Thinkers and drinkers
Moderate wine drinking has long been lauded as a way to help stave off heart disease and strokes. This is very convenient for those who like a tipple, but some scientists have recently begun to wonder whether wine is all that it's cracked up to be. In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, wine drinking was found to be associated with higher IQ, educational levels and socio-economic status. These factors have previously been found to be associated with healthier lifestyle habits generally, which themselves are known to give relative protection from a number of conditions, including heart disease. It seems as though at least some of the apparent benefits of wine consumption on the heart come not from the wine itself, but from other factors associated with the kind of people who are wine drinkers.
Why buy rye
I'm a big fan of rye bread. In my experience, when compared to the the wheat-based bread that most of us eat, it is much less likely to kick off symptoms and conditions associated with food intolerance such as abdominal bloating and fatigue.
On top of this benefit, recent evidence suggests that eating rye bread can lower cholesterol levels too. In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, the effects of eating white bread and rye bread on cholesterol levels in men were compared. Men eating white bread saw no change in the amount of cholesterol in their blood streams.
Rye bread, on the other hand, reduced cholesterol levels by an impressive 10 per cent.
Wholegrains and cancer
Wholegrain foods such as brown rice and wholemeal bread do much to ensure proper bowel function, and recent evidence suggests the benefits go way beyond merely keeping us regular. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Cancer reviewed 45 studies which examined the link between wholegrain and risk of cancer: 43 of them linked wholegrain to a reduced risk of cancer. Overall, just four servings of wholegrain food each week appeared to reduce cancer risk by a whopping 40 per cent.
Top 10 tips for healthy skin
1. Eat fat
Healthy fats, known as essential fatty acids, 'oil' the skin from inside, keeping it soft and smooth. Foods rich in these fats include extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, avocado and oily fish.
2. Take hemp seed oil
This provides essential fats in a blend well-suited for long term use. Take a tablespoon a day. Available from Advanced Herbals on 02920 219853.
3. Avoid constipation
It can encourage toxicity in the body leading to spots and pimples, especially around the mouth. A high fibre diet, plenty of water, and a dessert spoon of linseeds each day should help.
4. Drink water
Between one and two litres each day is right for most people.
5. Skin brushing
Good for shifting toxins (and the cellulite they are associated with) from the back of the thighs. For best results, brush strokes should be in an upwardly direction.
6. Get plenty of sleep
Sleep is absolutely essential for producing growth hormone, which has rejuvenating effects all over the body, including the skin.
7. Eat antioxidant-rich foods
Vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene and lycopene - found in fruit and vegetables - can combat the effects of rogue molecules called free radicals that age the skin.
8. Use a vitamin C cream
Try Jason's Vitamin C Cream from Kinetic, available by mail order (020 7435 5911).
9. Avoid smoking
Smoking increases free radical damage in the body and is thought to age the skin. Cutting down or stopping altogether can only help keep the skin in good nick.
10. Protect yourself from the sun
Strong sunlight may also increase free radical damage and age the skin prematurely. Taking beta-carotene in supplement form (10,000 - 30,000 IU per day) when in sunny climes can help protect the skin from ageing effects.
