The importance of fibre and the danger of long term low carb diets

In my opinion fibre is an unspoken hero and is central to many of our health issues today… 

In my last post I imparted information from the new UK health recommendations, based on scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN). The last post was focused on carbohydrates and free sugars, therefore as promised this post will describe not only the importance of fibre but also how we can achieve the recommendations. 

The official definition of dietary fibre within Europe has been recently adapted to incorporate further types of fibre within foods. If you would like further information please visit British Nutrition Foundation (BNF), online (see references for link).

The science is strong in terms of dietary fibre, and we now know that increasing fibre reduces heart disease and related problems, incidence of stroke, colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes. I am sure that you are aware that these diseases are huge killers in the UK, hence the importance of these recommendations. Moreover, a low fibre intake is associated with constipation and gut issues, with a high fibre diet supporting the reduction of cholesterol and being overweight.

A familiar story…

Health professionals appreciate the challenge, as the 30g a day adult guidance is not reflected in the average UK diet. Achieving this will require a change of diet for many of us. In my unwavering opinion it is time for us to wake up and view the statistics of disease and unnecessary pain that so many are going through, which is for the most part related to our diet. 

Forgive my tangent here, but I think this may be familiar to many of you. I was sitting waiting for a friend in a public area and overheard a conversation (as one does) between a poor suffering lady and her companion. This lady was listing all of her problems that were auto immune and heart issues, and so it went on. The symptoms were being relayed as a matter of fact, that these were part of growing older. I felt so sad for her - this is not right, we do not have to suffer. There needs to be a revolution of change! Food is medicine, how will you incorporate this into your life and that of your close ones?

Dietary fibre recommendations

Fibre intake should be approximate 15g per day for age 2 to 5 years, 20g per day - 5 to 11 years, 25 g per day - 11 to 16 years and 30g for 16 years and above (these figures are based on the european  definition of fibre - Association of official analytical chemists - for more information see references).

Why is low carb an issue?

The low carbohydrate, high fat diet has been found to be extremely effective in weight loss in the short term, particularly in morbidly obese individuals, however in the long term there are health risks to be considered. This is due to a low carbohydrate diet generally comprising of a minimal amount of foods which contain fibre. As discussed in former paragraphs, this increases the risk of many health issues over the long term.

How can I increase my fibre and meet these recommendations?

In meeting these recommendations a person will reduce their risk of the health problems as noted above, with many other benefits such as increased energy, clear skin and more. The following are ways to achieve a high fibre diet in a healthy way. If you would like further guidance and a way to incorporate healthy habits for life please go to www.passionatenutrition.co.uk .

• an average daily consumption of 8 portions of fruits and vegetables
• consume more fruits and vegetables in a daily smoothie - use more veggies/berries than other fruits (www.passionatenutrtion.co.uk)
• consume sweet potatoes with skins
• choose wholemeal options for breads or pasta
• oats are an excellent source of fibre - include a few times a week 
• make your meals from scratch including vegetables e.g. chilli, soups, curries e.t.c.
• include nuts and seeds as a daily snack or added to smoothies, salads e.t.c.

I hope this will help you increase your fibre intake and live a long healthy life! As always if you have any questions please comment or get in touch.

Love and health

Kelly x

References

• http://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/nutrients/dietary-fibre.html?start=3o 

• The full SACN report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf

• Supporting documents: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445512/Supporting_Documents.zip

For the love of the open water

The first time I did an open-water swim was late summer 2013 - 500 metres around the lake at Ellerton, North Yorkshire. Having struggled into my neoprene wetsuit (no mean feat!) I headed to the jetty. Pausing at the edge, I knew the longer I hesitated, the harder it would be to take the plunge. So, within a matter of seconds I went for it! The sun was shining and the water was calm (athough I had to try hard not to think about the fish and other wildlife lurking beneath me!). I can honestly say I have never looked back! Swimming in the open air is a rejuvenating and exhilarating experience both physically and mentally.

Fear when faced, can bring huge rewards, it makes us stronger and more self confident. It pushes us to escape the mundane and be the best we can be!.

Open-water swimming is a lifetime sport that has all the health benefits of indoor swimming, such as developing cardiovascular fitness and muscle strength, as well as improving flexibility, coordination and boosting energy levels. It is an excellent activity for weight control and stamina building. Because swimming does not impact on the joints like running and similar exercises, it is good for people with back or joint problems who may not be comfortable with land based exercise.

Swimming in natural environments also avoids the chlorinated water together with the general dullness of ploughing up and down in a straight line in indoor swimming pools.

