Could fitness technology be causing you to gain weight?
Are you one of the many thousands of people who has invested in a piece of fitness technology or fitness tracker app in recent years? If so, you might want to read on… I have been a Dietitian for over 20 years and have observed the many nutritional changes and fads (fitness technology) that come and go. However, over the past two years, I have noticed an increasing but new reason as to why my clients are requesting advice for weight loss and healthy eating. They are coming to me totally confused and despondent. After originally embarking on a positive health change themselves, making a conscious effort to track their food and exercise, they have found instead of weight loss and health; additional weight gain and sluggishness from the commencement of using the gadget or app they purchased one to two years previous. Doing a little investigation, I am not alone in these findings and a research paper from JAMA September 20, 2016, entitled: ‘Effect of Wearable Technology Combined With a Lifestyle Intervention on Long-term Weight Loss: The IDEA Randomized Clinical Trial‘, found that the group selected to wear technology did not lose as much weight as the group who followed regular advice and exercise. Interesting indeed. As always, there are various factors involved behind research findings and as expected, limitations. However, what I took from this study in particular was the time factor: it was monitored for a full 24 months. Other studies have shown different results with 9 months or 6 months but when looking at a full two years, the study highlights that using technology doesn’t provide all the answers and the results are disappointing. So what now with fitness technology? Well, it is not time to throw out the technology just yet! What is however important to focus on – and what I feel is the most important element – is support. I know with my own personal health and well-being, if I did not belong to a running group I would not run the length of myself!! I do believe that support is still the foundation to success and people benefit from either individual or group support when needing advice and change. I’m sure like me you have all tried to do something new or different; from watching cooking shows, to learning an instrument. If teaching yourself, it is a really big challenge and commitment. Our self-doubt and often our over ambitious desires can derail our smallest but valid attempts and efforts. Putting this into something useful for you going forward…. Support is important, and one size does not fit all. Technology can only contribute to a portion of the puzzle when it comes to health. The watch may say ‘500 kcals burned’ but has your body the capability to metabolise at the rate the watch is set at? If you are not getting results you need to seek a personalised assessment and plan. For me the bottom line is this… whatever group or individual you choose, you need to know they have evidence to back up what they are providing. The support needs to be realistic, enjoyable and you need to be comfortable to see this advice through for the rest of your life. Knowing you are not alone and that you have expert support as required is golden. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018 and Jan 2021.
Is coffee good or bad for you? All you need to know
Coffee has been researched over and over and over, and why not! A universally consumed drink, it is complex, with over a thousand different substances present. So is it actually good for you, or should we avoid it completely? Here, we separate the facts from the fiction so that you can make an informed decision on its consumption. For years, researchers have warned us to avoid coffee because it might increase the risk of heart disease and affect growth. They worried that people could become addicted to the energy that high amounts of caffeine provided, leading them to crave more and more coffee as they became tolerant to higher amounts of caffeine. Experts also worried that coffee had damaging effects on the digestive tract, which could lead to stomach ulcers, heartburn and other ills. All of this concern stems from studies carried out decades ago that compared coffee drinkers to non-drinkers on a number of health measures, including heart problems and mortality. Coffee drinkers, it seemed, were always worse off. But it turns out that coffee drinkers were not compared fairly. Those studies didn’t always check for other factors that could account for poor health, such as smoking, drinking and a lack of physical activity. If people who drank a lot of coffee also happened to have some other unhealthy habits, then it’s not clear that coffee is responsible for their heart problems or higher mortality. That understanding has led to a rehabilitated reputation for the drink. Recent research reveals that once the proper adjustments are made for confounding factors, coffee drinkers don’t seem to have a higher risk for heart problems or cancer than people who don’t drink coffee. Recent studies also found no significant link between the caffeine in coffee and heart-related issues such as high cholesterol, irregular heartbeats, stroke or heart attack. Is coffee actually good for you? Studies show that people who drink coffee regularly may have an 11% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-drinkers, thanks to ingredients in coffee that can affect levels of hormones involved in