Juice/Life Balance

Juicing seems to be very popular at the moment; both to increase the nutrient-density of our diets and as a means of losing weight.  It’s something I like to do; I enjoy creating colourful combinations and feel great benefit from the explosion of nutrients they contain.  I think it’s important to point out, that although the juice will perhaps contain many more fruits & vegetables than we could possibly eat in one sitting or even perhaps in one day, we must aim to actually have days when we try to “eat” our 5-a-day as oppose to consuming them in juice, to ensure we benefit from the insoluble fibre they contain.

The juice below, made this morning, contains 2 apples, 3 carrots, 2 sticks of celery, large piece of cucumber, half an orange pepper and a large piece of fresh ginger and tasted delicious; the picture also shows the skin and peel of the fruit/veg removed from the juicer afterwards. 

 

Insoluble fibre is often termed as “roughage”, derived from the cellular structure of plants; it will not dissolve in water and is not digested or absorbed.  However, its vital function is to keep the gastrointestinal tract clean and works by drawing in and binding with water, swelling and stimulating peristalsis (normal rhythmic movement of the gut) thereby preventing bloating and constipation.  Research also shows that fibre is one of the most important factors in the prevention of colorectal cancer; fermentation of the fibre within the gut is able to affect the pH of the bowel which, in turn, promotes the balance of healthy bacteria in your intestines.

Good health is about moderation & balance x

Sterols or Statins - Prevention or Cure?

Lowering cholesterol – are plant sterols safe & effective?

Diseases of the heart and circulatory system are the main cause of death in the UK, with cardiovascular disease as one of the main causes of premature death, characterised by hardening and narrowing of blood vessels.  In 2009, over 180,000 people died from cardiovascular disease in the UK alone – one in 3 of all deaths.

 

 

The primary traditional risk factor for cardiovascular disease is dyslipidaemia (imbalance of fats (lipids)); an elevated concentration of the “bad” cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) is a well-established, independent risk factor for atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) and a 10% reduction of serum cholesterol is estimated to lower this risk by a staggering 50% at age 40 years and 20% at age 70.

Dietary therapy is the cornerstone of strategies to lower LDL levels and exploration into safe and effective alternatives to statin therapy, which often has undesirable side-effects, is of significant and clinical importance.

Plant sterols or phytosterols are bioactive compounds, structurally similar to cholesterol, and found naturally in various concentrations in plant foods, notably vegetable oils; more than 250 phytosterols have been identified with sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol being the most abundant.      

So how do these plant compounds actually lower cholesterol?  A spectrum of research demonstrates that phytosterols decrease circulating cholesterol concentrations by competing for absorption in the intestine, thereby inhibiting the absorption of both dietary cholesterol and the cholesterol made by our own body, see pics below. 

The amazing thing is that the “good” cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) remains unaffected by dietary phytosterol intake and the research also demonstrates no adverse side-effects.  

Phytosterols have been used in food products since the mid 90’s; foods fortified range from spreads to yogurt & milk and they can, of course, be taken in supplement form, which may be of benefit to individuals who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease, working to achieve target cholesterol levels and/or unable to tolerate statins.

High potency plant sterols



 

Look after your heart x