blood sugar fluctuations at night, and these cause sleep disturbances. 

A sugar ‘crash’ at night triggers a release of cortisol to wake you up at the wrong time, and this can shift you out of deep sleep into a lighter sleep phase. Moving to a way of eating that balances your blood sugar helps significantly improve the quality of your sleep. 

TIPS FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

There are a number of things you can do (or not do) to improve your chances of sleeping well.

DO

• Try to go to bed at the same time every day. Your body thrives on routine.
• Keep the temperature in your bedroom comfortable; not too hot, nor too cold.
• Use your bed only for sleep and sex. This may help you completely switch off. 
• Keep the bedroom completely dark, so you’re not disturbed by light, which your brain detects even when your eyes are closed. Eye masks can be useful.
• Spend time outdoors to soak up the sun.
• Try to take some gentle exercise every day. There is evidence that regular exercise improves restful sleep. This includes stretching and aerobic exercise. A brisk walk ticks both boxes.
• Make an effort to relax for at least 5 minutes before going to bed - a warm bath, massage, meditation.
• Keep your feet and hands warm. Wear warm socks and/or mittens or gloves to bed if you struggle with cold extremities.
• Consider getting a traditional alarm clock so your smartphone can stay out of the bedroom (see below). Better still, work out how much sleep you need by going to bed 15 minutes earlier until you find that you wake up naturally before your alarm. That’s your personal sleep requirement. 
   

DON’T

• Engage in stimulating activities – like playing a competitive game, watching an edge-of-the-seat film, or having an importantconversation with a loved one. Even using smartphones and tablets can interfere with sleep, because they emit the same kind of light as the morning sun. 
• Eat a heavy meal within four hours of going to bed.
• Drink caffeine in the afternoon – including coffee, ‘normal’ and greentea, and colas.
• Use alcohol to help you sleep. Alcohol can make sleep moredisturbed.
• Go to bed too hungry. Have a snack before bed – a glass of milk orbanana are ideal.
• Try to avoid daytime naps.
• Try not to get frustrated if you can’t sleep. Go to bed in a positivemood – “I will sleep tonight”.  

You will almost certainly have read some of these tips before. Just knowing the information is not going to give you the restful night’s sleep you are looking for.

The only thing that counts is action. If you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that lack of sleep is at the root of not getting organised enough to plan your meals ahead of time (which may result in your feeling forced to grab a coffee and croissant on the way to work), has you craving sugary snacks you wouldn’t otherwise eat and feeling like a shadow of your normal self, I invite you to put getting more and/or better sleep at the top of your to-do list this week to see what a difference it can make.

You might have a whole list of things on your list already this week but focusing on this ONE thing might be what you need to see a real shift in everything else. Why not message me and let me know what you’re going to do?

How to keep your skin looking at its best

For some, one of the most bothersome things about the ageing process are wrinkles and the dullness your skin can take on. Although it’s not possible to turn back the clock, there are a number of things you can do to bring back that feeling of radiance.

The ageing process is due to inflammation of one sort or another. I know you’ll get that in relation to joint pain, but did you know that what you eat has a big impact on how your skin ages?

Eating too much sugar and processed carbohydrates (like pasta, bread, and baked goods such as cakes and biscuits) can lead to damage in your skin's collagen, which keeps your skin elastic and helps it resist wrinkles. This is largely caused by a high glycaemic diet. High sugar foods, like the ones listed, tend to spike our blood sugar, which causes glycation. 

Glycation is a process caused by the presence of excess glucose in skin fibres. Glucose surrounds around the collagen and elastin fibres and, over time, causes them to become rigid and even break, losing their activity. With age, these molecules accumulate in the skin and end up destroying the supportive cushion formed by elastin and collagen.

Alcohol and caffeine can also have a negative effect on the appearance of your skin. Dehydration from coffee or alcohol can also cause skin redness or inflammation. Dry skin patches may appear around your nose and chin area.

