Tag Archives: dietitian

The Hidden Health Risks of a Nutrient Gap: Should You Be Taking Vitamins?

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healthy, vitamins, minerals, salad, dietLate November I attended a very interesting event at The Ivy, Mind The Nutrient Gap: Hidden Health Risks. Apart from having lots of fun chatting to amazing journalists and eating an extraordinary lunch (I would not have expected anything less), I found out some interesting facts. many of which I found shocking. Leading dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton, top nutrition specialist Miguel Toribio-Mateas, and regulatory expert TC Callis, all gave excellent talks and revealed exclusive research into the growing and hidden nutritional gaps in the UK and its wider impact on health. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

  • Almost 40% of Brits admit that they do not know what nutrients can help them to support heart health, immune health, bone health, eye health, energy, nail or hair health
  • A third of Brits state that they do not have time to prepare home cooked meals
  • 77.7% of Brits reveal that they do not get their five fruit and vegetables a day
  • Over half of us say we don’t understand the benefits of vitamins and minerals
  • Obesity figures in England have more than tripled over a period of 25 years. Over 30% of children (aged 2-15) are overweight or obese
  • More than a fifth of Brits in their 40s and 50s do not know how best to adjust their eating habits to support their nutritional needs

There is some controversy on whether people should be taking vitamins but the truth is our diets are just not good enough. The evidence that some of us should take vitamins is insurmountable. We don’t all need a daily multivitamin but we all have gaps in our diet that need filled in.

The Health Supplements Information Service unveiled new research on our diets, the nutritional gap we face, and its wider impact on long-term health sorting fact from fiction. If I wasn’t convinced to take vitamins before, I certainly was after. A shocking two out of three adults don’t hit their five-a-day target of fruit and vegetables. To make matters worse, intake has actually fallen over the last four years. More than a quarter of calorie consumption comes from crisps, treats and drinks which have minimal nutritional value. Even more worryingly, 57% of people thought that children did not need to take supplements. Despite the fact that the Chief Medical Officers of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have repeatedly reminded parents and health professionals that all children under the age of five need supplementary vitamin D unless they get a sufficient intake from fortified formula milk.

It is not just during pregnancy and childhood you need vitamins, many people start taking vitamins in their forties and fifties but by this time you can already be paying the price of a bad diet. Leading dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton notes: “The lifestyle choices you make during your middle years are incredibly important. When you’re younger, you have resilience and are physically at your peak, but by 40-50-something years you begin to pay the price for any bad habits or nutritional shortfalls. Your nutritional needs also change, and certain nutrients, including vitamins B12 and D, calcium, potassium and fibre become increasingly important.” 

The so-called sandwich generation, those ages 30-55 years, have the highest stress levels of any other age group. Sandwiched in-between their children and sick or elderly parents, they also have the early development of health problems to deal with and it is the peak time for career achievement. Women in the latter end of the spectrum also have the menopause to deal with and both genders have to maintain a home. According to Age and Ageing 2014, persistent job strain in middle age may lead to longer hospital stays later in life. Vitamins D intake is particularly important. We do not get enough sun in the UK and the evidence for vitamin D usage mounts all of the time. Dr Carrie Ruxton said that the recommended dosage was going up. Not only is vitamin D safe, it also stops infection. Women are apparently more likely to take vitamins than men and multivitamin use peaks at 30-44 years.

The truth is: our diets are just not good enough. We should eat more fruit, veg, lean red meat, low fat diary and oily fish. We should also drink healthy drinks. Any gaps should be filled in by vitamins or we will pay the price as we age. Most vitamins are safe and you would have to take a lot to overdose. Vitamin D is very safe, vitamin A becomes toxic over 3000mg, especially to pregnant women and over 5mg of copper is toxic as the body stores certain vitamins and our bodies also store minerals. It takes a lot to overdose on vitamins and keeping within the RDA and filling in our bad diet habits will pay off in the future.

What do you think?

 

 

Potter’s Herbal Elixir of Echinacea Plus & Kwai Heart + Immune Supplements | Health Review

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miranda kerrAs winter comes in colds are inevitable. Echinacea is well known to ward of colds and boost the immune system, but does it really work?

The first thing I have to say about Potter’s Herbals Elixir of Echinacea is how nice it tastes, rare for something that is good for you. I am more used to taking pills but taking the elixir is no problem. I take it three times a day and I don’t get a cold, and feel that I have been given a health boost. In fact when I get more busy and forgot to take it for a while I ended up getting a cold. I start taking the Echinacea again and I immediately feel better. I think it works and I am impressed. It even makes my skin clearer.

I also start taking Kwai Heart+Immune with vitamins A, C and E; 30 tablets RRP £6.12; 100 tablets £16.33; Available from Boots. When I first take it I worry that I will smell of garlic but a friend says I don’t. After I start taking the supplement I feel much more energetic and healthier. The Pills are also easy to swallow.  My skin tone also improves when I am taking the pills. With the Kwai Heart+Immune and Potter’s Herbals Elixir of Echinacea I am all set for winter.

Commenting on Kwai Heart+Immune, independent dietitian Dr Carrie Ruxton says: “It is now well accepted that vitamins A and C and garlic have a vital role in supporting a normal immune function, while vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, helping to protect cells from oxidative stress which leads to cell damage. Human research on garlic shows that it is antimicrobial and can reduce levels of harmful bacteria and viruses which cause disease.”

The immune system as you know is crucial to help prevent colds/flu/virues and potentillay fatal illnesses. New research by the Henry Potter Advisory Committee also reveals that nearly half of 2,000 respondents in survey (46.4%) believe that they appear physically less attractive when their immune system is lower, with nearly one quarter (23.9%) stating that you could tell how good someone’s immune system is from their skin tone.

 

New stats also revealed that:

  • Worryingly almost three quarter’s (73.9%) of those researched (out of 2,000 respondents) did not know that our immune system is capable of distinguishing foreign bacteria, fungi or viruses, thereby preventing cellular damage.
  • Nearly one third (30.9%), incorrectly believe that vitamin C will ward off a cold, with more women believing this than men (35.3% vs 26%).
  • When it comes to symptoms of a poorly functioning immune system, the most commonly cited symptom was tiredness (61.2%). Over one third of people (38%) commented that they thought their immune system was lowered when they felt physically weak, or when they caught a cold (37.9%) or a virus (37.1%).

Potter’s Herbals Elixir of Echinacea Plus – contains a unique formula of the highest quality Echinacea angustifolia, wild indigo and fumitory. RRP £10.16, available in Boots nationwide. Potter’s Herbal remedies also include cold and flu relief products, as well as sleep aids, and stress releif aids. The whole range are licensed herbal medicines – celebrating 200 years this year.

World class immunologist and medical herbalist Dr Serene Foster says “It is encouraging to see effective herbals available over the counter. The cold and Flu season costs the nation a lot in terms of lost days at school, work, and while on holiday. Now we can all benefit from good mixtures which address all aspects of colds. When Potters Herbal Elixir of Echinacea Plus is taken at the first sign of a cold, it will support and balance your immune system to reduce the symptoms and shorten the time you suffer a cold and make you feel better faster.”