food and nutrition – Page 7

Teach your child to love vegetables

January 23rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Vegetables are incredible. They’re high in fibre and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. To a child though, they’re usually seen as “yucky green stuff” that should be avoided at all costs!

Getting your child to eat vegetables is frustrating and may seem like an impossible task but understanding why they don’t like vegetables can help.

Why do kids hate veggies?

Quick bursts

Children are generally more active than adults and so, need more energy. Foods high in sugar glucose are the body’s preferred sources of energy, which means they’d rather reach for sweet treats than nutritionally-dense veggies. What’s more; some vegetables are so low in calories and high in indigestible fibre; that you could use more energy to digest it than it contains!

Bitter bites

If you take a bite out of a green leaf from your garden, you’ll probably cringe at its bitter taste. The same thing happens when kids eat most vegetables and particularly, leafy greens. The bitter taste is caused by the calcium content, as well as compounds like isoflavones, flavonoids, terpenes and glucosinolates. Children taste this bitterness more strongly than adults, so they tend to avoid it as far as possible. Children have not yet developed a capacity for detoxification. The bitter taste sets off alarm bells in their little bodies, indicating that what they’re eating may be toxic. Adults (usually) don’t have the same aversion to vegetables as we have learnt from experience that vegetables are useful and won’t cause us harm.

Negative associations

When you eat a specific kind of food and it constantly makes you feel sick, you’re likely to stop eating it altogether. Over time, you start to associate the food with negative memories and feelings. This is called paired associative learning, and it plays a key role in the reason that kids are averse to munching vegetables. Paired associative learning is when a stimulus is tied to a specific response (a feeling). For example, children generally associate foods like cake and ice-cream with birthday parties, i.e., happy times. Vegetables are usually associated with negative memories like them being forced to eat their vegetables or nagging parents. turnover time, junk food is seen as a reward and vegetables as a punishment.

Perk up those veggies

When children eventually become adults, their associations often change, and vegetables are no longer the enemy. Here are a few ways to get your little ones to take a liking to greens.

1. Reduce the bitterness

Spices can make bland food taste better. Prepare your child’s veggies differently every night to vary their tastes. For example, pickling, braising, caramelising or even sautéing vegetables reduce their bitterness. Adding fat, sugar and salt tones down the bitterness, but avoid drenching out the flavour of the veggies altogether! You can also use cinnamon, spices and herbs to enhance flavours.

2. Serve it with a dip

Dipping is fun, and sauces spice up even the blandest of foods! Serve your child dip with his vegetables for a fun twist on dinner. This is especially helpful if you’re getting him to try a new veggie. Skip dips that are packed with refined sugars, oil and preservatives and stick to those that use whole ingredients. Serve homemade hummus, guacamole, salsa and even natural peanut butter. Yoghurt-based dips like ones made with Greek yoghurt are also tasty and healthy.

3. Try and try again

Exposure is everything when you’re encouraging your child to eat vegetables. This doesn’t mean you should force them to eat an entire bowl of broccoli. Instead, incorporate a variety of different vegetables into their meals. After about 10-15 tries they should be able to properly decide if they like a certain food. Soon, they’re likely to start enjoying vegetables or at least, decide which ones they prefer.

4. Create good memories

Don’t use food as a reward or punishment as this can cause extreme associations. Rather offer vegetables alone without other foods when your child is hungry, so he’s more willing to eat them. Avoid nagging and fussing if he refuses to eat certain vegetables. Gently encourage him to try new foods instead, and praise him when he does. If you show your child that you enjoy vegetables and they constantly see you eating them, they may also be less likely to form a negative outlook.

References:

How to lose weight and not gain it back

January 23rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Dropping five kilos with a crash diet for your upcoming date sounds like a good idea – but it’s not! Everyone loves a quick fix (particularly when it comes to shedding weight). But, quick weight loss is bad for your health and it’s also unsustainable.

Slow and steady wins the race

Implementing drastic changes makes you feel good because it gives you hope and a sense of achievement. In the long run though, if your goals are too radical, you won’t be able to keep up. You might get to a point where you revert to bad habits.

For example, if you cut out all the junk food you love in one go, you’re bound to binge eventually. This is called “counter-regulatory eating” which happens if you severely restrict yourself. It creates an all-or-nothing mindset where all is well only if you’re following the rules.