metabolism. In a large study involving tens of thousands of people, researchers found that people who drank several cups a day—anywhere from two to four cups—actually had a lower risk of stroke. Heart experts say the benefits may come from coffee’s effect on the blood vessels; by keeping vessels flexible and healthy, it may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which can cause heart attacks. Some studies now suggest that decaf and caffeinated coffee may have the same health effects and suggest that it’s not just the caffeine that is responsible for coffee’s health benefits. Coffee is high in antioxidants, which are known to fight the oxidative damage that can cause cancer. That may explain why some studies have found a lower risk of liver cancer among coffee drinkers. Coffee has also been suggested to help you live longer. A recent study involving more than 208,000 men and women found that people who drank coffee regularly were less likely to die prematurely than those who didn’t drink coffee. Researchers believe that some of the chemicals in coffee may help reduce inflammation, which has been found to play a role in a number of ageing-related health problems, including dementia and Alzheimer’s. Some evidence also suggests that coffee may slow down some of the metabolic processes that drive ageing. One negative is that people may become dependent on caffeine and if stopped will cause withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms—headaches, irritability and fatigue—can mimic those of people coming off addictive drugs. Yet fortunately the dependence is nothing close to or as worrisome as addictions to habit-forming drugs like opiates. While unpleasant, caffeine “withdrawal” symptoms are tolerable and tend to go away after a day or so. How much coffee is safe? Like so many foods and nutrients, too much coffee can cause problems, especially in the digestive tract. But studies have shown that drinking up to four cups of coffee per day is safe. Moderation is key. For now, sipping coffee in reasonable amounts just might be one of the healthiest things you can do. If you have side effects however do reduce your intake to a level that is comfortable for you. If you have any concerns about how to get healthier please get in touch. We are experts in nutrition and able to assist you with all health issues. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
January -Try Something New #LearnuaryNI Challenge
This January, eating healthier just got a whole lot easier! Join the #LearnuaryNI Challenge and discover a new top tip to help you eat better and feel great every day this month. January is typically a month associated with New Year Resolutions, with the general consensus being: “I’m going to eat better”. A fantastic idea, but one which can be hard to maintain or even know where to start. So this #LearnuaryNI, to make your mission of eating healthier a little easier, we’ve shared our daily tips to get January off to the perfect start. Trying out each of these will increase your knowledge of healthy eating, helping you see the benefits of what you are doing. Your #LearnuaryNI quest to learn one new thing each day throughout the month of January 2018 can take many forms. Learning is proven to boost your health and wellbeing and is one of five key steps recommended by mental health charities and no-one would doubt that taking care of your diet, fitness, medical issues and self-care are critical considerations for everyone. So without further ado, here are our #LearnuaryNI challenges, one bitesize health and nutrition tip a day: Plan your shopping list for the week in advance and stick to it Don’t shop hungry Drink ½ your weight in water ie 150lb person = 2.2 litres Use online shopping to reduce temptation Make your plate of food colourful Enjoy 3 portions of fruit each day Eat 6-7 vegetables/salad each day Chew and eat slowly Avoid low fat products Avoid low sugar products Don’t neglect exercise – Healthy eating = 80% and exercise = 20% Eat out as little as possible – Enjoy other social outings: crazy golf, ice skating, tenpin bowling… Cook from scratch Dance and workout to music while cooking Ensure you have working utensils like peelers, sharp knives, colander, scales… Make vegetables appealing with spices and herbs Keep trigger foods out of your cupboards Sleep is major – if insufficient your ghrelin hormone increases hunger Avoid filling up on bread Bored of boiling veg – roast it instead – add garlic/salt and enjoy Sit at the table at each meal and smell, look, be aware and enjoy what you are eating Don’t eat if not hungry – it may be dehydration or even boredom! Use vanilla extract, cinnamon, mint, lemon, lime for flavourings Dark chocolate x 2 squares a day is a tasty and nutritious treat Avoid eating the leftovers – freeze instead or save for lunch the next day Don’t pick at the kids’ foods Alcohol = liquid calories – keep to a safe minimum If eating out stick to sharing starters and desserts and enjoy a healthy main Have a large glass of water 15 minutes before eating Be careful if taking supplements – do you know how good the ingredients are? Use a weighing scales once per week, weighing yourself at the same time of the day, to watch your weight Trying out these steps this January is the foundation of adopting a healthier lifestyle and promoting self care. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
Vitamin D deficiency: Should we use supplements?