On a more positive note, you should bring more of the healthy fats into your diet. Essential fats found in fish, avocados, nuts and seeds keep cell membranes soft and smooth – they’re nature’s perfect skin plumpers. 

If you have even a passing interest in face creams, you’ll likely have read about how some ingredients fight age-accelerating particles called free radicals. The magic ingredients in this case are antioxidants, and they’re in plentiful supply in fruit and vegetables of all colours. Eating as many different colours over the course of a week is helpful.

As a very general rule, each different colour group contains a different set of plant chemicals. Scientists now know that bringing a variety of different antioxidants into your diet has a synergistic effect, which means the combined result is more powerful than the individual parts.

Would you like to know more about skin health? Nutrition can help with conditions such as skin ageing, acne, psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. If you’re interested in knowing more, why not get in touch? 

 

Black rice, squash and chickpea salad

This is a gorgeous blood-sugar-balancing recipe, when you used this instead of bog-standard rice in your meal. 

Pair with a good quality source of protein such as tofu, chicken or fish, and you have a delicious meal that will keep you feeling fuller for longer and energised.

Ingredients:

195g black rice

80g wild rice

Kosher salt

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, cut into pieces

100ml olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

50ml red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

2 pomegranates (seeds only)

400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 bunch parsley, roughly chopped

50g roasted pistachios, chopped

Method

• Preheat oven to 220C˚. Cook the black and wild rice in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender – about 35–40 mins. Drain and rinse. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet and let cool.
• Meanwhile, toss squash with 50ml oil on another baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 to 25 mins, tossing part way through cooking, until golden brown and tender. Leave to cool.
• Whisk the vinegar, honey and remaining oil in a large bowl. Add the rice, squash, spring onions, pomegranate seeds, chickpeas and pistachios. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
• Enjoy!

Feel More Energised

There’s a lot to like about getting older. You’ve made most of the silly mistakes you’re going to (and survived), you’ve likely got more time on your hands since your children have flown the nest (or are at least at a more self-sufficient stage), you now have the confidence to care much less about what other people think of you and no longer suffer fools, you may find that you have more money in the bank to do with as you wish, and since the desire for more and better has diminished, you’re calmer and more content.

But do you find yourself wishing ‘if only…’ in relation to your health and wellness?

You may wonder where your energy and vitality has gone, your skin has probably lost its dewy glow and freshness, your digestion is more troublesome than it’s been in years, and you want to ensure you’re taking care of your long-term health, so there are no nasty surprises lurking round the corner.

I want to let you know that the food you eat matters more than you think. What and how you eat influences every area of your health and eating the right diet for YOU coupled with some positive lifestyle changes, like getting the sleep you need and managing stress, will help you feel like a new person.

There’s no reason that you cannot feel fabulous at any age, if you take the right actions, and it’s my job as a nutrition coach to motivate and support my clients to do just that. Of course, working one-to-one means I can create a nutrition and lifestyle strategy built around your exact needs. But here is my number 1 tip – get your blood sugar balanced.

There are so many reasons that you might be feeling more sluggish than you’d like, and pinpointing what’s behind your lack of energy is something we’d need to discuss in person. But what I’m going to share with you is a simple strategy that can make a big difference.

Balancing blood sugar levels is one of the key things I help my clients with. Eating in a way that provides a constant supply of energy through the day will help you avoid dips in blood sugar than can leave you feeling tired, grumpy and craving the ‘wrong’ kinds of foods.

Very simply, you’d want to have a little protein at every meal and snack. This includes meat, fish, eggs, and vegetarian protein sources like tofu, lentils, beans, chickpeas and quinoa. You also need plenty of non-starchy veg (starchy veg include potatoes,parsnips, sweet potatoes, corn) and smaller portions than you may be used to of starchy carbs like potatoes, rice, bread and pasta.

