When will the WAR end?

Strategies for Improving Maternal and Child Nutrition!!!  That was the theme of the just concluded AGM of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria.

Recent statistics showed that Nigeria accounts for 10% global Maternal and Child mortality rate. Presently, the rate of maternal deaths is 540 deaths out of 100,000 births, and 276 children out of the live births die before their 5^th birthday. 53% of deaths are traceable to poor nutrition. 

This is very! Very! Very! depressing. When I was a child, I was told stories of how a lot of children suffered from severe malnutrition during the Nigerian civil war by my father. Pictures from television documentaries on the Nigerian civil war and that of some warring African nations depict kwashiorkor and marasmus as war conditions. When ever I hear of war, I see hungry people, and people who got sick due to hunger and poor nutrition. It is very unfortunate to know that even when dear Nigeria is not at war, this picture of war condition still lives with us.

We are still at war, and this war is one that we have to win. It is a war against maternal and child mortality, opposing malnutrition is the best strategy.

Which is better for you: Butter or Margarine?

I was taking a client on a healthy shopping session when we ran into a couple, maybe newly weds , arguing whether or not to include butter in their shopping basket. Very impressive, I thought. At least people are getting health conscious more than before.

First we were told to steer clear of the saturated fats in butter and switch to margarine. Then we discover the dangers of trans-saturated fats in margarine, resulting in many of us switching back to good old butter. So which one really is better for us?

Butter
Many people prefer the taste of butter over margarine and are drawn to the idea that it is a more natural product.  However, it is high in saturated fat.  Saturated fat not only raises total cholesterol but it also significantly increases the LDL (bad) cholesterol – the type that clogs the arteries and can lead to heart disease.  Healthy eating guidelines advise that we should consume no more than 10% of total calories as saturated fat. 

Margarine 

Margarine usually contain fewer saturated fats than butter as they are predominantly made from plant rather than animal derived oils.  However, plant oils tend to be liquid at room temperature.  Therefore, in order to make them more solid and spreadable, manufacturers have traditionally used a process called hydrogenation.  During this process trans fats may be formed - a type of fat known to be even more harmful to health than saturated fat as they raise  LDL (bad) cholesterol and reduce HDL (good) cholesterol.

Increased awareness of the harmful effects of hydrogenated fats has resulted in a questioning of the real health benefits of margarine. However, margarine is still recommended as the healthier option. This is partly because changes in processing techniques have greatly reduced the amount of Trans fatty acids likely to be found in most margarine, but also because margarine is generally much lower in saturated fat than butter.  They are also a good source of heart friendly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. 

Monounsaturated fats are particularly effective at helping to protect against heart disease as they not only reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, but also increase HDL (good) cholesterol.  Polyunsaturated fats are a good source of immune strengthening omega 3 and omega 6 essential fatty acids and will also help to lower LDL cholesterol. 

On whole, margarine really does seem to be the healthier choice but have different types. H ere is a guide to choosing a healthy option.

 1. Choose a spread that has a low total fat content.  Ideally, look for a spread that has less than 55g of fat per 100g.

2. Look for one with low saturated fat content.  Less than 10g per 100 grams.

3. Choose one with low Trans fatty acid content.   0.5 grams or less per 100 grams.

4. Go for a spread made from olive, rapeseed or groundnut oil as these are likely to have the highest monounsaturated fat content. 

Many of the cholesterol-lowering spreads contain stanols and sterols.  These are ingredients derived from plants that can actually reduce the amount of cholesterol that the body absorbs.  These spreads can be effective at lowering cholesterol, but they should be used as part of a healthy, balanced diet and not as a substitute for other.  Well established ways of reducing the risk of heart disease, such as increasing the consumption of fruit and vegetables, quitting smoking, eating less saturated fat and taking more exercise.

Stress killers

What special thing can I do to reduce my stress level? That was the first question I got from a client this morning at the office. Like always, the first thing I thought of was food. Yes, my brain has been trained and structured to always think food and good nutrition.

I gave him a list of some stress bursting foods. By the time I was done with the list, I realized that I could put the list here for you to read and be nutri-alert.

