THE HEALTH DEBR I EF
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PORTRAIT OF RENEE MCGREGOR: EMMA Y
OUNG. PHOTOGRAPHS AND ILLUS
TRATIONS: ISTOCK/GETTY IMA
GES, THINKSTOCK PHOTOS
COMPILED BY SUE QUINN
HEALTH HACK
Pack away the veg peeler!
Skin-on fruit and veg
generally contain more fibre,
vitamins, minerals and
antioxidants than peeled. An
unpeeled apple, for example,
contains up to four times
as much vitamin K and 60
per cent more vitamin A
than its skinned counterpart.
The skin is also where up to
a third of the fibre resides –
and it’s of a type that makes
you feel fuller for longer. Not
to mention the fact that the
peel delivers more flavour.DID YOU KNOW?
Teens who eat unhealthy snacks
whilewatching TV, using the
erorplaying video games
creased risk of metabolic
me,a cluster of conditions
uding high blood pressure
ndhigh blood sugar that
are linked to heart disease
and diabetes. Researchers
in Brazil, who presented
their findings to the recent
annual meeting of the
ndocrine Society in the US,
idthe take-home message
miting screen time for
rsisimportant, but if this
sible, avoid letting them
snackatthe same time.THE DIETITIAN’S VIEW
M
etabolism is defined as “the chemical processes that occur within a
living organism in order to maintain life”. The body has an incredible
ability to maintain function so it’s easy to assume it will keep
working at an optimum level, but it’s important you help it work at its best.
If you believe everything you read on Instagram, it’s easy to view the
body as a machine that you can control via a variety of apps – which
couldn’t be further from the truth. The body is more like an ecosystem
that needs frequent attention and tending to in order to keep it healthy.
How do we ensure the body’s processes work efficiently? Sleep, nutrition
and physical activity play a part, but stress is the main factor. Exercise is
important for physical and mental health, but when it’s taken to an extreme- especially when combined with restrictive eating patterns – the body
comes under huge amounts of stress. On the other hand, overeating and
low activity rates also can contribute to an overstressed system.
Chronically high levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, have an impact
on the thyroid gland, the metabolism’s control system. Left unchecked,
these can have longer term health consequences.
An efficient metabolism depends on a balance between mind and body.
Next time you believe trends such as fasting or juicing may ‘boost your
metabolism’, stop and think: will this behaviour actually stress your
system more than helping it?
BY RENEE MCGR EGOR
RENEE MCGREGOR BSC PGDIP SPECIALISES IN SPORTS NUTRITION AND EATING DISORDERS.
HER BOOKS INCLUDE TRAINING FOOD, THE FAST FUEL SERIES AND ORTHOREXIA (NOURISH BOOKS)
Efficient
metabolism
depends on a
balance between
mind and body
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snackat88 deliciousmagazine.co.uk