Unfortunately, the staple diet for many people involves cereal, sandwiches and pasta – often several servings in the same day – and this can contribute to blood sugar highs and subsequent crashes.

See if you can move to three meals a day, with no snacks. Eat enough at each meal to sustain you – including protein and healthy fats will help with this. And be mindful of the quality and quantity of carbohydrates you are including.

Watch out for your caffeine and alcohol intake too, as these drinks can seriously mess with your blood sugar balance. 

If you’d like further tips on getting the balance right, why not book in a call with me here?

Should you eat organic?

These days, finding organic food is easier than ever. Back in the day, if you wanted to eat organic, you’d have to grow your own or find a health food shop. The range of organic products available today – even in supermarkets - leaves hardly anything to be desired. 

You can buy wholemeal flour as well as white flour, light and dark pasta, organic strawberries and organic asparagus, natural juices, organic meat, sausages, fish, poultry, eggs and dairy. Even ready or almost-ready meals such as pizza, tortellini and frozen chips are available organic, as are delicatessen specialities, wines, beer and spirits. 

Even those with a sweet tooth can get their money's worth: organic sweet cakes and biscuits sweetened with sugar or honey are readily available in most supermarkets. Note though, organic sugar (and honey) is sugar and impacts your blood sugar level in the exact same way as regular sugar. 

Whether purchased from a supermarket, a health food shop or a farm shop, organic food has always been more expensive than conventional food. However, over the last few months we have seen prices skyrocket. Not only is food – any food – now more expensive than it used to be, but we also have much higher energy prices to contend with, which further reduces the money we’ve got left to spend on food. So, is organic food worth the expense? 

What are the benefits of organic food? 

There are many good reasons to reach for organic products. Health, sustainability, animal welfare, and the wish to support organic farming all come into the decision to buy organic. 

Organic food and animal feed is grown without synthetic pesticides and herbicides, resulting in less chemical residue on the finished produce. In an attempt increase yields and resistance to pests and harsh weather conditions, the chemical industry started developing agricultural chemicals just after the WWII. 

They were used liberally for decades and did, in fact, do what it said on the tin. It only gradually became apparent that they might also be harmful to both human and animal health and, what’s worse, are persistent, i. e. they are virtually indestructible and will pollute our soils for centuries to come.  Needless to say, they are in the food chain by now and are here to stay. Babies are now born with hundreds of chemicals already in their bodies, and persistent pollutants have now even reached polar bears.  If they’re affected, what hope to we have? 

Gradually, some of those offending chemicals were banned in the US, the EU, and the UK to varying degrees, but not all of them. Moreover, those that are no longer allowed for use in the industrialised countries instead sold to developing countries. Of course, because they are already everywhere and are persistent, those substances are found in organic as well as conventional food. However, organic farming at least puts a stop to their use, reducing future pollution, and, of course, the resulting produce and meat contains fewer harmful chemicals than conventional food. This is one reason why organic food is healthier. 

Without pesticides, herbicides, greenhouses and synthetic fertilisers, organic produce must fend for itself, unlike conventional foods, which is mollycoddled from sprouting to harvest. Rather than being grown in huge monocultures, organic fruit and vegetables are planted alongside other plants that help protect them. Plants contain natural substances that fight pests and other threats to the plant’s health and increase its resistance to varying weather conditions. As it happens, these substances are not just good for the plant, but for us to. They are called phytonutrients. All plants contain them, but there are more of them in organic fruit and veg because they need them for their own defence. 

Organically grown food is also more likely to be allowed to grow to full ripeness on the tree or in the field, at least if it is destined for local shops rather than being shipped around the world. That way, it has more time to accumulate and develop nutrients – vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients – that contribute to the nutritional value of the end product. 

