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?
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).
Why We Should All Eat the Seasons
A restaurant menu focused on seasonal produce is often a go-to sensation, but do you know why it’s important to eat seasonally?
Quite simply, when you eat locally and seasonally you know you are eating the freshest, most abundantly available produce. It is better for everyone – you get the tastiest veg, the local farmer benefits, and food miles (the distance our food has to travel from the farm to your fork) decreases so you get to save the environment, too.
Another unexpected benefit is to reconnect to nature’s seasonal cycle. If you have children, this is especially important as it teaches that food does grow at specific times, a hard concept to grasp when imports from all around the globe ensure that supermarket shelves look the same practically every week of the year.
If you're wondering when you should start, the answer is: now. A survey in BBC Good Food magazine showed we’re not as good as we think at figuring out what is in season when. Of the 2000 people it asked, 86% claimed it was important to shop seasonally, 78% said they were doing it – and yet only 5% could say when blackberries were at their best.
I want to help make this the year that you can embrace this concept. Firstly, you can check my newsletter or Instagram for regular reminders of what’s in season each month and a little inspiration for what to do with it (Link to sign up to the newsletter – www.alexallannutrition.co.uk/sign-up).
Where to buy seasonally
Farmers’ markets are a great place to find local seasonal veg. Make it your mission this month to find out what’s on near you. Ask friends and family and, if you’re feeling bold, ask the question on your Facebook page to get the quickest response.
Failing that, try these two resources to find a place near you:
http://www.findlocalproduce.co.uk/
https://artisanfoodtrail.co.uk/events/
https://saturdayandsunday.co.uk/weekend-farmers-market-directory/
Having someone else do the hard work and just bring you the goodies is also a good thing. If you’ve never considered getting an organic veg box, it can be an amazing experience. It’ll teach you super fast what is in season when, you’ll get some of the best produce available in your area and delivered to your door, and it will wake you up to the magic of cooking.
I wonder whether this resonates with you. I actually LOVE cooking but with a family and running a busy clinic, even for me it often turns into a real chore; a juggling act between what everyone wants to eat (usually the same things week in, week out) and what I have actually got in the fridge or cupboards. Inviting a veg box into your life forces you to try something new, and this can be very invigorating. Of course, you can pick and choose the types of ingredients you want and avoid having things added that your family hates, but I urge you to have a go and see what happens.
The following offer a huge variety of veg-only or fruit and veg boxes, some even with a ‘pick your own’ element where you can pick and choose exactly how much of what you have
https://www.riverford.co.uk/shop/veg-fruit-and-meat-boxes
https://www.eversfieldorganic.co.uk
Do check my blog for recipe inspiration, but let’s start off with something delicious that you might not have tried that’s in season this month – courgettes!
Courgettes are a great source of potassium, a mineral which helps to keep our muscles working properly so we can move around. Courgettes also contain a good amount of both vitamin C and folic acid. Just half a large courgette counts as one of your 7-a-day (one portion of veg or fruit is 80g raw weight).
Serves 4-6
3 medium courgettes, sliced
300g trimmed green beans
2 x 200g blocks of feta, each cut in half
4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
Handful thyme leaves
Zest of 3 oranges
50g fresh gluten-free breadcrumbs
75g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
extra virgin olive oil, to serve
Good Mood Foods
How we nourish our bodies has a profound effect on our mood. Here are my top foods to include… and what to avoid.
IN
OUT
How to eat well ##plus## spend less
Eating food you have cooked or prepared at home is healthier for you. It is also considerably cheaper. The key to this is planning. You’ve probably heard the saying ‘failing to plan is planning to fail’. Without a weekly food plan, it will be pure luck if you end up with the right foods in the fridge or cupboard. And, without planning your time, you won’t always make the time to enjoy breakfast or make that lunch. You could be saving a LOT of money each and every week by following these tips.
EXERCISE 1: HOW MUCH ARE YOU REALLY (OVER)SPENDING?