For years, it has been widely accepted by scientists that vitamin D deficiency is a longstanding health problem, with implications on health and wellbeing. While there are a wealth of reasons for vitamin D deficiently, inadequate skin synthesis due to restricted sunlight, limited food fortification and lack of vitamin D from natural food sources are confirmed contributing factors. Here, we discuss how certain health conditions can further enhance the risk of vitamin D deficiency and ways to increase its consumption. The levels of vitamin D deficiency In the UK, currently, Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI) for vitamin D are only set for children aged 1.5-3 and adults over 65 years of age. Using the average intakes for each of these age groups, data from the latest UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) revealed that intakes of vitamin D from food sources are just 27% of the RNI for children and 33% for adults, showing significantly low vitamin D levels from food sources. When it comes to assessing blood biomarkers in relation to vitamin D levels, plasma vitamin D levels of <25 nmol/L are used to identify a deficiency. Using this as an indicator, it was revealed that on average, 19.7% of boys and 24.4% of girls aged 4 to 10 had levels less than 25 nmol/L, while 24% of men and 21.7% of women aged 19 to 64 has plasma vitamin D levels below this. The survey also revealed that when averaged out across the year, 40% of young people and adults were deficient between the months of January and March. Health conditions which can increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency Malabsorption, coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis, short bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can all increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency. Amongst adults, an Irish study involving 81 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) revealed that 63% were vitamin D deficient. Furthermore, a study of patients with coeliac disease in the US showed that 25% had vitamin D deficiency. Common signs of deficiency When it comes to symptoms of vitamin D deficiency, these tend to vary across the lifespan and with the level of deficiency. During adolescence, symptoms typical of severe deficiency include muscle cramps, pain in weight-bearing joints and problems walking, running or climbing stairs. In adults, a mild lack of vitamin D may present itself as general aches and pain, while more severe deficiency is associated with osteomalacia and post-menopausal increased fracture risk. Furthermore, suboptimal vitamin D levels are associated with an increased risk of severe infections and sepsis amongst those that re critically ill. Vitamin D supplements When it comes to supplementing vitamin D levels, we must first ascertain whether it is to maintain and prevent deficiency or to treat a diagnosed deficiency. In the care of maintaining levels, The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) proposed an adequate intake of 15 µg/day for adults. In the UK, while RNIs are not available, it has been suggested that 10 µg/day for those aged 11 to 65 is suitable. In the situation of vitamin D deficiency, such as in cases of patients with diagnosed bone diseases, it has been advised by the National Osteoporosis Society that levels are increased rapidly with doses of up to 7500 µg. So, for example, taking 20 µg/day capsules, five times a day for 10 weeks could be used to rapidly correct low levels, and following this, levels should be maintained. When it comes to which form of vitamin D supplementation to take, evidence suggests that vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is effective at raising levels. Here at 121 Dietitian we support all the evidence regarding Vitamin D deficiency and the importance of correcting low levels. However the safety of increasing levels and continued maintenance of these levels are of concern, and so we prefer to guide our patients with a safe combination of a whole food diet rich in Vitamin D foods and natural supplementation of key nutrients. Why? Many of the general population are correctly taking action and looking after their own health, and over the counter supplementation has been around for a long time, nothing new there. The issue is the toxic levels of Vitamin D supplementation that people are taking and the length of time they are taking them for with no monitoring. Hypervitaminosis D is a rare but potentially serious condition. It occurs when you take in too much vitamin D. It’s usually the result of taking high-dose vitamin D supplements without checking your status. Too much vitamin D can cause abnormally high levels of calcium in the blood. This can affect bones, tissues, and other organs. It can lead to high blood pressure, bone loss, and kidney damage without treatment. Vitamin D can also affect Vitamin A, Vitamin K and magnesium levels and if the ratio is not maintained then you may experience further unpleasant side effects. As of the past number of years GP’s in Northern Ireland are unable to routinely measure peoples Vitamin D levels. This for me as a health professional is disappointing and worrying as we are frequently seeing cases of severe deficiency and many with long term excessive use and negative consequences. Monitoring needs to happen. In summary, Vitamin D deficiency is common in the UK, particularly during the winter months and notably in vulnerable populations. While symptoms can be hard to spot, tiredness and general fatigue are common and may suggest your levels should be assessed by your GP or through a simple blood test where possible. Action should be taken based on these findings and current health status. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social
