Blueberries for your Heart Health
Blueberries are a popular and delicious fruit containing various nutrients and bioactive compounds that work together to support cardiovascular health. These small, blue-coloured berries are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals essential for maintaining good overall health. They have been the subject of numerous studies in recent years, which have shown that they offer a range of health benefits, particularly…
Soy benefits for heart health
Soybeans have been a staple food in Asia for centuries and have recently gained popularity in the Western world. Consuming soy products has numerous health benefits, particularly for heart health. Soybeans contain several compounds that are beneficial for heart health. One of the most important is isoflavones. Isoflavones are a type of phytoestrogen, meaning they have a structure similar to…
DASH Diet
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet is a dietary pattern developed to help reduce blood pressure and improve overall health. It was first introduced in the 1990s by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in the United States and has since been recognized as one of the healthiest diets for overall health and disease prevention. The…
Portfolio Diet
The Portfolio Diet is a nutritional approach designed to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. It was developed in 2003 by David J.A. Jenkins, a British-born Professor at the University of Toronto. It has since become a popular dietary approach for those seeking to reduce their heart disease risk. The Portfolio Diet aims to lower LDL…
The Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries and is considered one of the healthiest diets in the world. It is often seen as the gold standard when it comes to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Following this diet has been linked to numerous positive effects on CVD risk factors, such as lowering cholesterol levels and blood pressure…
What to do after I have been told to change my diet completely (and I am in total panic)?!
The worst thing you can do is to attempt to completely change your eating habits overnight. It is a great chance that you will fail. If you want to change your diet successfully, please try to follow the SMART goals approach. Start with baby steps that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed. Goals will be different to everyone. It…
Are you concerned about the cholesterol on your plate?
“Cholesterol is not considered a nutrient of concern for overconsumption,” the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans says. That means: You don’t need to worry about cholesterol in your food. Why not? There’s a growing consensus among scientists that cholesterol in food has little effect on the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream. And that’s the cholesterol that matters. Since the…
Is it worth spending money on organic?
On many occasions I have been asked why I spend extra money on organic food, and why I recommend others to do the same. So here is a short summary of my reasons for buying organic. Organic standards There are almost 300 pesticides routinely permitted in non-organic farming, and these are often present in the non-organic food we eat. In…
Dirty dozen and clean fifteen
Though I recommend buying organic produce whenever you can, unfortunately, it is often relatively expensive and less readily available. Stocks can often depend on the time of year or where you live; not every town has a good organic food supplier. For these reasons going 100% organic just isn’t realistic for most of us. Because the levels and numbers of…