Be honest with yourself about your spending and shopping habits. That starts with looking into how much you spend each week on take-out coffee, croissants, and other breakfasts; lunchtime salads, soups and sandwiches; snacks and other food treats; and ready meals, takeaways or last-minute meals out.
Make a note every time you buy something (not the main food shop) to eat out of the house. Do this for a week, then multiply by 4 to give you an approximate monthly total.
Log into your banking app (or go online) and make a note of how much you spent over the last month on food.
Add the two figures together. This gives you your total for how much you are spending on food each month. I suspect you will be shocked. Most people are.
Commit to saving a certain amount each week or month. Decide what that is. Commit to it and write it down. What will you do with that extra money? Where can you economise?
EXERCISE 2: PLAN YOUR PLANNING
Become a planning ninja. The thing about planning is that you need to actually plan to plan. It’s easy to get derailed by events, situations, relationships and tasks that insert themselves into our already busy lives.
Choose a time when you know you will be free every week to plan your meals – breakfasts, lunches and dinners. Ideally plan midweek for the following week. Put a reminder alarm on your phone. If this planning job doesn’t get done, you will have no choice but to shop on a day-to-day basis, which is much more expensive.
EXERCISE 3: AUDIT WHAT YOU HAVE
Turn these meal plans into a shopping list.
Also create a master list of what you already have in your freezer, fridge and cupboards.
Cross anything you already have off your shopping list.
EXERCISE 4: SHOP YOUR PLAN
As an experiment, spend at least one week only allowing yourself to buy what is on your shopping list. No extras! The planning and shopping discipline may take a little time to get used to, but it is worth persevering.
Off-list shopping and impulse buys are the biggest enemy for anyone wanting to keep to a budget. Do not go to the supermarket hungry. You are more likely to shop off-list when you do.
EXERCISE 5: GET CREATIVE
A huge amount of food is thrown away, because we’re not sure what to do with leftovers. Make a commitment to using yours and prepare to save money. There is a bank of resources online to help you find easy recipe suggestions for pretty much anything you may have lurking in the fridge.
This will feel uncomfortable at first. You will be making some meals you have definitely not tried before!
Try the following:
Tesco Meal Planner Left Over Tool (https://realfood.tesco.com/meal-planner/leftover-tool.html)
All Recipes Leftovers Tool (http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipes/tag-476/leftovers-recipes.aspx)
Love Food Hate Waste (https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/recipes/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoqb6tqnl3QIVA7ftCh2Cjg_eEAAYASAAEgK12_D_BwE)
GOLDEN RULES OF HEALTHY EATING ON A BUDGET
1 INCLUDE PROTEIN AT EVERY MEAL AND SNACK
Protein keeps energy levels stable and is essential for the body’s growth and repair, and healthy skin and nails. Protein is found in meat and poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, lentils, beans, pulses (like chickpeas), quinoa, nuts and seeds. Protein should make up a quarter of your meal (about the size of a clenched fist). Many people do not have protein-based breakfasts. How can you change yours?
MONEY-SAVING TIP: the cheapest sources of protein are vegetarian sources, like beans and lentils. Consider going meat-free one or two days a week. Eggs sold as ‘mixed sizes’ are cheaper than buying all M or L.
2 EAT PLENTY OF FIBRE
That means lots of vegetables – likely more than you are currently eating. The recommendation is 5 portions of vegetables and 2 portions of fruit (ideally low sugar fruit like berries, apples, pears, plums – anything grown in the UK) a day. Fibre keeps energy levels constant, balances your hormones, fills you up, keeps you regular and those fruit and veg contain many immune-boosting plant chemicals. Aim to eat a rainbow of colours over the course of the week.
MONEY-SAVING TIP: Greengrocers are often the cheapest places to buy your veg. Also consider basing meals around special supermarket deals (example Aldi’s Super 6), and don’t rule out the basics and essentials ranges of veg (usually just means they are not regular shapes and sizes). Don’t rule out frozen veg either. It’s cheap, often frozen soon after picking so it’s very fresh, and offers the ultimate convenience. And you are likely to waste less.