Stress management can be a powerful tool for wellness. There is evidence that too much pressure is not just a mood killer, people who are under constant stress are more vulnerable to everything from colds to high blood pressure and heart disease. Although there are many ways to cope or deal with stress, one strategy is to eat stress-fighting foods.

Foods can fight stress in several ways. Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm oatmeal, actually boost levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical. Other foods can reduce levels of cortisol and adrenaline- stress hormones. Finally, a nutritious diet can counteract the impact of stress, by boosting the immune system and lowering blood pressure. Do you know which foods are stress killers?

Complex Carbohydrates - All carbohydrates prompt the brain to make more serotonin. For a steady supply of this feel-good chemical, it is best to eat complex carbohydrates, which are digested more slowly. Good choices include whole-grain breakfast cereals, breads, and pastas, as well as oatmeal. Complex carbohydrates can also help you feel balanced by stabilizing blood sugar levels. 

Oranges - Oranges make the list for their wealth of vitamin C. Studies suggest this vitamin can reduce levels of stress hormones while strengthening the immune system. If you have a particularly stressful event coming up, you may want to consider vitamin C supplements. In one study, blood pressure and cortisol levels returned to normal more quickly when people took 3,000 milligrams of vitamin C before a stressful task.

Spinach - Never let stress get the best of you, eat spinach. This is a very good source of magnesium.  Magnesium helps regulate cortisol levels. Too little magnesium may trigger headaches and fatigue, thereby compounding the effects of stress. Try some other foods that are high in magnesium like soybeans if you are not a spinach eater.

Fatty Fish - To keep cortisol and adrenaline in check, make friends with fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish like salmon and tuna, can prevent surges in stress hormones and protect against heart disease. 

Black Tea, not Coffee. - Research suggests black tea can help you recover from stressful events more quickly. Coffee, on the other hand, can boost levels of cortisol.

Avocados - One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure is to get enough potassium, and half an avocado has more potassium than a medium-sized banana. In addition, avocados offers a nutritious alternative when stress have you craving a high fat treat.

Almonds - Almonds are full of helpful vitamins. There is vitamin E to bolster the immune system, plus a range of B vitamins, which may make the body more resilient during bouts of stress. 

Raw Veggies - Crunchy raw vegetables can fight the effects of stress in a purely mechanical way. Munching carrot sticks can ward off tension headaches.

Bedtime Snack - Carbohydrates at bedtime can speed the release of serotonin and help you sleep better. Heavy meals before bed can trigger heartburn, so stick to something light like toast and jam.

Milk - Another bedtime stress buster is the time-honored glass of warm milk. Researchers have found calcium can reduce muscle spasms and soothe tension, as well as easing anxiety and mood swings linked to PMS. I recommend skim or low-fat milk.

De-Stress with Exercise - Besides  your diet, one of the best stress-busting strategies is to start exercising. Aerobic exercise is the most effective, because it increases oxygen circulation and produces endorphins. These are chemicals that make you feel happy. To get the maximum benefit, aim for 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week.

Note the foods that trigger the stress response-

•Refined Sugar
• Processed Flour
• Salt
• Caffeine
• Various Synthetic  Chemicals

Not only do processed foods and junk foods contain empty calories, they also contain substances that excite the sympathetic nervous system to release epinephrine and nor-epinephrine. If you are already stressed, eating these foods will be like throwing gasoline on the fire. Processed sugar and processed flour are known to have this effect. The big culprit is a substance found in caffeine that really excites the nervous system. Coffee, chocolate, some tea, sodas and energy drinks are foes. Salt falls in another category (bigger foe). Salt is known to cause water retention. This results in an increase in blood pressure. 

Am certain that there are more stress killer foods out there. Can you think of any?

FAT BUSTING FOODS

There are so many ways to kill a rat. Hit it, burn it, shoot it, or pour a basin of hot water, whichever way you choose, the most important thing is killing the rat. Fat loss can be achieved through different ways too; you can burn them through dieting, exercise or with foods that burn fat. I will call this a shortcut to losing weight. Edible amphetamines are foods that act like speed for the fat-melting motor known as our metabolism. 

