Enjoy your Xmas Turkey

Most Christmas lunches are packed with nutrients thanks to them containing turkey and vegetables. However all the added extras that accompany the xmas lunch can quickly lead to a calorie overload.
Here are a few tips that will allow you to enjoy your meal without breaking the calorie bank.

1. Turkey is a great option as it is high in protein and lower in fat content than most other cuts of meat.
   
2. Don’t smother your turkey with oil, butter, margarine or lard when cooking it. If you must use oil, just brush a light coating over the turkey rather than pouring or spooning it over.
   
3. Before tucking into your meal, remove the skin from the turkey. Most of the fat is contained in the skin.
   
4. Fill your plate with vegetables of as many different colours as possible and avoid smothering the vegetables in butter.
   
5. If you’re going to use the meat juices to make gravy, make sure you drain off the fat first.
   
6. Avoid adding butter to the stuffing. Nobody will notice the difference when it is smothered in gravy.
   
7. Beware of all the extras such as cranberry sauce and white sauce as they only add calories and little else.
   
8. Drink 2 large glasses of water before eating as this will suppress your appetite and help you avoid overeating.

So make sure you enjoy your Christmas lunch or dinner without suffering the calorie overload that will lead to unwanted weight gain.

Is inflammation putting you in danger?

One of the most common ‘buzz’ words in science these days is inflammation. When most people think of inflammation, they think of your knee swelling up when you cop a knock playing sport however in this case the inflammation we are referring to is a little different.


The correct scientific terminology for what we are discussing today is chronic low grade systemic inflammation. To simplify this further, it is simply swelling on a small scale throughout the entire body within the blood vessels. While we refer to this on a ‘small’ scale, the potential for disease is enormous

In fact for the past decade scientific research is labelling inflammation as the ‘bad boy’ of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and possibly even cancer.

So what exactly is inflammation? Inflammation is the body’s typical response to an abnormal situation. For example if you were to get a splinter embedded in your finger, after a few hours there would be localised swelling and possibly some redness on the skin surface.

Underneath the skin, a hive of activity is taking place. Chances are that the splinter has introduced bacteria into the body that are potentially dangerous. The immune system responds to this quickly and sends a number of different signals, engaging all units to respond to the situation.

The response is swift and ends with the foreign bacteria being attacked from all angles. Once the bacteria is surrounded the immune system sends out an ‘anti-inflammatory’ squad to break down the walls and end the inflammation.

Recent findings suggest that not only do invading micro-organisms like bacteria and viruses set off the immune system inflammation response but even certain foods invoke the same response.


For example, humans have not evolved eating lots of fats and sugars. While small amounts of these every now and then can be overcome, continual intake may result in pro-inflammatory chemicals overwhelming the system.

It is this ongoing inflammation, particularly in the lining of the blood vessels, that is now known to be associated with heart disease, diabetes and a range of other problems. In order to reduce this inflammation of the arteries the following 8 things need to be followed on a daily basis.

1. Choose high fibre, low glycaemic index carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruit.


2. Eat lean protein at all 3 meals e.g. egg whites, fish, game meat, skinless chicken breast and low fat dairy


3. Consume about 1 handful of unsalted nuts on a daily basis. Eat with vegetables, berries or other fruits or grains.


4. Eat a salad of leafy greens dressed with vinegar and virgin olive oil.


5. Avoid highly processed foods especially those containing sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour or trans fats.


6. Keep serving sizes modest.


7. Maintain a healthy body weight.


8. Complete 30 minutes of physical activity per day that makes your heart rate increase.

If you are looking to reduce inflammation in your body why not let us check your Risk Factors and advise you of what needs to be improved in your lifestyle to help.