And if you break one rule, you adopt a “What the heck!?” attitude and break them all. This takes you right back to where you started.

Why crash diets fail you

Losing weight rapidly comes with various health risks including nausea, fatigue and an upset stomach. It also increases your risk of rebound weight gain. Here are some of the main factors to consider, before you sign-up for the next ‘6 weeks to slim’ diet:

1. You’re probably not just losing fat

A healthy rate of weight loss means dropping between a half to one kilo per week. If you lose more, you might burn water or muscle because your body finds it difficult to burn large numbers of fat calories in a short amount of time.

2. Your fluids become unbalanced

Electrolytes are chemicals that help your muscles contract and helps your heart beat properly. When you lose weight too fast, most of it is water. Losing too much water weight disrupts the balance of electrolytes, like minerals. This wreaks havoc on your body because it won’t have the electrolytes needed to function properly.

3. There are side-effects

In some cases, losing weight too quickly causes dehydration, gallstones, malnutrition and an imbalance of electrolytes. Headaches, constipation, dizziness, irregular periods, muscle and hair loss and fatigue are other possible consequences.

4. Your metabolism dips

Rapid weight loss kicks your body kick into survival mode. This also means some of your body’s systems, including your metabolism slow down to use less energy. A slow metabolism burns fewer calories a day and makes it easier for you to gain weight while eating less food.

How to lose weight steadily and healthily

Research by Drexel University found that people whose weight fluctuated in the first few months of trying to lose weight, lost less weight in the long run, compared to those with consistent week-by-week progress. Here’s how to lose weight and keep it off.

1. Set a realistic goal

Don’t pressure yourself to lose 20 kilos a month. A good rule of thumb is to try and lose five to 10% of your body weight over six months and between half a kilo and one kilo a week. Aim for steady weight loss.

2. Get real

Stop aiming for perfection and go for sustainable and manageable instead. The 80/20 rule is a good place to start. About 80% of the food in your diet comes from whole foods and the leftover 20% can be treats. This works well because you aren’t depriving yourself of any food, so it’s easy to maintain. You can eat your fruits and veggies and have a small slice of cake too. Try the 90/10 rule once you’re comfortable.

3. Keep it simple

From Banting to intermittent fasting, search “weight loss plans” on the Internet and you’ll be overwhelmed with options. And when you’re overwhelmed, you’re likely to throw in the towel. Don’t overthink your weight loss journey. Research, pick a plan and try to stick with it. If you aren’t happy, change it. Ask a dietician, doctor or a personal trainer for help when you’re starting.

4. Write it down

When you commit something to paper, you’re holding yourself accountable. Every day, write down whatever you’ve eaten, including snacks and drinks. Also include the amount and kind of exercises you’ve done for the day. You’ll be surprised to find how unplanned treats or sugary drinks have crept their way into your diet. This also helps you to find and eliminate those habits that could be holding you back. You don’t have to do this forever. Doing it at when you start out will help you identify your weight loss wreckers.

5. Get moving

Your diet alone won’t help you lose weight. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. For example, brisk walking. When you’re starting out, don’t push yourself to do it all in one go. Start with three sets of 10-minute workouts each day.

References:

Is soy really good for your health?

January 23rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

There are good reasons why many vegans and vegetarians swear by soy. It’s versatile, packed with protein and other nutrients, plus, it makes a tasty meat alternative.

Although soy is lauded for its many benefits, it comes with a few negatives, too. Let’s take a look.

The good

Soy is a legume. But, unlike many other legumes, it’s an excellent source of plant protein.
Soy is naturally cholesterol-free and low in saturated fat, making it a healthy, plant-based alternative to meat.
Soy can boost your fibre intake, which helps to sustain a healthy colon.
Soy contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which help to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
It’s chock-full of B vitamins, Vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc and antioxidants.
It provides an excellent dose of polyunsaturated fat, which has heart-health benefits
It‘s an ingredient in many readymade convenience foods. These include soy milk, tofu, soy sauce and tempeh.
It may help alleviate symptoms of menopause. Menopause occurs when a woman has her last menstrual period. Hormone therapy is often used to relieve the symptoms of menopause and to counteract the drop in oestrogen. This comes with some health risks, so many women look for alternatives to manage their menopause symptoms. One of these alternatives is soy, which contains chemical compounds called isoflavones. These have some oestrogen-raising effects.

