We are always told what to eat to keep us living longer, but sometimes some super foods can be very expensive however there some everyday foods that can help without breaking the bank.

Red cabbage – This vegetable is high in vitamin C, calcium and sulphoraphane, another cancer-fighting chemical, the deep red colour in red cabbage comes from flavanoids, an antioxidant that protects against cancer.

Soya beans – Contain all nine amino acids as well as been a rival chicken, red meat or eggs as a protein source. Edamame as they are also known are also high in vitamin C and fibre and other health boosting and curative properties that can help in the battle against heart disease.

Swiss chard – Is available all year round with many health benefits, dark leafy green vegetables should feature prominently in your diet because they contain phytonutrients and fibre which keep your digestive system healthy. Swiss chard also has high levels of vitamin K which promote bone health and the vitamin C in it boosts your immune system.

Prunes – Great for anyone who has a high red meat intake, prunes, which are packed with antioxidants counteract the red meat. The nutrient ferulic acid and the natural sugars in prunes combine to keep your system clean and potentially protect you from bowel cancer.

Frozen berries – Antioxidant-rich delights such as blueberries and raspberries are great to eat all year round and freezing the fruit after its harvested keeps the nutrients locked in, plus its much handier to have a supply in your freezer rather than buying fresh.

red cabbage

Picture courtesy of adie reed

Recent research has revealed that a lack of sleep can cause you to put weight on around 60 per cent of British adults are overweight or obese and as previously thought overeating or lack of exercise was the main cause but it now seems sleep deprivation is also a major factor.

Dr Shahrad Taheri, a consultant endocrinologist at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital said “We have done a series of studies looking at weight and sleep, and studying the metabolic rate. We discovered that people who sleep for significantly less than seven hours a night often end up being obese.” During the research they also found that if people who sleep for fewer than 4 hours a night are 73 per cent more likely to gain excess weight, while restricting sleep can lead to cravings for up to 900 extra calories a day. This extra increase in food intake can cause an increase in weight of up to 2lb a week. The cravings are caused by hormones that regulate appetite they are stimulated when you don’t get enough sleep leading to higher levels of ghrelin the hormone that triggers appetite, and lower levels of leptin that tells your body it’s full.

Many doctors recommend getting at least 8 hours of undisturbed sleep a night to reduce the chance of extreme weight gain.

Tens of thousands of Britons have been advised to discontinue the use of the fat-busting drug Reductil after the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)’s recent decision to suspend its licence. The announcement came after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) assessed the drug and recommended the suspension of its licence in Europe where they found an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, over a six-year period after tests, in which 16 percent of 10,000 patients who took it showed an increase.

In 2009 nearly 86,000 Britons to the weight loss drug which alters the brain’s chemical messages that control a person’s craving for food. Many experts say although threatens the health of the obese, its side-effects are mostly not fatal. Dr June Raine, of the MHRA, said: “Evidence suggests that there is an increased risk of non-fatal heart attacks and strokes with this medicine that outweigh the benefits of weight loss, which is modest and may not be sustained in the long term after stopping treatment.”

UK doctors have been asked to stop prescribing the drug and review its use in patients who are already taking it although the Reductil licence suspension decision by the UK regulator still requires a formal sanction by the European Commission. There are other weight loss drugs available like Xenical which are just as effective, which stops the absorption of fat and controls fat intake.

Every year on the first of January people all around the world make New Year’s resolutions to get healthy and fit for the upcoming year, many however find after the initial first few weeks their new health and fitness regimes will falter and struggle to loose weight. This year will probably be no exception, however those who do intend to keep good on their word can find below a few new health and fitness trends set to be big in 2010.

Food and drink
In 2010 food flavours will take on a more ethnic style like Mexican and African, with spices being used as an effective ingredient not only for flavour but their added health benefits. Many people will be looking to get the most health benefits from what they eat as well as flavour. Some super foods which are becoming increasingly popular like hibiscus which can lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, or the new super fruit from the Amazon which is the Cupuaçu which is related to the cocoa and is packed with vitamins and antioxidants. Also the new in drink for the next year Matcha lattes which is a concentrated version of green tea traditionally drunk by monks, is thought to be able to boost energy levels, relive stress and boost metabolism. If you struggle to maintain how much you eat there are obesity drugs available such as Reductil that surpresses the feeling of hunger so you can reduce the amount you eat and maintain a better eating regime.
You will also start to find more foods aimed at relaxing and calming rather than just energy boosting with snacks and herbs that help you stay calm and improve your night’s sleep, and for those times when you feel stressed there is the iChill the ‘world’s first relaxation shot’.