Hashimoto’s And Me – Part 3…
Another six months on and I am delighted to let you all know that I have reversed my Hashimoto’s. I am more than delighted! My antibodies are below the 35 IU/mL, and it has been due to diet, supplements, exercise and lifestyle. My current lifestyle is still busy but I now try my best to keep on top of my workload and general daily pressure. I continued with my gluten-free diet, avoiding processed gluten-free products 99% of the time also. From an individual who naively followed the principles of a low fat diet in her twenties and scorned anyone who took supplements, always believing that your food gave you all the nutrients if you ate healthy, I have come a long way – unfortunately the hard way. And if you read my previous blogs you will know the changes I have made have been many. I now eat increased healthy fat choices and upped my vegetable intake further than I thought possible and I’m loving the changes. I see patients at my clinic daily who have chronic inflammation, PCOS, chronic fatigue syndrome, hypothyroidism, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and IBS, who all benefit from my new and ever expanding nutritional and medical research and knowledge. My message to you all is not to suffer in silence. You may have been through many tests that show nothing is wrong but don’t give up. You need a full MOT to be able to get to the root cause. Therefore I urge you to seek advice. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
Fuss-free fish fingers recipe
Fish Fingers – It’s a family classic and one which kids love! Sometimes it’s nice to get the ingredients together to make this family favourite from scratch. And it’s a lot easier than you might think. This recipe can be made with white fish of your choice. We suggest you try sustainable haddock for something different as it is packed full of essential vitamins – most notably B vitamins. A 90g portion contains 3.9 milligrams of niacin and 1.2 micrograms of vitamin B-12. Other B vitamins include B-6, thiamin, riboflavin, folate and pantothenic acid. The B vitamins are essential for food metabolism and the formation of red blood cells. Haddock also contains several minerals, including phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, calcium, sodium, zinc, copper and manganese. The most abundant mineral in haddock is selenium, with a 90g portion of cooked haddock containing 34.4 micrograms or almost 50 percent of the recommended dietary intake. Selenium is reported to help prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes. A lack of selenium has also been linked to a weakened immune system. What a great micro-nutrient rich fish! This can be served with your favourite side dish, but we’ve opted for smoky potato wedges, which can be substituted for sweet potatoes (see recipe below). Swap the breadcrumbs to gluten-free bread if you are avoiding gluten/wheat. Ingredients for fish fingers 1 egg, beaten 85g white breadcrumbs, made from day old bread Zest and juice from 1 lemon 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tbsp olive oil 400g skinless sustainable white fish, sliced into 12 strips 4 tbsp mayonnaise 140g frozen peas, cooked and cooled 100g young leaf spinach How to make fish fingers Heat oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan / gas 6. Pour the beaten egg into a shallow dish. Tip the breadcrumbs onto a plate. Mix the lemon zest into the breadcrumbs along with the oregano and some salt and pepper. Brush a non-stick baking sheet with half the oil. Dip the fish strips into the egg, then roll them in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to the baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until golden. Meanwhile, mix the mayo with a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss the spinach leaves and peas with a squeeze more lemon juice and the remaining oil. Serve the fish fingers with the spinach and peas and a spoonful of the lemony mayo. Serve with a side: Why not try smoky potato wedges? These chunky chips can be cooked alongside the fish fingers. Method: Heat over to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Cut 4 baking potatoes into wedges, then arrange a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle over 1 tsp smoked paprika and 1 tbsp olive oil, season, then bake for 30 minutes. Need advice on healthy recipes for your family? Get in touch to find out how 121 Dietitian can help you. If you are unsure of how to change your eating habits, or need help optimising the foods you eat please do contact us. We would love to help you or your family and friends with any nutrition related queries big or small. In the meantime do please check out our 121Dietitian Shop If you have enjoyed this blog we would love you to share this with your family and friends on your social media channels. Why not visit our YouTube Channel for more on keeping your health optimal. How can a Dietitian help Book a consultation via our Online Portal About Gillian Killiner Check out our tailored dietary programmes Gillian x [instagram-feed] Information checked & correct on 16th May 2018.