The bad

It affects your thyroid

Soy has excessive levels of goitrogens – compounds that hamper your thyroid’s ability to use iodine properly. This may cause hypothyroid problems, which means that your whole metabolism slows down. Hypothyroidism may also cause low energy levels, make you feel cold all the time, and make you vulnerable to disease. Be aware that vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage (in excessive quantities) can also disrupt your thyroid.

It disrupts your hormones

Although soy may help with managing menopause as it raises oestrogen levels, it can cause problems. Isoflavones disrupt the reproductive systems of people who aren’t menopausal. Excess soy could temporarily stop the menstrual cycle in women. In men, it could cause an imbalance of testosterone, resulting in fat accumulation around the waist, a low libido, and a loss of energy and stamina.

Parents with young children should take care when choosing baby formulas as many contain substantial doses of soya. A baby’s hormones need to be balanced for them to develop properly and for their sexual characteristics to develop. For example, too much oestrogen can result in underdeveloped testicles and problems during puberty. Speak to your child’s doctor if you’re concerned.

It makes digesting protein difficult

Protease is an enzyme that breaks down proteins. Soy contains protease inhibitors (trypsin inhibitors), which block the action of protease. When proteins aren’t broken down, they can’t be absorbed and used for important functions, such as repairing and building tissues.

The bottom line

According to dietician Kathy McManus, natural soy products like tofu and edamame are valuable sources of protein and other minerals. So, it’s okay to eat these whole soy foods in moderation, a few times a week. However, try to avoid soy isoflavone supplements and foods made with soy protein isolate, including protein powders and nutrition bars. These put you at greater risk for the possible side-effects of soy intake than the whole-food soy options.

References:

Which oils are best for cooking?

January 23rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Knowing which oils are best to cook with mainly depends on the type of cooking you’re doing. The oil’s smoke point; the point when it starts burning and smoking; is one of the most important things to consider. If you heat oil past its smoke point, many of the nutrients in the oil are destroyed, and in so doing, harmful compounds, called free radicals, are released.

How we classify oils

When we talk about food and nutrition, we divide fats (oils) into three categories:

The bad: trans fats. These are found in various processed products, like packaged baked goods and fast foods. They can lead to increased risk of heart disease, cancer, and other inflammatory conditions. Avoid as far as possible!
The good: saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are healthy, but you need to find good quality sources, and use them in the correct way.

Reading between the lines

When buying your oils, it’s not just as simple as “Olive oil is good” and “Animal fat is bad”. In the last couple of years, research has shown that many other factors influence how the type of fat affects your body. For instance: animal fat is healthy if it’s high quality, and it forms part of a balanced diet. Olive oil is also healthy, as long as it’s not over-processed.

The general principle is to try and get your oils in their least processed, or non-processed forms – as close to how you would find them in nature. Since cooking is a form of processing, it changes the oil in a way that can cause damage. The oils that are best for cooking, then, are the ones that are most stable when they are heated – so they have a high smoke point.

For high-heat cooking:

To prevent oxidation of the fat, you need to use oils with a high smoke point. These include:

Ghee
Extra light olive oil (not extra-virgin)
Avocado oil
Palm oil
Expeller-pressed coconut oil
Macadamia oil

For low-heat cooking:

These oils are okay for low-heat cooking, like mixing them with food that is already cooked through:

Butter
Extra-virgin olive oil
Extra-virgin coconut oil

Fats are your friends

Fats form an important part of your diet. Apart from cooking oils, other important sources of fat include:

Avocados
Olives
Grass-fed meat
Wild fish
Nuts and seeds in their whole form
Eggs

Make sure to avoid all forms of processed oils, including trans-fats and non-cold pressed oils.

References:

Cacao vs. cocoa

December 3rd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Whether as a creamy drink, a crunchy bar or drizzled on a treat, everyone knows that chocolate is delicious. The root of its delectable taste comes from its core ingredient, either cacao or cocoa.

While these super ingredients look similar, they have very different health properties, benefits, flavours, nutritional values and costs.

So, which should you choose for your sweet treats? Here are the differences and nutritional benefits of cacao and cocoa to help you decide.

Cacao

Loved by health enthusiasts; cacao is a raw chocolate base that comes from cacao fruit tree beans. Also known as the Theobroma Cacao, the cacao fruit tree produces cacao pods that are full of cacao beans. When the pods crack open, the beans are released and used to produce various products.

