Cholesterol and blood pressure bother.

Have you noticed how every doctors appointment takes twice as long these days due to the fact that they want to check cholesterol etc? Doctors do this to gain a bonus - cynical I know, of course, it's their health promotion role. Strokes and heart attacks can be prevented by keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol down. Well, you can do these health checks yourself at home, at the local gym or with a nutritional therapist, if you don't want to go to the surgery.

Cholesterol is the big one just now so here are the foods you need to incorporate into your diet if yours' is over 5.2mmol/l. INCREASE oats, beans, oily fish, polyunsaturared fat (flaxseed oil* is excellent) and fruits and vegetables and DECREASE saturated fat, offal, shellfish, trans and hydrogenated fats. Also, increase fibre to 20 grams per day. You need a combination of foods high in soluble fibre - turnips, apples and sweet potatoes and insoluble fibre - oats, bran and other cereal crops. Combine these foods with 1.5 litres of water daily and an exercise plan and see your cholesterol levels drop without the need for statins.

Oily fish are: mackeral, trout, salmon, herrings and sardines. Great for lunch and dinner. Dried beans need soaking overnight and boiling for a long period so probably tinned is best. Treat sweet potato the same as white potatoes. For a healthy dessert combine 2 fruits with a little water and sugar - top with a healthy crumble i.e. add oats or weetabix crumbs to the fat, flour and sugar. For a healthy fat you can use in cakes and desserts use Pure soya bean spread.

* Flaxseed oil cannot be used in cooking. You can get ground flaxseeds from the health food store.

High blood pressure is a reading over 120/85mm/Hg, it can be lowered by losing weight if you are big, reducing salt in your diet, reducing stress and increasing exercise. Unfortunatley a lot uf us have 'white coat syndrome' and this increases high blood pressure - if this is you test yourself at home. Beware of ready meals which contain hidden salt as do cured meats and tinned foods. For more tips on healthy eating visit my website.

Good luck: Be healthy.

Healthy Recipes

With all the colds and flu about we all need to build up our immune systems while having enjoyable food and drinks. With lots of great fruit and vegetables in the supermarket there is no need to buy supplements just create tasty soups and smoothies to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. Change the fruits and veggies with the seasons e.g. the smoothie recipe works just as well with blackberries, raspberries and cranberries - a great new taste with each one. Go to www.stswithins.plus.com/nutrition for more on vitamins.

MAKING SOUPS AND SMOOTHIES.

Try this carrot soup recipe for lunch or a meal starter; substitute the carrots for another vegetable to make various quick and easy soups.

Ingredients (For 4)

500g carrots (peeled and chopped)
1 onion (peeled and sliced)
1 bay leaf
1 litre vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 tblsp fresh parsley } You can use other herbs that are in season.
1 tblsp fresh coriander
A little polyunsaturated oil

Method

Sweat the carrots and onion in the oil for about 10 mins. Add the bay leaf, stock and seasoning. Boil for a few mins. then simmer for 25 mins. Add the coriander and simmer for a further 5 mins. Liquidize, reheat if necessary and top with the parsley.



Strawberry and Banana Smoothie

Ingredients (For 1)

1 handful strawberries (sliced) – other berries work equally well.
½ banana (chopped)
1 tblsp plain low fat yogurt
2 tblsp water

Method

Crush the fruits with the water in your blender until pureed. Add the yogurt and drink – you may need to add more water to correct the consistency.

Immune boosting juice – papaya and orange.

Ingredients (For 2)

125g papaya – peel and chop
125g cucumber – peel and chop
2 oranges - peel and chop
ice cubes and a little water.

Method

Juice or blend the ingredients together, serve over ice cubes, decorate with papaya and cucumber. Could be a fun alcohol free cocktail.

EGGS Make A Good Supper

Eggs are nature’s original functional food and they are well and truly back in fashion, with just 80 calories per medium egg, they are worth their weight in gold for dieters, despite only costing a few pence each. Eggs contain protein, zinc, iron and vitamin D; the amount of cholesterol is low and unlikely to contribute to your heart disease risk.

British Lion° eggs have developed the low calorie Pizza Omelette, which takes just, minutes to prepare and costs just a few pence – a delicious low fat alternative to a traditional pizza. Compared with a regular margherita pizza, the Pizza Omelette contains only around a third of the calories and it tastes great.
So for a quick and easy meal containing only 225 calories, get cracking!

You will need: (for 1)

2 medium eggs
85g tomatoes
25g mushrooms
20g Mozzarella cheese (or a light cheese)
Pinch of mixed herbs.

Method:
1. Break the eggs into a jug and beat with a fork.
2. Pour the eggs into a hot frying pan and quickly swirl around the pan. Pull the mixture away from the sides, using the spatula, and tip to let the uncooked egg slip underneath
3. When the top is nearly set, add the chopped tomatoes, sliced mushrooms and Mozzarella. Sprinkle the mixed herbs over the omelette. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired
4. Place the pan under a hot grill until the cheese bubbles. Serve with green salad and granary bread.

° Eggs showing the lion mark are from chickens vaccinated against salmonella.