Womens Health Consulting / Mens Health Consulting

POOR LOW COUNTRIES

LOTS OF COOKERY BOOKS BUT A POOR DIET.
WHY?

Even though people in the British Isles are inundated with cookery books, most of them don’t seem to have the time to cook a healthy meal every day. In Japan, Spain, Italy and other Mediterranean countries on the other hand few cookery books are found on bookshop shelves and yet in general the population enjoys a healthier diet.
Why? These countries have a long tradition of cooking and culinary skills, which are passed on from one generation to the next, and benefit from a wider and more varied range of fresh vegetables, fruit and different types of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. This means that the healthiest diet with the widest variation in vegetables and fruit is found in these countries. Moreover, Japan has an excellent ratio of 2:1 in healthy Omega-6/Omega-3 fatty acids because the Japanese consume a lot of oily fish, whilst at the same time limiting their intake of vegetable oils.

Here in the British Isles, however, we see-saw from one extreme food hype to another and are bombarded with contradictory health advice from diet consultants, who continue to circulate dated beliefs or are influenced by major food companies. A typical example is the marketers who continue to extol the benefits of unhealthy margarines. Meanwhile, young families acquire the latest ‘healthy eating' cookery books, but in reality what's on the menu is not quite so healthy or varied due to time pressure.

Being guided by ‘dated beliefs’, the media add more fuel to the fire by, for example, advocating that food supplements are pointless because we absorb sufficient nutrients via our daily diet. To alarm people even more some nutritionists point out the dangers associated with high doses of supplements, or even claim that they are ineffective and a waste of money. This is quite outrageous bearing in mind that vitamin and mineral supplements are supplied in extremely low doses as a result of strict EFSA legislation in Europe. There is no doubt that we all consume too little vitamin D3, vitamin K2, selenium and Omega-3, to name but a few.

Then there is the allegation that the North Sea would run dry if we all ate fish twice a week. However, our menu should include fatty fish such as anchovies, sardines, mackerel or salmon rather than lean, white fish such as plaice or sole and these types of oily fish are not found in the North Sea.
Others maintain that fish oil capsules are toxic because of their high heavy metal content. But if you really have to choose between eating a lot of fish or taking fish oil capsules, the latter are literally 1000 times purer and contain virtually no heavy metals compared to fresh fish.

It has been proven beyond doubt that people who eat a lot of oily fish or regularly consume 1 g EPA/DHA (the main Omega-3 fatty acids) as part of a healthy diet are less at risk of dying before the age of 85, have a lower risk of developing dementia and consequently enjoy a healthier, longer life.
An Omega-3 index analysis test provides an interesting record of the fats in your diet pattern. In the British Isles we notice a generally low consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids, often in combination with too much Omega-6 because of the abundant use of vegetable fats (from corn or sunflower seeds in oils or margarines), too little Omega-9 (from olive oil), or an excess of trans fatty acids (crisps, margarine, commercial bakery products, etc.).

Who should consumers believe nowadays, when cunning marketers such as the self proclaimed American ‘professor’, Brian Peskin, promote Omega-6 in the fight against cancer, a claim which is subsequently adopted by European traders with the aim of selling their own products?
And all this whilst this same individual is being prosecuted in the US for fraud. Knowledgeable consumers, however, are aware that in our Western culture Omega-6 is present in abundance (in biscuits, crisps, margarines, corn or sunflower oil, etc.) and in large quantities has an inflammatory effect on the cells in our body.

Interesting links:
www.thenutritionsource.org

HEALTHY ON THE INSIDE, BEAUTIFUL ON THE OUTSIDE.

An interesting book by Jo Wyckmans on optimum health, nutrition and positive thinking.