6 Foods to Boost your Immune System this Christmas

In one of my recent articles I discussed how Christmas unfortunately brings with it an increased chance of getting the common cold or the flu.  Since there are so many different types of cold and flu virus the body can never be completely immune to them.  However, by making sure your immune system is working at full strength you can ensure that your body is in the best position possible to fight the common cold or the flu if you contract them.  That’s why today I will be sharing with you six foods that can keep your immune system strong over Christmas.

1) ORANGES:- Oranges seem to be a lot more abundant over Christmas with the main reason being that people use them to make their own Christingles.  Luckily, they are also a rich source of vitamin C.  As I discussed in a recent post, whilst vitamin C does not have a significant impact on your ability to prevent colds it can help boost your immune system by promoting the production of white blood cells that fight infection.

Oranges are small, easy to carry and can be pretty much eaten at any time making them a perfect immune system boosting snack.  Try snacking on them at work or grabbing one instead of a mince pie next time the Christmas treats come out.

2) NUTS:- Nuts are another food that seem to get associated with Christmas.  Yesterday I walked through the supermarket and saw a packet of fruit and nuts rebranded as ‘Christmas’ fruit and nuts (I wonder how long it took them to come up with that :-)).  However, the marketing guys may have it right in terms of your immune system.  Nuts are rich in vitamin B6, vitamin B9, vitamin E and selenium.  Research suggests that both vitamin B6 and B9 support a healthy immune system.  Vitamin E and selenium work together to enhance the production of immune system B-cells that produce antibodies to destroy bacteria and also act as antioxidants that protect the immune system’s cells from oxidative damage.

Nuts are also very portable and make the perfect snack to keep at your work desk.  If you find them too dry or bland then you could even pick up a ‘Christmas’ fruit and nut mix to give you some variety.  Not only are they a festive snack but they are much better for your immune system than the sweets and chocolates that will undoubtedly be offered around.

3) TURKEY:- Turkey is probably the most festive food you can find.  Unless you are vegetarian, it is highly likely that you will eat some turkey during the holiday period.  Luckily, it is quite a healthy choice and it is good for your immune system too.  It is rich in vitamin B1, B6 and zinc.  As discussed above the B vitamins have been linked with enhancing the immune system whilst zinc helps the body produce infection fighting white blood cells.

Unlike the other foods discussed in this article you are not going to have to go out of your way to get some turkey this Christmas.  It’s more than likely that turkey will be part of your Christmas meal and the leftovers can then be used to make some wholemeal sandwiches that you can bring to work.  Alternatively, you can use the leftovers to cook up another meal such as a curry, casserole or stew.

4) MUSHROOMS:- Mushrooms are not very festive at all.  However, they are good for your immune system (and in my opinion very tasty too) so you should try to incorporate them into your Christmas meals.  Mushrooms are rich in a number of B-vitamins, vitamin C and zinc all of which can help boost your immune system (as I discussed above).  Research also suggests that mushrooms activate the T cells of the immune system which help the body defend itself from viruses and infection.

Mushrooms are available in all supermarkets and most small grocery stores.  They are amazingly versatile and can be eaten with most foods.  I use them in curries, fajitas, pasta bakes, salads, omelettes and much more.  Since it’s Christmas you should have lots of turkey left over so why not make a turkey casserole, stew or curry and throw in lots of mushrooms.  Not only will it add a new level of texture and taste to the meal but it will also keep your immune system in top shape.

5) GREEN TEA:- Green tea isn’t the most popular drink around Christmas with hot chocolate and coffee being most people’s first choice.  However, of the hot drinks available it is one of the best for your immune system.  Research suggests that green tea can enhance the disease fighting capacity of the immune system’s T cells.

Green tea is relatively easy to source and available from most supermarkets.  Whilst the taste may take some getting used to it can be drank at any time during the day.  All you need is access to some hot water.  You don’t have to replace all your hot drinks with green tea but if you normally have six cups of coffee and tea per day, why not try replacing three of them with green tea?  That way you will still be able to have your normal hot drinks whilst also boosting your immune system.