I have even caught the competitive bug and have taken part in a swim at Bamburgh as part of a sprint triathlon (yes, really!) as well as the one and two mile races in Lake Windermere. 

Whilst I’m glad I’ve done these, open water swimming is best taken at a steady pace, so that the tranquillity and serenity permeates your body with a ''good to be alive’’ feeling.

Of course there are some safety issues to consider when swimming outside:

Avoid swimming alone especially in a new location.

Consider wearing a wetsuit to provide warmth and aid buoyancy. They are compulsory at most organised venues when the water temperature is below 14 degrees.

Beyond keeping warm the biggest issue among beginners is anxiety. Diving into a dark, cold lake can be intimidating. As panic is often the result of perceived shortage of breath, this can be avoided by exhaling deeply, as well as allowing water to seep into your wetsuit slowly to avoid the shock of a sudden drop in temperature.

I would recommend that if you're  considering outdoor swimming, you start when the water is at its warmest, so that you become acclimatised. The website wildswim.com lists places near you and notes advice from local swimmers.

Swimming in open water is something else. It doesn’t demand that you’re particularly well-conditioned before you start. Rather, it helps you to reflect and work through any psychological or emotional issues and to get in touch with your body. The water encourages a journey inward, tapping into your inner strength and yielding to a need greater than your own.

So what are you waiting for? Find some water and get moving... the water might be freezing, but it’s lovely!

Namaste

Alison x

Sources:

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/511493/Open-water-swimming-good-for-body

http://www.existing2living.com/8-reasons-why-fear-is-good-for-you/

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/511493/Open-water-swimming-good-for-body

http://www.strel-swimming.com/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/personal-view/11325401/Why-open-water-swimming-is-the-trend-of-2015.html

What do the new UK healthy eating guidelines mean for you?

There have been recent changes in the UK dietary recommendations reported in the media. I find myself confused by some of the messaging attached to what seems like a jumble of statistics and percentages, so in this post I will share the important changes to sugars, what they mean and why they have been made.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) have released a report to the government, basing all of their recommendations on strong scientific evidence. The UK Department of Health has adopted this dietary guidance for carbohydrates, sugars and fibre. This is great news because it is being officially recognised that reducing free sugars* and increasing fibre can reduce our risk significantly for many types of cancers , heart disease, diabetes, obesity etc.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sacn-carbohydrates-and-health-report

Carbohydrates - 50% total dietary energy

The amount of carbohydrates we can consume has been increased. The report stated that diets higher in ‘total carbohydrate’ and links to weight gain were not supported by the evidence. However the most important changes are to the sugar and fibre guidance within total carbohydrates. 

No more than 5% of total dietary energy should come from free sugars…

The SACN review reported that higher consumption of sugar, food and drinks containing sugars resulted in tooth decay, increase in type 2 diabetes as well as weight gain in children and adults. This is most likely not new information for you, but we can celebrate this being included in national guidance as a step forward in our understanding of nutrition.

So what is 5% and what are free sugars? 

If you are an adult female this will mean that you should be consuming no more than 80-90 calories or 20-25g of free sugars (approximately 30g or 6 teaspoons) adult males and 18g  or just less than 4 teaspoons for children). ‘Free sugars’ are defined as those sugars added into foods by manufacturers or ourselves, including in tea, coffee, sugary drinks in addition to sugars naturally present in honey, syrups and fruit juices. This does not include whole foods which include natural sugars e.g. fruit or lactose (the natural sugar found in milk).

*”all monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer, plus sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices”.

WHO 2015

Examples of amount of free sugars contained within food products:

• 1 can of coke 33g
• 30g bowl of bought standard chocolate cereal 12g
• 1 average milk chocolate bar  23g
• 1 medium glass of fresh orange 24g

You can check your food label by looking at the amount of carbohydrates of which sugars per 100g, then calculating how many grams of sugar is in the serving size e.g. 10g of sugar per 100g would mean in a serving of 50g there would be 5g of sugar.

I hope this has helped you understand the first of the UK dietary recommendations. I will be following this post with a further post on the changes to fibre recommendations, then with fat and protein. 

As always, please do not hesitate to ask or comment if you have any questions. 

Love and health

Kelly x

Notes:

The new recommendation values for total carbohydrates, sugars and starches are made in the

context of an energy intake that is appropriate to maintain a healthy weight (SACN, 2011) and are 

in relation to the average population intake for the age groups from 2 years upwards.

References

ï         The full SACN report is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf

ï         Supporting documents: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445512/Supporting_Documents.zip