Cacao butter is found in the outer lining of the inside of a cacao bean and is the fattiest part of the fruit. It tastes like white chocolate; is white in colour and has a smooth, butter-like texture. The butter is made from the bean, while the leftover fruit is used to make raw cacao powder.

As a relatively unprocessed product, raw cacao is known for its impressive cache of antioxidants and magnesium and has been used as part of health remedies for years. Cacao nibs, which look like chocolate chips and are crunchy, dried and fermented pieces of cacao beans, have become a popular healthy snack.

Cocoa

Cocoa is the heated form of cacao that you can buy at grocery stores. It is what is included in products used for baking, such as cocoa powder. Despite the heating process that turns cacao into cocoa, cocoa powder is still packed with antioxidants which benefit your skin, blood pressure and heart. It also has a minimal amount of fat, sugar, calories and oil. And, it’s the more affordable option.

When choosing cocoa powder, buy plain cocoa powder to ensure that it doesn’t have added artificial flavours and ingredients. Dutch-processed cocoa powder (dark cocoa powder) would be your healthiest option.

How to use them

Both cacao and cocoa are excellent additions to a healthy diet. Here are ways you can use them to give yourself a delicious health boost.

Smoothies
Raw cacao nibs make a great alternative to sugar-loaded chocolate. Add a heaped spoon of nibs to a fruit smoothie for a treat.
Baked goods
Swap cocoa powder for cacao to keep your baked treats and desserts healthy. Cacao adds an intense chocolate flavour to favourites like brownies and cakes.
Ice-cream
Make healthy homemade ice-cream by blending frozen bananas with some cacao or cocoa powder. It will create a creamy, delicious treat that’s packed with antioxidants, fibre and potassium.
Snack mix
Add a handful of cacao nibs to dried fruit and nuts to make a nutritious, filling snack.

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4696435/
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 90, Issue 5, 1 November 2009, Pages 1144–1150, https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.2009.27716
http://www.superlife.com/6-easy-ways-to-eat-raw-cacao-every-day/
https://blog.paleohacks.com/cacao-vs-cocoa/#
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/cacao-vs-cocoa-what-you-need-to-know/
https://foodfacts.mercola.com/cacao.html

Binge eating: indulgence or addiction

November 30th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

For most of us, food plays a central role in our lives. It’s not just to satisfy hunger, but also to celebrate a new birth, mourn death, commemorate marriage and bring people together. Yet, for an increasing number of South Africans, it’s an “addiction”, causing several eating disorders and resulting in more harm than good.

One of these disorders is called binge eating disorder (BED), and can lead to being overweight, and a whole host of illnesses.

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

Pigging out on pizza on movie night, stuffing ourselves at Christmas, or comforting ourselves with ice cream after a break-up isn’t unusual.

Bingeing every now and then is far from healthy but is not classified as a disorder. To be diagnosed with binge eating disorder, you must regularly overeat, over a short time, without purging (i.e. vomitting or exercising away the calories afterwards). With temptation never far away, combined with the increasing rates of obesity, it’s easy to see how this disorder can easily be overlooked or believed to be simply overeating.

It’s so easy to misunderstand or hide this disorder, that it is often overlooked, which is why BED is the most common eating disorder. In South Africa, research by Dr Zandile Mchiza, obesity and nutrition research specialist at the University of the Western Cape’s School of Public Health, shows that the disease is on the rise and in some part, driven by Western ideals of beauty.

What does BED look like?

Besides regularly overeating, those suffering from BED must display at least three of the following to be diagnosed with the disorder:

Two or more binge episodes per week over a period of six months.
Eating faster than normal.
Preferring to eat alone or lying about eating.
Hiding evidence of a binge.
Eating to the point of discomfort.
Feeling guilty, depressed or disgusted after eating.

For binge eaters, overeating, like any other drug and for those without the disorder, makes the sufferer feel good, but only for a short time. They need to do it again and again. Food acts like a “drug” to release feel-good chemicals in the brain. Eating releases dopamine, the body’s pleasure hormone, but eating also releases opioids, like those found in heroin and cocaine. Becoming addicted is deceptively easy; how long can most of us go without salty fried food or biscuits and cakes?