6) YOGURT:- Yogurt has gained a lot of publicity recently with a lot of companies now selling it as a ‘natural immune system booster’ in small bottles.  Although it’s not a very festive food, research suggests that these companies are right.  A lot of the cells that power the immune system are found in the gut and yoghurt contains pro-biotics which help keep the gut healthy.  A healthy gut therefore supports a healthy immune system.

Yogurt is available in most supermarkets and small grocery stores.  Plus, you do not need to go for the bottled ‘natural immune system boosters’.  A pot of natural or live yoghurt can do just as much for your immune system and costs a lot less.  Whilst I find natural yoghurt quite plain on its own, if you eat it with fruit such as blueberries or pineapple it becomes a really tasty meal.  I have natural yogurt and fruit for breakfast most mornings so why not try having yogurt first thing in the morning or even have it as a dessert option on Christmas day.  It’s still very tasty and will do much more for your immune system than the mince pies and cakes.

I hope this article has helped you understand how you can keep your immune system strong this Christmas.  Whilst some (or even most of these foods) would not be your first festive food choice they will do wonders for your immune system.  Try incorporating them into your diet using some of the suggestions I have suggested and hopefully you can avoid any colds and flu this Christmas.

What do you guys think?  Are there any foods I have missed that can help people boost their immune system?  Do you have any extra special serving suggestions and recipes for the foods I have listed?  If so leave a comment on this post.

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What are Vitamins?

In a number of my previous articles I have mentioned vitamins in passing.  However, I have never really expanded on this topic further and discussed exactly what vitamins are.  So today I thought I would write about this exact topic and answer the question ‘What are Vitamins?’

Vitamins are essential nutrients that your body needs to help the cells function properly.  They contain no calories and do not provide the body with energy but they are required for a number of important functions.  Vitamins are distinguished from minerals because they are organic compounds (they come from plants and animals) whereas minerals are inorganic (they come from the soil and water).

The value of vitamins was noted long before vitamins themselves were actually discovered.  For example, the ancient Egyptians used liver to cure night blindness (which we now know is the result of a Vitamin A deficiency) and in the eighteenth century it was discovered that citrus fruits could be used to prevent scurvy.  The discovery of vitamins stems from work by Dr William Fletcher in 1905 in which he discovered that if special factors (which would later be identified as vitamins) were removed from food, diseases would develop.  Between 1906 and 1907 Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins performed a number of experiments which suggested mice could not survive on basic foodstuffs alone.  In 1912, based on these experiments, Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins announced that there was an unknown part of our diet which was not a carbohydrate, fat, protein or salt.  This unknown part of our diet became known as a vitamin, a term first used by Polish chemist Chashmir Funk in 1911.

There are thirteen vitamins in total and these can be broken down into two groups; fat soluble (vitamins A, D, E and K) and water soluble (vitamins B and C).  Your body cannot produce vitamins (with the exception of vitamin D) so they need to be obtained from other sources.  Food is the primary source of vitamins, although vitamin D can also be produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight and Vitamin K can also be produced by bacteria in the intestines.  Vitamins are also available in supplement form with vitamin supplementation becoming increasingly popular in recent years.

1) FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- As I mentioned above vitamins A, D, E and K are all fat soluble vitamins.  Fat soluble vitamins are given this name because they dissolve within the body’s fat cells.  They are largely found in fats and fatty foods such as animal fat, dairy products and vegetable oils.  Fat soluble vitamins are preserved in foods even when they have been cooked.  If they are not needed immediately they can be stored in your liver and fatty tissues for later use.  Therefore, you do not need to consume fat soluble vitamins every day because your body can get what it needs from these stores.  Letting these stores build up too much has been linked with a number of health problems and because of this excessive consumption of fat soluble vitamins is believed to be dangerous.

