Optimum Nutrition Spring 2018 PREVIEW

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CONTENTS
8 16 20
THIS ISSUE
TIRED ALL THE TIME?
So many of us are struggling to get
through the day that ‘TATT’ has
now become a common acronym
used by GPs. Jackie Lynch, a
registered nutritionist and author,
looks at how to use nutrition to
get back your va va voom
RAISE A DIFFERENT GLASS
If you’re looking to cut back or cut
out alcohol or fizzy drinks, read on.
Louise Wates writes why alcoholfree
wine is now a regular tipple
of choice, and Ellie Smith looks at
how cutting down on fizzy drinks
could benefit our health
INTERVIEW
Max MacGillivray knows a thing
or two about fresh fruit and
vegetables and wants the UK’s
children to know about them too.
So last year, he toured Africa on a
motorbike just to show children at
home a world of fresh food
REGULARS
14 ALL ABOUT
With warmer weather on its way, it’s time
to bring out the salad spinner. For some,
however, raw food is a year-round way of
life. Jenna Sinclair writes
24 ON YOUR PLATE
If you are looking for something fresh and
vibrant to liven up your lunch, why not
try one of these recipes from LEON Happy
Salads, by Jane Baxter and John Vincent
32 WORLD CUISINE
Japan has the highest life expectancy in
the world, and diet is a big part of this.
Food writer Nancy Singleton Hachisu told
us what makes Japanese cuisine special
34 DIFFERENT STROKES
Spring, when the trees begin to bloom,
is the perfect time to take up ‘forest
bathing’, the practice of immersing
oneself in nature to calm the senses
42 FEATURE
When bowel movements for your child
are difficult or distressing, it is time to
take action. Catherine Morgan writes on a
problem that is not exclusive to children
44 LITTLE LIVES
Catherine Morgan considers ways to
shake up breakfast, and we find out how
some experts think we should be tackling
childhood obesity
29 FOOD FACT FILE
We look at why environmental
campaigners are concerned about palm
oil, and whether we should be worried
about the nitrites in our bacon
36 FEATURE
As a nation, we love sandwiches. We look
at the rise and rise of the high-street butty
and ask if making some swaps could be
better for our guts — and the environment
48 MOVE IT
Alice Ball investigates the debate
surrounding what macronutrients — carb,
protein, or fat — are best for powering up
before a workout
04 COMMENT / NEWS
12 RESEARCH UPDATE
28 KITCHEN CHEMISTRY
39 BOOK THERAPY
40 PRODUCT NEWS
47 IN SEASON
50
ION GRADUATE STORY
Find out how studying with the Institute
for Optimum Nutrition changed Catherine
Jeans’ career
SPRING 2018 | OPTIMUM NUTRITION
3

FEATURE
Do you fall out of bed, crash around 3pm, and sofa snooze before supper? Registered nutritionist
Jackie Lynch and author of Va Va Voom* explains how you can put the spring back into your step
There seems to be something of a
low-energy epidemic going on in the
UK; so much so, that TATT (tired all
the time) has become a popular shorthand
amongst doctors, often used to describe
patients who consistently complain of
tiredness when tests reveal no apparent
medical cause.
In my nutrition clinic, I constantly see
people who simply put up with their fatigue
as if it’s completely normal to be dragging
themselves out of bed in the morning;
kick-starting themselves with coffee;
wilting at their work-station; struggling
with the dreaded mid-afternoon slump and
snoozing in front of the TV in the evening.
If they think about it at all, they usually put
it down to their age and a busy life, but
whether they’re 29 or 69, in most cases
diet and lifestyle are the main culprits.
Yet it doesn’t have to be this way,
because it really is possible to make a big
difference to energy levels in a very short
space of time with the right nutrition and
lifestyle. We already hold the key to our
energy ignition — we just need to know
how to switch it on and keep the engine
running effectively.
In my clinic I have seen different types
of tiredness, so it was important for me
to explore how tiredness can vary. In Va
Va Voom, readers can take quizzes to help
discover their energy weak point: lack of
strength and stamina; energy highs and
lows; loss of focus and concentration; or
a constant feeling of exhaustion are all
different ways that people experience
fatigue. Understanding the nature of your
tiredness is the first step to finding the best
diet and lifestyle solution.
In my clinical experience, there are four
key areas that most commonly contribute
to lack of energy, once medical conditions
...there are four key
areas that most
commonly contribute
to lack of energy...
such as hypothyroidism, diabetes, coeliac
disease or iron deficiency anaemia have
all been ruled out. The principles behind
my 10-day energy diet relate to these four
areas:
• Chronic inflammation. Studies have
shown that a constant state of lowgrade
inflammation can contribute to
a general state of tiredness, as well
as specific fatigue-related conditions,
such as chronic fatigue syndrome.
Blood levels of inflammatory markers
such as C-reactive protein and proinflammatory
cytokines have been seen
to be raised in individuals with fatigue. 1
• Blood sugar balance.
• Ensuring optimum levels of the macro
and micronutrients required for energy
supply and production.
• Limiting the factors that deplete energy,
including alcohol, sugar, excess caffeine
or dehydration.
Of course, there are numerous potential
8 OPTIMUM NUTRITION | SPRING 2018

