Ask A Nutritionist

Cholesterol Levels

Hi Jacquie, I have a question for you. I am 58 years of age and in good health. However, since February 2004 (the start of the dreaded menopause) my cholesterol, which until then had always been under 5.0, has increased every year and the last reading was 5.4, which is considered high. I eat a Weightwatchers menu, exercise regularly (Women's Tri series etc) and have virtually eliminated cheese and fats from my diet. I still eat low fat dairy yoghurts, some Edam cheese, cottage cheese etc to keep up the calcium intake in my diet. I would have approximately three eggs per week at the most. I am at a loss to know how to reduce my cholesterol reading. It seems the more I try, the worse it gets! Have you any ideas on how to do this naturally and nutritionally?

If you are active and on a low-fat, low-calorie diet you will find it difficult to obtain all the nutrients your body requires on a daily basis to function well. While it's true that we need to reduce the bad fats from our diets, I tend to think we have been on the low fat bandwagon for too long. Include heart friendly fats like Omega 3 fats found in oily fish, walnuts and olive oil. Fibre also plays a major role in healthy cholesterol management. Try having rolled oats and fruit for breakfast plus two additional pieces of fresh fruit during the day. A nutritionist will help tweak your diet in the right direction. In my experience most active women usually under-eat.

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Nutrition for Skin

Help I have terrible skin. How can I help ease this condition?

If you’re not getting the right nutrients it will show in your skin, hair and nails. A diet containing all of the following nutrients will help you get beautiful from the inside out. If your body’s stores of Vitamin C are low the quality of your skin will suffer. Zinc is also important for the skin, tissue healing, cell repair and division. Omega 3 fats are essential if you suffer from dry skin, they help reduce inflammation and keep your skin soft and supple. Vitamin A is vital for skin health and is useful in the treatment of acne. Beta-carotene, which converts in the body to Vitamin A, is found in yellow-orange fruits or vegetables such as carrots, yellow capsicums and apricots. The skin is the largest organ in our body and has a constant turnover of cells. A well balanced diet can make a big difference to the appearance of our skin.
View our range of supplements here.

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Nosebleeds

I suffer from occasional and unpredictable nosebleeds. Is there anything I can be eating to help reduce these?

It’s best to visit your doctor and find out the underlying cause of your nosebleeds. Nosebleeds can be caused by a variety of factors, even linked to some blood thinning medications, high blood pressure or maybe you have fragile nasal membranes. I found some good information about nosebleeds on the everybody.co.nz website. Avoid any supplements or over the counter medications that could thin your blood, talk to your doctor first and in the meantime try not to eat anything that triggers your nose to run, like peeling onions or eating hot chili or spices.

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Iron Supplements

Hi, I have elliptocytosis, a rare hereditary disorder of the red blood cells. How can I avoid iron deficiency on a vegan diet? I have tried taking iron supplements but haven't had much success with them and worry that they might not be good for my stomach long term. I'd appreciate any advice you have on this matter.
Thanks. Louise Thompson

Hi Louise
Eating a diet high is iron containing foods will help you consume enough iron but if you have a deficiency supplementation will be necessary to build up your stores. Iron deficiency can't be corrected overnight. You may need to take iron supplements for several months or longer to replenish your reserves. You can help prevent iron deficiency anaemia by eating foods rich in iron. Good vegan choices are iron-fortified cereals, breads and pastas, dark green leafy vegetables, raisins, nuts and seeds. Your doctor may recommend that you take iron supplements with vitamin C. Vitamin C in orange juice or tablet form helps increase iron absorption. If stomach irritation occurs you may need to take iron with food or experiment with different types.

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Alcohol

Should I still be drinking alcohol? New research says even one glass of wine a day can increase my chances of getting breast cancer, but other research says it’s good for the heart.