2) WATER SOLUBLE VITAMINS:- Vitamins B and C fall under the term water soluble vitamins and are given this name because they need to be taken with water to dissolve.  They are largely found in fruits, vegetables and grain.  Water soluble vitamins are not preserved as easily as fat soluble vitamins and can be lost during cooking and preparation.  Exposure to air and heat can destroy them whilst exposure to water can cause them to be washed out of the food.  Another difference with water soluble vitamins is that they cannot be stored by the body with any excess vitamins being excreted in your urine.  Therefore, it has been suggested that excessive consumption of water soluble vitamins is not harmful.  However, new evidence suggests that excessive consumption of certain water soluble vitamins may also be dangerous meaning that overdosing on any type of vitamin could potentially put your health at risk.

So how much of each vitamin do we need?  The table below lists the recommended daily allowances (RDA) for each of the thirteen types of vitamin:

Sources: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/vitamins.htm

I hope the above article has given you a better understanding of the different types of vitamins.  In my next few articles I will be discussing in more detail exactly what the different types of vitamins do, where they can be sourced and the drawbacks of overdosing.

Until then I would like to hear your opinions.  Are you currently getting enough vitamins?  Do you get the majority of your vitamins from your diet or from vitamin supplements?

Sources:
Diet Recommendations (NHS)
Fat Soluble Vitamins Information (Colorado State University Extension)
The History of Vitamins (The Vitamins & Nutrition Center)
Vitamins Information (Brian Mac)
Vitamins Information (How Stuff Works)
Vitamins Information (Life Clinic)
Vitamins and Minerals Information (Food Standards Agency)
Water Soluble Vitamins Information (Colorado State University Extension)

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What is Fibre?

In my latest articles on cancer and diabetes I touched upon the benefits of fibre.  In these articles I mentioned that fibre could help control blood sugar levels in diabetics and also help prevent certain types of cancer.  However, I haven’t really done any articles which elaborate and go into greater detail concerning fibre so I thought now would be a great opportunity to do so.  My next few articles will be concentrating on fibre and I will begin with this article; ‘What is Fibre?’

I hear fibre mentioned a lot and see it on most food’s nutritional value labels.  However, all I really knew about fibre before writing this article is that it helped clear out the digestive system.  Whilst this is true, there is a lot more to fibre than this.

Fibre comes from the cell walls of plants and cannot be absorbed by the body.  It only comes from plant based foods and cannot be sourced from meat, fish or dairy products.  Fibre contains no calories, no vitamins and is not a nutrient.  It simply passes through the digestive system and comes out in your stools.  There are two main types of fibre; Insoluble and Soluble.

1) INSOLUBLE FIBRE:- Insoluble fibre passes through the body relatively unchanged until it reaches the intestine.  Upon reaching the intestine it absorbs water and expands in the digestive tract.  This combination of bulk and liquid helps waste materials move through the digestive tract more quickly.  In doing this, insoluble fibre helps promote regular bowel movements and reduces constipation.  It has also been suggested that insoluble fibre can reduce bowel disease and other related conditions because toxins are not left to build up in the digestive tract for long periods.

Soluble fibre can be found largely in grains and whole wheat products.  The list below contains some of the most popular sources:
- Bran Flakes (10g of fibre per 100g)
- Brown Rice (1.8g of fibre per 100g)
- Wholemeal Bread (6.3g of fibre per 100g)
- Wholemeal Spaghetti (8.4g of fibre per 100g)

2) SOLUBLE FIBRE:- Soluble fibre also passes through the body relatively unchanged until it reaches the intestine.  Upon reaching the intestine it dissolves in water creating a thick gel like substance.  This gel then holds food in the digestive tract for longer so all the nutrients can be absorbed from the food before it is excreted.  In doing this, soluble fibre also helps moderate blood sugar levels because food is digested, converted into blood sugar and released more slowly.  It has also been suggested that soluble fibre can reduce cholesterol levels because it binds with the cholesterol in foods and is then later excreted (complete with the attached cholesterol).

