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Something not quite right with your body? nzgirl nutritionist Vicki Martin helps out with all your health problems....
Essential Fats You discussed tinned salmon before but I was wondering how many servings of foods containing EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) should I be eating per week? Do EFAs have an impact on things like PMS symptoms? What are the best sources of EFAs? Thanks!
EFA’s (Essential Fatty Acids) do not have an official recommended daily intake as yet. However that does not mean that they are not ‘Essential’, in that we do still need them to keep good health. There are two main types of EFA’s – omega 6 and omega 3.
It appears that it is the omega 3 type that we are most short of and this is found in fish and seafood – especially salmon, sardines, tuna, and herring. It is suggested that we have at least 3 servings per week to remain healthy, keep our brain functioning well, and to help prevent inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, and to help prevent osteoporosis.
The omega 6 fatty acids have a sub-category of fatty acids that contain a very special type of EFA called Gamma Linolenic Acid. Foods and substances that contain this fatty acid seem to be very helpful for reducing PMT problems and also asthma and eczema. Gamma Linolenic Acid is found in high quantities in Evening Primrose Oil, Borage Oil, and Star Flower Oil. These can all be obtained in capsule form. Taking 3 x 1000mg of Healtheries Evening Primrose Oil Capsules daily for the last half of the menstrual cycle and once a day in the first half, can give substantial relief from pre-menstrual moodiness, irritability, breast tenderness and lumpiness, and abdominal pain.
Solution For Allergies I just found out I'm allergic to: dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter), soy, citrus, tomato, potato. It’s hard to find things I can eat for meals now. Can you give me some ideas for work lunches, breakfast etc? Food that’s convenient (doesn't take long to prepare) and nutritional?
How did you find out you are allergic to these foods, and are you allergic or just intolerant? These questions need to be answered clearly by whoever did the test for you. All allergy and intolerance tests (hair tests, skin prick tests, and blood tests) have false positives and false negatives, so to be really sure you need to do an elimination diet, which involves leaving the offending foods out of your diet for at least six weeks and then reintroducing them gradually one by one over the next six weeks to see if you have a strong or weak reaction to them. A weak reaction means you may be able to have some of these foods in small amounts on a regular basis. I really suggest you get an appointment with the Outpatients Dietitian or the Community Dietitian via a referral from your doctor as soon as possible to help plan a sensible eating plan which will make sure you won’t miss out on essential nutrients while you are trying this. Or contact www.dietitians.org.nz and click on ‘Find a Dietitian”.
Meanwhile a good lunch could involve wholegrain sandwiches with cold meat, chicken, tinned fish, or egg, with lots of salad (use hummus as your butter). A nourishing breakfast would be muesli containing wholegrains, plenty of nuts and seeds, dried fruit, fresh fruit, and almond milk.
Period Pain I have had a lot of problems with period pain for the last 10 years. I was told my condition would improve if I cut caffeine from my diet, which I have done with good results. I'd love to know if there is anything else I could do nutritionally to help ease my pain.
Period pain is a big problem with many causes. However some areas which might be worth pursuing are in the area of nutrition supplementation. Sometimes low levels of iron, calcium, magnesium etc. may be the origin of these problems. Healtheries Women’s Multi Capsule (not the tablet) taken along with Healtheries Chelated Magnesium, Healtheries Evening Primrose Oil capsules, or Healtheries Vitamin B6 tablets are all combinations definitely worth trying depending on your symptoms. I suggest going to the Healtheries website and checking these products out to see which might suit you best. I would recommend that you do the Health Questionnaire which may give you some ideas also.
Have you had your iron levels checked (ask for ‘Iron Studies’ to be done, not just Haemoglobin levels)? Sometimes a low iron level may be the problem. Lastly make sure you have three good healthy meals per day with plenty of protein, and also include regular daily exercise of some form – yoga and walking seem to be the best for period pain – these strategies seem to go a long way to helping this problem also.
