There are so many conflciting pieces of information when it comes to boosting your metabolism. Here we debunk those myths...

1. Fact or fallacy: There’s nothing you can do to speed up a slow metabolism
Fallacy. Whereas many may have a sluggish metabolism due to hormonal problems, many others tend to use this as an excuse for not losing weight. Either way, you can speed up your metabolism by following the “Facts” in this article.
 
2. Fact or fallacy: Drinking water can boost your metabolism
Fact. Yes, you’ve probably heard this one before, but drinking more of the translucent stuff is definitely worth your while. The reasons for this are two-fold. Firstly, water is essential for many of the metabolic processes that take place within the body, so it therefore makes sense that if you don’t drink enough, your metabolism cannot function optimally. Secondly, often one mistakes thirst for hunger, leading to one eating when actually your body is craving hydration. Therefore by drinking enough water you’re also preventing yourself from overeating. So try and drink at least 2 to 2.5l of water a day.

With February being the month of Love, isn't a good time to look after your heart?

You can love your heart by:

• Going for annual cholesterol checks
• Avoiding saturated fat (e.g. butter, red meat) and trans fats (commercial biscuits, pies and crisps)
• Eating more unsaturated fats (e.g. avo, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, fatty fish)
• Exercising at least 30 minutes on most days of the week
• Keeping your weight in check
• Keeping your blood pressure healthy
• Avoiding excess salt and pre-packaged foods
• Eating more fresh fruits and veggies
• Choosing fat-free dairy products

Have a great month!

Click here to see an article that I was quoted in for Longevity magazine (Jan 2011 issue) on staying on track during the festive season!

With February being the month of love, hearts and flowers, what better time is there to look after your own heart by considering your cholesterol levels...

Raised cholesterol levels are one of the leading risk factors for heart disease. However, many individuals are unsure as to how to manage their cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol – friend or foe?

Cholesterol is a waxy substance, which is naturally produced in the body by the liver and transported by the blood. It has an important physiological role in supporting the body’s organs. However, an excess of cholesterol in the blood can accumulate in blood vessels and increase risk of heart disease and strokes.

Deciphering the riddle

There are various cholesterol-related terms:

• Total cholesterol: measure of different components of cholesterol within body – including HDL and LDL levels
• HDL: considered “good” cholesterol, as it transports cholesterol from blood to liver where it can be broken down and inactivated
• LDL: considered “bad” cholesterol, as it carries cholesterol from liver to blood where it can exert its harmful effects.  

Therefore one wants to ensure that one’s HDL is not too low and one’s LDL is not too high, which in turn would have a more favourable outcome. 

Treatment Action Plan

Cholesterol-lowering medication is often used to treat high cholesterol, which acts by reducing the amount of cholesterol the body produces. There are various ways other than medication to increase HDL, reduce LDL, reduce total cholesterol, and thus improve one’s cholesterol profile:
 

• Regular exercise (at least 30 minutes three times a week) helps increase HDL levels
• Choosing the right fats: There are two main kinds of fats – saturated fats and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are mainly found in animal-derived foods (e.g. red meat, butter, full-cream dairy products). Unsaturated fats are mainly found in plant-derived foods (e.g. nuts, seeds, olives, olive oil, avocadoes). Saturated fats increase total cholesterol levels and therefore these foods should be limited. Unsaturated fats have many health benefits (e.g. anti-inflammatory and total cholesterol-lowering properties) and therefore these fats should replace saturated fats in the diet as much as possible.
• Increase fibre: Fibre binds cholesterol and helps remove it from the body, and thus naturally lowers total cholesterol and LDL levels.
  
  Thus through sustained lifestyle modifications and a healthy, balanced diet, one can significantly improve and manage one's cholesterol levels.
  

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that 2010 is a successful year for you all and brings you only good things! Unfortunately along with the festive season, comes a whole lot of extra calories and a snugger waistband than you remember.

Help is at hand, though with this guide to getting back on track after the festive season:
 

1. Don’t starve yourself. Skipping meals and severely limiting your food intake will result in your body going into “starvation mode” in that it will store (often in the form of fat) any food you do eat, and thus slowing down your metabolism. Rather try eating regularly to keep your metabolism functioning optimally. Therefore, an ideal approach would be to have three small meals and three snacks a day.
2. Drink water. Water is essential for many bodily processes, including flushing out toxins that may accumulate during periods of overindulgence. Therefore it is imperative to drink enough water (i.e. approximately 2l per day). Not drinking enough, also often leads one to develop cravings. Therefore when you crave an unhealthy food, drink a glass of water, wait 10 minutes and see if the craving passes.
3. Be more active. Try increasing the intensity and/or duration of your exercise. If you don’t do any exercise, make a concerted effort to start some sort of regular activity – even walking the dog, or taking the stairs instead of the lift counts. This will increase your fitness, as well as give you a metabolic boost to help shed those post-holiday pounds.
4. Quality and quantity. Try to limit your portion sizes, while simultaneously being aware of the kind of food you are eating. Rather than refined starches (e.g. white bread, mashed potato), choose unrefined starches (e.g. seed loaf, wholegrain cereals). These have a low glycaemic index, meaning they release sugar slower into the bloodstream. Therefore, you’ll have more sustained energy, and won’t get hungry as quickly.    

The most important point is not to focus on how unhealthily you ate over the past period, but rather to use it as a kickstart to achieve a healthier diet and lifestyle.