FEATURE
It really is possible to
make a big difference
to energy levels in a
very short space of
time...
imbalances, deficiencies or biochemical
factors that can impact energy levels but
there are always a few obvious suspects
to target as a first step in a clinical
context.
Blood sugar balance
Any nutritional therapist will tell you that
one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to
a therapeutic approach, but there is one
area that will make a difference to almost
anyone struggling with tiredness and so
it’s usually my first port of call while I’m
waiting for any test results.
Balancing blood sugar is the equivalent
of Energy 101 — in other words, the basics
in maintaining energy levels. Not only
will it make a big difference to anyone
who experiences energy highs and lows
throughout the day and help to regulate
sleep patterns, but as the approach
includes increasing energy-boosting foods
such as wholegrains and vegetables and
avoiding some key robbers such as sugar
and alcohol, the overall benefits can be
considerable.
How does blood sugar impact energy?
Glucose is a primary source of quick
energy for the body, which means that
low blood sugar will leave you feeling
tired, irritable, and unable to focus or
concentrate. The infamous mid-afternoon
energy slump is all about low blood
glucose and is usually a result of relying
on sugary foods or refined carbohydrate
to keep you going. High blood sugar
releases the hormone insulin as an
emergency response, with its highly
efficient hoovering of the blood which will
send the sugar off to be stored in the liver
or in fat cells. As the blood sugar drops,
stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline
are released, generating powerful cravings
for a quick sugary fix and starting the
whole rollercoaster process all over again.
This battle of the hormones throughout
the day can be exhausting and if the blood
sugar drops overnight due to unwise food
or drink choices in the evening, sleep will
be restless and disrupted, leaving you
tired and unrefreshed in the morning.
How to regulate blood sugar
The solution is simple: a combination of
complex carbohydrate, (e.g. wholegrains
and vegetables) and protein, (e.g. meat,
fish, eggs or pulses) with every meal
and snack. This provides slow-release,
sustainable energy for the body which
will help avoid the cravings for sugar
and refined carbohydrate that lead to
trouble. It also has the secondary benefit
of featuring foods that are also rich in iron,
B vitamins and magnesium, which are all
essential for optimal energy production.
That may sound relatively simple, but in
my clinical experience, women tend to be
very poor at eating enough protein and
will often plough on through a busy day
without any protein at all until the evening
meal. They’re also far more likely to skip
meals than men, which will lead to further
blood sugar issues, as the body starts to
run out of fuel. It can take quite a bit of
coaching and encouragement to address
these ingrained habits.
The role of magnesium
When I observe a client experiencing
tension headaches, a sense of clinging
on by the fingertips or feeling tired but
wired so that it’s difficult to switch off
and relax, I think about magnesium. It’s
the multi-tasker of the minerals and
is discreetly responsible for over 300
essential chemical reactions across the
body, which is why a deficiency can cause
a range of different potential symptoms. 2
Magnesium helps to regulate muscle
function, supports our response to stress,
influences blood pressure and nerve
impulses, promotes a healthy digestion, is
important for bone health, and even plays
a role in DNA production. 3
In energy terms, magnesium starts
your engine. If you have a deficiency,
A BOOZY CYCLE OF EXHAUSTION
ALCOHOL might help us to relax but
it can affect the quality of our sleep.
According to Drinkaware, a UK-based
alcohol education charity, although
alcohol can help us get off to sleep
quickly it can cause sleep disruption,
leaving us more tired. Not only might
we need to make more trips in the
night to the toilet, because alcohol
is a diuretic, but we may also spend
less time in deep sleep and more time
in the rapid eye movement (REM)
stage, which means we can feel less
rested in the morning.
Drinkaware recommends avoiding
drinking alcohol before bedtime, to
give the body time to process any
alcohol — with an hour needed on
average to process one unit.
Source: www.drinkaware.co.uk
FOOD SOURCES OF MAGNESIUM
• Leafy, green vegetables such as
spinach
• Nuts
• Brown rice
• Bread (especially wholegrain)
• Fish
• Meat
• Dairy foods
Taking high doses of magnesium
(more than 400 mg) for a short time
can cause diarrhoea.
Source: www.nhs.uk
you’re likely to feel as if you’re running on
empty all the time because it’s absolutely
essential in the energy production process,
activating the enzymes that spark the
entire chain reaction. I find magnesium
very helpful when I’m working with clients
whose tiredness stems from the stress of a
very busy life, because it helps to calm the
nervous system. It can be very supportive
for anyone suffering from chronic fatigue
syndrome because of its core role in
energy production and the part it plays
in supporting muscle function, and it can
also make a big difference to anyone who
suffers from insomnia. 4
How to boost magnesium levels
Good food sources of magnesium
include wholegrain foods, leafy green
vegetables, and sunflower seeds. Including
these in your diet every day can help
to keep magnesium levels topped up.
Supplements should not exceed 400 mg
per day without the advice of a health
professional and, to avoid the risk of
potential harmful interactions, you should
speak to your doctor if you’re taking any
medication. One very relaxing way of
increasing magnesium levels is to try an
Epsom (magnesium) salts bath — add
two to three handfuls of salts in the bath
and relax for at least 20 minutes. The
magnesium will absorb through the skin,
relaxing the muscles, relieving tension, and
setting you up for a good night’s sleep.
B vitamins
A group of individual nutrients, B
vitamins work as a team to support a
range of different functions in the body.
A deficiency of one B vitamin is likely
to indicate a deficiency of another and
because they are so vital for our energy
levels, this can have a domino effect
leading to tiredness and fatigue, which is
why it’s always an area I’ll explore in my
clinic.
SPRING 2018 | OPTIMUM NUTRITION
9

