Nutrition Advice

I contracted Ophelia late last year to provide dietary advice to help me tackle my diabetes, which was diagnosed last year.

In March, a 64 year old man  asked me if I would advise and support him to make necessary dietary changes to lower his cholesterol.

In this enlightening podcast Steven Bartlett interviews Tim Spector OBE, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology as he dispels many nutrition myths and explains how our gut microbiome underpins our overall health - mental and physical.

So, is coffee a guilty treat as many of us suspect? Or is it a health drink feeding your good gut bacteria?

ottage cheese is staging a comeback. The low-fat favourite of dieters in the Seventies and Eighties had faded into the background over the decades, as dairy products such as Greek yoghurt and quark became more fashionable.

New research has found that alcohol can reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Some experts are sceptical, they tell Helen Rumbelow

When you think of information you probably picture redness or pain. But sciences and covering more about 'hidden inflammation', which is increasingly being linked to disease as a cause - not just consequence. Georgia green finds out what you need to know.

The TV doctor has lost weight, sleeps better and aches less since spurning so much as a squirt of ketchup. Non-natural foods should be treated like cigarettes, he warns

Contrary to popular belief, vegan and plant based are two different things. Vegan omits all animal products from the diet and lifestyle, whereas plant based refers to a diet that omits animal products and focuses on plant foods.

The middle-aged are now more likely to drink to excess than any other age group. But after 40 that bottle of wine is followed by morning-after guilt. Jane Mulkerrins reports.

Nutrition therapist Ian Marber on the everyday foods to include in your diet — and their crucial health benefits

Choose these for a healthier heart, strong bones and lower cholesterol. By nutrition expert Ian Marber

There are other ways to cook root vegetables than just roasting them in a tin, says Hannah Evans. Try these expert techniques

Suddenly we’re being told that we’re not eating half as much protein as we should each day. Professor Stuart Phillips, an expert in muscle growth from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, said on Radio 4’s Food Programme that the UK’s official recommended level of protein intake in midlife must be at least doubled to save us from frailty and premature death.

The amount of carbs we should consume is a highly debated topic. The dietary guidelines suggest that we should get about half of our calories from carbohydrates. On the other hand, some claim that we should limit them in our diets as they lead to obesity and diseases like type 2 diabetes.

In Plant-based Sports Nutrition, registered dietitians Enette Larson-Meyer and Matt Ruscigno combine evidence-based research with personal experience working with – and as – vegan and vegetarian athletes to offer a complete explanation of how, when and why you need to plan your nutrient intake.

Have you had your oats today? There are few health foods that, while others have gone in and out of fashion, have stood the test of time as well as oats. There aren’t many that are also gut-friendly, heart-healthy and good for the waistline. And as science repeatedly confirms that oats are among the best foods we can eat for all-round health, so our appetite for them continues to grow.

Like Ian Maber, in this article below, I do eat meat. But, at 55, I eat much less than I used to. As an exercising, menopausal woman, my focus is on quality of nutrients and energy (iron and protein) versus unhealthy additives and saturated fat.

As ever with nutrition there is endless research that you can look at, but in short:

My top three for nutrient density, texture and taste are:

1. Brown Rice

The bran, germ and aleurone layers are still present and so brown rice contains more minerals and other nutrients and this may help reduce blood sugar levels and aid in weight management.

Studies have shown that restricting your eating to within 8-10 hours a day and fasting for the other 16-14 hours is among the best ways to shed half a stone.

I have found discovering what truly is healthy bread very challenging. Packaging and marketing can be extremely misleading.

Rye bread tops the charts, I love 100% rye with grains sourdough from Karaway Bakery.

What we eat can have a profound impact on our projected lifespan. This week researchers from the University of Bergen reporting in the medical journal PLOS One revealed that adding plenty of vegetables, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and porridge to your diet from the age of 20 could help you to live a decade or more longer.

sugar is a simple carbohydrate, which means it doesn’t need much digestion and it’s very easily absorbed into the blood stream – causing your blood sugar levels to go up.