HEALTH CONSCIOUS NEWS AND TIPS
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• Red wine is considered beneficial for cardiovascular health due to high concentrations polyphenols, such as resveratrol, anthocyanins and flavonols. A small study in Spain of ten middle aged men who after an initial wash-out phase, undertook three 20-day periods consuming red wine, dealcoholised red wine and gin, found red wine improves cardiac function by improving survival and growth of intestinal micro-organisms. These increases correlated with lower blood pressure and lower serum cholesterol, triglycerides and C-reactive protein (an inflammatory marker). This research indicates that probiotic supplementation may be optimised by also supplementing with polyphenols and vice-versa.• An Australian systematic review reported there is the suggestion that the herb, Bacopa monnieri improves human memory free recall but further research is required into its ability to enhance other cognitive abilities.
• Danish researchers followed up 3,959 women who underwent IVF and ICSI treatments and reported that consuming five or more cups of coffee a day reduced clinical pregnancy rate by 50%. The authors concluded the effect of five cups of coffee could be compared "to the detrimental effect of smoking" which has been found (unsurprisingly) to have adverse effects through the various stages of IVF treatment.
Label Detectives
Recent news reported the joust between government and the food industry about questionable health claims on food labels. A good start to making informed food choices when selecting pre-packaged foods is to each week pick a section, say biscuits, and compare labels. A good comparison is a quality butter shortbread to a cream-filled biscuit – just look at the difference in ingredients! (Obviously, the shortbread will win for being more real.) Now, I’m certainly not suggesting that you can freely eat shortbread but if you are going to eat a package biscuit, make the best choice. Ooh, and how about standard puff pastry versus butter puff pastry – unless you’re going to make it yourself the butter option is certainly a more tasty and ‘real’ option. The same rules apply when choosing gluten free or natural products – they are not all good for you.
Coenzyme Q10: what is it good for?
• CoQ10 is important for energy production and is an antioxidant, concentrated in the adrenals, spleen, kidneys, lungs, heart.
• It’s cardioprotective, antihypertensive, and may be neuroprotective.
• Synthesis in the liver requires tyrosine, B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin C.
• Meat and fish are the best food sources with lesser amounts in broccoli, cauliflower, nuts, spinach and soy. • Deficiency signs are fatigue, muscle aches/pains, chronic gum disease.
• Shown to reduce total cholesterol, LDL and increase HDL. Reduces LDL oxidation and therefore atherosclerosis.
• Clinical trials suggest it protects the heart muscle during cardiac surgery and improves postoperative cardiac function.
• Research has found benefit from supplementation (at different doses) for Parkinsons Disease, Huntington’s Disease, neuromuscular disease, migraine, COPD, male infertility, mitochondrial genetic disorders, and athletic stamina.
• Statin drugs (for high cholesterol) appear to reduce biosynthesis of CoQ10. Low cholesterol may decrease CoQ10 absorption.
Loving Legumes
I recommend everyone eats a vegetarian meal twice a week. If you’re a full-time vegetarian, dried beans, peas, lentils, and soyabeans are probably a large part of your dietary intake. If they aren’t then you are missing out on a great source of protein, fibre and micronutrients. Legumes are low in fat, rate low on the glycaemic index and research has shown that incorporating them into your eating plan can lower the risk for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. If you don’t eat them at all at, start introducing them slowly into your food choices (too much all at once may uncomfortably increase your wind release!). Here’s a tasty, filling and easy recipe to try:
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2 tblspns ready made curry paste (korma, rogan josh, madras)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled & chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 large orange sweet potato, peeled & chopped into 1 cm cubes
1 cup dried split red lentils
900ml vegetable stock
400ml coconut milk
2 tblspns chopped fresh coriander (include stalks) plus leaves to garnish
Ground black pepper
*Heat up a large saucepan, then heat curry paste for a minute. *Add onions, stir, cover pan, cook for 5 mins, stirring occasionally. *Add potatoes, sweet potato, lentils & stock. *Bring to the boil, cover & simmer for 20 mins. *Add coconut milk & coriander, stir & gently heat through, season with pepper. *Garnish with coriander. *Serve with pappadams or rice Mountain bread. Serves 4.
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