But for those with BED, binge eating goes much further. It helps to ease intense emotional suffering, offering a quick relief from anxiety and depression. The disgust and guilt felt after bingeing perpetuates the intense need to keep eating to feel better.

Objective and subjective binge eating

The main difference between the two types of binge eating is based on the quantities of food, and how the person feels after eating.

In objective binge eating, the person eats over the recommended daily calorie allowance (anywhere from 5 000 to 15 000 calories in a single binge.)

In subjective binge eating, the person may not have large amounts of food, but can still have intense feelings of guilt or disgust and loss of control over their eating habits. The amount of food eaten is less important than how the sufferer feels after eating.

Getting back to healthy

Those suffering from BED are susceptible to obesity, which itself is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. The risk of mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression is also increased. Treatment for the disorder involves the sufferer and their family working with psychiatrists, psychologists and nutrition counsellors. Families and friends can help by educating themselves about the disorder and understanding and acknowledging the underlying causes. Families should also encourage treatment and instead of talking about food, focus on other activities or conversations. Most of all: be supportive!

References:

Different types of body fat and what to do about it

November 30th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Seeing fat on your body may make you want to hit the treadmill to sweat it off or only eat carrot sticks for a week. The good news though, is that not all fat is bad… there are good kinds too.

Body fat plays an important role in storing energy, managing your hormones and regulating your metabolism. This means it’s important to have enough of the good fat and to manage the bad kind. There are four main types of fat in your body. Each kind has its own structure, colour, and effect on your health.

Where fat is stored also affects your health. Let’s look at the different kinds of fats, where they accumulate and how to manage them.

The good

Brown fat
This is one of the good fats in your body which primarily provides energy to your cells and regulates your body’s core temperature. It is found in the back of your neck and chest areas. Brown fat is considered a good fat because it helps your body burn bad fat and keep your weight down. Increase your percentage of brown fat with healthy food, regular exercise and consistent exposure to cold temperatures.

Beige fat
This fat is found along your spine and collarbone and is a combination of brown and white fat. When you exercise, a hormone called irisin is released, which converts white fat into beige fat. According to research by Washington State University, certain foods like grapes, blueberries, apples, and raspberries can help turn beige fat into brown fat. It can do this because it contains an antioxidant called resveratrol, which burns calories.

The bad

White subcutaneous fat
White fat is what weight gain nightmares are made of because it’s this type of fat that stores calories. When there’s too much white fat, your metabolism slows down. When your metabolism slows down, you gain weight around your hips, tummy and thighs. Fat in these areas on your body makes it difficult to lose weight.

Subcutaneous fat (SF)
SF fat is found all over your body; particularly around your bottom, thighs and arms. It’s located directly under your skin and is what is usually measured to calculate body fat percentage. This fat also produces oestrogen hormones in men and women, and a surplus of oestrogen has been linked to obesity. The worst place to have SF is around the stomach as it ups your risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Visceral fat
This is the most dangerous fat you can have, as it accumulates around your abdominal organs. In small amounts, it helps cushion your organs against injury, but an excess leads to health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Say goodbye to bad fat

To lose White SF fat and SF fat, replace processed foods and carbs with protein and healthy fats in your diet. Protein makes you feel fuller for longer, which can reduce your cravings for sugary foods.
Exercise regularly to keep a good amount of brown fat in your body.
SF fat is one way that your body stores energy. This means that you need to burn energy in the form of calories to burn SF fat. Do aerobic exercise and cardio like swimming, running and skipping to burn calories. Strength training like weightlifting can also help burn SF fat, by increasing your metabolism.

References:

Foods that trigger headaches

November 30th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Your head has been throbbing the entire day and you have no idea why. Before popping a pill, you should probably check your diet.

Healthy food can boost your health and make you feel good, but certain foods can also cause headaches. What’s more; eating habits like fasting, skipping meals and dehydration could also all be headache culprits.

Here are a few of the most common headache and migraine food triggers.

Cured meats

Deli meats like ham, sausage and hot dogs are convenient lunch and breakfast options but these cured meats contain preservatives called nitrates, which is what helps preserve their colour and flavour. Nitrates can release nitric oxide into your blood which can dilate blood vessels in the brain. This can contribute to migraines and headaches.

Alcohol

Have you ever had a terrible headache after a few glasses of wine? Alcoholic drinks like wine, beer and champagne can make your head pound as certain ingredients in alcohol make the chemicals and blood vessels in your brain act abnormally. Hello, headache! Alcohol can also cause dehydration; another headache offender.