 
The recommendations associated with a lower risk of heart disease are based on one standard glass of wine per day which is a mere 100 mls. Unfortunately chances are you’re drinking four times that amount if you are drinking at home as most wine glasses are double to triple that size. New research has found that drinking two drinks a day may increase your chances of getting breast cancer by 20-25%, so if you are having a drink for heart reasons and are at risk for breast cancer, you will get better protection from heart disease by taking up exercise and leaving out the wine. Resveratrol is found in the skin of grapes and in red wine and is believed to be a partial explanation for the French paradox, the puzzling fact that people in France tend to enjoy a high-fat diet yet suffer less heart disease than Americans. Resveratrol and other polyphenols in red wine have been linked to prevention and the possible treatment of many diseases. Unfortunately not all wines provide a high level of Resveratrol and more than two glasses would nullify the protective effect of the antioxidants. Thats why antioxidants like Resveratrol and red wine polyphenols are popular supplements, they provide all the benefits of the antioxidant without the downside effect of the alcohol or sugar. In short the best advice I can give you for heart health is to maintain a healthy weight, consume fish or fish oil, eat plenty of vegetables and manage your stress.

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Salt Intake

Do children up to 10 years of age or so have a nutritional need of more salt than adults? I notice among my grandchildren, ages from 2.5 years to 9.5 years, that they all have a preference for bacon & thinly sliced ham & also cheese, to a crazy extent. And this is not mentioning the universal favourites of salted potato crisps or salted cheesy snack biscuits. In some of these families there is a determination of the parents to reduce both cooking salt and added salt at the table, but in other of these families salt is used as used to happen when I was much younger and there is no attempt to restrict salt.

I would like your comments on this and also whether New Zealanders as a whole are using too much salt, and what the damage might be.

Salt or sodium is an important mineral that works within our body alongside the mineral potassium to maintain healthy fluid balance. As a nation we eat too much salt and not enough potassium or iodine. A large amount of salt sneaks into our diet in processed foods and takeaways and has been associated with heart disease. According to the Ministry of Health, bread supplies more than 10% of our salt intake and processed food make up most of the rest. Check nutrition panels on food for salt and sodium and use low sodium options if you can. Children should be encouraged to eat more fresh, unprocessed foods like fruit, vegetables and whole grains to boost potassium levels. Choosing lower sodium foods when shopping will go a long way towards better health for all of us. Iodine deficiency is common in New Zealand, so make sure the salt you do use in cooking is the iodised kind. Salty chips and cheesy snacks are not what I call everyday food, but if they are sitting in the cupboard the likelihood of children choosing an apple over a tasty packet of chips is slim. This is why it’s so important that parents are careful to provide healthy options and limit foods that are high in salt, sugar and trans fats.

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Food Pyramid

How relevant are food pyramids these days? I can’t figure out what the accepted guidelines are any more – there’s the Mediterranean food pyramid and then the one from school. I’m confused.

Many nutrition experts find the traditional food pyramid simplistic and out of date. The biggest problem with the old food pyramid is that it doesn’t take into account the fact that some fats are healthy and some carbohydrates are unhealthy. It also doesn’t take into account healthy activity or fitness. We are eating a very different diet these days, so it would be difficult to determine where some common foods such a muesli bar would rank on a pyramid. Personally, I prefer the Harvard School of Public Health’s version of a new food pyramid. Its foundation is daily exercise and weight control, since these two related elements strongly influence your chances of staying healthy. It also promotes a plant based diet, whole grains, good protein choices and sensible supplementation. Dr. Willett, the author from Harvard School of Public Health says that the same healthy diet could work for everyone and is confident that his Healthy Eating Pyramid is the most accurate general pyramid yet issued. He hopes that the USDA will eventually take action to update the Food Guide Pyramid. "They will have to recognise critical differences in carbohydrates, fats, and protein sources," he says. "Unfortunately, there's a huge amount of inertia. Committees have been saying 'no fat' for so long, it's hard for them to change." You can view the new pyramid here.