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Despite knowing what we should be eating, many of us are struggling to translate nutrition knowledge into long-term positive lifestyle habits. So what’s the secret to turning unhealthy diet habits around... for life?
Despite nearly half of Brits describing themselves as health enthusiasts, millions are skimping on healthy habits such as eating oily fish twice a week, getting five portions of fruit and veg or walking 10,000 steps a day. Almost a quarter will buy supplements but forget to take them, with the equivalent having never had their blood pressure checked. Rob Hobson Healthspan Head of Nutrition said: “Despite all the hype and interest around nutrition, information overload has actually made it very confusing. For one reason or another, despite the information available, many people are still not eating enough of the right foods to support their optimum nutrient intake. “Food surveys show that shortfalls in key nutrients exist amongst a significant percentage of the population and people are still unclear about how they can support their diet to insure optimal nutrient intake.” (www.healthspan.co.uk) THE EFFECT OF SUB-OPTIMUM NUTRITION Reduced productivity It has previously been reported that the nation’s poor diet has been linked to lower productivity that costs the economy (including NHS, state benefits, loss of earnings and productivity) up to £10 billion a year. Almost £7.7 billion is spent on NHS treatments that could be avoided if people cut down on fatty
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Health Magazine January 2018
and salty foods and ate more fresh fruit and vegetables. Yet the new research by British Summer Fruits found UK companies are doing little to encourage a culture of healthy eating; one third provide sugary snacks as fuel or to celebrate good work. Nearly 80 per cent of all meeting room snacks provided by offices were fizzy drinks, sugary biscuits and sweets. More than half of empoyees stated that they worked more productively (52 per cent) and were in a better mood (55 per cent) at work when they ate healthily. Corporate wellness expert Kate Cook calls for an expansion of corporate well-being initiatives to include free or subsidised fruit: “In my experience, the companies that have the lowest staff turnover are the ones that really invest in their staff wellbeing, particularly giving them access to great food choices. Offering fresh fruit and other healthier alternatives instead of biscuits is a cheap and easy way for UK business to encourage a healthy, positive and productive workforce and therefore contributing towards a better economy.
THE SOLUTION Supplementation Taking multivitamin and mineral supplements significantly increase nutrient intakes and decrease nutrient deficiencies, a new study recently found. This major new study published in Nutrients confirms that regularly taking multivitamin and mineral supplements (VMS) is the best way to ensure you are getting sufficient essential nutrients,
versus diet alone. Dr Carrie Ruxton, from the Health and Food Supplements Information Service commented, “This study is really important in setting the record straight on the value of multivitamins and minerals. We know these nutrients are key to our health and wellbeing and low levels have been shown to have negative health impacts.” “Unfortunately, all too often it is said that you can get all the nutrition you need from a healthy, balanced diet. But this ignores how most people actually eat. A lot of people don’t consume the fullspectrum of micronutrients needed to support optimum health.” Adequate intake of micronutrients is essential for nearly all metabolic, developmental and growth processes, and for good health across the lifespan. Remove distractions from mealtimes Whether it’s the TV, your computer or your smartphone, eating whilst engaging your mind on another activity or distraction can tune your senses out from the food you are eating. The result is that you can miss the body’s signals that it is full, potentially leading to overeating and feelings of disatisfaction after each meal. An old saying in Japan is “hara hachi bu”, which means ‘stop eating when you feel full’. Smaller portion sizes and a lower calorie intake have both been attributed to Japanese health and longevity. (Source: www.hyperjapan.co.uk)
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