Kilojoules to Calories How do I convert calories to kilojoules and vice versa? When I work out at the gym, the cardio machines counts energy used in terms of calories. However, information on food packets uses kilojoules as a measure of energy. I would like to marry up these two figures as I am interested in the amount of energy (in terms of food) that I burn at the gym.
Take your calculator to the gym. 1 Calorie = 4. 2 kJ (or kilo Joules). Do remember though that food is more than calories or kilojoules. The nutrient content of the food is more important. Check out the NZ Food Composition Database and get more information on the food you eat. Go to crop.cri.nz and click on ‘use the NIP Database’, then on 'Search Foods'.
Gaining Weight I am 17-years-old, weigh 49kgs and I would like to put on at least seven more kgs. I am 163 cms tall. I was wondering what kind of food and how much should I eat to put on the extra weight? I am also starting at the gym what kind of exercises should I do to get bigger calve muscles and a bigger bum?
Protein is the food for you, and weights are the best exercise. It would be easy to load up on sugary foods and drinks but I recommend increasing your lean meat, skinless chicken, fish and seafood, eggs, and cottage cheese intake at mealtimes and snack times. Probiotic yoghurts and pure whey powder (look for Aussie Bodies Perfect Protein) are also excellent sources of protein. Make sure you have a good helping of one of any of these at each meal of the day. They are all high protein foods and if you combine them with a good weights program (see a gym trainer to get the right exercises to do) then you will get your dream.
Falling Weight I'm not sure if I am asking the right person, but I am around 5'4" and weigh 46kgs. Near the middle of last year I changed my diet to eat healthier, opting for organically grown foods and foods with less sugar and fat. It started simply as a want to eat healthier, but then I started to become more concerned with portion sizes, calorie content and my weight. I lost 4kgs and now am getting worried that I might develop an eating disorder with my constant fussing over whether what I eat is healthy, and the guilt I feel after something 'unhealthy’. I am Asian, and exercise regularly with 15-30min walks on weekdays and a weekly dance lesson. What can I do to stop my obsession with my weight?
I would recommend you get a referral from your doctor to see a counsellor immediately. You have made an excellent observation of a potential problem and if you deal with the underlying emotional issues (usually low self esteem) before they get too far out of hand then you will have a much more balanced and peaceful outlook on food, eating and your body. It may help to recognise that our western society subtly demands that for women to be accepted and considered worthy of any sort of attention, they must be thin. This is reflected in media, TV, magazines, etc. This in turn seems to create a constant internal criticism within many women which can become obsessive and unhealthy.
Losing Weight I’m 15 years old and currently weigh 70kgs. I’ve gained 10kgs in three months over the summer holidays and I feel absolutely disgusting and horrible. I am not used to carrying this much weight around and it’s really affecting me, mentally and physically. I hate it. Is there anything I can do? I’ve tried heaps of diets and different exercises but never manage to stick with it. I’d like to lose 20kgs healthily. Is there anything you recommend that’s not too stressful, expensive or hard?
You have found out the hard way that dieting actually puts weight on! I recommend that you get as much support as possible to assist you to improve your self esteem and health, this vital step is necessary to prevent continued dieting and bingeing which will cause unhealthy consequences. A regular visit to the school counsellor and also a referral to a Dietitian will make quite a difference.
There are no quick fixes to losing weight. However if you apply yourself you should be able to lose this weight within a year. This means every day (including weekends) you will need to put some comfortable shoes on and go for a half to one hour walk – rain or shine. Exercise like this is not negotiable; it needs to become as much a regular a part of life as it is to brush your teeth or to have a shower. Ask your doctor for a Green Prescription which may also help you to purchase a pedometer very cheaply.