3 CHOOSE HEALTHY FATS
Eating fat doesn’t make you gain fat or otherwise put on weight, but some fats are healthier than others. The body loves omega 3 fats, which boost mood and support the stress response, and reduce inflammation. They are found in oily fish (salmon, trout, halibut, cod, fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines), flaxseeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds and walnuts. Other healthy sources of fat are avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts and seeds.
MONEY-SAVING TIP: Frozen fish is a far cheaper option than refrigerated. Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s inferior. Often supermarket ‘fishmonger’ counter fish has been frozen.
4 THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT STARCHY ‘CARBS’
Many diets rely heavily on white, pasta, bread, rice and potatoes, but these (especially when eaten without protein) can unbalance your blood sugar levels and cause you to store fat. Swap to healthier wholegrain alternatives; brown rice, wholemeal pasta and bread, and sweet potatoes, and ensure this element takes up no more than a quarter of your meal.
MONEY-SAVING TIP: Many people bulk up meals with starch, especially on a budget. Your body will love you for bulking meals up with veg instead. Eating large portions of starchy foods will have you craving more food than if you had more modest portions.
5 CUT SUGAR
Most people have an understanding that sugar is not good for them. Eating sugary food is like a treadmill, with one biscuit creating the need for the next. Sugar creates a blood sugar or energy imbalance, fuels inflammation in the body, and makes you put on weight.
MONEY-SAVING TIP: Consider that the more sugar you eat, the more you need to eat. Sugary ‘treats’ soon become a three times a day habit. Depending what you’re snacking on, cutting it out (or cutting down) could save several ££ each day.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with me if you'd like to know more about meal planning and general health - you can book a call with me here.
If food isn't the problem, is it the booze?
What I hear from clients is, it’s not always the food that’s the problem – it’s the booze.
Often partygoers who are cautious about their alcohol consumption are viewed with suspicion. If you want to have a few glasses of wine, have a few glasses of wine. But make that decision inside of what you know to be your social schedule over the entire Christmas period.
One of the little tricks I often use is to look at my health goals alongside my social calendar and choose what I want to commit to. I choose when I want to drink, roughly how much I want to drink, and when I want to be the designated driver and not drink.
I’m not suggesting for a minute that you have to cut back at Christmas. Yet I know that many of my clients get carried away by the spirit of Christmas (excuse the pun), whether it’s a fun wave to ride or not. This year, how about YOU choose what you want to do and when you want to do it.
Here are a few suggestions for cutting down – if that’s what you choose to do:
And how much booze is too much? The official stats are no more than 14 units of alcohol a week for adults (both men and women). Consider a large glass of wine at today’s typical strength is 3.5 units, a 330ml bottle of 5% beer is 1.7 units and a single shot of 40% spirits is 1 unit. It quickly adds up.
Without wanting to be a party pooper, the NHS considers an alcohol ‘binge’ to be drinking 6 (women) – 8 (men) units of alcohol in a single session. Just to give you some perspective. If you’re a wine drinking, you can soon see how quickly you are in that territory.
As a rule, try to have more booze-free nights than not to allow your body to recover.
On those nights that you don’t drink at all, you’ll sleep better, wake feeling more refreshed, you’ll have much more energy, and your mood will be better. The impact on your waistline will be positive, too – alcohol is a major contributor to belly fat and is brimming with unnecessary calories.
And if you’re choosing what to drink over the festive period, the best options, when it comes to alcohol, are all those non-creamy, non-sugary drinks. Pretty much in this order: dry champagne, vodka and soda with a squeeze of lime (I have also tried this with gin – surprisingly nice!), dry white or dry rosé or red wine. A gin and tonic has a fair amount of sugar thanks to the tonic. Things like dark rum, port, sherry, liqueurs, fruit juice-based cocktails and spirits with sugary mixers like Coke or lemonade are total sugar bombs (sorry if you are a fan of Bailey’s or Southern Comfort and Coke…).
But this a festive period and you definitely want to have fun! Just make sure that it’s the type of fun you actually want to have – you are in charge and you can do what you want at this time. Enjoy!
Please get in touch and find out more - I offer a free 30-minute exploratory call.