Animals raised to produce organic meat, dairy or eggs, must be fed organic animal feed. Their welfare has a much higher priority than it does in conventional farming, resulting in more space for the animal to move around, more time spent outdoors and straw covered surfaces rather than bare concrete or wire mesh to stand or lie on. Although with reference to beef and dairy, ‘organic’ does not necessarily mean ‘grass-fed’, organic cattle is fed much more grass – both fresh and hay – than conventional cows. Grass is the food cows evolved to eat, resulting in healthier animals and consequently healthier animal products. Unlike the grains or soya conventional cattle is fed on, grass and herbs have a higher omega-3 content, which, of course, affects the fatty acid composition of the resulting meat and dairy products. 

As it turns out, food – whether that’s plant of animal food – that is grown and raised the way it should, even tastes better. 

More and more people want to act responsibly not only for their own nutrition and for better taste, but also for animal welfare and the environment. They want a sustainable food system, and those who buy organic products support the goal of organic farming to create closed cycles between animals, humans and plants. But this comes at a price that is harder and harder to afford. 

Why is organic food more expensive? 

Agricultural chemicals were once introduced to increase yields – which they did. Consequently, organic farming does not result in the same amount of food for the same or even increased effort. 

Natural pest control can be rather time-consuming. Ideally, you can group plants together in such a way that they protect each other, but sometimes organic farmers have to literally pluck pests off their plants or get down on the ground to pull weeds. 

Obviously, allowing indoor and outdoor space for the animals also reduces the number of animals a farm can raise. Organic cheese, unlike mass-produced, cheap cheese, has been given time to ripen and develop flavour. Organic sourdough bread is allowed to ferment and rise naturally, rather than sped up with artificial rising agents. 

So, all that effort, space and time put into the production of organic food and the reduced yield that goes with that, is, of course, reflected in the price – but also the flavour and nutritional value of the resulting food products. 

If you can’t afford to buy organic only, would it help to pick and choose? 

Yes, it absolutely would. Our conventional food is polluted to varying degrees. Some plants are hardy and/or have very effective self-defence, such as onions, carrots, beetroot, parsley, chicory and more. The phytonutrients they produce protect them from pests (and are also very beneficial for us). Consequently, such plants are left to their own devices and allowed to grow without chemical interference. However, many other types of fruit and vegetables are soft and delicate and easily fall prey to pests: potatoes, berries, apples and spinach are among the most sprayed foods and should be purchased organic if at all possible.

In the US, the Environmental Working Group publishes the “Dirty Dozen” (most polluted fruit and veg) and “Clean 15” (least polluted) to help customers prioritise. It must be said that, of course, the United States and Europe have vastly different laws concerning the use of agricultural chemicals. It is a sobering thought that kale – which at least in its natural state is so often hyped as a superfood therefore popular in health-conscious household – is treated with a carcinogenic chemical called DCPA (or dacthal in the US). The European Union banned DCPA in 2009. However, delicate fruit and veg remain delicate and are more likely to be treated with pesticides and/or herbicides than tougher plants, and in that respect the EWG guides are still useful. 

(Links: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.phphttps://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php )

Another aspect to consider is surface area. The smaller the plant product the larger the surface area. Grains and seeds provide a larger area for pests, bacteria and moulds to settle on, making them more vulnerable. Therefore, seeds and grains receive more treatment, just like soft fruit does. So, if you need to prioritise your spending on organic foods, consider buying organic rice, pasta and flour. 

What if there is no way that you can afford anything organic? 

The unhealthiest foods on the planet right now are ultra-processed industrial products. They are high in sugar, unhealthy fats and salt while being completely devoid of nutrients. Only the most cheaply produced agricultural products go into them, and animal welfare or the protection of the environment are not on the agenda. If you shun junk foods for the benefit of home-cooked meals and snacks from conventionally produced ingredients, you have already made the biggest step towards good health. 