In regard to food, you need to look at what foods you ate that put the weight on so dramatically over summer. Ideally most people tend to lose weight over summer because there are more fruits and vegetables around – perhaps this is where the answer lies for you. Starving yourself is not the way to go; you will run your health down and lower your energy levels which in turn will create bingeing. Aim for three healthy meals per day and avoid snacking, takeaway foods, fried foods, sugar containing foods, and fizzy drinks where possible for at least five to six days per week. These simple guidelines will most probably do the trick.
Flatulence I am 28, 74kgs and 5ft 4. I have terrible flatulence, particularly at night when lying down. It’s embarrassing, and I feel gross. My partner says he doesn’t mind but it has to be a turn off. I have a decent balanced diet - not too much of anything bad, I watch the amount I consume, I exercise three times a week (swimming and walking or cycling) and I don’t eat a lot of dairy, as my partner is intolerant. Sometimes after coffee, or spicy food I get a reaction and have to run to the bathroom, sometimes I don’t. It’s all very confusing, as I can’t pinpoint it to anything - can you recommend anything?
It sounds like you have a build-up of yeast micro-organisms in your intestines. These pesky little blighters get out of control when various medications are used. Yeast micro-organisms love sugar and salt so keep your intake of these way down or avoid them completely. Bananas, orange juice, cola, tea, coffee, and chocolate also seem to aggravate.
I recommend Healtheries Yeastop tablets or Healtheries Olive Leaf tablets which will help to reduce their numbers considerably (you may seem to be a little windier for a couple of days when you first take them). Then make sure you have a daily dose of acidophilus or probiotic yoghurt, to repopulate your tummy with the right bacteria which will naturally help to keep the yeast numbers down.
Smoked Chook I’ve been eating quite a bit of smoked chicken lately ie. generally in salads. Is this a healthy source of protein or is it quite unhealthy?
Smoked chicken has a lovely flavour and it is a healthy source of protein; however you may want to keep your intake down to two to three servings per week because of the nitrate content of this food. Smoked foods were common before refrigeration as the nitrates used for curing the meat have a strong anti-microbial action, preventing contamination. However, nitrates (or nitrites) become converted into nitrosamines in the body, and if enough of these are consumed over time, it is considered that they may have a detrimental effect on health. On the positive side, vitamins C and E – found in salads, vegetables, fruits and wholegrains can help to prevent nitrosamines from forming. So do continue to have your smoked chicken with salad, but do have some other foods to get more variety. Try fresh chicken or turkey, shaved beef, tuna or salmon, cottage cheese, or egg as alternatives on other days.
Bad Habits I am a really bad eater and I know I am. I have been eating this way since I was about two-years-old. I have been to a number of dieticians and doctors as my mum has been very worried. The thing is I don’t eat vegetables or meat. I can eat up to eight pieces of white toast with marmite every morning and maybe a bowl of cereal on top. At lunch at school I’ll have biscuits a piece of fruit, marmite sandwiches and potato chips, plus maybe a Cookie Time and some crackers. Dinner is the worst as I simply don’t eat. I will either eat hot chips every night or toast again. I will occasionally eat two minute noodles and pancakes. I really want to eat healthy but I simply can’t bring myself to. I’m really fussy with different icecreams and lollies too! I was thinking of going to a hypnotist and I want to know if you think this will work? Help me I really have to start eating properly as I’m now 16. I’m not putting on any weight either, I’m 50 kgs and 167cm tall.
Thankfully you are getting old enough to realise that all this ‘kiddy junk food’ is not going to help your health. The main problem is that you are not getting enough protein (especially) and other essential nutrients and this makes you ravenously hungry for junk food.
You are going to have to make up your mind to start eating like an adult. This means realising that within you is an inner child which has run riot for all of your life. Start acting as a parent to this inner child and promise little treats if she will try some new foods, or eat a new vegetable or fruit every day, or start to eat wholegrain bread. At first she will throw tantrums and act like she is sick at the thought of eating this food, but if you persevere you will find she will ‘come to the party’.