Caffeine

Your morning cuppa gets you going, but it could slow you down with a throbbing pain. If you’re a coffee junkie, too much or too little caffeine can lead to a headache. Caffeine narrows the blood vessels surrounding your brain, so if you stop having it, they expand again and this can cause pain. Quitting cold turkey is likely to give you withdrawal symptoms, so don’t give it up all in one go. Stick to a small cup a day.

Aspartame

Swapping out sugar for sweetener may be the reason for your migraines. Many low-calorie options like diet soft drinks, breakfast cereals, puddings and gelatines contain aspartame, an artificial sweetener. Too much of this can trigger headaches and migraines. If you find that you’re sensitive to aspartame, be sure to check food and drink labels to avoid big doses.

Aged cheeses

Aged cheeses like feta, blue cheese and parmesan contain a substance called tyramine. Tyramine forms during the ageing process where proteins in the cheese are broken down. The longer cheese ages, the higher the amount of tyramine it’ll contain. Tyramine has been linked to migraines and may trigger it in those who are sensitive to it.

Salty foods

Salty foods can be headache culprits. Firstly, many salty foods are processed and may contain harmful preservatives that bring on headaches. Too much salt in your diet may also increase your blood pressure, causing headaches and migraines. Finally, salty foods can dehydrate you, and when you don’t have enough water, you can get a headache.

Pickled and fermented foods

Like matured cheeses, pickled and fermented foods contain high levels of tyramine. These foods include kimchi (fermented cabbage), pickles, pickled jalapenos and kombucha (fermented black tea).

Cold foods

It turns out that “brain freeze” is a real thing. Eating something cold, like ice-cream, too quickly can cause a headache. Anything cold can stimulate nerve pain which happens when the capillaries in your sinuses are cooled down and blood vessels narrowed. This is more likely to happen if you’re overheated from exercise or hot temperatures.

Good to know

Swap out alcoholic and caffeinated drinks for headache soothers like almond milk and water. Almond milk contains magnesium, which helps treat and prevent headaches. Drink lots of water too to stay hydrated.
Eating potassium-rich foods like potatoes and bananas can help relieve headaches
Spinach is packed with heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, magnesium and folate. These nutrients can help lower and maintain your blood pressure levels, which may help prevent headaches.
Keep a food journal to keep track of and identify your food triggers.
Talk to your doctor before drastically changing your diet.

References:

Can vitamins make you sick?

October 22nd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

When it comes to staying healthy and strong, vitamins are important. They help your body function properly. Most of the vitamins you need can be found in the foods you eat, but if your diet doesn’t give you what you need, supplements can give you a helping hand.

Supplements come in the form of powders, tablets, capsules and syrups.

Although vitamins are good for you, an overdose can harm your health. Balance is vital.

Too much of a good thing

Just as you can overdose on drugs or alcohol, you can also go over the limit with things that are good for you, including vitamins. Every vitamin has a daily limit and if you exceed it, you can develop a condition called hypervitaminosis. It’s difficult to overdose on any vitamin through your diet alone, but different supplements along with a vitamin-rich diet can put you at risk for the condition.

There are different kinds of hypervitaminosis, each with different symptoms.

Common ones include:

Hypervitaminosis A

Vitamin A is well known for its health benefits when it comes to skin, hair, healing and eye health, but too much can be dangerous. Hypervitaminosis A usually happens as a result of taking too many supplements or therapeutic retinoids. Depending on how much excess Vitamin A there is in your body, you’ll have different symptoms.

Symptoms include dizziness, nausea, headaches, skin irritation, pain in the joints and bones and sometimes even coma. A severe overdose may lead to hair loss, loss of appetite, bone pain, liver failure, vomiting and eczema.

Maximum daily limit:

Men: 3 000 mcg
Women: 3 000 mcg

Hypervitaminosis B6

Vitamin B6 is important for regulating energy, muscular function, heart health and the digestive tract. An overdose of B6 may leave you with painful skin rashes, nausea, heartburn, and sensitivity to sunlight.

An acute overdose can have more serious consequences which may damage sensory nerves. This can cause fatigue, a reduced sensation to vibration, temperature and touch, poor coordination and paraesthesia (tingling or prickly sensation) in the hands and feet.