Also, not all food that doesn’t carry the label “organic” is doused in chemicals. Many farmers grow their fruit and veg and raise their animals in a sustainable way. To all intents and purposed, their products are organic, but they’re not allowed to call them that for various reasons. It could be that pesticides and herbicides are used on a neighbouring farm or have been used on their property in the past, preventing them from ever obtaining the classification as organic for their own crops. It could be that the process of getting accredited is just too lengthy and expensive, so they don’t bother. As a result, they can’t sell their products for quite the same price. It is worth checking out the farm shops and farmers markets in your area. Ask questions, read websites, find out more about the food grown where you live. It might be just as good as organic.

Buying local and seasonal food also means that you will get fruit and vegetables that have been allowed to grow to full ripeness and are still fresh by the time they reach your table. A conventional carrot pulled from the ground yesterday may be a lot more nutritious (and cheaper!) than an organic avocado picked in Brazil six weeks ago. “Organic” does not mean healthier as a general rule. 

Some of the pesticide-laden foods you may not need at all. Grains are staples in the Western diet. Bread, pasta and rice grace our tables several times a day, so buying all of that in organic quality can quickly add up to a very high food bill. And yet, we don’t really need these foods at all. Such starchy carbohydrate foods mess with our blood sugar levels and are known to contribute to overweight and obesity. They are at the heart of type II diabetes and many scientists even consider them addictive. At the same time, starchy foods do not contain any nutrients we couldn’t get elsewhere. A diet of vegetables, low-sugar fruit, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, dairy and eggs provides everything we need. So, if you reduce your intake of bread, rice, pasta and baked goods, buying only organic – if any – your health would even benefit. 

No matter how much organic food you can afford and for all the good this might do, if you do not have a lot of money there is still a lot you can do – for your health, the environment, and the animals – by choosing wisely and taking and interest in how, where and by whom your food is produced. 

The best thing you can do is to cook from scratch. After that, prioritise and select your (organic) foods wisely.

Summer Drinks

Summer parties are often filled with sweet, alcoholic drinks that can lead to rollercoaster blood sugar levels. 

It’s not always easy to know what to drink instead without feeling deprived. But I’ve got a few delicious and refreshing alternatives for you to try. 

Strawberry lemonade 

Serves 8

2 litres water

8 lemons, squeezed (around 280 ml)

1/2 -3/4 tsp liquid stevia (try NuNaturals)

250g strawberries, sliced  

In a large jug combine water, lemon juice and stevia. Simply stir in sliced strawberries and serve over ice.

Cucumber, mint and lemon fizz

Serves 6

1.5ltr sparkling water

half a cucumber, sliced

10 mint leaves

1 lemon, sliced

Put all the ingredients in a large jug, chill and serve. 

Sparkling cherries

Serves 2

4tbsp Cherry Active

500ml sparkling water

Add sparkling water to the Cherry Active and serve with ice.

Sparkling lime water

Exactly as it sounds … 

Sparkling water with a good squeeze of fresh lime juice over ice. Simple and refreshing – and you can guarantee a pub with have the ingredients (but likely you’ll need to remind them about the fresh lime and not cordial!). 

Garden Sour

Seedlip Garden (a distilled, non-alcoholic drink*), 50ml 

Cloudy apple juice, 35ml

Lemon Juice, 15ml

Cider vinegar, 5ml  

Sprig of rosemary & thyme 

Seedlip is premium distilled non-alcoholic drink. The price may make you wince (it’s no cheaper than buying alcoholic spirits) but it’s hot news this year and making an appearance in all the top bars…

Find it at www.seedlipdrinks.com

Sparkling kombucha

Kombucha is a healthy alternative to sparkling soft drinks known for being full of naturally occurring vitamins, acids, and beneficial bacteria. Making it is a labour of love. Learn how to make it here: https://happykombucha.co.uk/pages/how-to-make-kombucha. 

Alternatively, you can buy it ready-made, especially if you want to try before you invest your own time in making it? Don’t blame you. I like Equinox Kombucha (www.equinoxkombucha.com).