Start with having wholegrain toast in the morning and promise that she can have one white slice of toast, and then try one of the many light types of muesli with flavoured yoghurt. For lunch start with tuna or chicken or egg sandwiches and have one marmite sandwich. Only allow her crisps when she has had one piece of fruit.
Protein foods include – chicken, salmon, tuna, seafood, eggs, yoghurt, cheeses, pate. Lesser sources of protein are nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, tofu, and tempeh. By having a large serving of one of these at each of three meals per day you will begin to notice that it is easier to do away with childlike eating habits.
Find out what healthy foods your inner child likes – is it egg, or fish, tomatoes, carrots, peas -whatever it is eat lots of it. Bear in mind that you will have made decisions that you didn’t like certain foods when you were very young and you will need to retry these foods again. Healtheries B Complex Supreme vitamins can help to boost your appetite for the right food.
This process isn’t going to be easy, however you will find that it will get much easier after about a month of perseverance, the alternative is serious health and immune problems if you don’t tackle this problem now.
Dodgy Stomach My stomach plays up a lot when I eat various foods. I've given up drinking milk and now have soy milk and that's helped a lot. I've also stopped drinking coffee as this made me really bloated. Sometimes even when I eat apples or raw veges like salad I tend to get bloated as well. The only 'safe' fruit is kiwifruit. I was looking at irritable bowel syndrome on the internet and it really sounds like the symptoms I have. Can you suggest a low calorie diet plan that I could stick to that will digest ok? Thanks.
It sounds like your digestive system needs a perk up. Often having warm drinks and foods wherever possible can make quite a difference. It seems for some people that their digestive system dislikes cold raw foods. Try having only hot or warm water to drink, no iced or refrigerated drinks, only cooked vegetables instead of salad, and tinned or cooked fruit instead of raw.
Drink Healtheries Ginger Tea with Lemongrass or Healtheries Ginger with Lemon Tea & Apple several times a day. Ginger has a wonderfully calming and warming effect on the digestive system. Healtheries Aloe Vera Juice may also be very helpful. Start with one tablespoon per day in pineapple juice and water (pineapple juice seems to assist digestion also).
For breakfast try Healtheries Wholegrain Rice Flakes made into a porridge with dates, almonds, and sunflower seeds, topped with soy milk, tinned fruit (in juice not syrup) or kiwifruit and a little drizzle of manuka honey – this is delicious, easy to digest, and low in calories.
For lunch have a nourishing warm vegetable soup, or miso soup, with Healtheries Natural Multigrain Rice Wafers topped with hummus and cottage cheese. And finally for dinner eat brown rice often with your meals along with veggies (try SunRice 90 second instant Brown Rice). Rice is very gentle on the digestive system and is easier to digest than wheat, pasta, and potatoes.
Moody Apetite I go through periods of time where I eat constantly and then will have days when I don’t feel the need to eat at all. Is this normal?
You don’t say how old you are, but if you are still a teenager, then this is very common as growth spurts will dictate whether you are ravenous or not. You won’t really stop growing until you are about 20. Medications; the amount of exercise you do; caffeine in tea, coffee, cola, and milo; the daily routine you have; and how well balanced your blood sugar levels are – are some of the other potential reasons why this is happening.
Protein can make a difference to balancing your appetite. Make sure you include some at each of the three meals of the day – these include lean meat, eggs, chicken, fish and seafood, cheeses, yoghurt, or tofu. You will need to get your food into a routine, because unbalanced eating habits will start to affect your health, energy, and immune system.
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Something not quite right with your body? nzgirl nutritionist Vicki Martin helps out with all your health problems....
also seem to aggravate. 
Find out what healthy foods your inner child likes – is it egg, or fish, tomatoes, carrots, peas -whatever it is eat lots of it. Bear in mind that you will have made decisions that you didn’t like certain foods when you were very young and you will need to retry these foods again. Healtheries B Complex Supreme vitamins can help to boost your appetite for the right food.
ok? Thanks.