Soluble fibre can be found in all fruits and vegetables.  However, below I have listed some particularly rich sources:
- Apples (1.8g of fibre per 100g)
- Banana (1.1g of fibre per 100g)
- Orange (1.7g of fibre per 100g)
- Mushrooms (1.5g of fibre per 100g)
- Onions (1.4g of fibre per 100g)
- Peas (3.4g of fibre per 100g)

So there you have it.  Most people (myself included before researching this article) associate the terms ‘fibre’ or ‘dietary fibre’ with cleansing of the bowels and digestive system i.e. insoluble fibre.  However, soluble fibre is just as important and helps your body in different ways.

But which type is best for you?  Well unfortunately the verdict on this topic is a little less clear.  The British Nutrition Foundation recommend that you consume 18g of fibre per day but they do not split this down to the insoluble and soluble types.  Food companies seem to have jumped on the insoluble fibre bandwagon with whole grain breads and whole grain cereals constantly claiming to offer “50% of your dietary fibre in one serving”.  This means that of the two there is a possibility that soluble fibre may get rejected because people see the heavily marketed insoluble fibre as the healthiest option.  Furthermore, this article from Healthier Life suggests that whilst both types of fibre are healthy, soluble fibre could be the healthier of the two.

So what’s my opinion?  Both types of fibre seem to have their benefits and both should have a place in our diets.  With the way food is currently advertised most people are going to be pushed towards insoluble fibre.  Therefore, it is important to step back and have a quick think about where your dietary fibre is coming from.  If the majority is coming from bread, cereal, pasta and rice then try and substitute in some fruits and vegetables to bump up your soluble fibre intake.  By making sure your diet has a good mixture of whole grains, fruits and vegetables you should get a good balance between both soluble and insoluble fibre.

I hope you enjoyed this article.  In my next article I will be discussing the benefits of fibre in greater detail.  In the meantime I would like to hear from you.  Do you think you are getting enough fibre in your diet?  Are you getting the right balance between insoluble and soluble?  I look forward to hearing from you.

Sources:
Dietary Reference Values (British Nutrition Foundation)
Fibre Information (BUPA)
Fibre Information (Health Castle)
Fibre Information (Help with Cooking)
Fibre Information (Net Doctor)
Fibre Information (The Healthier Life)
Fibre Information (Wikipedia)
Weight Loss Resources

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My Workout Routine Explained

In today’s post I am going to be discussing my workout routine.  I thought to create this page it would take a day at the most. However, I seriously underestimated the task and have spent almost the entire weekend getting this page ready.

Thankfully, it is now finally ready and to be honest I think it actually was worth the wait. The page contains a day by day account of my entire workout. All the weights I lift are here for you to see with full video instructions. Every rep, every set and every exercise has been documented in over 10,000 words and over 30 videos. I think it is one of the most detailed workout pages on the Internet and I hope you agree. You can view the page using the link below.

Click Here to view My Workout Routine

I really hope you enjoy this page and if you have any feedback at all please leave me a comment. Comments were up until recently not working on this blog - due to an unforseen problem. That problem has now been fixed and comments are fully functional.

4 Food Substitutes to improve your Metabolism

One effective way to boost your metabolism is by making smart and creative food substitutes. If you think about all the food you eat you will find plenty of areas where you can make some changes. For example, if you enjoy your mayonnaise maybe you could substitute it for a low fat mayo or even salad cream. I’m not talking about drastic changes to your diet here but there are certain foods that can easily be substituted. In this article I am going to discuss a number of common foods that lend themselves to substitution.

1) SALAD DRESSINGS:- Instead of going for full fat salad dressings why not try a healthier option. Extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar are both quite tasty and are a lot lower in calories than the other options.

