Eat a rainbow to protect your health
You've just got used to the idea of 5-a-day then they go and double it! Many people struggle to eat more fruit and veg, even though they know it's good for them. In this newsletter I explain the benefits of "eating a rainbow" and how to work towards your 10-a-day (even if you can't quite make it).
What's so great about vegetables and fruit?
It's not just the vitamins, minerals and fibre in your veg that are important. Chemical compounds produced by plants known as polyphenols and carotenoids confer major health benefits. By eating these compounds we protect ourselves from inflammation - a driver of heart-disease, strokes, Alzheimer's and diabetes. Furthermore, our DNA is shielded from damage, thus reducing cancer risk.
A study in the Journal of Nutrition reports that people who consume high levels of polyphenols can reduce their risk of total mortality by 31%!
Easy ways to pack in the veg
- Dark-coloured berries, including blackberries, raspberries and blueberries, contain some of the most potent fruit polyphenols. Add to my granola recipe for breakfast, or swirl into plain, live yoghurt for a refreshing dessert
- Frozen vegetables and fruit are so handy- I've always got a bag of spinach in the freezer. Add a few handfuls to soups and casseroles for a big helping of cancer-protective plant chemicals. Broccoli is another great freezer stand-by
- Onions and leeks contain polyphenols known to reduce blood pressure by improving the flexibility of the artery wall. They also feed the beneficial microbes in your gut
- Green leafy vegetables and orange-coloured vegetables
- Orange-coloured and green leafy vegetables contain beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A for a strong immune system and to protect eyesight. Mash sweet potato and mix in some spinach leaves (they'll wilt in the heat) for a double dose of beta-carotene. Sweet potatoes make delicious chunky oven chips (cook in olive or coconut oil with a few sprigs of rosemary)
- Garlic is easy to add to most dishes - I recommend adding it at the end of cooking to preserve the potency of the active ingredients. Garlic is also heart-protective and has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties
- Add a big handful of herbs to every dish - parsley, rosemary, oregano, coriander, basil - to boost your intake of polyphenols
- Don't throw that stock down the sink! Save the water from cooking vegetables use in soups and casseroles; it is enriched with precious vitamins.
Invest in a healthy future
A personalised nutritional therapy plan is the best investment you can make for a healthy future: protect yourself against chronic diseases, enhance your brainpower, increase your energy, have glowing skin and optimise digestive function.
Take the first step towards your personalised healthy-eating plan by filling in the health questionnaire and food diary on the Consultations page of my web site. Or, email me your phone number and I'll call you for a free no-obligation 10-minute chat. In three months' time you could be a different person!
Yours in good health,
Rita
Rita Carmichael, registered nutritional therapist
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I'm always pleased to hear from clients old and new. If you have a health concern you would like to discuss in confidence before making an appointment for a nutritional therapy consultation, please get in touch through my web site contact form or send me an email with your phone number, rita@nutrimatters.co.uk.
You are receiving this quarterly newsletter because you are a past or present a client of Rita Carmichael, or you have expressed an interest in nutritional therapy. You may cancel anytime by clicking on the "unsubscribe" link below.
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