Exercise and training
For many years we have been enjoying running as part of most exercise regimes and probably spent a small fortune on specialist trainers that we have been told we need to support our feet, protect our spine and keep us from injury. However a new trend is taking place with more people turning back time and running barefoot, although with some impracticalities this is becoming more and more popular so to compete retailers are now producing trainers with very thin soles that feel like you are running barefoot.
Recently there has been an increase of people training with clubbells as part of their training programme rather than weight machines, with the aim to get a better all over body work out. Clubbells are a hand held circular strength training tool, that look like baseball bats and although they look awkward to use they give a great all over work out when lifted and rotated, which can help burn fat and tone your muscles.

Mind and body
Many people have heard of hypnosis but for the most many do not believe in it, over the years however it has been used for many things like quitting smoking to most recently weight loss, this type of hypnosis is becoming increasingly popular mainly due to many people struggling to cope with their addictions. The human mind is capable of unbelievable things and hypnosis can be a powerful tool for behavioural change.
More people are now realising its not just a healthy body that you need but a healthy mind too, and improving your happiness and communication skills as well as controlling your anger leads to a more healthy and  happy lifestyle.

Over the festive period many people find it hard to resist those little indulgencies but worry about putting on lots of weight, however you can still enjoy festive food and be healthy, as with most things, in moderation.

Christmas tends to be one of the most unhealthy times of year, everywhere you look Christmas goodies are thrown in your face, plentiful supplies of mince pies for the office, the extra drinks after work because ‘it Christmas’ and not forgetting the big day itself where many people seem to forget about portion control and gorge themselves on a big dinner and lots of chocolates biscuits and booze.

If you want to try and stay on top of your weigh this Christmas you don’t have to cut out all of the above, after all where is the fun in that?

Alcohol – Isn’t actually bad for you, if consumed in moderation, it actually can provide benefits that non drinkers miss out on like up to eight drinks a week (such as eight 125ml glasses of wine), or around one drink a day, can protect against osteoporosis. Or the occasional glass of red wine and sherry may protect against heart disease because of the polyphenols found in them. However with red wine and sherry drink too much you will feel the consequences, a thumping hangover.

Eating – The Christmas dinner isn’t that unhealthy, after all there are plenty of veg to be eaten which are very nutritional stock up on leafy greens like sprouts, also carrots, swede and roast parsnips, with just a couple of roast potatoes and lean turkey, for vitamin-, mineral- and fibre-rich food. You always find plenty of things to snack on and one of the main options are nuts, although high in fat they do contain unsaturated fat which is good for physical and mental health. They are also full of essential omega oils and other nutrients and if you go for unsalted and raw varieties like walnuts, brazils and almonds they make great snack choice in small amounts.

The main thing to remember over Christmas is to keep unhealthy fats to a minimum, however there is no need to restrict yourself completely, after all it is Christmas they odd mince pie wont harm!

The party season is now getting into full swing with Christmas parties offering 3 course meals, the alcohol flowing, mince pies in abundance and the big Christmas dinner to contend with it’s no surprise that people put weight on over Christmas. Even if you do try to watch what you eat or ignore the temptations you may still find yourself putting on weight, with a lot of people not realising other things in their life have an effect on your weight, like not getting enough sleep, which over the festive season can happen quite frequently with everything that goes on, some studies have shown people who get less than seven hours’ sleep a night are more likely to put weight on than those who do. If you decide that you are going to be good this season by completely cutting out alcohol to lose weight, you might want to think again because studies have found that if you completely cut out alcohol you are more likely to put on more weight than when you have a single drink a couple of times a week, however over drinking does increase your chances of becoming obese by 46%.
If you are struggling to manage your weight there are options out there to give you a helping hand:

• Exercising – Even if you’re not overeating it recommended as part of a healthy life style to try and include exercise in your daily routine, 30 minutes of brisk walking a day can help keep a health heart, however you need to make sure just because you are exercising not to overeat more than normal as weight loss does require most things in moderation.

• Healthier Options – Look at what you eat, can you make it healthier? For example cut out frying foods and opt for grilling or steaming, if you taking the healthy option of a salad don’t go and ruin it by adding an dressing instead opt for it on the side so you don’t have to put too much on and also remember to try and avoid creamy and cheesy foods.

• Weight loss aides – On top of the tips above there are also treatments available to aide in weight loss if you fall under the category of obese, such as Xenical which blocks the absorption of fat and controls the intake into your system, it is recommended with all weight loss aides to also stick to a healthy diet and avoid fatty foods eat sensibly and as with any health lifestyle exercise.

mince pies

Picture courtsey of KaiChanVong