ON YOUR PLATE
TIME 15 mins COOK TIME 8 mins
SERVES 2
(wheat-free/gluten-free/dairy-free)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 chicory head, finely sliced
• ¼ of a radicchio head, finely sliced
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 200–250 g (7–9 oz) sirloin steak
(or another cut)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 100 g (3½ oz) chestnut mushrooms,
sliced
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
DRESSING
• 2 tbsp mustard mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
METHOD
Mix together the chicory, radicchio and
leek in a large bowl. Heat a griddle pan
until it’s very hot. Brush the steak with
a little olive oil, and season well. Cook
for a couple of minutes on each side and
remove to a plate to rest, uncovered. Add
the mushrooms to the same pan, brown
them for a few minutes, then set to one
side.
Dress the chicory mix with the
mustard mayonnaise, then add the chives
and season. Toss through the cooled
mushrooms. Slice the steak and pop on
top of the dressed salad.
26 OPTIMUM NUTRITION | SPRING 2018

ON YOUR PLATE
TIME TAKEN 1 hour
SERVES 4 / PREP TIME 30 mins
COOK TIME 10 mins
(dairy-free/use rice noodles to make
wheat-free/gluten-free — soba (buckwheat)
noodles may contain wheat.)
INGREDIENTS
• 4 salmon fillets, about 100 g (3½oz)
each
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 200 g (7 oz) black rice noodles (or
soba noodles)
• 50 g (1¾ oz) spinach, cooked and
chopped
• 50 g (1¾ oz) samphire, blanched
• ½ a cucumber, cut into long strips
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
DRESSING
• 2 cm (¾ “) piece of ginger, finely grated
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp runny honey
• 50 ml (2fl oz) sunflower oil
• Salt and cayenne pepper
METHOD
Heat a large griddle pan. Brush the salmon
with the sesame oil and season well. Grill
for 2 minutes on each side, depending on
the thickness of the fillets, until almost
cooked through.
Remove the salmon from the grill and
leave it to rest. Make the dressing by
blending all the ingredients together to
make an emulsion. Cook the noodles in
lots of salted boiling water for 4–5 minutes
and drain well. Refresh with cold water
and toss in a large bowl with the spinach,
samphire, cucumber and dressing.
To serve, place the salmon on top of the
noodles and top with the spring onions,
sesame seeds and coriander leaves.
TIP
For knobbly bits of ginger, try using a
teaspoon to peel.
SPRING 2018 | OPTIMUM NUTRITION
27

MOVE IT
Bananas or a boiled egg? When it comes to the food that fuels your workout, which one reaches
the winning line first? Alice Ball looks at the debate over macronutrients for effective exercise
I’m in the changing rooms of one of
those boutique fitness classes — the
‘you pay bucks for us to kick your
ass’ kind. Despite a stressful morning,
I’ve remembered to grab a banana to
eat before the torture begins. After all,
pre-workout carbs are vital, right? But to
my left is a woman with a physique that
says, ‘I do this every day’ tucking into
two boiled eggs before the class. “Hang
on,” I think to myself. “Have I got this all
wrong?”
When we work out, our body requires
fuel. Food is stored in the body as
glycogen and broken down into glucose
during exercise, feeding the muscles
with energy. We can get glycogen from
most food groups, but carbs are thought
to convert to glucose more easily than
protein or fat. As a result, carbohydrates
are considered to be the energy food;
which is why we often see marathon
runners eating bowls of porridge or
bananas before their race. This is known
as carb-loading; consuming large
quantities of carbohydrates in the run
up to an event to increase the amount of
glycogen in the body. The result? They
can perform for longer without ‘hitting the
wall’.
The body naturally contains enough
glycogen to run the course of an hour’s
workout or 10 km run. But for distance
48 OPTIMUM NUTRITION | SPRING 2018