Maximum daily limit:

Men: 100 mg
Women: 100 mg

Hypervitaminosis D

Vitamin D is vital for regulating the immune system, for the absorption of calcium and to maintain healthy bones and teeth. It also helps your body resist certain diseases. Your main source of Vitamin D is from the sun and from food such as mushrooms. Too much vitamin D may damage your heart, blood vessels and kidneys. There’s also an increased risk for fractures and certain cancers.

Maximum daily limit:

Men: 50 mcg
Women: 50 mcg

Hypervitaminosis E

Vitamin E occurs naturally in many foods like nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and unprocessed cereal grains. Taking extreme doses of Vitamin E supplements can cause symptoms like fatigue, weakness, headaches and gastrointestinal problems. Blood clotting and haemorrhaging may be symptoms in serious cases and amongst men, there is an increased prostate cancer risk.

Maximum daily limit:

Men: 1 000 mg
Women: 1 000 mg

Good to know

Never take more than the recommended daily limit of any vitamin unless your doctor gives you the okay.
Your diet should give you enough vitamins, so try to get your daily doses from food first.
If you’re taking supplements to make up a deficiency, tell your doctor immediately if you feel any side-effects.
A multivitamin has a lower risk of hypervitaminosis than single vitamin supplements.

References:

Can your diet be too healthy?

October 22nd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

When you’re following a healthy diet, occasional cheat days where you indulge in your favourite treats are fine, but what happens when you feel guilty every single time you go off plan?

Are you a health nut?

When you have an eating disorder, you tend to constantly think about what, when and how much you should be eating. Proper nutrition from your diet is more than just a boost of energy and a slim body; it’s for the benefit of your organs and tissues. Healthy food plays a role in your body working efficiently. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and lean proteins are all essential parts of a balanced diet.

In the extreme, though, an obsession with eating foods that you consider healthy and overdoing the exercise can lead to a condition called orthorexia.

Orthorexia

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, orthorexia is an obsession with proper or healthy eating. Being aware of and concerned with the nutritional quality of the food you eat isn’t the problem; it’s when you become fixated on so-called “healthy eating” that it starts to damage your health and wellbeing.

These kinds of diets can sometimes become so strict that they have health-related consequences, including malnutrition, social isolation, and severe psychological strain. Studies have shown that many with orthorexia may also have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The term orthorexia nervosa was introduced by American doctor Steven Bratman in the late ‘90s. He believed that the medical condition has two stages. The first is simply choosing to eat a healthy diet. The second is “an intensification of that pursuit into an unhealthy obsession.”

Warning signs and symptoms

Excessive concern about the ingredient list and nutritional labels.
Increasingly cutting out whole food groups (all sugar, dairy, meat, carbs and all animal products).
Being unable to eat anything else besides the narrow food groups that you’ve deemed healthy.
An unusual interest in the health of what others eat.
Feeling stressed when “healthy” foods aren’t available.
Obsessively following food and healthy lifestyle blogs or social media.
An increased concern about your body image.

Get help

Your doctor may refer you to a nutritionist who will be able to help with orthorexia. The condition also has an emotional aspect, and you may be asked to see a mental health professional. You will need external help to see that this obsessive fixation on food is doing your health more harm than good.

You’ll need to train yourself to think differently about it, and once you do, your journey to healthy living will become beneficial in a more positive and sustainable way.

While there may be no clinical treatments available specifically for orthorexia, eating disorder experts treat orthorexia somewhat like anorexia and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder. In this case, treatment may involve psychotherapy to increase the variety of foods you eat and exposure to anxiety-provoking foods, as well as investigating ways of managing body weight.

References:

Could this supplement extend your life?

October 17th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

We all long to be forever young, but unfortunately, our bodies aren’t quite up to the task! Body changes are inevitable and the ageing process affects not only biological systems, but psychological, behavioural, and social processes too.

But… is there a way to preserve your fountain of youth? Well, scientists believe that one of these days, you may be able to boost and increase your lifespan with a supplement.

NAD+ for a longer life

NAD stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. It’s a molecule/co-enzyme found in all living cells in the body. It helps you derive energy from the food you eat, protects your cells from stress, maintains healthy sleep cycles and helps your cells repair damaged DNA.

NAD+ also contributes to the transfer of energy from fatty acids and glucose to the mitochondria, which converts them to cellular energy. It plays a role in regulating how quickly your cells age and helps maintain healthy mitochondrial function, a vital part of healthy human ageing.