Every time you eat, your body burns calories when processing that food. The irony of dieting is that reducing calories can reduce your metabolic rate, causing you to burn fewer calories. Eat less and the body's calorie burning capacity often drops. The solution is feeding on the fat burning foods. You are guaranteed to burn more calories when you eat these foods.

So grab a fork, it’s time to add fuel to the fire.

FOOD	SECRET INGREDIENTS	HOW THEY WORK
Milk, Whole Grain Cereal, Oats,	Calcium, complex carbohydrates, and fiber	Complex carbohydrates and fiber increases metabolism by keeping insulin levels low after you eat. That is very good, because raise in the production of insulin send a signal to the body that it's time to start storing fat. And in order to accumulate fat, your body has to slow down your metabolism, causing you to burn fewer calories. The calcium in milk is a metabolic trigger as well.
Green Tea, Coffee	Caffeine and a chemical in the tea called EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate)	Caffeine helps speed up your heart rate. The faster your heart beats the more calories you burn. EGCG works in a similar way, it causes your brain and nervous system to run more quickly thereby helping you burn more calories.
Red Peppers-Jalapenos, Habaneros, Cayennes	Capsaicin—the chemical in peppers that gives them their bite	By speeding up the heart rate. They burn calories by triggering a thermodynamic burn that lasts hours after eating A study from the late 80s found that eating a single spicy meal can boost your metabolism by up to 25 percent, with the increase in calorie burning lasting for up to 3 hours after you finish eating.
Lean Beef, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Eggs, Beans	Protein	It takes more energy for your body to digest the protein in meat than it does for it to digest carbohydrates or fat; this means that the more protein you eat, the harder your body has to work to digest it, and the more calories you will burn in the process.
Soybeans	Lecithin	Lecithin shields the cells from accumulating fat. It also breaks down fatty deposits in the body.
Salmon, Tuna, Sardines	Omega-3 fatty acids	Omega- 3 fatty acids alter levels of a hormone called leptin in the body. Several recent studies suggest that leptin directly influences your metabolism, determining whether you burn calories or store them as fat. Metabolism is higher when leptin levels are low. Eating Fish is the best way to lower your leptin. If you do not like fish, fish oil supplements may work also.
Carrots.	Carotene	Carotene is a form of Vitamin A that literally flushes the body of fat and waste quickly. Carotene is transformed into Vitamin A in the intestines and help to speed up metabolism. Remember that the faster your metabolism, the faster your body burns fat.
Citrus fruits- Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Lemons and Limes	High concentrations of vitamin C	Vitamin C reduces the effectiveness of fat. It reduces its content and can liquefy or dilute fat. By diluting the fat, it makes it less effective, and easier to flush out of your system. Vitamin C also works on cholesterol deposits. Vitamin C can help burn out the cholesterol, hence, making it difficult for cholesterol deposits to form in blood vessels.
Apples, Berries, Fresh Fruit.	Pectin	You've always heard the saying "An apple a day will keep the doctor away". Well now you can add the saying "An apple a day will keep the fat away". Studies suggest that pectin contained in apples limits how much fat your cells can absorb. Pectin, once in your system, has a water binding property, it absorbs watery substances, and these watery substances in turn bombard the cells and make it release fat deposits.
Banana	Potassium	Bananas have approximately 450 mg of potassium, a naturally occurring chemical that boosts metabolism and regulates the body’s water balance.
Olive Oil	Monounsaturated fat	Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those "good fats". In fact, it's so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down
Garlic	Mustard oils, and thermogenic ability	Garlic has mustard oils and these oils create a cleansing action in the body. They promote a vigorous action of peristalsis, which is muscular contraction, and this will loosen fat and help wash out fats. Garlic is a natural antibiotic, a blood sugar regulator, and also works like a thermogenic in the body. It boosts metabolism and keeps insulin levels low to maximize fat burning
Tomato	Vitamin C, Citricmalic-oxalic acids	Tomatoes have high Vitamin C and Citricmalic-oxalic acids. The acid will accelerate the metabolic process. It also helps the kidneys to release more water and helps to wash away fat.

These foods are fat burning Granted!  You can not just eat an apple or a teaspoon of cayenne pepper then lazy around all day. Combine these foods with daily dose of exercise and you will be able to shed that extra weight.

 

BON APPETTI!