2) WHOLE GRAINS:- Certain carbohydrates are better than others and this is one key area of your diet where you can make food substitutions. Rather than eating potatoes, white bread and white rice try whole grain rice and breads. Crunchier whole grain foods make the body work harder to break then down and really ensure that your body’s metabolism functions better.

3) SMART SNACKS:- Instead of going for the chips, cookies and ice cream try healthier options. Fruit, nuts and seeds are all great snacks. If you like the taste of salt, sunflower or pumpkin seeds can help you with that craving. Fruits such as bannanas, apples and oranges are great for curbing a sweet tooth without resorting to the chocolate.

4) FULL MEAL SUBSTITUTIONS:- I know I have mentioned it in previous articles, but substituting your standard three meals a day for six smaller meals can really boost your metabolism. Alternatively, reduce the size of your three main meals slightly and then substitute in some additional smart snacks. By substituting your meals in this way you can increase the number of calories you burn a day.

Transforming a slow moving metabolism into a highly charged metabolism is not usually possible. However, by substituting smarter foods into your diet you can start slowly improving your metabolic rate, noticing change and reaping the rewards.

3 Stomach Toning Abdominal Exercises

A lot of people who exercise regularly strive for a ‘washboard stomach’ or ’six pack abs’. Along with the arms, the abdominal muscles are one of the muscle groups most focussed upon by exercisers. Toned abdominals are a great focal point for both men and women and can really enhance the look of your whole body. In this article we will discuss The Ab-Wheel, The Bicycle and Hindu Push-Ups. All of these are simple, quick and effective exercises which will help strengthen your abdominals in no time at all.

1) THE AB-WHEEL:- For this exercise you need the equipment of the same name. It is basically just a small wheel with a short bar in the middle, that has hand grips on either side.

• To begin, kneel down on the floor with your knees pushed together and place the wheel on the floor in front of you. Grab the wheel with your hands and lock your arms out straight.
• When you are in position roll the wheel forward slowly until your arms and hands are in front of your head. You should be between three and six inches off the floor but make sure your body doesn’t actually touch the floor.
• After this reverse the motion, arch your back and pull yourself back to the starting point (using your abs).
• Remember to take deep breaths as you start and breathe out as you stretch forward when performing this exercise. One set is represented by between seven to ten repetitions.

2) THE BICYCLE:- For this exercise lay down flat on the floor and make sure you press your lower back downwards.

• To begin, place your hands behind your head, with your fingers laced together.
• Next, bring your knees up to your chest and begin to rotate them at close to 45 degrees. The motion should resemble peddling a bicycle.
• As you are performing the peddling motion, touch your left elbow to your right knee and then your right elbow to your left knee.

3) HINDU PUSH UPS:- For this exercise you need to get on your hands and knees and spread your legs very wide with your rear end up.

• To begin, bend your elbows (like a common push up) and bring your back downward in an arc.
• Then straighten your arms so that your back is arched upwards with your hips just above the ground.

A combination of the above abdominal exercises will help you strengthen your stomach muscles. If you breathe deeply whilst performing these exercises you can also strengthen your lungs, build upper body strength, increase your endurance and improve your flexibility. Perform these exercises for a minimum of five minutes a day and you will notice the change in your abdominal strength.

Remember that strong, toned abdominal muscles are just the first step towards having a great looking stomach. You also need to reduce the layer of fat around your stomach area. Make sure that you incorporate lots of fruit and vegetables into your diet. Also, drink plenty of water. Finally, make sure that you remain active and regularly perform cardiovascular exercise. If you follow these simple steps and incorporate the above three exercises into your daily routine you will be on your way towards having those great looking abs you have always dreamed of.

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If you found these abdominal exercises useful you may want to read Firm and Flatten your Abs, an excellent guide to toning your abdominal muscles. It contains an additional 44 abdominal exercise accompanied by over 100 exercise photographs.