Unfortunately, your body doesn’t have an endless supply of NAD+, and the amount you have, declines with age. The molecule fights ageing by activating enzymes called sirtuins, which help control your genes in a way that promotes healthy ageing.

Turn back the clock

Science may give you a helping hand in slowing down ageing, but the best way to do it is to take care of yourself physically and mentally, every single day. This, in turn, has an impact on how much NAD+ you have.

Higher levels of NAD+ can protect cells from oxidative stress. An imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body can contribute to ageing.

Increase your NAD+ levels with NAD-boosting supplements that have anti-ageing effects.
Follow a high-fat, low-carb keto diet. When your body is in ketosis, it uses fat instead of glucose for energy.
Restrict your meals to increase NAD+ levels; this can be done through intermittent fasting.
Add some high-protein food to your diet, like fish and chicken. Some fish have high amounts of NAD+ like tuna, sardines and salmon. Chicken is a good source of NAD+ too. It contains more than 9mg (milligrams) of the chemical compound.

Factors that will decrease NAD+ in your body

Damaged DNA can cause a reduction in sirtuin activity and a decline in NAD+.
Alcohol. Alcohol has many negative health effects. It makes you age much faster and lowers co-enzymes.
High insulin and blood sugar levels. You’re at a greater risk of low levels of NAD+ if you have high blood sugar levels. High levels of insulin can also cause NAD+ to decrease.
Chronic inflammation. The lower your co-enzyme, the higher the chances of increased chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is a repeated cycle of one or more areas of your body becoming inflamed.
Overeating involves eating more than the amount of food you need to maintain a healthy weight. If you overeat, you may have low oxygen levels in your cells. This can wreak havoc on NAD+ levels.

References:

Quick recipes for radiant skin

October 8th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Your skin is an important organ that needs to be nourished with good sources of nutrients. Good news: you can whip up your skin radiance boosters right there in your kitchen. Skin smoothies for the win!

Fruit and veggie smoothie

This carrot-spinach combo boasts a good amount of beta-carotene (an antioxidant that converts into Vitamin A). We need Vitamin A for healthy skin, mucus membranes, the immune system, and for the health of our eyes. The avo is a good source of healthy fats for soft, supple glowing skin, and kale, which contains chlorophyll, helps remove toxins from the body and improve skin quality. The antioxidants in the berries offer an added bonus: anti-ageing power.

Ingredients

½ cup orange juice
½ cup low-fat vanilla yoghurt
1 cup frozen loose-pack mixed berries
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
½ frozen banana, sliced
6 baby carrots
1 avocado
1 cup of chopped kale

Method

Combine the orange juice and yoghurt in a blender.
Add the berries, spinach, banana, and carrots. Blend until smooth.
Add in the avocado, give another whirl and enjoy!

Apple zinger smoothie

Granny Smith apples are packed with Vitamin C, an essential ingredient for skin collagen production. The probiotic-filled vanilla yoghurt promotes healthy digestive function, which also directly affects the quality of your skin. Avocado helps to keep your eyes healthy while also protecting the skin from signs of ageing and the harmful effects of the sun’s UV rays.

Ingredients

1 cup skinned, cored, and chopped Granny Smith apples
½ cup chopped avocado
½ cup vanilla yoghurt with live probiotics
½ cup finely chopped kale

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender.

Plumper skin juice

Dry skin? Sip on some of this. To tackle wrinkles, choose blueberries, blackberries, black grapes and dark cherries, which are all rich in anthocyanidins (a kind of flavonoid). The Vitamin C in these fruits also helps to keep skin healthy by supporting collagen and elastin fibres.

Ingredients

2 large apples, or 200ml fresh apple juice
Approx 30 seedless black grapes
Approx 30 blueberries, blackberries or pitted dark cherries
½ tbsp cold-pressed flaxseed, rapeseed, walnut or olive oil

Method

Juice the apples then transfer to a blender with the grapes and your choice of blueberries, blackberries or cherries.
Blend until smooth. Blending berries is preferable to juicing them as juicing removes their skins, which is where you find the healthy polyphenols and resveratrol (these phytonutrients have been linked to longevity because of their ability to slow down cell oxidisation).
Stir in your chosen plant oil before serving and enjoy!